Get to know the industrial zones of Toronto, ON, Canada

Explore more details before you rent space.

Facts and Figures

Ontario's capital city is Toronto. The population was 2,731,571 in 2016. It forms part of the Golden Horseshoe, a population agglomeration of 9,245,438 people around Lake Ontario's western end (as of 2016).

Reasons to invest in Toronto, Canada [1]:

Well, one can count on plenty of reasons to start a business in Toronto, we are listing here only a couple of them, which make Toronto an attractive place for businesses dealing with heavy industries:

At the doorstep of North Amerian markets:

Your business will be in the heart of the financial and political center of North America, near New York, Chicago, Boston, and Washington. Toronto has two airports, Toronto Pearson International and Billy Bishop. The city is connected by all major highways and rail networks.

Competitive costs:

Toronto's annual business operating costs are significantly lower than those in many leading international centers. Businesses can prosper in a stable legal and political environment as a result of incentives provided by Canada, Ontario, and Toronto. A combined tax rate of 26.5 percent was achieved by each order of government, approximately 13 percentage points less than the U.S. average. It is also the region's cheapest city for development charges.

Locations reserved for industries:

According to the zoning bylaw of the city of Toronto: 569-2013 [2], there are four industrial zones within the city: Employment Light Industrial Zone (EL), Employment Industrial Zone (E), Employment Heavy Industrial Zone (EH), Employment Industrial Office Zone (EO). Heavy industries like cement or concrete batching plants, petrochemical manufacturing, iron ore smelting, etc. are only permitted to be developed in zone EH. While, warehouses, trucking businesses, and contractor yards can be developed in zone EL. They are also allowed to be developed in zone E and EH. The minimum site area in zone EL is 500 sq.m. The side and rear yard should be 3 m and 7.5 m, respectively for zone EL, E, and EH. Maximum building heights are limited in zone E and EL around 18.5 to 20 m, while there is no limit for zone EH. The majority of the industrial zone properties are located within the area enclosed by Highway 409, 427, and 401. Another big chunk of industrial lands can be found at the south of Steeles Ave W along Highway 400.

Areas with Heavy industries

Bombardier-the Canadian aerospace company has its manufacturing plant at 123 Garrett Boulevard. At Bethridge road, you will find most contract yards, concrete batching plants, steel producers like Salit steel, and numerous warehouses. Similarly at Main Grove road, there are similar establishments. There are a couple of salvage yards located on Fenmar Driveway. Some contractor yards can also be found on Atwell Driveway and Sheppard Avenue.

Major heavy industry employers

Major heavy industry employers in the city are [3]:

References

[1] https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/invest-in-toronto/

[2] https://www.toronto.ca/zoning/bylaw_amendments/ZBL_NewProvision_Chapter1.htm

[3] http://www.companylisting.ca/ON/toronto/all/default.aspx?d=loc