New approvals and transit-oriented projects to watch

Transit changes land values before it changes commute times. Station-area planning around the Ontario Line, the Yonge North subway extension, and the Eglinton corridor has already reset permitted densities on parcels that looked like ordinary single-family lots five years ago.

Two policy shifts matter most for individual owners. First, as-of-right multiplex permissions across much of Toronto mean many lots now support up to four units without a rezoning. Second, garden and laneway suite rules have matured, with clearer servicing and fire-access requirements that make feasibility easier to assess up front.

In Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, the action is concentrated in centres and along major corridors, where mixed-use approvals continue to add height near transit while stable neighbourhoods behind them see gentle intensification instead.

If you own a wide or corner lot near a corridor, the value question is no longer only comparable sales — it is what a builder can legally produce on your land. That gap between resale value and development value is where most of the upside sits.

I work on the development side as well as resale, so I can tell you quickly whether your property is worth a feasibility study or is better sold as-is.