Toronto's big apartment towers could soon get major upgrades

Plenty of neighbourhoods in Toronto are dominated by sprawling apartment complexes. These residential towers are often a walk (or drive) away from amenities such as grocery stores and medical clinics, making them a little isolated.

However, the Residential Apartment Commercial zoning bylaw (RAC) hopes the change that.

As CBC News reports, city council adopted this bylaw a few years ago and the Ontario Municipal Board approved it in 2016. Now, folks will start determining how to improve communities across the city with it.

"This new zoning changes the rules in nearly 500 tower sites, allowing for food markets, shops, small businesses, classes, community services, cafés and other initiatives," reads the RAC Zone website.

The idea, as CBC notes, is to focus on buildings with 100 or more units. The city has outlined specific RAC sites (or complexes) in all parts of Toronto.

Rezoning 500 apartment towers to allow for pop ups, restaurants, community hubs More info here: https://t.co/zJQ7N7rqdf pic.twitter.com/aC4s98KgNb

— Graeme Stewart (@GraemeJStewart) July 17, 2017

The city of Toronto is hosting an event tonight with a group of panelists - including chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat - to start talking about how to make the most of RAC zoning.