Toronto Housing Approvals: What’s Changing for Developers? | Jag Sharma

What is changing inside Toronto’s housing approval system—and what will developers actually notice? Jag Sharma, Deputy City Manager for Development and Growth Services at the City of Toronto, joins Payam Noursalehi to discuss development review, site plan changes, coordination with utilities, and the effort to move housing projects toward occupancy. The conversation connects City Hall’s reform agenda to the practical concerns of small and mid-sized developers: inconsistent comments, late surprises, connection delays, financing constraints and the risks of taking on a first project. In this episode: Why Jag wants industry feedback to determine whether process changes are working. The reasoning behind different site plan review streams and associated fees. How some engineering reviewers connect Development Review with Toronto Water. Why cooperation with utilities matters even where the City does not control their decisions. The distinction Jag draws between development-charge relief and purpose-built rental incentives. His outlook for multiplexes, mid-rise housing and modern methods of construction. Why Payam believes new development opportunities need to be accompanied by education and practical preparation. Jag’s point about measuring the journey to occupancy runs through the discussion. For developers, the useful question is what still stands between the current application and a building people can use. Listen to the full conversation with Jag Sharma on Real Estate Development Insights. This discussion includes proposed changes, forecasts and programs whose details may evolve. Check current City documents and obtain project-specific professional advice before relying on timelines, incentives or eligibility assumptions. Resources Toronto development charges information Council decision addressing DC reductions and Phase 2 rental incentives August 5, 2026 federal–Toronto rental housing announcement