Pamela Blais
@pamelablais.bsky.social
City planner. Author, Perverse Cities: Hidden Subsidies, Wonky Policy, and Urban Sprawl.
I feel that there hasn’t been attention paid to the fact that as per Bill 17, development charges on condos & ownership housing are no longer payable upon building permit, but upon occupancy permit.
This is helpful, bc developers no longer have to finance the cost of DCs thru construction.
This is helpful, bc developers no longer have to finance the cost of DCs thru construction.
November 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I feel that there hasn’t been attention paid to the fact that as per Bill 17, development charges on condos & ownership housing are no longer payable upon building permit, but upon occupancy permit.
This is helpful, bc developers no longer have to finance the cost of DCs thru construction.
This is helpful, bc developers no longer have to finance the cost of DCs thru construction.
Interesting that private apartment construction tanked across all the former TO municipalities by the end of the 70s, not just the one with a new reform council in ‘72. Plus a lot of new units were built in the burbs!
nb data is from a diffrnt source than Jeff’s chart, so #s not exactly comparable.
nb data is from a diffrnt source than Jeff’s chart, so #s not exactly comparable.
November 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Interesting that private apartment construction tanked across all the former TO municipalities by the end of the 70s, not just the one with a new reform council in ‘72. Plus a lot of new units were built in the burbs!
nb data is from a diffrnt source than Jeff’s chart, so #s not exactly comparable.
nb data is from a diffrnt source than Jeff’s chart, so #s not exactly comparable.
Just a note on the pressurized stairwell.. our units open directly into the stairwell, which in itself contravenes code. If we had vestibules/corridors, pressurization would not have been needed but we opted for the latter because the former would have impacted unit layouts given our small building.
Approval is better than continued refusal BUT I will point out that the UK does not require pressurized stairwells until a single-stair building reaches 18 metres — and that's a post-Grenfell reform. Requiring one for a three-storey plex is bananas.
Update on my single exit stair ASP: we have an approval!
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
November 21, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Just a note on the pressurized stairwell.. our units open directly into the stairwell, which in itself contravenes code. If we had vestibules/corridors, pressurization would not have been needed but we opted for the latter because the former would have impacted unit layouts given our small building.
Update on my single exit stair ASP: we have an approval!
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
November 21, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Update on my single exit stair ASP: we have an approval!
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
Thanks to sixplex and single stair supporters Mayor Olivia Chow, Cllr Jamaal Myers, @joshmatlow.bsky.social and others who get why single exit stairs are key to creating livable, accessible, small scale housing. 1/6
This is an interesting finding: that variation in housing gaps ie excess demand occurs within LAs ie municipalities, rather than between them. In other words, there no high or low excess demand municipalities, but there are high and low excess demand neighbourhoods within all municipalities.
Arguably the most important finding is that 96% of the variation is within LAs rather than between. Many LAs have areas of both high and low gaps. Croydon for example has OAs in the top 6th percentile and bottom 1st percentile. 9/n
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
This is an interesting finding: that variation in housing gaps ie excess demand occurs within LAs ie municipalities, rather than between them. In other words, there no high or low excess demand municipalities, but there are high and low excess demand neighbourhoods within all municipalities.
This is a really interesting study and approach that identifyies where, specifically, new homes are most wanted and where the housing gaps are.
Where should Britain build 1.5 million homes?
@amritakulka.bsky.social l and I analysed 20 billion housing searches + availability to map demand at a hyper-local level.
Map 👉 wheretobuild.warwick.ac.uk
Full + 350 LA reports 👉 www.warwick.ac.uk/cage/whereto...
@cagewarwick.bsky.social
1/n
@amritakulka.bsky.social l and I analysed 20 billion housing searches + availability to map demand at a hyper-local level.
Map 👉 wheretobuild.warwick.ac.uk
Full + 350 LA reports 👉 www.warwick.ac.uk/cage/whereto...
@cagewarwick.bsky.social
1/n
November 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This is a really interesting study and approach that identifyies where, specifically, new homes are most wanted and where the housing gaps are.
