A development application in Toronto typically requires between 10 and 27 supporting studies, including a Planning Justification Report, Servicing Report, and Transportation Impact Study at minimum, with the exact list confirmed at the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) stage based on site characteristics. Enter your Toronto address at PreBuildIQ to generate the complete agency circulation list and required studies for your specific property in 60 seconds.
More than 60% of Toronto planning applications require at least one resubmission. City Planning returns incomplete packages without a receipt, and the statutory 90-day clock under Zoning By-law 569-2013 never starts. A missing Servicing Report or an outdated Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment are among the most common gaps. A developer who discovers this after submission has effectively paid a month of carrying costs with no review clock running.
Toronto City Planning circulates applications to as many as seven agencies simultaneously. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) holds jurisdiction over sites near valleylands and the Lake Ontario shoreline. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) comments on any application within proximity of subway infrastructure. Heritage Preservation Services (HPS) reviews any site on the Heritage Register. A clean first submission requires knowing all seven triggers before the commenting package is assembled.
Toronto planning applications are circulated to as many as seven agency bodies, depending on site characteristics and application type. Not all agencies comment on every application. Triggers are specific and confirmed at the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) stage.
| Body | Jurisdiction | Triggered when |
|---|---|---|
| City of Toronto — City Planning Division | Land use, built form, heritage policy, Official Plan conformity, urban design review | All planning applications: OPA, ZBA, SPC, Subdivision, Condominium, Consent, Variance |
| Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | Floodplains, natural hazard lands, valleylands, Lake Ontario shoreline, TRCA regulated area | SPC, ZBA, OPA, or Subdivision where site is within or adjacent to TRCA regulated area or the natural heritage system |
| Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) | Transit infrastructure setbacks, noise and vibration impacts near TTC facilities and rights-of-way | SPC or ZBA applications where site is within proximity of subway stations, bus terminals, streetcar routes, or TTC maintenance facilities |
| Heritage Preservation Services (HPS) | Listed and designated properties on the Heritage Register, adjacent heritage properties, cultural landscapes, heritage districts | SPC, ZBA, or OPA applications involving properties on the City Heritage Register, or directly adjacent to heritage properties |
| Toronto Public Health (TPH) | Air quality, contamination, and health impacts on sensitive land uses proposed near industrial or transportation infrastructure | SPC or ZBA proposing sensitive uses (residential, school, daycare) near industrial operations, waste management facilities, or major transportation uses |
| Toronto Green Standard Review (TGS) | Green Standard Tier compliance across energy, water, biodiversity, and access-to-nature metrics | All new development applications for SPC, ZBA, and OPA. Tier 1 compliance is mandatory for all new development. Version is determined by SPC submission date. |
| Engineering and Construction Services (ECS) | Municipal roads, grading, servicing connections, rights-of-way, and stormwater infrastructure | SPC and Subdivision applications requiring municipal infrastructure connections, new road dedications, or changes to the City's stormwater system |
Toronto's planning approval process runs through two mandatory gating stages before any Council vote: a Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) that confirms the required study list, and a complete application submission that starts the statutory clock. Both are sequential. Submitting without first completing the PAC, or without addressing all PAC outputs, is the most common cause of incomplete-application returns.
Submit a PAC request through the City's ePlan portal. City Planning assigns a Community Planner within 20 business days and schedules the PAC meeting. No planning application is accepted without completing this step.
City staff and triggered agency representatives attend. The output is a written Planning Application Checklist Package confirming all required studies, drawings, and the full agency circulation list. This document is the authoritative submission checklist for 1st submission.
Engage specialized consultants for each study confirmed at PAC. Major studies (Transportation Impact Study, Geotechnical Study, Contaminated Site Assessment) have lead times of 8-14 weeks. Begin immediately after the Checklist Package is received.
Assemble all studies, architectural drawings, and supporting documents into a complete commenting package. A typical ZBA commenting package runs 15-25 items. All electronic files must meet City specifications on naming, format, and file size.
City Planning accepts only complete packages. A complete application triggers the 90-day statutory review clock for ZBA, or the 120-day clock for a concurrent OPA/ZBA, immediately on acceptance.
City Planning circulates the commenting package to all triggered agencies simultaneously. Each agency reviews independently. Typical turnaround is 8-14 weeks per agency, though TRCA and heritage reviews can extend longer on complex sites.
City Planning compiles all agency comments into a consolidated package. The applicant submits a revised commenting package and response matrix addressing each comment from each agency.
City Planning holds a required public meeting for OPA and ZBA applications under the Ontario Planning Act. Notice is mailed to all property owners within 60 metres at least 15 days in advance.
Planning and Housing Committee reviews the staff report and recommendation. City Council votes on the application. Any party with standing may appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) within 20 days of the Council decision.
Statutory minimums under the Ontario Planning Act. Actual timelines depend on application complexity, agency comment volume, and OLT appeal activity.
