Upcoming Important Housing-Related Meetings of Interest to Guildwood Residents

There are two important housing-related meetings happening this June that Guildwood residents might be interested in attending.

1. Community Consultation / Open House on preserving Guildwood's architectural character

Date:    Wednesday June 11th, 2025

Time:    6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Location: Studio 5 (3rd Floor), Clark Centre for the Arts

The City of Toronto’s Urban Design team (City Planning) and Community Planning staff (Development Review) are conducting a Neighbourhood Character Analysis exercise in order to develop specific design guidelines for the Guildwood Village, as directed by the adopted City Council motion 2024.MM24.13 Preservation of Architectural Character in Guildwood Community.

The Open House will be in a drop-in format accompanied with short presentations by City staff repeated at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. City Staff will be providing information on the policy framework in which the guidelines would fit, and the work that has been undertaken throughout the initial stages of the process.

Staff will be seeking feedback from the community regarding the neighbourhood characteristics that are valued within Guildwood and areas of concern in order to help inform and assist the development of the neighbourhood’s design guidelines.

Further information can be found here.

2. City-wide consultation on Multiplex housing program

Date:    Thursday June 12th, 2025

Time:    9:30 a.m.

Location: Committee Room 1, City Hall or Video Conference

In the Spring 2025 edition of News & Views, Don Briggs wrote about zoning changes approved by Toronto Council in May 2023 to allow multiplexes of up to four units as-of-right within low-rise residential neighbourhoods. Don pointed out how such one-size-fits-all planning approaches can destabilize the character of Guildwood and be quite disruptive, especially when there are teardowns and construction. 

A pilot project was initiated in Ward 23 (Scarborough North) to allow multiplexes with up to six dwelling units and four storeys on a single residential lot. Council is now seeking to apply this policy city wide, in part because there is federal funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

As part of the 2023 Official Plan and zoning by-law changes, Council asked staff to monitor the multiplex program. According to the attached document, 200 building permits for multiplexes were evaluated by staff. A report back on potential revisions to improve implementation and facilitate multiplex construction is now being consulted on.

A meeting is being hosted by the City of Toronto on Thursday, June 12 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the proposed policy change to allow six-unit multiplexes across the entire City of Toronto. It will be an opportunity for residents of Guildwood to express their concerns either in-person or in a virtual setting.

Information on registering to speak before the City Planning and Housing Committee as well as further details can be found here.