How to convince the general populace that taller buildings next to parks are actually a net good on a warming planet

Remember, not density OR trees. Density AND trees. Better cities are climate action. #UrbanTruth

If you guessed "as much density as possible, regardless of the consequences" meant 4 units, congratulations to you (but, sadly, not to our city). But why does this site need a rezoning for 4 units if 4 units are already allowed in Neighbourhoods as-of-right?

It's time for a game of "Guess That Density." Based on Councillor Burnside's anticipation of a "long battle" over "as much density as possible, regardless of the consequences," how many units do you think were proposed on this site in his ward? Clues in 🧵⬇️ before the big reveal later.

Not sure the proposed ownership structure of these but, if the homes are freehold, one thing that you would need are smaller minimum lot sizes. And, what a coincidence, there's an opportunity right now in Ontario to tell the province to "get it done!" ero.ontario.ca/notice/026-0...

Reporting from Toronto where @moreneighboursto.bsky.social is hosting @housingnowto.bsky.social for an overview of affordable housing and how we can build more. Always a pleasure to see HART data in the wild 🏙️

Big cheers for the students who made the graphic that killed the angular plane policy. Units lost versus height.

Check out Mark Richardson of @housingnowto.bsky.social on CBC Metro Morning about using surplus public land for affordable housing. Here him live tonight at ItsOk* Studios RSVP Here: luma.com/j34d2fpx

#IdeasAtWork One affordable home costs about $550k to deliver today. @housingnowto.bsky.social's Mark Richardson on Metro Morning: Use public land. Standardize design. Scale modular construction. Align government. Toronto has land. What we need is #PoliticalWill youtu.be/oScIOr1jevs?...

"Communities should have a voice. But the current allocation of power allows a narrow set of residents to impose very large costs on outsiders: younger households, renters, immigrants, employers, would-be residents and the wider provincial and national economies."

We're happy to see the Federal government's quick response to Markham Mayor Scarpitti's decision to veto fourplexes. Municipalities that don't meet their Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) agreement obligations need to incur consequences.

How do we turn Toronto’s surplus lands into affordable rental housing at scale? At the next Making Room, Mark Richardson of @housingnowto.bsky.social will unpack the city’s record, the obstacles that keep slowing projects down, and the policy lessons hiding inside those delays. Apr 13, 7:30pm

My latest at TVO, on how the bigger housing announcement yesterday was the one the Premier wasn't at.

It's been a very busy day on the Housing front here in Ontario. Damien's got the thread below on what's included in today's "Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Ace, 2026" www.ola.org/en/legislati...

Assuming a full 50% cut to Development Charges in Toronto, that would bring DC's back in-line with 2019, just as they started to grow enormously. Combined with last week's HST exemption this hopefully helps unstick the industry. Reminder: if nothing's built, cities get $0 in DC's anyways

Interested in new mid-rise housing on quiet streets? Virtual public consultation on Tuesday (March 31) for - a mid-rise (10 storeys) - not on an arterial (in the yellowbelt) - 0 car parking (75 bicycle parking) haveyoursay.toronto.ca/city-plannin...

Chicago's Department of of Planning and Development (@chicagodpd.bsky.social) has released a series of 3 explainer videos on housing concepts. They also have delightful cardboard, stop-animation styling and super tactile page-turning sounds! First up, how housing supply impacts affordability.

Folks, the budget update is not good.

We know you're all busy watching this week's Toronto City Council meeting (no? just us?) However, if you're free Thursday evening, come join MNTO member and historian, Hana Suckstorff, as she shows us how much the housing debate repeats itself through the lens of Palmerston Blvd. luma.com/cfhyiabv

Alright, ahead of tomorrow's Council meeting, I wrote in urging council to vote down this motion.

We dream of a day when Toronto will be spoken about in a municipal deputation as a housing leader rather than a cautionary tale, but it will not be this day. Good luck Calgary.

No credit smh www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis...

The game of multiplex Whac-A-Mole continues. As new multiplexes are built and defy the previous NIMBY claims about them, new claims get made. Often, the suggestions would raise costs or delay and deny new homes. Let's do a quick fact-check to see what claims have been debunked so far. 🧵

If developers always build up to the maximum (density, height, etc.) that’s allowed in your city, that’s a sign that your zoning rules are substantially restricting housing supply.

