New shops and cafes can open in Toronto neighbourhoods decades after being outlawed
CBC
New small shops and cafes will once again be allowed to open inside some of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, reversing decades of strict planning policy that kept businesses out of residential areas.
Council voted Thursday to allow some detached properties on certain residential streets, like a house or multiplex, to become a retail store in certain wards whose councillors want it. Small-scale retail businesses in neighbourhoods were an important part of the city's history, according to a city staff report, but were strictly limited by mid-20th century planning policy
The wards now seeing a partial reversal to those limitations include: Davenport, Parkdale-High Park, Spadina-Fort York, Toronto-Danforth, Toronto-Centre, Toronto-St. Paul’s, University-Rosedale and Beaches-East York. The proposal faced pushback from councillors representing the city’s suburban wards not included in that list.
“This a great win for Torontonians,” Coun. Gord Perks, who represents Parkdale-High Park, told reporters Thursday.
“They’ll have access to services in their local neighbourhood, they won’t have to drive to get everything they need and they’ll get more vibrancy in their neighbourhood.”
The businesses will be able to open on lots in residential areas that meet one of the following criteria:
The businesses can sell retail products, food that was cooked and prepared off-site as well as beverages like espresso-based drinks.
Councillors also voted to allow a wider variety of businesses to open on major streets nearly city-wide, with some exclusions selected by councillors who want to keep residential areas residential. Major streets are roads that may already have transit and high traffic, but include swaths zoned for residential buildings, largely single-family homes.
Examples include Ossington Avenue north of Dundas Street or Bathurst Street south of St. Clair Avenue West. On portions of major streets where the zoning changes apply, businesses like a full-service restaurant could open.
There is a long list of major streets with residential areas where businesses won’t be able to open up, but every ward will have major streets where they are permitted.
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