Outcome of the Guildwood Community Consultation Meeting: Preservation of Architectural Character in Guildwood Community

On Wednesday, June 11, a Community Consultation Meeting was held at the Clark Centre, hosted by City Planning. Councillor Paul Ainslie, his staff, and several members of the City Planning team were in attendance.

The purpose of the meeting was to gather input from Guildwood residents to help shape new design guidelines that preserve the unique architectural character of our neighbourhood.

The turnout was strong, and residents provided valuable feedback. Planners will now review this input over the summer and return in the fall for a follow-up consultation.

This work stems from a motion introduced by Councillor Paul Ainslie and seconded by Councillor Nick Mantas, titled:

MM24.13 – Preservation of Architectural Character in Guildwood Community

City Council adopted the motion on December 17 and 18, 2024, with the following commitments:

1. Review existing development guidelines and zoning regulations in Guildwood.

2. Develop new design guidelines that:

   • Preserve and enhance existing architectural styles and materials

   • Ensure new developments match the scale, massing, and setbacks of the area

   • Protect key views and sightlines

   • Update zoning by-laws and development agreements as needed

   • Introduce a strong review process for all new development proposals

3. Consult with the community throughout the process to gather input and feedback.

If you couldn’t attend the June 11 meeting, or have additional feedback to share, please fill out this form with your comments and submit to the Planning team to ensure Guildwood maintains its character and unique architecture.

Other Multi-plex Housing-related News:

"Toronto city council, after a hotly contested debate on Wednesday, has decided to water down a proposal to legalize six-plex housing citywide — legalizing them instead in the old metropolitan Toronto and East York, plus one ward in Scarborough, while leaving an open door for other areas to later opt-in."   ----- Toronto Star - June 25, 2025

Although this is a positive outcome for communities such as Guildwood, which wants to maintain a distinct identity, there are still other concerns, in particular that four-plexes are being allowed as of right, and that unregulated rooming houses continue to operate in our midst. We must be diligent in our questioning of developments that appear to be egregious in nature.