We Get Approvals/Permits to Build Rental Apartment Buildings

 Constructing an apartment building in Ontario requires a multi-stage approval process governed by the Ontario Planning Act and the Ontario Building Code.

We help to secure local zoning compliance, Site Plan Approval, and building permits through your local municipal government.

Planning and Zoning Approvals
Before any building can take place, the land must be zoned for high-density or multi-residential use.

Official Plan & Zoning By-law Amendments:
If your proposed building does not conform to the local municipality’s Official Plan or current zoning, we must apply for an amendment.

Site Plan Approval (SPA): Required for almost all multi-unit developments in Ontario. This regulates how the building fits into the community, including landscaping, layout, parking, and exterior design.

Recent provincial changes exempt certain smaller residential projects (10 or fewer units) from full Site Plan Control.

Building Permits
Once your planning applications are cleared, we must apply for a full Building Permit through your local municipality’s building department.
Requirements: We will need to submit comprehensive architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical drawings stamped by licensed architects and qualified engineers.

Applicable Law: The design must satisfy the Ontario Building Code and all other applicable municipal by-laws

Timelines:
Under the Building Code Act, municipalities must review complete applications within statutory timeframes, which typically cap out at 20 business days for non-residential/multi-residential buildings.

Additional Required Approvals
Depending on the specific location of your project, we may also need clearance from external bodies, such as:
Conservation Authorities: If the property is near a river, lake, or wetland.
Ministry of Transportation (MTO): If your building is situated on or near a provincial highway.
Regional Municipalities: Depending on your region, you may need additional approvals regarding water/sewer connections or site access.
Next Steps
For large developments, we request a Pre-Application Consultation with your local municipality's planning and building departments. This allows you to meet with city staff to discuss requirements, submission fees, and required reports before officially filing for permits. If there are delays or disputes with municipal requirements, we can appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal

NO OPA OR ZBA REQUIRED
No Official Plan Amendment or Zoning By-Law Amendment is required for Small-scale Residential Apartment Buildings of up to Six Storeys and Sixty Units within the City of Toronto.

PARKING
There are NO MINIMUM parking requirements for Small-scale Residential Apartment Buildings of up to Six Storeys and Sixty Units within the City of Toronto.

Mississauga’s apartment parking requirements vary by location. The Mississauga-wide minimum is typically 0.8 resident spaces and 0.2 visitor spaces per unit. However, along the Hazel McCallion (Hurontario) LRT corridor, requirements have been reduced to 0.5 resident spaces and 0.15 visitor spaces per unit.

In Brampton, standard apartment buildings typically require a minimum of 1.0 parking space per dwelling unit for residents plus 0.20 parking spaces per unit for visitors. Parking minimums can vary based on the specific zone, building type (e.g., senior citizen residences), and location within Brampton.

In the City of Vaughan, apartment building parking requirements vary based on the unit size and the property's specific zoning. 

Standard minimum requirements mandate 0.7 spaces for a bachelor or 1-bedroom unit, 0.9 for a 2-bedroom unit, and 1.0 spaces for 3+ bedrooms, alongside 0.15 visitor spaces per unit.

Variations by Zone and Transit Proximity

Specific Transit Zones: In highly dense, transit-oriented areas like the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), parking minimums are frequently reduced (e.g., 0.3 to 0.4 spaces per unit to encourage public transit use.

Independent Living Units: Requires 0.45 spaces for 1-bedroom and 0.6 spaces for 2-bedroom, plus 0.15 visitor spaces.

Long-Term Care Beds: 0.2 spaces per bed, plus 0.15 visitor spaces per bed.

In Richmond Hill, apartment building parking requirements vary based on the building's location, proximity to transit, and unit size. Generally, minimum requirements are 0.8 to 1.5 spaces per unit for residents plus 0.15 visitor spaces per unit, while areas near major transit stations may have reduced or no minimum requirements.

