If you live in downtown Toronto, we don’t need to tell you that finding a parking spot is tricky—even when parking at home! It’s no surprise our buyers often have parking on their must-have lists.
The truth is, there can be some, shall we say, conundrums when it comes to the whole legal parking thing. So, to make life easier, we thought we’d provide a buyer’s guide to Toronto parking.
Read on to learn about the possible joys and woes presented by parking when buying a house in Toronto.
What is a parking pad?
Parking pads are “off-street” parking in Toronto. They’re licensed parking areas taking up a good chunk of the postcard-sized front yards common in downtown neighbourhoods. They must be licensed and comply with zoning bylaws.
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What is off-street parking in Toronto?
Off-street parking helps reduce street congestion while also alleviating the Toronto parking challenge. The City offers a few different types of off-street parking, including parking pads, designated parking lots, and garages.
Parking Pad vs. Driveway
A parking pad is a designated parking space, while a driveway is intended for traffic. Typically, in Toronto, driveways access a garage or parking space at the back of the home. Downtown, driveways are often “mutual,” meaning they are shared with your neighbours. That can get complicated, to say the least.
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What is a parking pad license?
A parking pad license is required in Toronto because the portion of the yard closest to the street is city-owned. That means homeowners can’t just randomly turn their lawns into parking spots. And therein lies the problem. Is the parking pad legal?
Even if the parking pad is licensed, that license doesn’t transfer to you when you buy the home. So, you need to first ensure the parking pad is legal and licensed and then transfer and pay for the license to avoid parking hassles.
Wait. What type of parking hassles?
Believe it or not, the City can ticket your car if they feel your parking pad is illegal or that the license has lapsed.
How Do I Know If a Parking Pad Is Legal?
If you’re lucky, the home will have a city-issued plaque telling you the parking pad is licensed. However, if the current owners let the license lapse, the plaque can be outdated. A savvy real estate agent will confirm the license is in good standing. They’ll also include a line in the Agreement of Purchase &
Sale stating the owner must transfer the license upon closing. We’ve got you covered!
Can Driveways be “Illegal”?
Yes. Driveways have to meet zoning bylaws. For example, the entire front yard must be “landscaped,” and the driveway must meet the maximum width requirements.
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What If the Home Has a Disabled Parking License?
Disabled front yard parking licenses are not transferable to new owners. You’ll have to contact the city and inform them of the purchase. They will inspect your property, remove the sign, and possibly refuse a new parking pad license depending on the ward.
What is on-street parking in Toronto?
Residential on-street parking allows you to park on your street in a specified area at specific times. On-street parking is only available on designated streets and requires a permit.
How Do I Get an On-Street Parking Permit in Toronto?
Permits are issued in six-month intervals. To make life easier, you can purchase two consecutive intervals once a year. You might end up on a waitlist in areas experiencing a parking shortage. So, make sure you don’t allow your permit to lapse, or you could lose your spot!
What is Better: Driveway vs. Parking Pad
Generally speaking, if you won’t miss having a front lawn, a legal, licensed parking pad tends to win out for a few reasons:
- Shared driveways tend to be the most common driveway option in downtown Toronto.
- Sharing means equal rights, but not necessarily equal courtesy with your neighbors, such as not shoveling the snow or blocking the driveway with their vehicle.
- Maintenance of mutual driveways can get complicated, including writing them into your purchase agreement.
- You can be more open to legal disputes for things like claims of obstruction if you have a rotten neighbour.
While your lawyer can discover issues like past legal disputes, poor neighbour etiquette is a lot harder to prove. With all that said, if your driveway isn’t shared, it’s also a good option as you get your front lawn and don’t require permits.
Looking for the best Toronto real estate team to help make your home-buying dreams come true? That’s where we come in! Get in touch with The Christine Cowern Team today by calling 416.291.7372 or emailing us at hello@christinecowern.com.