Studies are confirmed at the Pre-Application Consultation stage and vary by site characteristics, proposed use, and triggering conditions specific to the property. The table below covers all studies in PreBuildIQ's verified dataset for Toronto ZBA and OPA applications under Zoning By-law 569-2013.
| Study / Document | Application type and notes |
|---|---|
| Planning Rationale / Planning Justification Report | All OPA, ZBA, and Subdivision applications. Covering letter format accepted for smaller SPC and Consent applications. |
| Boundary Plan of Survey | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, Condominium, SPC, Consent to Sever |
| Topographic Survey | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, Condominium, SPC, Consent to Sever. Can be merged with the Boundary Plan of Survey. |
| Context Plan | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, Condominium, SPC |
| 3D Building Mass Model | OPA, ZBA, SPC. Required for all developments regardless of height. |
| Project Data Sheet | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, Condominium, SPC |
| Servicing Report | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, SPC. Includes capacity analysis if sanitary drainage pattern changes or combined sewer changes are proposed. |
| Stormwater Management Report | ZBA, Subdivision, SPC |
| Geotechnical Study and Hydrological Review | ZBA and all developments requiring municipal road design or construction. Hydrological component scope determined by Community Planner at PAC. |
| Transportation Impact Study | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision, SPC. Core chapters always required. Seven conditional chapters triggered by specific site criteria per the City's Terms of Reference. |
| Public Consultation Strategy Report | OPA, ZBA, Subdivision. Statutory requirement per Planning Act Regulations 178/16, 179/16, and 180/16. |
| Simplified Report Graphics | OPA, ZBA |
| Concept Site and Landscape Plan | OPA, ZBA |
| Conceptual Grading Plan | ZBA |
| Site Plan | ZBA, SPC |
| Site and Building Elevations | ZBA, SPC, Consent to Sever |
| Site and Building Sections | ZBA, SPC, Consent to Sever |
| Floor Plans | ZBA, SPC, Consent to Sever |
| Roof Plan | ZBA, SPC, Consent to Sever |
| Soil Volume Plan | ZBA, Subdivision, Consent to Sever, SPC |
| Underground Garage Plans | ZBA and SPC applications where below-grade parking is proposed |
| Draft Zoning By-law Amendment | ZBA applications where the proposed development is not permitted by the current zoning |
| Contaminated Site Assessment (Phase 1 and Phase 2 ESA) | OPA, ZBA, Consent, SPC. A Record of Site Condition (RSC) is required when land use changes to a more sensitive use per O.Reg.153/04. Peer Review required when land is conveyed to the City or where below-grade easements are needed. |
| Study / Document | Triggered when |
|---|---|
| Arborist Report and Tree Protection Plan | Property contains regulated trees, or regulated trees are within 6m of property lines. Trigger extends to 12m in Ravine By-law Chapter 658 areas. |
| Heritage Impact Assessment | Development site contains property listed or designated on the City Heritage Register. Also required when a Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report finds the property meets O.Reg.9/06 criteria. |
| Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report | Property identified through City mapping as having potential heritage value but not yet on the Heritage Register, per OPA 720 requirements |
| Archaeological Assessment | Property appears on the City's database of lands with archaeological potential, searchable via TOmaps. May also be triggered through the Heritage Impact Assessment process. |
| Natural Heritage Impact Study | Development on lands within the natural heritage system mapped on OP Map 12, or in or adjacent to provincially significant natural heritage features including wetlands, ANSIs, significant woodlands, or valleylands |
| Environmental Impact Study | Proposed development likely to have environmental impacts not fully addressed through the Natural Heritage Impact Study. Scope determined at pre-application consultation. |
| Pedestrian Level Wind Study | Buildings over 6 storeys or 20m in height. Three trigger levels (Low, Moderate, High) based on height and geographic location. Level escalates if two or more buildings exceed 6 storeys, or if the building is near the waterfront, parks, ravines, schools, or playgrounds. |
| Sun/Shadow Study | Developments over 6 storeys or 20m. Also required for shorter buildings near shadow-sensitive areas including parks, open spaces, schoolyards, and cemeteries. Scope determined at pre-application consultation. |
| Noise Impact Study | Developments adjacent to or near Employment Areas, airports, rail infrastructure, waste facilities, or industrial uses near sensitive land uses |
| Vibration Study | Adjacent to or near Employment Areas, rail infrastructure, airports, or waste facilities. May also be required as a condition of a site-specific zoning by-law. |
| Rail Safety and Risk Mitigation Report | New or intensified land uses within 30m of a rail facility. Best practice: 30m setback from the rail property line with a 2.5m earthen berm. |
| Aeronautical Report | Site within flight paths of St. Michael's Hospital heliport, SickKids heliport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, or Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. May be waived if the proposed height clearly does not pierce applicable surface limits. |
| Air Quality and Odour Study | Sensitive land use proposed within 1,000m of an industrial land use. Cascade levels per MOECC D-6: Class I (70m influence zone), Class II (300m), Class III (1,000m). Odour sub-trigger applies if facilities emit odours; dust sub-trigger applies for particulate matter sources. |