Richmond Hill groups development into four Parking Strategy Areas (PSAs):

PSA 1 (Regional Centre, Key Development Areas, & Major Transit Station Areas): As of recent provincial legislation, minimum parking requirements are effectively 0 in these transit-rich zones, encouraging the use of Travel Demand Management (TDM).

PSA 2 (Areas within 400m of Rapid Transit): Lower parking minimums apply, provided developers implement TDM measures (like car-share or transit subsidies).

PSA 4 (All Other Areas): Areas with the lowest transit availability revert to standard zoning by-law minimums.

Standard By-Law Requirements (PSA 4)

In traditional zones, the standard minimums for an apartment dwelling typically break down as follows:

Bachelor: 0.80 spaces per unit

1 Bedroom: 0.90 spaces per unit

2 Bedrooms: 1.00 spaces per unit

3+ Bedrooms: 1.20 spaces per unit

Visitor: 0.15 spaces per unit

Recent Design & Size Standards

New developments must also adhere to current parking and landscape design by-laws:

Compact Cars: A maximum of 10 to 50% of residential parking spaces can be compact, depending on the specific amending by-law. 

Visitor and accessible spaces cannot be compact.

Dimensions: Standard perpendicular parking spaces must be at least 2.7m wide by 5.7m long.

Bicycle Parking: Developers must provide 0.80 long-term and 0.15 short-term bicycle parking spaces per dwelling unit

In Markham, apartment building parking requirements depend heavily on the location and specific zoning by-law. In urban zones (like Markham Centre and major transit hubs), minimum requirements have been completely eliminated. For other areas, the baseline standard typically requires 1.25 resident spaces and 0.25 visitor spaces per dwelling unit, though newly proposed updates aim to reduce this to 1.0 resident spaces and 0.20 visitor spaces per unit.

In Pickering, minimum apartment building parking requirements generally range from 1.25 to 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit, plus 0.15 to 0.2 visitor spaces per unit. Exact requirements depend on the building's exact zoning, location (e.g., City Centre versus general area), and unit sizes.

Standard Parking Space Dimensions

All newly designed parking spaces must meet Pickering's functional size constraints to be legally compliant:

Standard Space: Minimum of 2.6m in width and 5.3m in length.

Parallel Space: Minimum of 2.6m in width and 6.4m in length.

In the Town of Ajax, apartment building parking requirements generally range from 1.25 to 1.5 spaces per unit for occupants, plus an additional 0.25 spaces per unit for visitors. Specific ratios depend on the building's exact zoning and whether it is located in the Central Downtown Ajax or the surrounding zones.

Specific parking requirements for apartments in Ajax break down as follows:

Downtown Central Area & Village Core Zones: Minimum 1.25 spaces per dwelling unit for occupants, plus 0.25 spaces per unit for visitors.

All Other Areas: Minimum 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit for occupants, plus 0.25 spaces per unit for visitors.

Special Development Areas: Certain designated growth areas and Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) may dictate a flat rate of 1.0 occupant space per unit and 0.25 visitor spaces per unit, or alter requirements entirely based on site-specific Official Plan or Zoning By-law Amendments.

Bicycle Parking: Mixed-use developments often require 0.8 long-term bicycle parking spaces and 0.2 short-term spaces per dwelling unit.

In Whitby, standard apartment buildings generally require a minimum of 1.5 parking spaces per unit (1.25 resident spaces and 0.25 visitor spaces). However, developments located in Protected Major Transit Station Areas, such as the Whitby GO Transit station, may have reduced or eliminated minimum parking requirements.

In Oshawa, apartment building parking requirements are primarily governed by Zoning By-law 60-94. Recent city-initiated updates establish base residential rates for new developments at 1.25 spaces per two-bedroom unit, and visitor rates at 0.25 spaces per unit. However, requirements are heavily dependent on location, unit size, and density. 

Oshawa City Center Exemptions: In the downtown area (D.O.U.G.C.), non-residential uses and residential projects with fewer than 10 units are completely exempt from minimum parking mandates.

