Toronto Areas | North York
Multiplexes in North York
North York is postwar Toronto, Willowdale and the Yonge (Line 1) and Sheppard (Line 4) corridors, laid out with wide, deep lots on quiet streets. That extra room suits a fourplex new-build and leaves rear-yard space for a garden suite near the subway. North York is not one of the nine sixplex wards, so the city-wide ceiling of four units applies unless a ward opts in. Pull the per-neighbourhood numbers from the City's Neighbourhood Profiles.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Wide, deep postwar lots suit a fourplex new-build with rear-yard room to spare.
- ✓Willowdale sits on the Yonge subway (Line 1); the Sheppard line (Line 4) runs east.
- ✓Four units as-of-right, North York is not a sixplex ward unless it opts in.
- ✓Deep rear yards make a garden suite the natural added unit.
On the larger North York lots the binding limit is usually the envelope rather than the area. See which one binds on your lot .
New multiplex builds in North York
218 new multiplex building permit applications have been filed in North York since January 2024, at 199 distinct addresses. That is 25.6% of all new multiplex applications in Toronto. The most common size is 4 new homes, on 121 projects.
Where these applications stand
Of 218 applications in North York, 150 have an issued permit, 40 are still under review, and 28 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 192 projects in North York 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 $1,300,000 at the 75th, with a median of $900,000.
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 218 projects in North York, 162 have been issued. Those took a median of 83 days from application, with a quarter issued within 50 days and a quarter taking longer than 136. 56 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 North York
- Ward 18 Willowdale 84
- Ward 06 York Centre 42
- Ward 08 Eglinton-Lawrence 37
- Ward 16 Don Valley East 16
- Ward 05 York South-Weston 12
- Ward 07 Humber River-Black Creek 12
Why North York Fits Multiplex Infill
Large postwar lots
North York was built after the war, on wide and deep lots laid out for detached houses on quiet streets. That extra width and depth gives a fourplex new-build more room to work than the narrow lots of the old core, and leaves rear-yard space for a garden suite.
Two subway lines
Willowdale sits on the Yonge subway (Line 1), and the Sheppard line (Line 4) runs east from it. A lot within a walk of either line is exactly where new ground-oriented housing makes sense, and parking minimums no longer force a multiplex to give up lot area.
Fourplex unless the ward opts in
North York is not one of the nine sixplex wards. Up to four units are permitted as-of-right here, the city-wide ceiling. Six units would only be possible if a North York ward councillor opted into the sixplex permissions, so plan around four unless your ward has done so.
Area and former-municipality context via the City of Toronto former municipalities archive and the Neighbourhood Profiles. Garden suite rules via the City's Garden Suites page.
Best For
- ✓ Wide, deep postwar lots where a fourplex new-build sits comfortably.
- ✓ Sites within a walk of the Yonge or Sheppard subway lines.
- ✓ Lots with deep rear yards where a garden suite adds a unit.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A sixplex is assumed, but North York is outside the nine wards unless it opts in.
- ✕ A garden suite is planned without confirming the rear-yard depth.
- ✕ A new-build design exceeds the as-of-right envelope and the variance timeline was not planned.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The residential zone and Neighbourhoods designation for the parcel.
- → Whether the North York ward has opted into sixplex permissions (otherwise four units).
- → Lot dimensions and rear-yard depth for a fourplex plus a garden suite.
Where to Go Next
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a sixplex in North York?
Why do North York lots suit a fourplex new-build?
Is Willowdale a good place to build a multiplex?
Do North York lots work for garden suites?
Does a lot near the Sheppard line qualify for the same permissions as one near the Yonge line?
What is the biggest risk when designing a fourplex on a wide North York lot?
What should I verify before committing to a North York fourplex plan?
How close to the subway does a North York lot need to be for a multiplex to make sense?
Official Sources Referenced
Related reading
Longer pieces on the same question.
North York lots are often larger than the by-law needs
Where the lot is generous, the binding limit is usually the envelope rather than the area. PlexCheck shows which one binds at your address.
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