ReThink Zoning, in plain words

A zoning by-law is the City law that sets what each property can be used for and what can be built on it. It covers building types, height, distance from the lot lines and parking. It does not set rents.

Get Involved London, ReThink Zoning ↗City of London, Notice of Major Planning Initiative, ReThink Zoning, extended comment period (November 3, 2026) ↗

London's current zoning by-law, Z.-1, was approved in 1993 to carry out the City's 1989 Official Plan. Ontario law says zoning must follow the official plan, a city's long-range plan for growth. London's new one, The London Plan, was approved in 2016. So the City says it needs a new by-law.

Get Involved London, ReThink Zoning ↗

The draft, called ZBL-27, came out on September 17, 2026 (file Z-26114). It would replace Z.-1 for all land in London. Staff say it should carry out The London Plan, be plain and easy to use, speed up reviews of building plans, and support growth.

Draft Zoning By-law ZBL-27, public release draft (September 17, 2026) ↗Staff report on ReThink Zoning, Planning and Environment Committee, June 22, 2026 ↗Get Involved London, ReThink Zoning ↗

Some rules come from the Province, whatever council decides. Ontario law allows up to three homes on an urban residential lot. Zoning cannot require parking in a protected major transit station area, the land around a rapid transit stop. On urban residential land, a required setback from a lot line counts as 90% of what the by-law says.

Planning Act, consolidated from July 1, 2026 (archived e-Laws copy, October 16, 2026) ↗O. Reg. 545/06, section 1.1, setback percentage (archived e-Laws copy, June 14, 2026) ↗

"As of right" means the zoning already allows it. The owner needs only a building permit, not a council vote to change the zoning (a rezoning).

• Up to 4 homes on a house lot. In urban zones, a lot with a house, semi-detached house, multiplex or street townhouse can add up to 3 additional residential units, such as a basement suite or a backyard unit. They need no parking space (sections 3.18 and 3.18.1).
• Small buildings of 2 to 5 homes. The draft calls this a multiplex. It is allowed as of right in the NR3 to NR6 neighbourhood zones (Table 13.1).
• Offices and shops into homes. An existing office, shop or institutional building can be turned into homes. If the work stays inside it, the building counts as meeting the by-law (section 3.19).
• Less required parking. No minimum parking would apply in areas on a map called Schedule B, which the draft says "generally corresponds to" the Downtown, Transit Village, Rapid Transit Corridor and Main Street areas of The London Plan (section 4.2.3).
• Taller buildings on transit routes. The station area (C1) and rapid transit corridor (C2) zones allow up to 83 metres. The C3 and C4 corridor zones allow up to 50 metres, unless a height map says otherwise (section 9.3).

Draft Zoning By-law ZBL-27, public release draft (September 17, 2026) ↗

Staff can change any of these before the final version.

• Houses in some zones. A detached house is not a listed use in the NR1 and NR2 neighbourhood zones. NR2 "generally applies along a Major Street". The draft also leaves houses out of its corridor, main street, downtown, transit village, shopping area and NM1 and NM2 zones. An existing home there can stay, but it cannot be enlarged unless it then meets the zone's rules (section 1.1.10). Added units are listed in NR1 and NR2, but they must go with a type of home those zones do not list (section 3.18, Table 13.1).
• Buildings of 2 to 5 homes. Some zones allow an apartment building (6 or more homes) but not a multiplex (2 to 5 homes). They are NR1, NR2, C1, C2, NM1, NM2 and the main street, downtown, transit village and shopping area zones. New buildings of 2 to 5 homes are not allowed there as written. Existing ones can stay.
• Buildings of 6 or more homes. Among the neighbourhood zones, only NR1 and NR2 allow apartment buildings. In NR3 to NR7, 6 or more homes would need a rezoning (Table 13.1).
• Rooming houses. The draft defines a rooming house as more than three rooms rented one by one, with a shared kitchen. No zone lists it, apart from rules for two single sites (sections 23.75 and 23.78). Existing lawful ones can stay.
• Limits on added units. Each added unit can have at most 2 bedrooms and 80% of the main home's floor area. Units in or attached to the house can have 3 bedrooms in total, and so can units in a separate building (sections 3.18.1 and 3.18.2).
• Parking map not in the draft. Schedule B, the map of areas with no minimum parking, is not in the draft document (section 4.2.3).
• Two by-laws for a while. Lots with some recent Z.-1 approvals, such as minor variances or rezonings since January 1, 2017, stay under Z.-1 for up to 10 years (section 1.1.8).