Student/Specialized Housing: High-density or student-centric apartment buildings (e.g., near Ontario Tech University/Durham College or Downtown) frequently negotiate site-specific parking reductions—sometimes dropping down to zero visitor parking or highly adjusted resident ratios.

In Clarington, apartment building parking requirements are defined by the municipality's Comprehensive Zoning By-law. While exact ratios can vary based on specific site zoning exceptions, the general off-street parking standards for apartment buildings typically follow these guidelines:

1-Bedroom Apartment: Minimum 0.75 spaces per unit.

2-Bedroom Apartment: Minimum 1.0 space per unit.

3+ Bedroom Apartment: Minimum 1.25 spaces per unit.

Visitor Parking: Typically ranges between 0.15 to 0.25 spaces per unit (often included in a combined resident/visitor total of 0.70 to 0.77 spaces per unit for mixed-use or high-density zones). 

Bicycle Parking: Minimum of 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit (with at least 75% of these spaces located securely indoors)

To reduce parking minimums below the municipal standards, we often have to submit a parking justification report and demonstrate that demand management options will suffice.  

Many jurisdictions mandate that a certain percentage of parking spaces be EV-ready. For multi-unit apartments with shared parking, at least 50% of residential spaces excluding visitors shall feature a rough-in or energized outlet capable of Level 2 charging or higher.

Underground parking garages in apartment buildings must adhere to strict property standards, including specific column painting (black and white) and minimum lighting requirements.  Ceilings and walls up to 60cm from the floor often need to be painted specific colors for visibility, and fire exits must be properly illuminated and labeled. The underground parking garage must be fully sprinklered. Mechanical ventilation is mandatory in underground parking garages to disperse dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) gas, and systems must be linked to a CO monitoring network. Overhead clearance must accommodate standard vehicles, usually maintaining a minimum of 2.1m (7ft) for regular stalls and 2.5m (8ft-2in) for van-accessible stalls.

The Ontario Fire Code requires that:

The underground parking garage is to be fire separated from the remainder of the apartment building by a 1.5-hour fire separation.

Lockers for storage should be fire-separated from the remainder of the apartment building by a 1-hour fire separation.

SITE PLAN APPROVAL & BUILDING PERMIT ARE REQUIRED
The Site Plan Control process reviews the technical and design aspects of a proposed development to ensure it's compatible with the surrounding area. Bill 23 did specify that residential developments containing 10 units or fewer are exempt from municipal site plan control. However, these developments must still meet Building Code/Fire Code health and safety requirements. The Province of Ontario later approved Bill 97 in the Spring of 2023, which reversed and amended certain changes made by Bill 23.  As part of Bill 97, the Province of Ontario enacted Ontario Regulation 254/23, which specifies that despite the provision in Bill 23 to exempt residential developments with less than 10 units from site plan approval, such developments within 300m of a railway line or within 120 metres of a wetland, shoreline of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System, an inland lake, or a river or stream valley that has depressional features associated with a river or stream, whether or not it contains a watercourse, is subject to site plan approval.

Toronto's first mid-rise residential apartment building was completed in 1904, marking the Toronto’s initial move towards apartment living in line with trends in cities like New York and Chicago. By 1907, apartment development had grown significantly due to Toronto’s doubling population and rising land values. By the 1950s, building technology had shifted, allowing concrete-form structures to rise, leading to a new generation of mid-rise apartment buildings. These buildings often feature step-backs or terraces at upper levels to reduce their apparent height from street level, allowing for sunlight and sky views on the sidewalks. 

Apartment building design is evolving in response to climate action and sustainable design practices, incorporating innovations such as mass timber and prefabricated construction. As energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and optimized building layouts become increasingly essential, these factors are reshaping the approach to apartment building form and function.  Technological advancements and the economic benefits of sustainable construction have also led to simpler, more efficient building forms. This shift supports both environmental goals and streamlined construction processes, contributing to more resilient and adaptable urban developments. 

Most apartment buildings fall under OBC Part 3 (larger occupancies over 3 storeys or 600m²). Designing involves strict structural, fire safety, and HVAC engineering.

