Toronto’s Nine-Ward Sixplex: On 25 June 2025, city council legalized six-unit homes in nine of Toronto’s 25 wards—all of the former Toronto & East York district plus Scarborough North. Everywhere else still stops at fourplexes for now. If you own—or are shopping for—a lot inside these boundaries, you hold a powerful advantage: as-of-right zoning for up to six self-contained suites. That single policy change lets you leap-frog two of the biggest timeline killers in low-rise development:

  1. No rezoning or Official-Plan amendment (the multi-year gauntlet large projects face).
  2. Far fewer trips to the Committee of Adjustment (CoA) for unit-count variances—often the flash-point for NIMBY protests and appeals.

Below, we map the nine “green-light” wards, zoom in on micro-geographies where the rules bite hardest, and outline realistic timelines for owners vs. buyers.

Which Wards Made the Cut?

Sources: council decision reports and media summaries

Interactive Six-Plex Pilot Map

Wondering whether your property is in one of Toronto’s new Six-Plex pilot wards? Use the map below to find out in seconds:

  1. Enter any address or postal code in the search bar.
  2. See a marker appear at that location and the page will zoom in automatically.
  3. If your address falls inside one of the nine Six-Plex wards, you’ll see the ward boundary highlighted and a message.

Micro-Geographies That Matter

Even inside a sixplex ward, exact location drives approval speed:

Edge Streets to Watch

Streets that straddle ward borders (e.g., Oakwood Ave. at the Davenport/York South edge) can flip from sixplex-friendly to fourplex-only on the opposite sidewalk. Use the City’s AIC map or postal-code overlays when scouting addresses.

Timeline Benchmarks

A: You Already Own a Lot and Need No Variances

B: Same Lot but You Need Minor Variances

Add:

  • CoA prep/hearing/appeal window ≈ 4 mo (60-day hearing target + notice + 20-day appeal)
  • Revised permit cycle ≈ 1 mo

Total ≈ 20 – 25 months.

C: Still Shopping for a Property

  • Search & negotiations 2 – 4 mo
  • 60- to 90-day closing

Then follow Scenario A or B. Expect 19 – 30 months end-to-end depending on variance needs.

Why the Toronto’s Nine-Ward Sixplex Rule “Leaps Ahead” of NIMBY

  • No unit-count fights – Outside these wards, anything above four units still triggers CoA or full rezoning, giving neighbours multiple veto points.
  • Federal HAF carrot – Ottawa’s Housing Accelerator Fund dangles money tied to faster approvals; planners are under pressure to meet hard service-level targets here.
  • Precedent density – Downtown/East York already hosts century-old triplexes and walk-ups; residents are less able to claim sixplexes “don’t fit.”
  • Staff familiarity – Inspectors and reviewers have processed Ward 23 pilot files for two years, smoothing internal workflows for the other eight wards.

Strategy Tips for Owners & Buyers

  1. Pull the Zoning Certificate Early – Confirms you really are in the sixplex zone and flags any surprise overlays (e.g., Ravine & Natural Feature, floodplain).
  2. Bundle Variances – If you must visit CoA (e.g., extra depth and driveway width), file one comprehensive application. Two separate trips can add 4-6 months.
  3. Transit-Linked Lots First – They enjoy parking waivers and stronger pro-housing policy support.
  4. Heritage Due-Diligence – Check the Heritage Register; removing a house on the list—even if not formally designated—can trigger a 60-day review.
  5. Talk to Neighbours Early – NIMBY letters carry less weight when the zoning already allows six units, but conciliatory design tweaks (front yard tree retention, pitched rooflines) head off CoA objections if variances arise.

The Bottom Line

Toronto’s Nine-Ward Sixplex carve-out is the fastest legal path to a six-unit rental in Toronto today. Stay inside the boundaries, file a complete permit set, and you can break ground months—if not years—sooner than a comparable lot elsewhere in the city.

Need a ward-overlay and timeline for your exact address—or help short-listing purchase targets?
Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call and get a custom report showing zoning status, variance risk, and projected rents so you can move from idea to cash-flow with confidence.