These days, when real estate broker Chris Cansick is touring buyers through Toronto’s costly housing market, he’s more consistently seeing clients looking to co-own with other family members so they can afford to live downtown.

“Once upon a time, not too long ago, it was extremely common to be living with your in-laws,” says the Bosley Real Estate professional. “It’s hard to find an old stock Toronto home in Little Portugal or Little Italy that doesn’t have two kitchens. But today, we’ve become so accustomed to living individually that we think it’s odd people would live with parents.”

In a supply-dry city, where the cost of living rose 38 per cent since last year, and where the population is projected to add 966,000 by 2046— the average price of a home in April was more than $1.3 million. As of May, the average price in the GTA hit around the $1.2-million mark.

The choices are slim for young families wishing to stay put. “Your choice will become, do I want to live in a tiny condo or do I want to pool my assets together and try to buy a freehold property, which makes sense if you think about the prices of condos,” says Cansick.

Affordability aside, family dynamics have changed. During the pandemic, parents working without childcare and skepticism over the adequacy of long-term care meant more reliance on the family, says Frances Martin-DiGiuseppe, founding principal, Q4 Architects Inc.

“We saw a heightened loneliness as people were forced to shelter in place. Even for parents living independently, the lack of seeing family became a huge issue,” she says. “We also saw that in young people living alone—wanting to join the family bubble meant living together.”

Yet the construct of an extended family looking out for everyone’s well-being under one roof is enshrined in old traditions that have become hard to physically realize in Ontario.

A report last year from Q4 Architects and Housing Lab Toronto, Resilient Ontario:Housing & Community Planning for Multi-Generational Living, states that the province doesn’t just have a housing supply problem; it has a housing type problem that is not responding to trends like an aging population that faces spiraling elder care costs and social service deficiencies.

And more needs to be done. The latest Canadian census shows that between 2016 and 2021, the number of people 65 and older rose 18 per cent to seven million. In more detail, the 85-plus age group reached 861,000, a number that is projected to triple by 2046.

Canada also expects over 432,000 more immigrants in 2022 and even higher numbers in 2023 and 2024, who bring with them cultural norms that disrupt the concept of a post-World War II nuclear family house, Martin-DiGiuseppe notes.

With new Canadians in particular, who also look to sponsor relatives, many end up in precarious multi-generational living situations due to lack of city planning.

The Q4 Architects/Housing Lab Toronto report details, in part, how an influx of large numbers of immigrants is causing them to live in overcrowded housing. In Brampton, secondary suites have become so popular within the immigrant community that the building department created a multilingual guide to assist homeowners with permits and construction.

“In 2019, the City of Brampton received 1,577 complaints about illegal or unregistered secondary suites or basement apartments,” the report states. “This shows the desire for home sharing is outpacing the legal framework allowing it.”

“I think there’s a real opportunity to create better multi-gen homes: attached, contained, within, adjacent, but separate facilities so both families can live with dignity,” says Martin-DiGiuseppe, who is also leading the charge when it comes to designing these spaces.

Making it work

Multi-generational homes are often an afterthought for builders who continue to favour housing geared to nuclear families. Rarely do municipalities legislate them.

Particularly for townhomes in suburban communities, solutions proposed in the Q4 report are varied, but include flexible zoning that allows for garage conversions into secondary suites by reducing parking requirements, and zoning that allows for more than one “dwelling unit” within or adjacent to the primary dwelling unit.

Various housing models could address an array of multi-gen situations: more stacked townhomes, a front load townhouse with separate suite and shared kitchen for meal sharing, or a rear load townhouse with a coach house for increased privacy.

Inside, adaptable designs like movable partitions between rooms separate disruptive activities in open-concept spaces; kitchen triangles—typically designed for gender roles—can be replaced with larger prep zones and pathways, with an extra sink and counter space. Garages that convert into multi-generational suites should rough-in electrical capacity and supply and insulate exterior walls and under slabs.

Design norms and existing provisions rarely acknowledge the future of multi-gen living. Basements, for instance, are often designed with inadequately sized windows for secondary egress. “We know that basements are being converted; we know that they are becoming rental suites, so we’d like to see basement apartments made safe and habitable,” says Martin-DiGiuseppe.

As well, the floor between a secondary suite and the primary dwelling must be constructed as a fire separation and cannot be interconnected. “What we’re advocating for is a recognition of multi-gen in the building code that is different from secondary rental suites; its families living together; they will protect each other; they’re interested in family security,” says Martin-DiGiuseppe. We don’t need the same kind of onerous and expensive requirements separating two suites.”

When it comes to condos, there’s not a whole lot of multi-generational design. Suites have become smaller and not larger. “Some families are buying several suites, choosing to live together in the same building to assist with childcare or aging parents,” says Martin-DiGiuseppe. “But with condos, we haven’t seen how [developers] plan to address multi-gen. There’s always a fear of doing something outside of the market.”

Amenities that cater to various generations are more likely found: daycares, senior facilities for social activities and co-working areas, for instance. Living arrangements are more challenging. “There are a lot of hurdles to jump through, but if you could have a connected suite that allows your parents to live independently, but be right there, you could combat loneliness, mental health, personal care, and family inclusion,” she adds.

Sandy Chen, broker for RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc, has clients who have purchased condo units in the same building as their kids or parents. “To have their own space, but close enough to help out,” she says.

But when it comes to families under one roof, she sees multi-gen as more of a trend with freehold homes. “I have had situations where both the children and parents sell their homes and purchase a larger one together,” she says. “I do not find townhouses as popular for multi-generational purposes because there are too many stairs, and the space is not big enough.”

“I know for certain cultures it is more common.” Speaking about the Chinese community in Markham and Richmond Hill, she says the needs of multi-gen homes are not necessarily separate apartments within the same house. “Everyone lives together in the same space, the house just needs to be big enough.”

Amy Youngren, founder of North Group, says with housing prices hitting all-time highs in Toronto and the GTA, multi-gen living is “becoming more and more prevalent.” She concurs that such dwellings are more common in the suburbs, outside of urban locales due to cultural values, extra square footage and lot sizes.

“It remains to be seen where our market goes in the coming months and years, but we do anticipate that the desire for multi-generational living will continue to grow,” she says.

Feature photo: Royal Oaks in Oakville, designed by Q4 Architects. Rendering by NAK.