Draft Zoning By-law ZBL-27, public release draft (September 17, 2026) ↗

Council added similar bedroom and size limits to Z.-1 on March 3, 2026, by a vote of 13 to 1. Two companies appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, the provincial body that hears planning appeals (case OLT-26-000331). The hearing is set to start February 17, 2027.

Municipal Council minutes, March 3, 2026 ↗Ontario Land Tribunal decision and order, OLT-26-000331 (July 27, 2026) ↗

On July 21, 2026 council voted 15 to 0 to set 0.5 parking spaces for each affordable housing unit in Z.-1. The draft asks for 1 space per apartment, with no separate rate for affordable units (Table 4.2). In June, staff said the parking rules would be "informed by future Council direction".

Municipal Council minutes, July 21, 2026 ↗Draft Zoning By-law ZBL-27, public release draft (September 17, 2026) ↗Staff report on ReThink Zoning, Planning and Environment Committee, June 22, 2026 ↗

• Comments until November 27, 2026. The City extended the deadline from October 30. Send written comments to Justin Adema (jadema@london.ca) or Jeff Shaughnessy (jshaughn@london.ca), the City planners on the project. Staff will use them in a report to the Planning and Environment Committee. Comments are published on the City's website with names and contact details. Residents can also talk to their ward councillor.
• November 6, 2026. Drop-in at the Bostwick Library branch, 1:30 to 3 p.m.
• November 24, 2026. Community information session at Goodwill Industries on Horton Street, 7 to 9 p.m., with a presentation and questions.

City of London, Notice of Major Planning Initiative, ReThink Zoning, extended comment period (November 3, 2026) ↗Get Involved London, ReThink Zoning ↗

• Early 2027, target. The June 22, 2026 staff report targets January 2027 for the final by-law to reach the Planning and Environment Committee and council. The City's project page says the first quarter of 2027. So the council elected on October 26, 2026 is expected to decide. Staff say they will report what feedback they got and how they used it.
• Public meeting, date not set. The Planning Act requires at least one public meeting before council passes a zoning by-law. Anyone who attends can speak. Notice must go out at least 20 days ahead. No date had been posted as of November 3, 2026.
• Speaking or writing to the committee. At City planning public meetings, anyone can speak in person or on Zoom. Zoom speakers pre-register with the clerk (PPMClerks@london.ca). Written comments for the committee go to pec@london.ca by the deadline in the meeting notice.

Staff report on ReThink Zoning, Planning and Environment Committee, June 22, 2026 ↗Get Involved London, ReThink Zoning ↗Planning Act, consolidated from July 1, 2026 (archived e-Laws copy, October 16, 2026) ↗City of London, file Z-26114 ↗City of London, Public Notices, April 2, 2026 (public participation meeting process) ↗

• After council passes it. Appeals go to the Ontario Land Tribunal within 20 days after the City gives notice of the decision. Only the Minister, public bodies, some utilities and other "specified persons", and owners of land the by-law covers can appeal (Planning Act section 34(19)). All but the Minister must first speak at a public meeting or send written comments to council. Tenants and others who do not own land cannot appeal. Appealed parts wait for the Tribunal, which can let other parts start sooner.

Planning Act, consolidated from July 1, 2026 (archived e-Laws copy, October 16, 2026) ↗Draft Zoning By-law ZBL-27, public release draft (September 17, 2026) ↗City of London, Notice of Major Planning Initiative, ReThink Zoning, extended comment period (November 3, 2026) ↗