More of Toronto’s new builds are multiplexes — but the city still lags Western counterparts - Toronto Star

Small infill homes made up 10 times more of Toronto's housing starts last year than in 2023, CMHC says. 

The CMHC defines small-scale infills as either a development of two to eight units or a secondary suite built within existing neighbourhoods.

Multiplexes, garden suites and other small infill homes make up 10 times more of Toronto’s housing starts compared to two years ago, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC). But Toronto is still lagging behind other major Canadian cities. 

Small-scale infills, defined as either a development of two to eight units or a secondary suite built within existing neighbourhoods, made up 6.45 per cent of Toronto’s housing starts in 2025, according to a CMHC report released last week, up from 0.62 per cent of starts in 2023.

Toronto has been pushing for more infill housing options over the last few years, legalizing multiplexes and backyard suites. Some housing experts suggest these housing types could make up the “missing middle” options in Toronto, appealing to renters and owners who can’t afford a single-family home but don’t want to live in an apartment. 

But despite the increase, Toronto’s proportion of small-scale infills falls far short of other Canadian cities like Vancouver and Edmonton.

Opposition to multiplexes has been fierce in the city’s outer wards, but that’s not the only reason for slow uptake.