Toronto's Pre-Approved Garden Suite Plans: Free Designs, Faster Permits

In July 2025, the City of Toronto launched something genuinely useful: 24 free, pre-approved building plans for garden and laneway suites. They're called the "Made in Toronto" plans, and they could save you thousands in design fees and weeks in permit processing time.

Here's everything you need to know about what's available, how to use them, and what they don't cover.

What Are Pre-Approved Plans?

These are complete architectural drawings for garden and laneway suites that have already been reviewed by Toronto Building for Ontario Building Code and zoning compliance. The City did the design review upfront so you don't have to wait for it during your permit application.

They're free to download and use. No licensing fees, no design costs.

Source: Pre-Approved Garden and Laneway Suite Plans (toronto.ca)

The 24 Available Plans

The plans come in 4 designs, each available in 3 fire access configurations and 2 HVAC options — giving you 24 plan sets to choose from:

Design Types

Fire Access Options (the 0/1/2 suffix)

Each design comes in three fire access configurations:

• 0 — Standard fire access
• 1 — Alternative fire access option 1
• 2 — Alternative fire access option 2

Your property layout determines which fire access option you need. This depends on how firefighters can access your suite — whether from the front, side, or rear of your property.

HVAC Options

Each configuration is available with:

• H — Heat pump system
• F — Forced air system

So, for example, G2H-1 is a Two-Bedroom Garden Suite with heat pump and fire access option 1.

How to Use a Pre-Approved Plan

Here's the key thing people get wrong: pre-approved does not mean no permit required. You absolutely still need to apply for a building permit. The pre-approval means the building design itself has already been reviewed — but your specific site still needs to be assessed.

Step-by-Step

1. Choose your plan from the City's website based on your needs (studio vs. 2-bedroom, garden vs. laneway, heat pump vs. forced air).

2. Determine your fire access option (0, 1, or 2) based on your property configuration.

3. Reference the plan code (e.g., GSH-1) in your building permit application. You do NOT need to submit the architectural drawings — they're already on file with Toronto Building.

4. Prepare your site-specific documents:

   • Site plan showing where the suite goes on your lot
   • Lot grading plan
   • Tree declaration
   • Standard application forms (including the updated February 2026 Application to Construct or Demolish)

5. Apply for your building permit through Toronto's Online Services portal.

6. Get your ZAP certificate — you still need a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate ($644.38) confirming your site meets zoning requirements.

What Pre-Approved Plans Save You

Design Costs

Custom architectural plans for a garden suite can run $5,000–$15,000+ depending on complexity. Pre-approved plans are free. That's real money back in your construction budget.

Review Time

Since the building design is already pre-approved, the examiner only needs to review your site-specific documents (site plan, grading, tree declaration). This can significantly speed up the review process compared to a fully custom design submission.

Garden and laneway suites go through the House Stream with a 10-business-day review target for complete applications. With pre-approved plans, your application has one less reason to hit a snag.

Code Compliance Confidence

These plans were designed to meet the Ontario Building Code. No worrying about whether your custom design will pass code review. No back-and-forth with the examiner about building details.

What Pre-Approved Plans Don't Cover

This is important — here's what you still need to handle:

Modifications Void the Pre-Approval

If you make any modifications to the pre-approved plans — including changes to HVAC, plumbing layout, window placement, or room configuration — the plan is no longer pre-approved. Your modified design goes through full review as if it were a custom plan.

Want to move a wall or add a window? You've just un-pre-approved your plans.

Site-Specific Requirements

The plans don't account for your specific lot. You still need:

• Site plan — showing suite placement, setbacks, and relationship to existing buildings
• Lot grading plan — ensuring drainage works properly
• Tree declaration — Toronto takes tree protection seriously
• Municipal road damage deposit (if applicable)

Zoning Compliance

Pre-approved plans meet the Building Code, but your specific lot still needs to meet zoning requirements — maximum lot coverage, setbacks, height restrictions. That's what the ZAP certificate confirms.

Professional Site Services

You'll still need professionals for:

• Foundation engineering (specific to your soil conditions)
• Site servicing (water, sewer, electrical connections)
• Possibly a surveyor for accurate site plans

The Background: Why This Exists

Ontario Regulation 462/24, which came into force November 20, 2024, enabled garden suites across most residential zones in Toronto. With demand for housing and secondary suites growing, the City created pre-approved plans to make it faster and cheaper for homeowners to add housing.

It's part of a broader push to increase gentle density — more homes on existing residential lots, without the cost and delay of fully custom design processes.

Source: Garden Suites (toronto.ca)

Who Should Use Pre-Approved Plans?

Great fit if you:

• Want a garden or laneway suite without spending $10K+ on custom design
• Are happy with one of the 4 design templates as-is
• Want the fastest possible permit process
• Are building for rental income and prioritize speed over custom aesthetics

Maybe not ideal if you:

• Have a uniquely shaped lot that requires a custom footprint
• Want a specific layout that doesn't match any of the 4 designs
• Need more than 2 bedrooms
• Plan to modify the plans significantly (which voids the pre-approval anyway)

Permit Fees for Garden & Laneway Suites

Even with free pre-approved plans, you'll pay:

• Building permit: $18.56/m² + $56.33 per new unit
• ZAP certificate: $644.38
• HVAC permit: $214.79–$270.64
• Plumbing fees: $23.20 per fixture (single-family)

For a typical 56 m² (600 sq ft) garden suite, expect roughly $1,100–$1,500 in total permit fees. See our full fee breakdown.

Ready to Build?

Pre-approved plans make garden and laneway suites more accessible than ever. But navigating site plans, ZAP certificates, tree declarations, and the online submission portal still takes work.

Check if your property qualifies for a garden or laneway suite, or let PermitEasy handle the permit process from start to finish. We'll match you with the right pre-approved plan, prepare your site-specific documents, and submit everything to the City — so you can focus on building.

Your backyard has potential. Let's unlock it.