Ontario Building Code 1990 introduced requirements for four-storey residential Group C occupancy, including a requirement for sprinklers. In the Ontario Building Code 1997, Group D (business and personal services) was permitted to four storeys in wood, with sprinklers. And the Ontario Building Code 2012 was amended in January 2015 to allow five and six-storey wood buildings with multiple occupancies and many specific requirements beyond those for 4-storey wood buildings.

Accessibility (Barrier-Free Design): Apartment buildings must integrate accessible routes, elevators, and adaptable suite layouts. Features such as widened doorways, roll-in showers, and adjustable counters allow tenants to age in place in compliance with human rights standards.

Energy Efficiency (SB-12/SB-10): Strict thermal performance standards for exterior insulation, high-performance window-to-wall ratios, and airtightness are required. Apartment buildings also need integrated heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) to maintain indoor air quality.

Zoning and Urban Fit: Developments must adhere to municipal Official Plans. Key design focuses include mitigating overlook conditions for neighbouring properties, ensuring street-level pedestrian comfort, and complying with parking/transit requirements.

Sustainable Construction: Many projects prioritize low-embodied carbon strategies, including the use of Mass Timber and meeting high environmental targets like the Toronto Green Standard (TGS).

Typically, concrete and steel are the choices for the construction of six-storey high apartment buildings in Ontario. A six-storey high rental apartment building comprised primarily of cross-laminated timber (CLT) - Ontario’s first six-storey mass timber residential rental building is built at 1602 Queen Street East in Toronto. The largely prefabricated CLT structure was assembled in less than six weeks after the foundation had been completed. The mass timber design consists of a 6m (20ft) wide six-plex and a 12m (40ft) wide 12-plex conforming to the City of Toronto’s midrise guidelines.

While there are cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufacturing facilities in Quebec and B.C., the project’s CLT was imported from Austria. The first cross-laminated timber (CLT) factory in Ontario opens in St. Thomas.

In 2017, an 18-storey wood frame student residence was constructed on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and a 13-storey wood frame condominium was completed in Quebec City with the assistance of Natural Resources Canada, and leveraged by the provinces and industry, to aid in the development and approvals for this new type of wood construction in Canada.

A unique mass timber project has arrived in Toronto with T3 Sterling Road, a 420,000 ft² development consisting of 3 buildings near Dundas West subway station and Bloor GO and UPX station. Two full mass timber commercial buildings comprising six and eight stories consist of exposed glue-laminated columns and beams (Glulam) gravity system supporting dowel laminated timber slabs (DLT) along with a steel braced frame lateral system, 2hr fire design, MEP routing, integration of façade/edge support, and connection detailing.

With the 2020 National Building Code, developers in Canada will be permitted to construct buildings up to 12 storeys using mass timber technology. With mass timber buildings, the primary load-bearing structure is composed of solid or engineered wood. Large wood panels used for walls, floors, and roofs are prefabricated in a plant and assembled on-site. This way, mass timber projects are completed faster and require 90% less construction traffic.

Modern infrastructure combined with modern fire suppression/protection systems and new technologies for acoustic and thermal performance of buildings make up to 12-storey high mass timber buildings feasible in Ontario.

Mass timber buildings are fire-resistant. When exposed to fire, the outer layer chars and acts as a protective coating, insulating the wood underneath. Additionally, the lightweight nature of mass timber, weighing approximately one-fifth of equivalent concrete buildings, allows for smaller foundations and seismic resistance.

Our fee for preparing a concept plan, applying and attending a pre-consultation meeting with the City of Toronto for a proposed apartment building of up to six storeys and sixty units is $2,985⁺ʰˢᵗ. We prepare all the required drawings, plans, and reports to obtain site plan approval and building permit to construct an apartment building of up to six storeys and sixty units.

For Additional Information, please contact the following Key Players of Our Design Team for Apartment Buildings of up to Six Storeys and Sixty Units.

