Policy & Zoning | Major Streets (6 storeys)

Toronto Major Streets

The multiplex by-law tops out at four units on interior lots. The Major Streets Study added a taller form for the lots that face an avenue: townhouses and small apartment buildings up to six storeys, on Neighbourhoods lots fronting a major street, city-wide. Council adopted it in 2024; it took effect after a 2025 Ontario Land Tribunal decision.

Key Takeaways

✓Townhouses and small apartments up to six storeys on Neighbourhoods lots fronting a major street.
✓Applies city-wide along qualifying major streets — not limited to a few wards.
✓Instruments are OPA 727, renumbered By-law 1061-2025.
✓Adopted 2024; brought into force by an Ontario Land Tribunal decision on September 11, 2025.

The Reform at a Glance

Detail	What it says
What it permits	Townhouses and small apartment buildings up to 6 storeys
Where	Neighbourhoods-designated lots in the Residential Zone category that front a major street, city-wide
Council adoption	May 22, 2024 (final OPA / Zoning June 26, 2024)
Planning instruments	OPA 727 (renumbered By-law 1061-2025)
Appeal	Appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal
In force	OLT decision September 11, 2025 brought both into force

From the City of Toronto Major Streets Study. The "up to six storeys" height is verified; this page does not quote a maximum unit count, which is not stated on the study page.

The Appeal and the Tribunal Decision

Council adopted the Major Streets permissions on May 22, 2024, with the final Official Plan and Zoning amendments on June 26, 2024. The amendments were appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which is the provincial body that hears planning appeals. The OLT issued a decision on September 11, 2025 that brought both OPA 727 and By-law 1061-2025 into force.

That sequence matters for timing: the rule was adopted in 2024 but only became effective with the 2025 tribunal decision. If you are working a lot fronting a major street, this is a newer permission than the 2023 multiplex by-law, and it is worth confirming current status and mapping with City Planning before you design to it.

Best For

✓ Neighbourhoods-designated lots in the Residential Zone category that front a major street.
✓ Townhouse and small-apartment forms where six storeys beats a four-unit multiplex.
✓ Sites on an avenue where the larger street supports more height and units.

Usually Fails When

✕ Applying six-storey rules to an interior lot — Major Streets needs major-street frontage.
✕ Assuming a unit cap this page does not state; only "up to six storeys" is verified.
✕ Ignoring the timing — the permission only took effect with the September 2025 OLT decision.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ Whether the lot fronts a qualifying major street under the Major Streets Study mapping.
→ The Neighbourhoods designation and Residential Zone category for the parcel.
→ Current in-force status and any site-specific limits with City Planning.

Where to Go Next

EHON Program

The umbrella program Major Streets sits under.

The Multiplex By-law

The four-unit permission on interior lots.

Zoning By-law 569-2013

The residential zones and the envelope rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Toronto's Major Streets reforms allow? +

They permit townhouses and small apartment buildings up to six storeys on properties the Official Plan designates Neighbourhoods, in the Residential Zone category, where the lot fronts a major street. The permission applies city-wide along qualifying major streets, not just in a few wards.

How tall a building do the Major Streets rules allow? +

Up to six storeys. That is the height ceiling for the townhouse and small-apartment forms the Major Streets Study introduced on Neighbourhoods lots fronting a major street. It is a step up from the four-unit multiplex permission on interior lots, reflecting the larger streets these lots face.

When did the Major Streets permissions take effect? +

Council adopted them on May 22, 2024, with the final Official Plan and Zoning amendments on June 26, 2024. The amendments were appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, and an OLT decision on September 11, 2025 brought both into force. So the permission has been effective since that 2025 tribunal decision.

What is OPA 727 and By-law 1061-2025? +

OPA 727 is the Official Plan Amendment behind the Major Streets reforms; it was renumbered as By-law 1061-2025. Together they implement the townhouse and small-apartment permissions of up to six storeys on Neighbourhoods lots fronting major streets, brought into force by the September 2025 Ontario Land Tribunal decision.

How is Major Streets different from the multiplex by-law? +

The multiplex by-law permits up to four units city-wide on residential lots, in roughly a detached-house envelope. Major Streets is a separate, taller permission — up to six storeys of townhouses or small apartments — but only on Neighbourhoods lots that front a major street. So one applies to interior lots, the other to lots facing an avenue.

Does Major Streets apply to any lot on a busy road? +

It applies to Neighbourhoods-designated properties in the Residential Zone category that front a major street, city-wide. Whether a specific street qualifies as a "major street" and whether the lot meets the designation are both lookups to confirm with the City's Major Streets Study mapping and Zoning By-law 569-2013 before designing.