Building Types | Triplex
The Toronto Triplex: Three Units, the Provincial Floor
A triplex is three units, and it is permitted as-of-right two ways over. Ontario's Bill 23 set a three-unit floor across the province in 2022; Toronto's May 2023 multiplex by-law permits up to four units city-wide. Three lands exactly on the provincial line and inside Toronto's ceiling, with no parking required.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Three units sits at the Bill 23 provincial floor and inside Toronto's by-law.
- ✓Permitted as-of-right city-wide in residential Neighbourhoods zones.
- ✓No parking required since February 3, 2022.
- ✓Bill 23 exempts the second and third units from development charges and parkland.
Three units sits at the provincial floor, and your lot may permit four, or six. Compare the unit counts on your own address , priced against CMHC rents for the area.
From the City permit register
How many triplexes have actually been applied for
Since January 2024 56 new-build applications whose permit description names a triplex have been filed, across 51 addresses. That is 6.6% of all new multiplex applications in the city.
Counted a different way, 77 new-build projects citywide added 3 new homes. That figure is not the same thing: the City records new homes net of what was demolished, so a triplex replacing a house adds fewer than it contains.
Across the 55 of them that state a declared construction value, the median is $900,000, running from $700,000 at the 25th percentile to $1,500,000 at the 75th. That is the figure the applicant wrote on the application. It is not a sale price, it is not the finished cost of the build, and it excludes the land.
The City has issued 44 of them, taking a median of 111 days from application. That is 30 days slower than the citywide median of 81 days. 12 are still waiting and are not in that median.
New-build projects only, from the City of Toronto's Active and Cleared building permit registers. Conversions of existing houses, added basement suites, laneway and garden suites are counted separately and are not in these figures. See the full permit tracker for the method.
Where Three Units Sits in the Rules
Bill 23 — the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 — requires Ontario municipalities to permit up to three units as-of-right on serviced settlement-area residential lots. That is the provincial backstop. Toronto then built on top of it, going to four units city-wide. So a triplex is the one form that is protected both ways: it satisfies the provincial floor and sits inside the city by-law.
Like any multiplex, a triplex fits inside the as-of-right envelope — height overlay, lot coverage, and setbacks. A design that stays inside them goes to a building permit. One that exceeds them needs a Committee of Adjustment minor variance first.
The Bill 23 Charge Exemption Lands on a Triplex
Bill 23 exempts the second and third residential units on a lot from development charges and parkland dedication. A triplex is exactly three units, so that exemption reaches both of the added units — a reason three is a clean number for the provincial benefits.
The exemption is written for the second and third units, not for a fourth or beyond. Before underwriting, confirm the City's current development charge by-law for how it treats a unit count above three. We do not publish charge figures here because the four-plus-unit treatment is not settled in the provincial exemption text.
Best For
- ✓ A three-unit build that wants the Bill 23 charge exemption on the second and third units.
- ✓ Lots where three units fit the as-of-right envelope without a variance.
- ✓ Owners who want a building permit, no rezoning, and no parking minimum.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A fourth unit is assumed to carry the same Bill 23 charge exemption — it is written for units two and three.
- ✕ The design exceeds height, coverage, or setbacks and the variance timeline was not planned.
- ✕ Charge figures are underwritten from the provincial text without checking the City by-law.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The residential zone and Neighbourhoods designation for the parcel.
- → The City's current development charge by-law and how it treats units above three.
- → Whether the design fits the as-of-right envelope or needs a variance.
Where to Go Next
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a triplex permitted as-of-right in Toronto?
Does a triplex need parking in Toronto?
Are the second and third units exempt from development charges?
Why does three units matter under Bill 23?
Does a triplex need a special envelope or a variance?
Official Sources Referenced
Related reading
Longer pieces on the same question.
Compare three units against your actual ceiling
Three units sits at the provincial floor. Your lot may permit four, or six. PlexCheck shows the ceiling and prices each option against CMHC rents.
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