Laneway Homes: Toronto's Historic Lanes Offer Great Potential

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A Short History of Toronto’s Laneways

Behind the historic homes in Toronto neighbourhoods from The Beaches, to Riverdale, to Roncesvalles, the Annex, and Bloordale is a network of something relatively unique to Toronto’s development: a network of laneways. When I was growing up, my grandmothers house had a lane, and when we would visit, I would often play with kids in the neighbourhood in the back laneway. But why does Toronto have laneways? The reason behind it is simple: cars. As the automobile became ubiquitous in cities, a parking crisis shortly arose. Houses in old pre-World War II Toronto neighborhoods were built closely together, often with no room for a driveway or parking pad in the front. Thus, the residents in these neighbourhoods opted to give up a part of their backyards to construct laneways for parking. This is the origin story of the laneway, but where does that leave us today?

The Potential of Laneways

Over the past 60 or so years, housing prices have continued to rise in Toronto. With a looming housing crisis and shifting attitudes towards mobility in cities, the laneway home has risen to prominence. Laneway home offer a myriad of benefits to both homeowners, neighbourhoods, and renters. Laneway suites present an opportunity to make better used of sometimes unused space, particularly for homeowners who choose to forgo owning a car.

For homeowners, a laneway suite is a great way to generate passive income via a rental property. As well, a second suite would also make a great option for housing aging parents or other family members. A laneway home will also surely increase the value of your property.

Despite the boom of condo construction, there is still a huge unmet demand for housing in and around downtown Toronto. Renters are being pushed to increasingly farther areas of Toronto and the GTA. Many homeowners oppose to larger apartment developments that could potentially disrupt neighbourhood character. As well as a lack of space for the development of apartment complexes in mature neighbourhoods, laneway housing offers a great compromise that allows neighbourhoods to gently increase density. Overall, laneway housing offers an abundance of opportunities for all Torontonians.

Interested in having a laneway home installed on your property? Contact us to schedule a consultation!