Garden suites are the practical solution for homeowners that are faced with the challenges of today's housing market. Located at the back of the primary residence, garden suites are designed with the intention of offering a cost-effective solution to today’s shortage of affordable housing in accordance with bill 23 introduced by the Ontario Provincial Government. Garden suites are a completely separate residence located at the back of the primary residence and are designed to seamlessly blend into the surrounding residential neighborhoods. These independent living spaces provide a practical solution for homeowners facing the challenges of a competitive housing market. With a modest footprint, garden suites offer a cost-effective opportunity to address the shortage of affordable housing, while preserving the unique character and charm of established communities.
There are two additional specific conditions to consider:
Similar to the bylaw governing laneway suites, the building code for garden suites stipulates a mandatory separation distance between the primary residence and the secondary dwelling. For structures that measure 4.0m or less in height, the minimum required distance is 5.0m. If the garden suite exceeds 4.0m in height, the minimum separation distance is increased to 7.5m.
Through
laneway and garden suite initiatives, the City of Toronto has introduced two programs to incentivize eligible property owners. The first is the Development Charges (DC) Deferral Program for Ancillary Secondary Dwelling Units, which enables eligible property owners developing a secondary dwelling unit at the rear of their property to defer DC payments. Meanwhile, the Affordable Laneway and Garden Suite Program offers financial assistance in the form of a forgivable loan of up to $50,000 to eligible property owners constructing a laneway or garden suite. The loan will be forgiven 15 years after the first tenant occupies the unit, provided that the rent charged does not exceed the City of Toronto's Average Market Rent by bedroom type during the 15-year affordability period.
To meet these requirements, firefighting access must be provided with a maximum travel distance of 45 meters from a public street to the entrance of the garden suite. This distance is measured where the fire apparatus is within 45 meters of a fire hydrant. The access must also have a minimum width of 1.0 meter and a 2.1 meter vertical clearance from the fronting public street. The minimum width must be unobstructed, except for localized protrusions like hydro and gas meters that are only allowed to occupy the path of travel width. These regulations are in place to ensure that emergency services can respond quickly and effectively to any emergency situations that may arise.