Toronto Rezones Scarborough Stretch, Enables Taller Buildings and More Housing

The City of Toronto planning division released a rezoning proposal this week that would open 48 hectares in Scarborough for buildings up to 28 storeys, replacing the current low-rise and industrial limits that have stood since the 1980s.

The move arrives as Toronto records its highest net migration in a decade, with more than 85,000 new residents arriving in the metro area last year alone. Housing starts have lagged behind that pace, pushing average sale prices to 1.1 million CAD across the city and leaving limited options in outer districts where most new arrivals first settle.

Scope of the Changes

The affected land runs from the intersection of Ellesmere Road and Markham Road westward toward the Scarborough Civic Centre. Under the draft bylaw, sites now zoned for single-storey commercial or two-storey residential uses would shift to mixed-use categories that permit ground-floor retail plus multiple residential towers. The plan also ties new approvals to improvements at the nearby Ellesmere subway station on Line 2, which the TTC has flagged for capacity upgrades starting in 2028.

Two established local anchors sit inside the boundary. The first is the Scarborough Town Centre mall, whose owner has already submitted a separate application to add three residential towers above its parking decks. The second is the Toronto Public Library branch at 156 Borough Drive, which city staff say will receive expanded programming space funded through development charges collected from the rezoned parcels.

Market Context and Timeline

Current resale data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board shows Scarborough condos averaging 685,000 CAD, roughly 15 percent below downtown figures. Planners estimate the rezoning could yield 6,200 new units over ten years if approved in its present form. That figure aligns with targets set in the city’s HousingTO 2026-2036 plan, which calls for 25,000 additional homes in the three eastern districts combined.

City council’s Scarborough Community Council will hold its first public meeting on the bylaw on 12 August at the Scarborough Civic Centre. Residents can review the full document on the city’s planning portal and submit comments until 5 September. Final council vote is scheduled for October.