Toronto is tackling a housing crisis driven by rising prices, population growth, and limited residential flexibility. In response, the City has introduced bold reforms to its zoning bylaws, making it easier to build multi-unit homes in areas once reserved for single-detached housing.Among the most impactful shifts is the push for “missing middle” housing – specifically sixplexes. Through the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative, Toronto is advancing policies that support low-rise multiplexes across neighborhoods, aiming to increase supply while preserving community character.
At Land Signal, we help homeowners, builders, and developers navigate these new opportunities. Whether you need a Sixplex Permit Toronto or guidance on a home extension permit Toronto or small-scale laneway/garden suite additions, our team makes the process seamless. This guide unpacks everything you need to know about the Sixplexes Citywide Study so you can confidently participate in the future of housing in Toronto.
The newly released Sixplexes Citywide Study is the cornerstone of this initiative. It outlines how the City plans to adopt these changes, design appropriate regulations, and implement a balanced framework for all neighborhood types, while preserving Toronto’s residential character and enhancing its livability.
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What Is EHON?
The Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) project is a comprehensive response to Toronto’s long-standing issue of restrictive zoning. Historically, over 70% of residential land in Toronto was zoned to permit only single-detached homes. This left little room for the types of housing that cater to modern urban populations – such as smaller households, seniors, newcomers, and young professionals.
EHON introduces a wide array of low-rise housing forms to help meet Toronto’s diverse housing needs:
- Laneway Suites (approved July 2019)
- Garden Suites (approved February 2022)
- Duplexes, Triplexes, Fourplexes (approved citywide in May 2023)
- Multiplexes up to 4 units (citywide)
- Five- and Sixplexes (currently in the citywide study phase)
This initiative not only improves equity and housing accessibility, but also supports climate goals, neighborhood revitalization, and economic development through localized population growth.
Why Sixplexes, and Why Now?
Expanding multiplex permissions now is about more than housing supply – it’s about delivering diverse, sustainable, and affordable housing in communities where growth has been stagnant. The sixplex model is specifically designed to allow for flexibility in unit mix, affordability, and rental tenure. Many proposed designs include three or more rental units, addressing the shortage of affordable rental options across the city.
These buildings also align with CMHC’s Housing Design Catalogue, which provides pre-approved sixplex templates to streamline the approval process and support faster construction timelines. This approach reduces permitting delays while encouraging thoughtful, human-scaled development.
In addition, the City is focusing on architectural flexibility, allowing sixplexes to adopt varied façades and layouts so that new developments blend with the character of existing neighborhoods. This helps ensure that increased density doesn’t come at the cost of neighborhood integrity.
The timing of this policy also aligns with affordability modeling. The City has evaluated cost and rent assumptions to ensure that the sixplex model is both economically viable for builders and accessible to tenants and buyers alike. The move to legalize sixplexes citywide is informed by intersecting social, economic, and policy drivers. The study highlights three major forces influencing the city’s shift:
Population Growth & Housing Demand
From 2016 to 2021, many neighborhoods in Toronto saw either slow or declining population growth. Meanwhile, housing demand continues to surge citywide. Allowing additional units in low-rise zones helps optimize underutilized land, reinvigorate aging communities, and support population retention and growth in key areas.
Provincial & Federal Mandates
- Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act (2022) mandates that municipalities allow up to three units per lot without restrictive by-laws. This sets a province-wide baseline.
- Ontario Regulation 462/24 strengthens this direction by overriding local zoning restrictions related to angular planes, lot coverage, separation distances, and more. It directly promotes additional residential units (ARUs) like garden suites and sixplexes.
- Federal Supports include the CMHC Housing Design Catalogue, which provides pre-approved blueprints for sixplexes and other infill types, along with funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund.
A National Trend in Urban Planning
Toronto’s sixplex policy aligns with a Canada-wide shift toward gentle density. Cities across the country are exploring ways to accommodate more people on less land. Sixplexes meet modern housing needs by offering a flexible, scalable solution that blends into existing neighborhoods.
What Is a Sixplex?
If you’re considering converting your property into a multi-unit development, such as a fourplex or sixplex, understanding what defines each structure is key.
A sixplex is a low-rise residential building that includes five or six dwelling units, usually stacked across two to three stories. It’s often considered part of the “missing middle” – housing that’s more compact than a detached home but less dense than a mid-rise apartment.
The City encourages unit diversity within sixplexes. Common configurations include:
- One large, family-sized unit (2+ bedrooms) on the ground floor
- Multiple 1-bedroom or studio units for singles, seniors, or young adults
- Accessible, universally designed units to support aging in place and inclusive living
These buildings may be purpose-built or conversions from existing homes, and can be either rentals or small-scale condominiums. By design, they encourage mixed tenure and generational housing within established neighborhoods.
Toronto’s sixplex guidelines prioritize:
- Minimum 1.2m side yard setback (on one side)
- Garage not exceeding 50% of the front facade
- Zero required parking spaces (but up to two allowed)
- Universal accessibility and soft landscaping preservation If you’re considering converting your property into a multi-unit development, such as a fourplex or sixplex, understanding what defines each structure is key. A sixplex is a multi-unit residential building that contains five or six separate dwelling units, usually within a low-rise structure. It is a type of “missing middle” housing that bridges the gap between single-detached homes and mid-rise apartments.
