Zoning by-law amendment applications

Check whether you need a Zoning By-law Amendment

• If you want to use, alter or develop your property in ways that do not comply with the Zoning By-law, you must apply for a site-specific Zoning By-law Amendment. You can do this through either a Zoning By-law Amendment application or a variance application.
• Zoning By-law Amendments are used for major revisions to the by-law such as land use changes or significant increases in permitted building heights and densities.
• Variance applications are used for minor issues such as changes to building setbacks or parking requirements. Please refer to the Committee of Adjustment for additional information on variance applications.
• If you are not sure whether your development proposal involves a Zoning By-law Amendment or variance application, please contact Community Planning staff.
• You should consider applying for a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate Program (ZAP) to review your proposal and identify any features that do not comply with the Zoning By-law.

Pre-Application Consultation

• If you are applying to amend the Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law, you are strongly encouraged to consult with the City through a Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) to assist in determining which application requirements must be provided as part of your submission for a complete application.
• The level of detail required varies for most application requirements, depending on the nature of your property and your proposal. The scope and requirements of any reports or studies will be assessed during your meeting.
• When you are ready to submit an Official Plan Amendment and/or a Zoning By-law Amendment application, you must provide the Planning Application Checklist Package.
• Note that City staff will not issue a Planning Application Checklist Package unless you complete a PAC meeting with the City. If you proceed without a PAC meeting, you must submit a completed Application Checklist with your application.
• The City strongly encourages you to submit your application within 24 months of receiving the Planning Application Checklist Package following the PAC meeting.
• The City strongly discourages you from submitting concurrent PAC meeting requests for Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA)/Site Plan Control (SPC) or Official Plan Amendment (OPA)/ZBA/SPC applications.

Prepare your materials

• Prepare all of the materials that are listed on the Planning Application Checklist Package (issued after a Pre-Application Consultation meeting) or the Application Checklist.
• Review the Planning Act, the City of Toronto Act (where applicable) and the Official Plan to ensure you have provided the required information and materials to support the application(s) in accordance with the City’s Terms of Reference.
• Include a Covering Memo with the completed documents listed on the Forms webpage.

Complete the forms4Download the set6 forms

A Planning Application is required for an Official Plan Amendment (OPA), Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA), Site Plan Control (SPC), Draft Plan of Subdivision (SUB), Draft Plan of Condominium (CDM), and Part Lot Control Exemption (PLC). Your submission must include the following completed documents and payment:

• 2026 Application FormForm
• Fee ScheduleOne Fee Schedule is required for each application.Form
• Project Data SheetForm
• Planning Application Checklist Package (issued after a Pre-Application Consultation meeting) or the Application Checklist (for OPA, ZBA, SUB and SPC applications)Checklist

Submit your application

• Submit your application materials through the City’s Application Submission Tool (AST). Resources supporting the AST can be found on the Application Submission Tool Overview.
• A Planning Consultant will check your documents. When your submission is ready for payment, they will email you instructions on how to make payment.
• Make the necessary payment and then email your record of payment to the Planning Consultant.
• Within 30 days of making your submission (including payment), you will be advised in writing as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete.
• Within 14 days of submission, you will be required to post a sign on the subject property in accordance with the procedures outlined in the application form.

Pay the fee

These Planning Application Fees reflect the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (+4.82 per cent).

• Base fee: $63,679.83
• Additional fee based on GFA: $6.23/m² (≈ $0.58 per sq ft)
• Maximum charge: $779,441.52
• Legal Service fee for S. 37 Agreement: $18,266.27
• The following surcharges also apply, but will not be collected until later in the planning process: A surcharge to cover the City Clerk's direct costs of providing public notices required to process planning applications (levied at the time of the notice). A surcharge to cover facility rental and translation and sign language services to process planning applications (levied at the time of the meeting).
• Applicants must complete and include the appropriate Fee Schedule with their Planning Application as part of a Complete Submission.

Review Procedure

• For Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications, within 15 days of your submission being deemed complete, the City Clerk will also issue a formal Notice of Application to the public in the newspaper, in accordance with the Planning Act.
• Although not required by the Planning Act, a community consultation meeting is held for nearly all Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications.
• The Planning Act requires that the City hold a public meeting when considering applications for amendments to the Official Plan and/or Zoning By-laws.
• Once your application(s) has been finalized, the City will issue a formal notice of the public meeting. The City also requires that you post the date and time of the public meeting on the sign erected on the property.
• If City Council amends the Official Plan or the Zoning By-law, the City will issue a notice of approval within 15 days of the decision. After this notice has been issued, there is a 20-day period within which a party can appeal this approval to the OLT.