Zoning loophole lets builders sidestep multiplex intent

A three-storey home rising above the two-storey houses on Astor Avenue in south Leaside is prompting city council to clarify what counts as multiplex housing—and what counts as a single-family dwelling with an in-law suite.

Since 2023, Toronto has allowed property owners in single-family neighbourhoods to build up to four housing units on a lot. The rules were loosened further last year to permit as many as six units in some areas. The intent was to address the housing crisis by enabling more people to live on existing residential properties.

But on Astor Avenue, a new property owner is using a duplex permit to build a much larger home for his family alone—complete with an in-law suite—on a lot where the existing structures are noticeably smaller. Neighbours say the three-storey structure "feels really out of place—it's mammoth," according to one resident whose home backs onto the property.

The builder, Behnam Rashidi, says he's doing nothing wrong, and city inspectors have raised no objections during multiple site visits. However, local Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin worries the loophole incentivizes developers to build bigger single-family homes without solving the housing shortage.

The issue is that city staff tell CBC Toronto there is currently no hard distinction between a secondary suite and a duplex unit. Chernos Lin brought a motion to council in April asking staff to clarify the differences. The motion passed, but no deadline has been set for that clarification.

The dispute highlights tension between making housing more flexible and ensuring that multiplex rules actually deliver additional homes for renters and buyers.