October 23, 2025 (Toronto) - Today, the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) released polling fielded by Abacus Data showing strong support across the City of Toronto for local green building requirements.
Top line results include:
- 84 per cent of Torontonians support their local government applying building requirements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- 92 per cent of Toronto residents support their local government applying building requirements that would make buildings safer from extreme weather like heat and flooding.
- 76 per cent of Toronto residents think that green building requirements ‘ensure homes are constructed properly’ vs only 24 per cent who think they are “‘slowing down construction of housing unnecessarily”
Green building standards have been in place for new buildings in Toronto for over 15 years. The City of Toronto is now exploring implementation of performance standards for existing buildings, building on approaches already adopted in Vancouver, New York City, Boston, and the European Union.
“These results should be a strong motivator for Toronto’s local government,” says Sarah Buchanan, Campaigns Director at TEA. “A strong majority of the public wants buildings that are climate-safe, well-built, efficient and affordable to operate. They don’t want leaky condos, or buildings that burn so much gas to heat that they break the bank every month.”
“It's not only possible for existing buildings to gradually increase their energy efficiency over time, it's also a smart path forward financially,” says Susan Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, BOMA Toronto. “Many building owners and managers are already taking steps to make their buildings climate-safe, and are reaping the rewards. The City can help make this shift successful with well-designed policies and support programs.”
The poll reached residents across Toronto including Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and the old City of Toronto, and was conducted in June 2025. Respondents also reflected a range of ages, housing types (both renters and owners), and income levels. More information about the polling results can be found here:
Polling: Public Perceptions of Green Building Requirements in Toronto
Background:
Performance standards for existing buildings generally work by limiting carbon emissions from larger buildings over time, following a predictable schedule.
These requirements can make our buildings more liveable, energy efficient and cheaper to operate by lowering monthly bills. They can also spark a huge amount of local jobs and economic activity, adding an estimated 18,000 person years of employment over the next 20 years.1
This is one of the most impactful policies the City can implement to reduce carbon emissions. According to the City of Toronto’s most recent Sector Based Greenhouse Gas Inventory, over half (56%) of Toronto’s emissions come from buildings.2
You can find more information about Building Emissions Performance Standards here:
Contact:
Sarah Buchanan
Campaigns Director, Toronto Environmental Alliance
2 https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/9270-2022-SBEI-Report.pdf, page 15