Market & Money | Toronto vs Ottawa

Toronto vs Ottawa: Two Ontario Frameworks

Both cities took Ontario's Bill 23 three-unit floor and went further — but not the same way. Toronto allows up to four units city-wide and up to six in nine wards; Ottawa allows four units as-of-right city-wide. If you are choosing between the two, the difference comes down to whether you need the extra density only select Toronto wards permit. For Ottawa's full framework, see the VanPlex Ottawa hub.

Key Takeaways

✓Both exceeded Bill 23's three-unit as-of-right provincial floor.
✓Toronto: up to 4 units city-wide, plus up to 6 in nine wards (opt-in elsewhere).
✓Ottawa: 4 units as-of-right city-wide — see the VanPlex Ottawa hub for the local rules.
✓Same goal, two styles: Toronto reaches higher in select wards, Ottawa keeps a flat city-wide rule.

Side by Side

Dimension	Toronto	Ottawa
As-of-right units city-wide	Up to 4 units everywhere in residential Neighbourhoods zones (2023 multiplex by-law)	4 units as-of-right city-wide (see Ottawa hub)
Higher density	Up to 6 units in nine wards (OPA 818 / By-law 654-2025), opt-in elsewhere	See Ottawa hub for the local framework
Provincial floor	Exceeds Bill 23's 3-unit minimum	Exceeds Bill 23's 3-unit minimum
Process for a compliant build	Building permit — no rezoning, no public meeting	See Ottawa hub

Toronto figures from the Multiplex Study and Sixplexes Citywide Study; Bill 23 from the Ontario ERO. Ottawa specifics are on the VanPlex Ottawa hub.

How a Builder Reads the Difference

Both cleared the provincial floor

Ontario's Bill 23 set a three-unit as-of-right minimum on serviced residential lots. Both Toronto and Ottawa went past it to four units city-wide — the provincial law is the backstop, and each city's own by-law is what a builder actually works from.

Toronto added a ward-by-ward layer

Where Ottawa kept it simple at four units everywhere, Toronto layered a sixplex permission on top — five or six units, but only in nine wards (plus an opt-in path). That is the headline difference: Toronto's ceiling depends on your ward; the fourplex base does not.

Same idea, two execution styles

Both frameworks aim at the same target: more ground-oriented missing-middle housing without rezonings. Toronto reaches higher in select wards; Ottawa applies a flat city-wide rule. For a builder choosing a city, the question is whether you need the extra units only nine Toronto wards allow.

Best For

✓ Builders comparing two Ontario cities that both went beyond Bill 23's three-unit floor.
✓ Projects needing five or six units, where Toronto's nine-ward sixplex permission is the deciding factor.
✓ Owners who want a flat city-wide four-unit rule, where Ottawa's framework is simpler to reason about.

Usually Fails When

✕ A sixplex is assumed in Ottawa because Toronto allows it — the ward structure is Toronto-specific.
✕ Toronto's nine-ward limit is overlooked and six units are assumed city-wide.
✕ Ottawa specifics are inferred from the Toronto by-laws instead of the Ottawa hub.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ Toronto's four-unit base and nine-ward sixplex permission against the City pages.
→ Ottawa's current framework on the VanPlex Ottawa Missing Middle hub.
→ That both go beyond Bill 23's provincial three-unit minimum.

Where to Go Next

Ottawa Missing Middle

The full VanPlex Ottawa framework.

Sixplexes & the 9 Wards

Where six units are allowed in Toronto.

Bill 23 (Ontario)

The provincial three-unit floor both cities cleared.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Toronto and Ottawa compare on multiplex rules? +

Both Ontario cities exceeded Bill 23's three-unit as-of-right floor. Toronto permits up to four units city-wide in residential Neighbourhoods zones (2023 multiplex by-law) and up to six units in nine wards with an opt-in path elsewhere. Ottawa permits four units as-of-right city-wide. Toronto reaches higher in select wards; Ottawa keeps a flat city-wide rule. See the VanPlex Ottawa hub for Ottawa's framework in detail.

Does Ottawa allow sixplexes like Toronto's nine wards? +

Toronto's nine-ward sixplex permission (OPA 818 / By-law 654-2025) is specific to Toronto. Ottawa's framework permits four units as-of-right city-wide. For the current Ottawa rules — including any higher-density permissions — see the VanPlex Ottawa Missing Middle hub rather than assuming Toronto's ward structure applies there.

Did both cities go beyond Bill 23? +

Yes. Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, set a three-unit as-of-right floor on serviced settlement-area residential lots across Ontario. Both Toronto (four units city-wide, six in nine wards) and Ottawa (four units city-wide) adopted local by-laws that go beyond that provincial minimum.

Which city is simpler to build a multiplex in? +

On the as-of-right base, both are a building-permit path for a compliant fourplex. Toronto adds a ward-dependent sixplex layer, which is more units but more to check. If you only need up to four units, the two are broadly comparable on process; if you want five or six, Toronto's permission is limited to nine wards. Confirm the current Ottawa rules on the VanPlex Ottawa hub.

Where can I read the Ottawa rules? +

See the VanPlex Ottawa Missing Middle hub at /ottawa-missing-middle for Ottawa's framework. This page compares the two at a high level; for Ottawa-specific zoning, process, and permissions, the Ottawa hub is the source rather than asserting Ottawa details from the Toronto by-laws.