| EMF Management Plan | Residential, school, or day nursery uses where site is within or abuts a hydro corridor. Applies to all new or increased-capacity high-voltage transmission lines anywhere in Toronto. |
| Block Context Plan | Sites within a Secondary Plan or SASP area; change in land use designation; multiple landowners; large site over 1 hectare; development with park dedication or new streets; adjacent to heritage, natural features, ravines, or waterfront; near higher-order transit stations |
| Community Services and Facilities Study | Developments generally exceeding 150-200 residential units, or where site scale may affect adequacy of existing community services and facilities in the area |
| Land Use Compatibility Study | Sensitive land uses (including residential) proposed adjacent to or near Employment Areas, or within the influence area of a major facility per Ministry D-6 guidelines |
| Housing Issues Report | Development proposes to demolish, intensify, convert, or sever existing rental housing, or develop sites over 5 hectares with new residential uses |
| Energy Strategy / Net Zero Strategy | Total GFA of 20,000 m2 or greater, or development within a Council-approved Community Energy Plan area |
| Methane Gas Study | Site on or within 500m of a known or suspected closed municipal landfill per OP Policy 3.4.23, or within a previously determined area of influence |
Which of these studies does your site trigger? Enter your address and PreBuildIQ tells you in 60 seconds.
Generate my checklist →Toronto's pre-development requirements rank among the most complex in Ontario. Agencies like TRCA, TTC, and Heritage Preservation Services add study triggers that apply nowhere else in the region. A mixed-use development requiring 12 studies in Mississauga may require 21 in Toronto based on the same proposed built form.
| Municipality | Typical timeline | Avg. studies (ZBA) | Pre-application term | Conservation authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 18–24 months | 12–21 | Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) |
| Mississauga | 14–20 months | 8–16 | Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) | Credit Valley Conservation (CVC); TRCA for east-fringe properties only |
| Vaughan | 16–22 months | 10–17 | Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) | TRCA. Comprehensive Zoning By-law 001-2021 is under OLT appeal. Dual compliance with By-law 1-88 is required during the appeal period. |
| Markham | 15–20 months | 9–15 | Pre-Application Consultation Request (PRCN) via ePLAN portal | TRCA. York Region co-approval required for Official Plan Amendment applications. |
See how your site's requirements compare across municipalities. Address lookup takes 60 seconds.
Look up my address →Toronto development applications require between 10 and 27 studies depending on site. Always required for ZBA and OPA applications under Zoning By-law 569-2013: Planning Justification Report, Boundary Plan of Survey, Topographic Survey, Context Plan, 3D Building Mass Model, Servicing Report, Stormwater Management Report, Geotechnical Study, Transportation Impact Study, Public Consultation Strategy Report, Simplified Report Graphics, and all architectural drawings. The full list is confirmed in the Planning Application Checklist Package issued at the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) stage.
Toronto City Planning circulates applications to as many as seven agencies: City of Toronto City Planning Division (all applications), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Heritage Preservation Services (HPS), Toronto Public Health (TPH), Toronto Green Standard Review (TGS), and Engineering and Construction Services (ECS). Not all seven agencies comment on every application. Triggers are site-specific and confirmed at the PAC meeting.
Toronto's Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from request to receipt of the written Planning Application Checklist Package. City Planning assigns a Community Planner within 20 business days of the PAC request. The PAC meeting is then scheduled, attended by City staff and relevant agency representatives. The written Checklist Package follows the meeting and confirms all required studies and agency circulation.
A complete Toronto planning application requires all studies and drawings listed in the Planning Application Checklist Package issued at the PAC stage, plus a completed Project Data Sheet, Public Consultation Strategy Report, and Simplified Report Graphics for OPA and ZBA applications. All files must be submitted electronically through the City's ePlan portal. City Planning will not issue a receipt, and the statutory clock will not start, until the application is accepted as complete.
An incomplete Toronto planning application is returned without a receipt, and the 90-day statutory review clock under the Ontario Planning Act does not start. The applicant must resubmit a complete commenting package, which restarts agency circulation from the beginning. Common causes of returns: missing studies confirmed at PAC, outdated environmental assessments, incorrect drawing specifications, and missing supporting documents required by the fee schedule.
Toronto's Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) requires a fee at the time of the PAC request, as outlined in the City's Planning Application Fee Schedule, which is updated annually. The fee varies by application type and the scale of the proposed development. PAC fees are credited against the final planning application fee paid at 1st submission.
Missing one study at 1st submission resets the statutory clock. At $43,000 per month in carrying costs on a stalled GTA project, that is a measurable loss. Enter your Toronto address and PreBuildIQ generates your complete required-study and agency list instantly.
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