Learn more about Vaughan’s new Zoning By-law

Progressive update includes contemporary land uses and development standards

The City of Vaughan has taken steps to prepare and guide future growth – including completing a comprehensive city-wide review of its Zoning By-law. Following an Order issued by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) on Dec. 28, 2022, as supplemented on Jan. 18, 2023, the City’s new Comprehensive Zoning By-law (By-law 001-2021), as amended, is now in effect. This excludes lands, areas and sections of the by-law that remain under appeal, as identified in the OLT Order.

A Zoning By-law divides the city into different zones and determines how land in each zone can be used. This includes:

• standards for building heights, setbacks, lot sizes, lot dimensions and parking requirements.
• types of buildings allowed and how they can be used, such as for commercial or residential purposes.
• where buildings and other structures can be located.

Detailed, colour-coded maps of Vaughan’s zones are available online.

City-wide Comprehensive Review

Vaughan is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada, and a number of major city-building initiatives are underway. To prepare for significant growth over the next 35 years, and in accordance with provincial legislation, the City recently undertook a city-wide comprehensive review of its Zoning By-law to create a more progressive by-law with updated, contemporary uses and standards. The previous Zoning By-law was last reviewed in 1988.

The City’s Official Plan Review is also underway. Once complete, this plan update will outline how land in the city of Vaughan should be used in the future to ensure planning and development meet the specific needs of the community. This includes where new housing, industry, offices and retail will be located; what infrastructure, such as roads, parks, schools, watermains and sewers will be needed; when, how and in what order parts of the city will grow; and what community improvement initiatives are required and when they will be needed.

The new Zoning By-law will implement the Official Plan, with any updates required, and accurately reflect the intent of policy direction under one consolidated streamlined Zoning By-law. 

Background

The City’s Zoning By-law 1-88 is now repealed and the Comprehensive Zoning By-law is now in effect as of Oct. 20, 2021, except for lands, areas and sections the by-law that remain under appeal, as identified in the OLT Order.

Vaughan Council enacted the Comprehensive Zoning By-law on Oct. 20, 2021. It affects all properties within the city of Vaughan, with the exception of lands in the vicinity of Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue. This by-law was subsequently appealed to the OLT by 130 appellants.

Through negotiations with certain appellants, some of the appeals have been resolved through site-specific resolutions. The remaining appeals have been scoped to specific lands (either particular sites or areas) and sections.

As amended, this new Comprehensive Zoning By-law will ensure that what is built in Vaughan meets the vision of the Official Plan and any land use plans. For more information, visit vaughan.ca/zoning.

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