Miaoyi Xue, P.Eng,
Joo Min Park, MEng, P.Eng.
Saloni Khoja, B.Arch.
Wei Ming Lin, P.Eng
Rui Cong Xia, P.Eng
Liu Sun, B.Des (Arch)
Pamela M Jerezano, B.Arch

LAND DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS

Email:  LandBuildEx@gmail.com

Land Line: 905 940 9937

Text Messages: 647 877 8262

Emergency: 416 727 8336

Professional Engineers Ontario - Certificate of Authorization # 100205934

We prepare all the required drawings, plans, and reports in support of

• Site Plan Control / Approval for Rental Apartment Buildings
• Re-zoning Application for Rental Apartment Buildings
• Zoning By‐law Amendments for Rental Apartment Buildings
• Official Plan Amendment for Rental Apartment Buildings
• Building Permits for Rental Apartment Buildings

in all the regions, counties, and municipalities in Ontario, including 

City of Brantford, City of Chatham-Kent, Haldimand County, City of Hamilton, City of Kawartha Lakes, City of Toronto

REGIONAL MUNICIPALITIES

Durham

    City of Oshawa, City of Pickering, Municipality of Clarington, Town of Ajax, Town of Whitby, Township of Brock, Township of Scugog, Township of Uxbridge

Halton

    City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Milton, Town of Oakville

Niagara

    City of Niagara Falls, City of Port Colborne, City of St. Catharines, City of Thorold, City of Welland, Town of Fort Erie, Town of Grimsby, Town of Lincoln, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Town of Pelham, Township of Wainfleet, Township of West Lincoln

Peel

    City of Brampton, City of Mississauga, Town of Caledon

Waterloo

    City of Cambridge, City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo, Township of North Dumfries, Township of Wellesley, Township of Wilmot, Township of Woolwich

York

    City of Vaughan, Town of Aurora, Town of East Gwillimbury, Town of Georgina, City of Markham, Town of Newmarket, City of Richmond Hill, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Township of King

COUNTIES

Dufferin

    Town of Grand Valley, Town of Mono, Town of Orangeville, Town of Shelburne, Township of Amaranth, Township of East Garafraxa, Township of Melancthon, Township of Mulmur

Elgin

    City of St Thomas, Municipality of Bayham, Municipality of Central Elgin, Municipality of Dutton/Dunwich, Municipality of West Elgin, Town of Aylmer, Township of Malahide, Township of Southwold

Hastings

    City of Belleville, City of Quinte West, Municipality of Centre Hastings, Municipality of Hastings Highlands, Municipality of Marmora and Lake, Municipality of Tweed,  Town of Bancroft, Town of Deseronto, Township of Carlow/Mayo, Township of Faraday, Township of Limerick, Township of Madoc, Township of Stirling-Rawdon, Township of Tudor & Cashel, Township of Tyendinaga, Township of Wollaston

Northumberland

    Municipality of Brighton, Town of Cobourg, Municipality of Port Hope, Municipality of Trent Hills, Township of Alnwick/Haldimand, Township of Cramahe, Township of Hamilton

Oxford

    City of Woodstock,  Town of Ingersoll, Town of Tillsonburg, Township of Blandford Blenheim, Township of East Zorra-Tavistock, Township of Norwich, Township of South-West Oxford, Township of Zorra

Peterborough

    City of Peterborough, Township of Asphodel-Norwood, Township of Cavan Monaghan, Township of Douro-Dummer, Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Township of North Kawartha, Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, Township of Selwyn, Municipality of Trent Lakes

Simcoe

    City of Barrie, City of Orillia, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury,  Town of Collingwood,  Town of Innisfil, Town of Midland, Town of New Tecumseth, Town of Penetanguishene, Town of Wasaga Beach, Township of Adjala-Tosorontio, Township of Clearview, Township of Essa, Township of Oro-Medonte, Township of Ramara, Township of Severn, Township of Springwater, Township of Tay, Township of Tiny

Wellington

    City of Guelph, Town of Erin, Town of Minto, Township of Centre Wellington, Township of Guelph-Eramosa, Township of Mapleton, Township of Puslinch, Township of Wellington North.