I'm happy Toronto is looking at their zoning to make it easier install low carbon technology. I would however like more councillors to ask themselves if the zoning code restricts low carbon *housing types*. www.toronto.ca/city-governm...

"Parkdale has been called a suburb, a slum, a ghetto, a village. Each label has carried consequences... justified a different kind of intervention. From regulation to clearance to revitalization, every era produced a group powerful enough to define what Parkdale was and to act on that definition."

We've written an open letter to #Markham Mayor Scarpitti objecting to his veto of 4 residential units per property, as-of-right. We call on Markham Councillors to override the veto and request that Federal Housing Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social remind Markham of their HAF obligations.

"New groups" is such a wonderfully flexible term, isn't it.

So, this makes the use of Strong Mayor powers to increase possible housing 0-2? (Or more accurately, 0 to negative 2, as it's been used twice to *block* decisions to increase housing)

"The social life of small urban spaces is not found by the planners, it is found by the people who use them." An insightful and classic short-doc for those interested in urbanism, tonight!

There is a consultation on the Port Lands tonight at Jimmie Simpson Rec Centre at 6 pm. We'll update if we get info about housing impacts from this. (If you're there, remember that the City employees are not responsible for provincial decisions but may have info.)

In 2024, you helped us legalize 60-unit apartments on Major Streets and remove angular plane requirements up to 6 storeys. Last year was the first major update to the Avenues policies in the Official Plan in more than 20 years. This week is the next step in making mid-rises more feasible in Toronto.

If you are wondering how upzoning in Edmonton is going; when I moved into my place last year it was $1300 for a 1 bed. Now my landlord is offering a slightly larger unit for $1200. Its crazy! If I wasn't moving cities I'd be down there renegotiating my lease as we speak @growtogetheryeg.bsky.social

Toronto: there is an upcoming opportunity to share your thoughts on changes to side setbacks for 6-storey (and other mid-rise) buildings in residential contexts. Mar 11, 10:30 am - 12 pm: haveyoursay.toronto.ca/development-... Mar 12, 6:30 - 8 pm: haveyoursay.toronto.ca/development-...

We've seen similar dynamics here in Toronto for a couple decades where former multi-residential buildings get converted into single family housing. As-of-right. It's only in the past few years with the EHON reforms that the arrow can now go both directions.

We love to see it.

And we would also like the city to hear from you!

today, like every day, is a good day to challenge the absurd leaps of logic underpinning the "we don't need more homes, actually" argument

A Committee of Adjustment success story! (Also a story of persistence from @pamelablais.bsky.social)

To Colleen's point I went back to the oldest Housing Now progress report I could find from May 2020. Green are currently under construction, yellow have planning approval but construction not started, red are no progress at all. Note the estimated construction start dates. Also still 0 units built.

“I want there to be more places for people to live,” [More Neighbours volunteer Hoffman] said. “We need more housing in the middle of the city.” www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-p...

The City of Toronto approved six-storey units on major roads. But bureaucracy is still killing these projects. I was so mad about this article, I had to rant about it. I can't believe councillors are still fighting for "neighbourhood character" in 2026. www.thestar.com/news...

So say we all

Some news! Mayor Chow is calling for a review of the Committee of Adjustment process, looking at ways to streamline things. "Some recent CoA hearings and decisions have raised questions from stakeholders on how the CoA applies Council-approved policies," she says. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Timestamp link: www.youtube.com/live/shr_3Ok...

It'll be a day at Planning and Housing Committee today. More Neighbours wrote in support here, as well as the affordable housing site at 150 Queens Wharf Road.

The HAF got cities to change but making it stick requires the feds to follow through. "Of the 182 communities that signed deals in 2023 to be part of the program, 36 had kept less than 50 per cent of the promises they made in their individual agreements as of last spring, according to the tracker."

I am delighted to share Finch Store is officially covered under the new neighbourhood retail rules. I just got off the phone with the owner—they are hoping to hold a celebration to thank the public. We’re just coordinating a date. Stay tuned.