Years of political turnover, shifting priorities and stalled talks have finally given way to 120 Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) across the city.
The provincial decision, issued under Section 17(34) of the Planning Act, approves Toronto’s Official Plan Amendment 540 with modifications. It establishes a new Chapter 8 in the city’s Official Plan, setting out policies for MTSAs and Protected MTSAs (the 500-to-800-metre zones around higher-order transit stations, where taller and denser development will be encouraged.)
“This plan is three times more ambitious than the one submitted five years ago,” Chow said Friday, contrasting the new framework’s potential for 1.5 million additional homes over 25 years with former mayor John Tory’s estimate of 500,000. “It’s a big step toward creating complete communities around transit.”