submitted by Carol Baker

 

City of Toronto’s Neighbourhood Retail and Services (NRS) Proposal

The following information is provided on a non-partisan basis and is for community awareness & discussion purposes only.

The City of Toronto’s Neighbourhood Retail and Services (NRS) proposal would let bars, restaurants, and retail stores open in residential homes without the need for any approvals. That could mean  increased noise, late-night patios, parking pressures, crime — and even the loss of housing, as landlords could evict tenants to convert homes into businesses.

Through neutral, fact-based outreach via its network of resident associations and community groups, COTRA (Coalition of Toronto Residents' Associations) has been gathering feedback from residents about the City’s NRS proposal. COTRA recently circulated a survey to 200+ residents’ associations (RAs) and community groups across Toronto to gather feedback on proposed zoning changes that would:

• permit businesses on Residential Interior Streets

• allow businesses on Major streets in City wards

• revitalize Commercial Areas and potential new businesses in neighbourhood interiors

Here is a link to COTRA’s Fact Sheet on the above: https://cot-ra.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Fact-Sheet-Neighbourhoods-Retail-and-Services-Final.pdf ) 

Links to more information:

Full List of Permitted Uses –  https://cot-ra.org/full-list-of-permitted-uses
https://cot-ra.org/2025/10/26/adverse-impacts-no-approvals-required-for-new-businesses/ 
COTRA -  full survey results
https://cot-ra.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/COTRA-Survey-Results-Oct-3.pdf

Sources:
SUN (Scarborough United Neighbourhoods) - non-partisan, providing information  for community awareness & discussion purposes.
COTRA (Coalition of Toronto Residents' Associations) - a city-wide coalition of concerned residents and residents’ associations, formed specifically in response to the City’s proposed Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) Neighbourhood Retail & Services (NRS) study. https://cot-ra.org/2025/10/24/cotra-who-we-are