This is a great explainer of the excellent reasons for and current obstacles to building livable, larger housing units in smaller, low-rise buildings. #singlestair
November 1, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This is a great explainer of the excellent reasons for and current obstacles to building livable, larger housing units in smaller, low-rise buildings. #singlestair
Reposted by Pamela Blais
Because of these two posts, and considerable bitter experience. Even if you design the regulations the right way, the silo-cultural nature of our various building/zoning depts means they will still use discretionary authority to escalate details, demands and requirements.
October 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Because of these two posts, and considerable bitter experience. Even if you design the regulations the right way, the silo-cultural nature of our various building/zoning depts means they will still use discretionary authority to escalate details, demands and requirements.
Reposted by Pamela Blais
This is yet another example of where the province *should* do unilateral housing reform for all municipalities via changes to the building code, to enable single stair buildings. A lot of people with moderate opposition to new housing claim to want more 2+BR apartments; this is how we get there.
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
October 16, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is yet another example of where the province *should* do unilateral housing reform for all municipalities via changes to the building code, to enable single stair buildings. A lot of people with moderate opposition to new housing claim to want more 2+BR apartments; this is how we get there.
Reposted by Pamela Blais
This pilot project for SES building design is also featured here. Others of similar configuration have been accepted in Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton. singlestair.ca/Office-Ou
October 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
This pilot project for SES building design is also featured here. Others of similar configuration have been accepted in Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton. singlestair.ca/Office-Ou
Reposted by Pamela Blais
Toronto simply does not want to solve the housing crisis.
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
October 16, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Toronto simply does not want to solve the housing crisis.
Reposted by Pamela Blais
This is another place the mayor could force some change.
It's wonky and won't win hearts and minds widely but when asked about what she's doing about housing she can point to it vs her councillors stopping housing (Fletcher on Craven Ave)
It's wonky and won't win hearts and minds widely but when asked about what she's doing about housing she can point to it vs her councillors stopping housing (Fletcher on Craven Ave)
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
October 16, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This is another place the mayor could force some change.
It's wonky and won't win hearts and minds widely but when asked about what she's doing about housing she can point to it vs her councillors stopping housing (Fletcher on Craven Ave)
It's wonky and won't win hearts and minds widely but when asked about what she's doing about housing she can point to it vs her councillors stopping housing (Fletcher on Craven Ave)
Reposted by Pamela Blais
And it has a friggin elevator!! A three-story building in North America with an elevator. You NEVER see that – it’s likely costing around $200,000 (CAD). Stair injuries and deaths are far more common than fire ones. Disability and elderly advocates should be storming City Hall about this decision.
Do we want livable, accessible units in neighbourhoods in Toronto? A 3 storey, single stair, elevatored, sixplex is not radical. It should be the most simple, easily replicable way to provide livable housing within neighbourhoods… the “Toronto Special” of the 2020s. And yet…
October 16, 2025 at 1:03 PM
And it has a friggin elevator!! A three-story building in North America with an elevator. You NEVER see that – it’s likely costing around $200,000 (CAD). Stair injuries and deaths are far more common than fire ones. Disability and elderly advocates should be storming City Hall about this decision.
Reposted by Pamela Blais
This far exceeds US (IBC) standards and Toronto still denied – wide stairways and even wider landing, passive ventilation, very low occupant load, and balconies for refuge and rescue. Balconies alone make it safer than code compliance, because they avoid a single point of failure (unit front door)
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
October 16, 2025 at 12:58 PM
This far exceeds US (IBC) standards and Toronto still denied – wide stairways and even wider landing, passive ventilation, very low occupant load, and balconies for refuge and rescue. Balconies alone make it safer than code compliance, because they avoid a single point of failure (unit front door)
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
October 16, 2025 at 12:17 PM
After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.
#singlestair #sixplex
Reposted by Pamela Blais
We love to see it:
NYC adds four more bus routes to its wildly successful bus camera enforcement program (47 routes now have them).
NYC adds four more bus routes to its wildly successful bus camera enforcement program (47 routes now have them).
Four new MTA buses now have cameras to catch cars illegally parked, improperly using bus lanes
Four more MTA bus routes in NYC have automated camera enforcement to catch vehicles improperly using bus lanes and busways.
www.amny.com
October 14, 2025 at 3:57 PM
We love to see it:
NYC adds four more bus routes to its wildly successful bus camera enforcement program (47 routes now have them).