County of Perth

City of Stratford, Municipality of North Perth, Town of St. Marys, Township of Perth East, Township of Perth South, Municipality of West Perth

County of Middlesex

City of London, Municipality of North Middlesex, Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, Municipality of Thames Centre, Township of Adelaide Metcalfe, Township of Lucan Biddulph, Township of Middlesex Centre, Township of Strathroy - Caradoc, Village of Newbury

County of Huron

Municipality of Bluewater, Municipality of Central Huron, Municipality of Huron East, Municipality of Morris-Turnberry, Municipality of South Huron, Town of Goderich, Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Township of Howick, Township of North Huron

County of Bruce

Municipality of Arran Elderslie, Municipality of Brockton, Municipality of Kincardine, Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, Municipality of South Bruce, Town of Saugeen Shores, Town of South Bruce Peninsula, Township of Huron-Kinloss

County of Grey

City of Owen Sound, Town of The Blue Mountains, Town of Hanover, Municipality of Meaford, Township of Chatsworth, Township of Georgian Bluffs, Municipality of Grey Highlands, Township of Southgate, Municipality of West Grey

County of Haliburton

Township of Algonquin Highlands, Municipality of Dysart et al, Municipality of Highlands East, Township of Minden Hills

District of Muskoka

Town of Gravenhurst, Town of Bracebridge, Town of Huntsville, Township of Muskoka Lakes, Township of Lake of Bays, Township of Georgian Bay

Apartment Construction Loan Program
Access low-cost loans to build rental apartment projects across Ontario.

You can get mortgages from CMHC for up to 95% LTV for the construction of apartment buildings.  The CMHC's Apartment Construction Loan Program provides low-cost funding to eligible borrowers during the riskiest phase of development: construction through to stabilized operations.

The CMHC's program offers loans ranging from a minimum of $1,000,000 up to 100% of the cost of the residential component of a project.

The CMHC's program focuses on standard rental, seniors housing, and student housing projects in Canada where there is a need for additional rental housing supply.

The CMHC's Enhanced Apartment Construction Loan Program Features:
Enhanced eligibility requirements – includes an incentive-based approach to energy efficiency and accessibility
Financing for standard rental housing projects
Financing for independent living seniors' housing
Financing for student housing projects on and off campus

Loans through the program offer:
Favourable terms
A fixed interest rate is locked in at first advance for certainty during the riskiest periods of development.
Qualify for up to a 50-year amortization period.
Qualify for up to 100% loan to cost for residential space and up to 75% loan to cost for non-residential space (depending on the strength of the application).
Low costs

Interest-only payments: Financed by the loan during construction and paid by the borrower from the occupancy permit until 12 consecutive months of stabilized effective gross income (stabilization).

Principal and Interest payments: Paid by the borrower from stabilization to the end of the term.

CMHC mortgage loan insurance is an integrated feature of the program. The borrower does not pay the premium, only the PST if applicable.

At the end of the term, the applicant is responsible for arranging take-out financing with a CMHC-approved lender.

All projects must:

• have at least 5 rental units
• have a loan size of at least $1 million
• Respond to a need for rental supply
• The primary purpose of the project must be considered residential, with the non-residential component not to exceed 30% of total gross floor space nor 30% of total cost
• be permanent in nature (long-term stay)
• meet the minimum documentation requirements

Financial viability:
You must have the financial and operational ability to carry out the project without ongoing subsidies and the ability to meet debt coverage ratio requirements.

Affordability:
You must meet and maintain one of the following affordability requirements for at least 10 years:
Option 1: 
At least 20% of units must have rents at or below 30% of the median total income of all families in the subject market.
Option 2:
Alternatively, the requirement may be met if rents are established pursuant to an affordable housing program or other initiative (federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal) that approves the proposal and provides support for the development of the standard rental housing project.