Toronto Areas | Etobicoke
Multiplexes in Etobicoke
Etobicoke runs from the Lakeshore villages (Mimico, New Toronto, Long Branch) to the Islington and Kipling subway termini, on wide, deep lots that give a multiplex new-build room to work. The Lakeshore has GO rail and the 501 streetcar; Islington and Kipling are the western end of Line 2. Up to four units are permitted as-of-right; the area is not one of the nine sixplex wards. One local detail to watch is the roughly 30-metre minimum lot depth a garden suite needs here. Pull the per-neighbourhood numbers from the City's Neighbourhood Profiles.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Walkable Lakeshore villages (Mimico, New Toronto, Long Branch) with GO and the 501 streetcar.
- ✓Wide, deep lots near the Islington and Kipling Line 2 termini suit a fourplex new-build.
- ✓Garden suites carry a 30 m minimum-lot-depth rule in Etobicoke, confirm it.
- ✓Four units as-of-right, Etobicoke is not a sixplex ward unless it opts in.
Suburban parcels change what fits inside the envelope. Use the City parcel area for your Etobicoke address rather than a neighbourhood average.
New multiplex builds in Etobicoke
128 new multiplex building permit applications have been filed in Etobicoke since January 2024, at 115 distinct addresses. That is 15.1% of all new multiplex applications in Toronto. The most common size is 4 new homes, on 70 projects.
Where these applications stand
Of 128 applications in Etobicoke, 83 have an issued permit, 23 are still under review, and 22 were refused, cancelled or abandoned. A filed application is not a permit, so the totals on this page count applications rather than approvals.
Taken from the City's own status value on each permit, not from which dataset it appears in.
New homes each project adds
Counts new homes added, not homes in the finished building. Demolishing a house and building a fourplex in its place adds three, not four.
Permits filed by year
By application date. The current year is partial, so it is not comparable to a full one.
What builders declared it would cost
Across 111 projects in Etobicoke that state both a value and between two and six new homes, the declared construction cost runs from $500,000 at the 25th percentile to $1,200,000 at the 75th, with a median of $1,000,000.
This is the figure the applicant wrote on the permit application. It is not a sale price, it is not the final cost of the build, and it does not include the land.
How long the City took to issue
Of the 128 projects in Etobicoke, 89 have been issued. Those took a median of 68 days from application, with a quarter issued within 43 days and a quarter taking longer than 100. 39 are still waiting and are not in that median.
Application to issue, from the City's own dates. Projects still under review are excluded rather than counted at how long they have waited so far, which would understate the real wait.
Busiest wards in Etobicoke
- Ward 03 Etobicoke-Lakeshore 84
- Ward 02 Etobicoke Centre 23
- Ward 01 Etobicoke North 21
Why Etobicoke Fits Multiplex Infill
Lakeshore villages
Mimico, New Toronto, and Long Branch run along the Lakeshore as their own older villages, walkable strips with rail and streetcar history. Their lot fabric and walkability make them a strong fit for a multiplex aimed at people near transit and the waterfront.
Wide, deep lots
Much of Etobicoke is wide, deep postwar and prewar lots that give a multiplex new-build room to work and leave rear-yard space for a garden suite, more room than the narrow lots of the old core.
Line 2 termini plus Lakeshore transit
Islington and Kipling are the western termini of the Line 2 subway, and the Lakeshore villages have GO rail and the 501 streetcar. A lot within a walk of either is exactly where new ground-oriented housing makes sense.
Area and former-municipality context via the City of Toronto former municipalities archive and the Neighbourhood Profiles. The garden-suite lot-depth requirement via the City's Garden Suites page.
Best For
- ✓ Walkable Lakeshore-village lots near GO rail and the 501 streetcar.
- ✓ Wide, deep lots near the Islington and Kipling Line 2 termini.
- ✓ Deep lots that clear the garden-suite lot-depth requirement for a rear-yard unit.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A garden suite is planned on a lot that does not meet the ~30 m minimum depth.
- ✕ A sixplex is assumed, but Etobicoke is outside the nine wards unless it opts in.
- ✕ Heritage or character status in the Lakeshore villages is overlooked in design.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The residential zone and Neighbourhoods designation for the parcel.
- → Lot depth against the Etobicoke garden-suite minimum.
- → Whether the ward has opted into sixplex permissions (otherwise four units).
Where to Go Next
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a multiplex in Etobicoke?
What is the 30 metre lot-depth rule for garden suites in Etobicoke?
Are the Lakeshore villages good for a multiplex?
Can I build a sixplex in Etobicoke?
Is a lot near the Islington or Kipling subway station good for a multiplex?
Do I need to check for heritage rules before building in the Lakeshore villages?
Why are wide lots an advantage for an Etobicoke fourplex?
What should I verify before buying an Etobicoke lot for a multiplex?
Official Sources Referenced
Related reading
Longer pieces on the same question.
Etobicoke lot areas do the heavy lifting
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