Secondary suites in Vaughan - Affordable options

NRU
Dec. 17, 2014
By Edward LaRusic

Vaughan is moving forward on its solution to legalizing secondary suites in hopes that it may create thousands of new units and help tackle issues of affordable housing and congestion in the city.

Vaughan planning commissioner John MacKenzie told NRU that the city is creating city-wide policies to allow secondary suites. He noted that the updated policies are in response to the Strong CommunitiesThrough Affordable Housing Act, 2011.

“[The study is] part of our whole future growth in the municipality, where we want to make sure we’re viable and have complete communities,” said MacKenzie.

To implement a secondary suites policy framework, the city created a task force to develop a solution that would fit the Vaughan context. Taskforce and Sustainable Vaughan chair Sony Rai said the main recommendations are to allow a single secondary suite in each principle residence and to ensure there is a parking space available for the unit. Rai said these units would benefit the city.

“One of the things that Vaughan likes to boast is that more people drive into work than leave the city. But that’s something that’s quite problematic, and speaks to affordability of living in Vaughan, and the increased traffic congestion caused from people coming from elsewhere.”

Both MacKenzie and Rai noted that there are existing-albeit illegal-secondary suites in Vaughan. These raise safety concerns, as they are unlikely to be building code compliant. Rai said he heard one estimate that potentially 2,000 illegal secondary units currently exist and that some of the task force’s recommendations focus on ways to encourage those owners to legalize their units.

One of the things that Vaughan likes to boast is that more people drive into work than leave the city. But that’s something that’s quite problematic, and speaks to affordability of living in Vaughan, and the increased traffic congestion caused from people coming from elsewhere.

MacKenzie said that even using conservative estimates, allowing secondary suites could add over 4,000 units. He noted that an important part of the process, outside of the official plan and zoning by-law changes, will be public education.

“Fire safety is front and centre...a part of our future report will be how the city can-through the fire department-educate people on safe construction of secondary suites.”

Staff is currently drafting official plan and zoning by-law amendments that will be available for public consultation in the spring.