Proposed luxury home in Toronto drawing controversy
A proposed home in Toronto that originally would exist mostly underground, and received pushback from the area’s city councillor, has had its plans revised.
The owner of the property, located at 7 Knightswood Road in the Don Valley’s Hogg’s Hollow neighbourhood, applied in 2020 for permission to build a new home with a two-storey basement.
Toronto real estate agent Marco Momeni told CTV News Toronto the decision to build extensively underground, is “a luxury trend that is often used to bypass height limits on construction.”
“In cities such as Toronto, there are so many restrictions when it comes to constructing … homes — one of them is the height,” Momeni said. “So sometimes, they build a multi-level basement.”
The original application for 7 Knightswood proposed that the home be permitted to extend almost 8 metres deeper than City of Toronto bylaws usually allow.
Currently, homes are permitted to be 19 metres deep and the original proposal for 7 Knightswood had a depth of just over 27 metres.
The original application also requested permission to extend the length of the home by 10m more than city bylaws usually allow.
That application was approved in November 2020— the city deemed the variances to be minor.
However, after the application to extend 7 Knightwoods 8 metres deeper was approved, the developers changed their plans, resubmitting the design and proposing the basement be only one storey with a 10 ft ceiling.
City Councillor for Don Valley West, Jaye Robinson, says that homes that are built too deep have “serious environmental impacts.”
“The serious environmental impacts are well-documented,” Robinson told CTV News Toronto on Friday, adding that they could result in “reduced soil permeability, increased runoff, compromised foundations in neighbouring homes, and added stress on stormwater infrastructure.”
Robinson says the original plans at 7 Knightswood were approved “despite objections from Urban Forestry and the community” and that she will be bringing the issue in front of city Council at the next opportunity.
However, Momeni says that, because such homes are a thing of luxury, you shouldn’t expect to see a surplus of them in your neighbourhood anytime soon.
“It's not for everybody … I don't believe it could be built everywhere.”
Correction
UPDATE: This article was updated in February 2022 to reflect the revised development plans for 7 Knightswood.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.