The Mid-Rise Manual

Ontario must build 1.5 to 1.7 million homes by 2031. The Mid-Rise Manual, authored by LGA Architectural Partners and SvN Architects + Planners, offers a bold and actionable plan to meet that challenge. Commissioned by Robert Eisenberg and Environmental Defence, this manual doesn’t just analyze the housing crisis—it provides a clear, detailed roadmap to help solve it.

The result?

A more livable, equitable, and climate-conscious Ontario.

Mid-rise housing has the potential to transform how we grow—without pushing our cities outward. In Toronto alone, building mid-rise along major streets and avenues could add 545,000 homes and accommodate 1.2 million people—all within walkable, transit-connected, vibrant communities.

This isn’t about more of the same—it’s about reimagining our neighbourhoods as resilient, inclusive, and sustainable places to live.

If implemented, the Manual’s recommendations could help Ontario reach its housing targets by reinvesting in what we already have, not by sprawling into farmland or erasing natural habitat.

This means:

• Shorter commutes and fewer cars on the road
• Streets that prioritize people over parking
• More housing choices for families, newcomers, and seniors
• Smarter use of existing infrastructure
• A real shift toward low-carbon, people-first cities

Unlocking mid-rise isn’t just about solving a crisis—it’s about creating a better way to live.

Why Mid-Rise?

Mid-rise housing—between 5 and 11 storeys—strikes the perfect balance between density and livability. It integrates seamlessly into existing neighbourhoods, supports transit, and takes advantage of existing infrastructure, while presenting opportunities to deliver affordable, family-friendly homes.

Yet despite its many advantages, mid-rise housing remains drastically underbuilt across Ontario.

This is the how-to.

The Manual outlines strategic reforms in five key areas—planning, policy, infrastructure, construction, and financing—and calls for coordinated action at every level of government. These changes are essential to unlocking mid-rise development across Ontario’s major streets and avenues.

1. Unlocking the Missing Middle
   Mid-rise development is too often delayed by complex approvals and uncertainty. The Manual proposes as-of-right zoning on major streets and streamlined processes to allow good projects to move forward with greater clarity and speed.
2. Fiscal Policy
   Outdated financial tools create uneven ground. With updated development charges, smarter taxation, and targeted funding mechanisms, we can support compact, affordable growth and make better use of public resources.

3. Building Code
   Mid-rise buildings are held to the same standards as much larger buildings, not reflecting their mid-scale. Legalizing safe, efficient methods—like mass timber and single-stair buildings—would reduce costs and lower carbon footprints, without compromising safety.

5. Infrastructure
   Every project shouldn’t have to start from scratch. Municipalities can unlock entire corridors by proactively upgrading infrastructure—water, power, and waste—as part of a long-term strategy, not a piecemeal process.
6. Construction
   Let’s build smarter. Prefabrication, modular systems, and investment in skilled trades can make mid-rise construction faster, more efficient, and more affordable.