Key features include:
- Purpose-built or retrofitted structures on residential lots
- Suitable for both rental and ownership models
- At least one large unit (2+ bedrooms), typically on the ground floor
- Compliance with zoning rules: height, setbacks, and lot coverage
- Garage or on-site parking optional, with a focus on walkability
The City of Toronto’s guidelines recommend:
- Minimum 1.2m side yard setback (on one side)
- No more than 50% of the front facade dedicated to a garage
- Zero required parking spaces (up to two allowed, lot permitting)
- Preservation of landscaped open space
A Look at the Timeline: How We Got Here
The path to sixplex legalization has been incremental and strategic:
- May 2023: Council approves fourplexes citywide
- December 2023: Direction given to study citywide permissions for 5- and 6-unit buildings
- March–November 2024: Ward 23 Pilot launches for real-world testing
- February 2025: Ward 23 permissions for sixplexes approved (no appeals)
- June 2025: Final report to Planning & Housing Committee for citywide implementation
- December 2025: Proposed new performance standards for narrow and shallow lots
This structured rollout allows for public feedback, performance monitoring, and tailored policy refinement.
Design Testing: Can Sixplexes Fit Everywhere?
Unit Schematic in Narrow Lot Context
Just as securing a basement permit Toronto requires thoughtful planning for space efficiency and building code compliance, so does designing sixplexes across varying lot sizes. A core element of the study is fit analysis – ensuring that sixplexes can be built across a range of Toronto lot types without compromising design quality, infrastructure, or neighborhood character. Three lot types were tested:
Wide Lots (12.8m width, 32.9m depth)
- Building depth: 17m
- Three storeys, with 6 units averaging 70m²
- Includes two large (80m²) units
- Up to two parking spaces in a garage
Mid-Width Lots (10m width, 33.9m depth)
- Building depth: 17m
- One large unit (107m²); remaining units average 50m²
- Two backyard surface parking spots
Narrow Lots (7.9m width, 35.8m depth)
- Requires building depth over 17m
- No parking on site
- Compact design focused on maximizing interior livable space (units average 61m²)
All configurations promote natural light, efficient layouts, and spatial harmony with adjacent properties.
Parking Options Explored
Four parking arrangements were evaluated for sixplex suitability:
- Front-Integrated Garage: Included within the building
- Rear Surface Parking (Parallel): Along the driveway
- Rear Surface Parking (Perpendicular): In the backyard
- Rear Garage Structure: Not preferred due to reduced soft landscaping
These options provide flexibility based on lot width, access, and landscaping needs.
Understanding Lot Types & Zoning Implications
Whether you’re applying for a permit for house extension Toronto or evaluating the feasibility of a sixplex, understanding how your lot is classified is fundamental. Lot dimensions impact what can be built. Toronto classifies lots as:
Shallow Lots
- <36m deep (under 10m wide) or <40m deep (10m+ wide)
- Max building length: 17m
Deep Lots
- ≥36m deep (under 10m wide) or ≥40m deep (10m+ wide)
- Max building length: 19m
The City is exploring whether to grant shallow lots the same building lengths as deep lots, enabling consistent design standards across more properties.
What’s Next?
In the coming year, Toronto will continue refining its approach to ensure that sixplex expansion meets the needs of all stakeholders. This includes:
- Finalizing performance standards for challenging lots (narrow, shallow, or irregular)
- Exploring four-storey sixplex permissions on certain constrained sites
- Evaluating impacts on local infrastructure, including water, sewer, and electrical systems
- Modeling effects on school enrollment capacity, public services, and tree canopy preservation
City planners are also reviewing how sixplexes can meet affordability benchmarks and how policies might support incentive programs for building long-term rental units.
Design quality remains a priority. The City intends to encourage architectural variety, avoiding “cookie cutter” sixplexes and promoting context-sensitive façades and material choices. Aesthetic flexibility will help ensure these new buildings fit seamlessly into a range of urban and suburban contexts.
The final performance standards report is due by Q4 2025, and will inform zoning by-law updates aimed at simplifying building permissions while safeguarding neighborhood character and ecological resilience. In the coming year, Toronto will:
- Finalize performance standards for challenging lot types
- Assess feasibility of four-storey sixplexes, particularly on narrow lots
- Analyze impacts on infrastructure, public services, tree canopy, and school capacity
- Propose updates to the zoning by-law to modernize and streamline building types
The final performance report is expected by Q4 2025, paving the way for full-scale implementation.
Read Also: Toronto Multi Unit Property Conversion – Maximize Value Fast
How Land Signal Can Help
Whether you’re considering a basement permit Toronto for added living space, or preparing to submit a fourplex permit Toronto application to maximize your property’s rental yield, Land Signal supports every stage of the process. At Land Signal, we specialize in securing your Sixplex Permit Toronto with precision and ease. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to convert your lot or a developer interested in building future-ready housing, our team brings deep expertise to every step.
We provide:
- Application management for Multiplex Permit Toronto, including triplex and fourplex configurations.
- Design compliance services for home extension permit Toronto, fourplex permit Toronto, and basement permit Toronto.
- Zoning by-laws in Toronto interpretation and strategy
We simplify the complex permit process so you can focus on building the housing Toronto needs.
Approved Wards for Sixplex Permit Toronto
For now sixplexes has been approved for
- Ward-4: Parkdale- Highpark
- Ward-9: Davenport
- Ward-10: Spadina-Fort York
- Ward-11: University-Yorkdale
- Ward-12: Toronto-St Paul’s
- Ward-13: Toronto center
- Ward-14: Toronto-Danforth
- Ward-19: Beaches-East York
- Ward-23: Scarborough-North
Conclusion
The Sixplexes Citywide Study is more than a technical document – it represents a visionary shift in urban planning. It invites Toronto to grow inclusively, sustainably, and intelligently.
By unlocking the potential of low-rise neighborhoods and embracing gentle density, Toronto is building not just homes, but stronger, more diverse communities. With the right tools and partners, the future of Toronto housing is already underway.