NYC adds four more bus routes to its wildly successful bus camera enforcement program (47 routes now have them).
You can argue about DCs, but this article fails to mention that by provincial law, existing taxpayers must pay for any benefit they receive from growth-related infrastructure (GRI).
In TO, existing taxpayers pay about 50% of GRI costs ($24 billion), new development 31% ($14B).
In TO, existing taxpayers pay about 50% of GRI costs ($24 billion), new development 31% ($14B).
October 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
You can argue about DCs, but this article fails to mention that by provincial law, existing taxpayers must pay for any benefit they receive from growth-related infrastructure (GRI).
In TO, existing taxpayers pay about 50% of GRI costs ($24 billion), new development 31% ($14B).
In TO, existing taxpayers pay about 50% of GRI costs ($24 billion), new development 31% ($14B).
Anybody else have an ASP application for a single stair building in Toronto under review rn?
September 24, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Anybody else have an ASP application for a single stair building in Toronto under review rn?
Single exit stair people: What would/should be considered a reasonable stair width in a single stair bldg? BC Code says 1500 mm up to 6 storeys. City of Toronto guidance report says maybe 1650 mm up to 4 storeys.
What’s reasonable for a small footprint 3 storey 6plex? For a 6 storey apt building?
What’s reasonable for a small footprint 3 storey 6plex? For a 6 storey apt building?
September 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Single exit stair people: What would/should be considered a reasonable stair width in a single stair bldg? BC Code says 1500 mm up to 6 storeys. City of Toronto guidance report says maybe 1650 mm up to 4 storeys.
What’s reasonable for a small footprint 3 storey 6plex? For a 6 storey apt building?
What’s reasonable for a small footprint 3 storey 6plex? For a 6 storey apt building?
What struck me about the debate was that 6 plexes were portrayed by opponents as some kind of cataclysmic change to neighbourhoods. But 4 plexes are already allowed city-wide. 6 plexes would maintain the same building envelope,…. 1/2
June 28, 2025 at 12:08 PM
What struck me about the debate was that 6 plexes were portrayed by opponents as some kind of cataclysmic change to neighbourhoods. But 4 plexes are already allowed city-wide. 6 plexes would maintain the same building envelope,…. 1/2
Reposted by Pamela Blais
This includes a report recommending updates to our zoning to allow up to a sixplex (plus garden suite) across the city; updates to allow for semi-detached fourplexes (i.e. four units on each side); and allowing new housing around "tower-in-the-park" sites. 3/
June 10, 2025 at 8:32 PM
This includes a report recommending updates to our zoning to allow up to a sixplex (plus garden suite) across the city; updates to allow for semi-detached fourplexes (i.e. four units on each side); and allowing new housing around "tower-in-the-park" sites. 3/
Reposted by Pamela Blais
Congrats @conradspeckert.bsky.social
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform — www.canadianarchitect.com/raic-awards-...
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform — www.canadianarchitect.com/raic-awards-...
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform
An in-depth research project paves the way for building code updates that would remove a key barrier to missing middle housing.
www.canadianarchitect.com
May 1, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Congrats @conradspeckert.bsky.social
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform — www.canadianarchitect.com/raic-awards-...
2025 RAIC Awards: Single Exit Stair Building Code Reform — www.canadianarchitect.com/raic-awards-...
Isn’t the whole US tariff agenda really about replacing (progressive) income taxes with much a more regressive consumption tax?
April 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Isn’t the whole US tariff agenda really about replacing (progressive) income taxes with much a more regressive consumption tax?
Great! I hope the sixplex package will also include the same financial incentives currently available to fourplexes? ie no parks levies or DCs….
Creating more options for housing in neighbourhoods. Toronto City Planning is hosting community consultations across the city as we prepare to bring forward new zoning provisions for sixplex housing. Join us at one of the in-person or virtual events below. More details at tinyurl.com/mbd8wezh
March 22, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Great! I hope the sixplex package will also include the same financial incentives currently available to fourplexes? ie no parks levies or DCs….