As Canadian cities grapple with housing affordability and urban sprawl, transit-oriented development (TOD) has emerged as a key policy tool. Two significant approaches have taken shape: Toronto’s recently announced Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) framework closely resembles British Columbia’s 2023 Transit-Oriented Development policy. Both aim to increase housing supply near transit, but their implementation strategies reveal important differences that matter for planners, government staff, and tenant advocates.
The Policy Landscape
Despite the policies enacted at two different levels of government, the two policies govern nearly the same number of transit hubs. Toronto’s recently approved policy identifies 120 Major Transit Station Areas. BC’s 2023 legislation designates just 104 transit hubs across the entire province, most of which are in Metro Vancouver.
Density and Design
Toronto’s MTSA policy takes a contextual approach to density, with minimum targets varying by transit mode—200 residents and jobs per hectare for subway stations, 160 for LRT, and 150 for GO stations. The policy emphasizes highest density closest to the transit hub, with tallest buildings at station cores and height transitions toward existing neighborhoods. Toronto’s policy also includes mandatory inclusionary zoning for affordable housing (which the province reduced).
BC’s approach mandates minimum heights and densities within a standardized radius of 200m, 400m, and 800m from transit stations, but has no job requirements (for all intents and purposes, both methodologies are likely to reach the same density). There is no required inclusionary zoning, but municipalities are permitted to use density bonusing to incentivize affordable housing. It’s important to note here that the province is mandating density, not necessarily affordability.
The Tenant Protection Divide
The problem with both policies lies in tenant protections, or the lack thereof. Toronto already has a number of tenant protection policies including rental replacement requirements, right to return, and protection from renoviction, however only the rental replacement and renoviction licensing are actual bylaws (read: more enforceable), and tenant advocates say there are not enough resources to enforce compliance. There are no additional protections granted to tenants in the new Transit Hub areas.
BC’s provincial TOD policy permits municipalities to enact Tenant Protection Bylaws, but does not mandate it. As of writing, several municipalities have tenant relocation policies and some are considering formal bylaws (Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminister), but none are in place. This creates a patchwork approach where protections depend on local political will and capacity to enforce.
Moving Forward
Both policies represent significant steps toward addressing housing supply challenges near transit. Toronto’s emphasis on affordability measures offers important lessons for other jurisdictions, while BC’s streamlined, province-wide approach demonstrates how to achieve rapid policy implementation.
The most effective transit-oriented development policies will likely combine elements from both approaches: BC’s simplified standards with Toronto’s attention to affordability. Even better, governments looking to these policies can make a concerted effort at reducing tenant displacement as a result of TOD.
