Learn about the real-world risks created by the Neighbourhood Retail & Services bylaw — including noise, parking pressures, housing loss, and enforcement challenges.
For the first time, the City’s zoning rules now allow businesses to operate inside residential homes without any public consultation, notice, or approval process. These risks were among the primary reasons why 90% of surveyed residents opposed these changes, which now apply to properties on both Major Streets and, in 8 wards, Neighbourhood Interiors.
| Risk | The Reality of the Proposal |
| ❌ BARS, CANNABIS & LIQUOR SALES | The plan permits licensed bars and cannabis/vape shops. The City cannot restrict these high-impact uses because they are governed by provincial licensing. (Cannabis only has a 150m setback from schools.) |
| ❌ LOSS OF HOUSING | By permitting non-residential (commercial) uses in residential buildings, landlords can legally evict tenants under the Residential Tenancy Act (Section 50(1)(b)) to convert units into businesses. This creates a new pathway for tenant displacement and puts renters at risk. |
| ❌ LATE-NIGHT NOISE & PATIOS | The City cannot restrict hours of operation, meaning late-night activity. Patios serving food/alcohol are allowed as a right and can operate until 2 AM under provincial licensing. |
| ❌ NO NEIGHBOURHOOD SAY | Businesses open with no approval from the Committee of Adjustment (CoA), eliminating public notice and input from the neighbours who live nearby. |
| ❌ ENFORCEMENT FAILURES | No new funding for bylaw officers. City will “monitor” for 2 years before seeking extra enforcement funding. Current system already under-resourced — complaints take months Any new funding would only fix existing backlog, not new problems. There’s no rollback mechanism Noise bylaws exclude loud voices; police don’t respond to noise complaints. |
| ❌ LOSS OF HOUSING | Landlords are legally permitted to evict tenants to convert residential units into commercial businesses, putting renters at risk. |
| ❌ NO PARKING MANDATE | No requirement to add spaces for parking or deliveries, pushing commercial traffic and congestion directly onto residential streets. |
| ❌ PERMANENT CHANGE | Any commercial use, once established, is a permanent, irrevocable change to your street’s zoning due to provincial legal non-conforming rights. This means that even if the by-law is changed back in the future, an existing business cannot be closed down. |