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.

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 We do not publish charge figures here because the four-plus-unit treatment is not settled in the provincial exemption text.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

Bill 23 (Ontario)

The provincial three-unit floor explained.

Development Charges

What Bill 23 exempts, and what to confirm.

Fourplex

Adding the fourth unit, city-wide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a triplex permitted as-of-right in Toronto? +

Yes, two ways over. Ontario's Bill 23 set a three-unit as-of-right floor across the province in 2022, and Toronto's May 2023 multiplex by-law permits up to four units city-wide. A triplex is three units, so it clears the provincial floor and sits inside Toronto's ceiling. A compliant triplex is a building-permit process.

Does a triplex need parking in Toronto? +

No. Since February 3, 2022, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes require no parking spaces in Toronto. The minimum was removed, so a triplex does not have to provide a parking space to be approved.

Are the second and third units exempt from development charges? +

Under Bill 23, the second and third residential units on a lot are exempt from development charges and parkland dedication. For a triplex — exactly three units — that exemption reaches the two added units. Confirm the City's current development charge by-law before underwriting, because the treatment of unit counts above three is not written into the provincial exemption.

Why does three units matter under Bill 23? +

Three is the number the province chose. Bill 23 requires municipalities to permit up to three units as-of-right on serviced settlement-area residential lots, and it ties the development-charge and parkland exemption to the second and third units. A triplex lands exactly on that provincial line, which is why it is the cleanest unit count for the Bill 23 benefits.

Does a triplex need a special envelope or a variance? +

No special envelope. A triplex lives inside the same as-of-right zoning as any other residential building — height, lot coverage, and setbacks. A design that stays inside them goes to a building permit. One that exceeds them needs a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment first.