Costs Soar for the Suburban Lifestyle in the Toronto Area

Famous for its focus on dense, infill development and quickly ascending skyline, the Toronto housing market is still plagued by rising housing costs at the single-family detached homes end of the spectrum.

1 minute read

November 28, 2015, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Toronto from the CN Tower

Michael Verdi / Flickr

"Builders and real estate experts from both the new and resale home sectors are banding together to warn consumers - and politicians - they are worried about the skyrocketing costs of housing," reports Susan Pigg.

"After almost a decade of finding 'creative ways' to build more affordable housing — more condos rather than costly low-rise houses, and suites that now average just 767 square feet compared to 908 square feet in 2006 — developers fear they are hitting a wall."

In effect, the concern reported in this article has to do with single-family homes, which have not been developed at the same pace as condos, due to the effects of the Greenbelt and Places to Grow Legislation, passed ten years ago with the goal of easing sprawl. That legislation is up for a ten-year review, expected for release in a few weeks.

The article includes a lot more detail about the unique market, and the affordability pressures, of the Toronto area.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015 in The Toronto Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight