Coalition of Toronto Residents' Associations
Residents Working Together to Build a Better City
Editor If you are concerned about the zoning changes affecting residential properties, you may wish to contact your City Councillor and the Mayor to express your views and ask whether they would support restoring residential zoning and removing the new commercial permissions. Below is a suggested email you can use. Feel free to customize it and … Read more
City Planning presented several reasons for expanding commercial permissions in residential neighbourhoods. COTRA reviewed the City’s reports, data, maps and supporting information. CLAIM 01 – WHAT THE CITY SAID Small-scale retail in Neighbourhoods is mandated by the Official Plan. WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS The Official Plan does not require blanket rezoning of residential properties. It … Read more
The new zoning rules apply to residentially zoned properties located on Major Streets. 1. Start with the City’s Major Street maps City Planning has provided maps showing the Major Streets in each ward. These maps are the starting point for identifying which streets may be affected. View the City’s Major Street maps → [HERE] 2. … Read more
Because certain councillors requested it for their specific wards, Council approved the exclusion of specific Major Street segments from the new commercial permissions. These exclusions were actually written into the by-law (By-law 1509-2025). Click here for the full list of streets that Council approved for exclusion HERE Not all councillors had their requests to exclude certain … Read more
For the first time, the City’s zoning rules now allow businesses to operate inside residential homes without any public consultation, rezoning, or Committee of Adjustment process that previously applied. These concerns were among the primary reasons why 90% of surveyed residents opposed these changes, which now apply to properties on Major Streets across Toronto and, … Read more
The Neighbourhood Retail & Services (NRS) proposal was the largest overhaul of residential zoning Toronto has seen in seventy years. In advance of the November 12–14, 2025 Council vote, COTRA submitted recommendations based on what residents told us through our city-wide survey—more than 3,400 responses and 3,700 written comments. 1. Remove Neighbourhood Interiors from the … Read more
We wanted to clarify several points raised about our survey findings and the interpretation of data in the Planning report. 1. Our Survey It was suggested during the Planning and Housing Committee (PHC) meeting that COTRA’s survey results may not be accurate because respondents were told patios would be permitted in Neighbourhood Interiors, whereas the … Read more
Proposal Goes To Council November 12 For Approval At the October 30 Planning and Housing Committee meeting, COTRA and other resident groups made a strong showing opposing the City’s Neighbourhood Retail and Services (NRS) proposal. In response to community feedback, including our survey, the Neighbourhood Interiors portion — which would have allowed retail conversions on … Read more
The City’s new Neighbourhood Retail and Services proposal would let bars, restaurants, and retail stores open in residential homes without any approvals or community input. That means more noise, late-night patios, and parking pressures — and even the loss of housing, as landlords could evict tenants to convert homes into businesses. Use our pre-written email to … Read more
Introduction to TMMIS The City will accept emails that are sent through the City’s online TMMIS system. Type the keyword ‘tmmis’ into Google to find the landing page for TMMIS. Click on the landing page link. When you arrive at the TMMIS landing page, navigate to find the PHC Committee page for Meeting 25. Find … Read more