The Human Cost of Density: Toronto Homeowners Face Displacement of Quality of Life
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As Toronto pushes to meet provincial housing targets, residents report that 'gentle density' is resulting in lost privacy, unusable home features, and declining property values.
A dispute between neighbors in downtown Toronto, as CBC Toronto first reported, highlights the friction between the city's aggressive housing expansion goals and the stability of existing residential neighborhoods.
Bill and Carol Martin, who have lived in their three-story Victorian home on Strachan Avenue for nearly 50 years, are facing the construction of a four-storey duplex immediately adjacent to their property. According to reporting from CBC Toronto, the city's Toronto and East York Committee of Adjustment granted a series of minor variances in the fall of 2023 to allow the replacement of a one-storey cottage with the larger duplex.
The approved project will be more than 15 metres high, towering over the Martins' 11-metre home. Because the development requires no setback between lot lines, the new structure will abut the rear half of the Martins' house up to the second story, completely blocking one window. Furthermore, the Martins say their fireplaces—used daily during winter—will become useless because provincial regulations require chimneys to be at least two feet above neighboring structures.
Don Allen, the owner of the cottage slated for demolition, told CBC Toronto he is following all codes and attempting to be a good neighbor. A letter from Allen's architect offered to replace the blocked window and provide compensation "within reason" for chimney renovations, an offer Bill Martin rejected due to the extensive work required to bring the chimney up to code.
This conflict is a byproduct of a broader city-wide strategy to meet a provincially-mandated goal of 285,000 new homes by 2032. In May 2023, Toronto allowed the construction of multiplexes with up to four units in residential areas without rezoning; later, six-plex projects were permitted in the old City of Toronto, East York, and north Scarborough. City statistics indicate 8,600 multiplex units have been completed since 2022, with nearly 3,000 more currently underway.
While the city focuses on volume, experts warn of the trade-offs. David Walsh, a real estate developer, told CBC Toronto that the city must balance the need for density with respect for existing homeowners. Real estate broker Justin Bregman, of Justin Bregman and Associates, observed that the loss of sunlight and privacy associated with these developments is "definitely affecting value ... big time" for adjacent properties.
Dan Cowling, an architect who represented the Martins, stated that while Allen is complying with the rules, the city is the entity making the mistake. City staff confirmed to CBC Toronto that building and demolition permits for the property have already been issued.