Toronto now has pre-approved building designs you can just build

Building residential properties in Toronto can be an arduous process involving rezoning, approval, and community pushback. But what if you could just skip all of that and put shovels in the ground right away?

The City of Toronto is actually allowing precisely that with the latest update to its Pre-Approved Building Plans Program, launching a handful of impressive new designs for modern fourplex and sixplex buildings that come complete with a green light to build.

Previously, the City offered plans for pre-approved garden and laneway suites, while this new addition to the program extends to multiplex residential properties.

Essentially, the program removes the design cost and planning hurdles with pre-approved plans, greatly cutting down on the cost to builders and end-users.

The City stated in a press release that "By providing building designs at no cost, homeowners can benefit from a head start on the design process."

According to the City, the new multiplex plans can be used to fast-track a building permit application, foregoing the lengthy design process and allowing builders to enter directly into the City's application review process. In short, the end user and a licensed design professional only need to submit site-specific details to submit a request for a building permit.

The City contracted LGA Architectural Partners to design these pre-approved multiplexes, and the resulting designs are actually quite impressive.

LGA states that the permit-ready four- and six-unit multiplexes are "tailored to Toronto's specific zoning and lot types," and "respond to Toronto's typical residential lots."

The designs conform to Toronto lot sizes by coming in both wide and narrow configurations designed around the four most common lot dimensions in the city.

According to LGA, "Each building includes an accessible unit, outdoor amenity areas, and practical amenities for urban living such as bike and garbage bin storage."

The architectural firm says that "The designs were created to be practical and adaptable for different neighbourhoods and household needs," adding that "Each design was made with an eye to affordability, accessibility, climate resilience, and ease of construction."