Building a more connected city: Toronto's Avenues Review

Toronto’s iconic avenues are at the heart of our communities – vibrant corridors that connect neighbourhoods and support local businesses. But as the city grows, there’s an urgent need to rethink how these avenues can meet the future needs of residents and businesses alike. The City of Toronto’s Avenues Review aims to do just that and set the stage for new housing and urban growth, with the potential to add 160,000 new homes along these key streets.

Why it matters

As Toronto is increasingly expensive and dense, finding innovative ways to create more housing is crucial. The Avenues Review seeks to streamline development along major streets, making it easier to build new homes where they’re needed most. This means more midrise buildings close to transit, offering affordable and accessible living options, while also fostering the growth of new businesses and services to support these growing communities. For both prospective homebuyers and renters, it’s about increasing options and creating well-connected neighbourhoods.

What’s at stake?

While TRREB supports the vision of the Avenues Review, there are some key challenges we’re working to address. The introduction of lengthy discretionary Local Area Reviews, proposed new land-use policies, and the absence of a financial feasibility study for midrise buildings all present potential roadblocks. If left unaddressed, these issues could slow much-needed developments, making it harder to reach that goal of 160,000 new homes.

Our vision for the future

At TRREB, we believe the Avenues Review has the potential to transform Toronto’s streets into thriving hubs of activity and opportunity. But this can only happen if policies are clear, flexible and financially viable. By encouraging mixed-use development and making the planning process more predictable, we can help build a Toronto where people of all ages and income levels can find a place to call home.

In the end, revitalizing our city’s main streets isn’t just about adding buildings – it’s about creating communities. And that’s something that affects all of us. To learn more, you can read TRREB’s full Avenues Review submission at trreb.ca.

Visit trreb.ca for an indepth look into the current market conditions and to connect with a TRREB member realtor.