The City of Toronto is hoping that proposed changes to zoning bylaws will make it easier and more appealing to open small businesses in and around residential neighbourhoods that might not have easy access to basic shops and services they need at convenient locations.

Areas designated as neighbourhoods occupy approximately 35 per cent of the city’s land. The City began exploring zoning changes back in the fall of 2021, noting that retail and service establishments in neighbourhoods had declined by 34 per cent between 1989 and 2019.

The changes would allow businesses of up to 1600 square feet to operate on major streets that are zoned as residential. Inside neighbourhoods, they would have to be up to 1200 square feet. They would also allow people to run specific types of businesses from t

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