This section contains brief answers to common questions about the proposed by-law. For complete information about the by-law, read the full text here. To send a question to be added to this section, click here.
One dog and two cats, not counting Service Animals and animals staying for less than 30 days. Members may apply to the board for an exemption for exceptional circumstances. (See section 3.5.)
Additional animals may stay until they leave permanently. (See section 1.4(c).)
See Article 3 and Schedule B for details.
See Article 2. Service Animals are required because of a member’s disability, or the disability of a person in a member’s household. They are not “pets.” Article 2 has been carefully reviewed by the co-op’s lawyer to ensure compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The by-law requires spaying or neutering of dogs and cats of more than six months of age. (See section 5.2.)
Size is not restricted. Breeds listed as “pit bulls” in Ontario law are not permitted. (See section 3.2(c).)
No pet animals are permitted on the rooftop patio. (See section 6.4(b).)
There are several reasons for not allowing pet dogs on the rooftop. In general, members have said they want it to be a shared and neutral space where everyone can feel comfortable. Although most owners are respectful and do their best to control their animals, even a well-behaved pet may cause allergic reactions or be frightening to some adults or children. Keeping all pet animals off the rooftop would prevent conflicts between members, conflicts between animals, and potential safety risks.
A particular concern with pet dogs is related to waste: peeing and pooping. Again, most owners train their dogs to know where to go. But dogs have a natural instinct to mark where other dogs have marked, so one dog’s “accident” could lead to more. No one wants stains and odours on our rooftop, and special cleaning products are often needed for locations with multiple deposits. These products and the urine itself can seep through the spaces between pavers and corrode the components underneath.
Animals are not permitted in common areas except when they are going to or from units where they live or are visiting. They must be leashed or in containers and under control at all times. (See section 6.4(a).)
Dogs, cats, and ferrets that stay in the co-op for more than 30 days must be registered annually. The by-law includes a registration form (Schedule A). (See Article 9.)
Ontario law requires rabies vaccination for dogs, cats, and ferrets over three months old. The co-op may require members to show proof in limited situations. (See section 5.1.)
Animals can stay for up to 30 days without being registered. The members they are visiting or staying with are responsible for them, whether the members are the animals’ owners or not. (See section 1.2.)
Persistent noise from any animal could violate the City’s Noise Bylaw. Toronto Animal Services advises speaking to the owner first. Next step: call 311. (See section 7.1(b).)
Aggressive behaviour must be reported to Toronto Animal Services by calling 311. (See section 7.1(a).)
Approach the member directly. If that does not resolve the problem, write to the General Manager. (See section 7.1(c).)
Toronto Animal Services has many roles. One of its responsabilities is enforcement in cases of persistent noise or dangerous behaviour.
The webpage Animal Enforcement & Assistance gives details. The co-op can help you to get this information if you can't access the web. (See sections 3.3, 6.2, 7.1(a), and 7.1(b).
This table is a summary of the differences. See the proposed by-law and the 2009 policy for the complete rules.
| Topic | Proposed By-law | 2009 Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Member vote required to pass | Two-thirds majority | Simple majority (more than half) |
| Service Animals | Article 2 gives detailed information about definitions and documentation. | Acknowledges assistance animals, with less detail. |
| Pet dogs | One per unit allowed | Not allowed |
| Prohibited animals | Reptiles longer than 1 metre; animals prohibited by City or provincial law. | Any pet longer than 1 metre or heavier than 20 kg; any poisonous or venomous pet. |
| Weight of pets | No limit | Limit of 20 kg |
| Fish tanks | Limited to 15 gallons or the equivalent in smaller tanks, if filled with water. | — |
| Visiting pet dogs | Allows visiting dogs, cats, and ferrets to stay for 30 days without registration. | Limits visits by pet dogs to 10 days in a year and requires registration. |
| Exceptional circumstances | Members can apply to the board to keep more than one pet dog and two pet cats. | — |
| “Grandfathering” | If members have more than the allowed number of pet dogs and/or cats before the by-law passes, the animals may stay. | — |
| Commercial businesses | No breeding, and businesses involving animal care are not allowed. | — |
| Rabies vaccination | States provincial requirements. | — |
| Spaying/neutering | Required for dogs and cats over six months of age. Proof must be given to the co-op. | Required for cats over six months of age. |
| Registration | Required for dogs, cats, and ferrets, with annual renewal. | Required for all pets. |
| Identification | Dogs and cats must wear identifying information outside their units. | — |
| Pets on rooftop patio | Not allowed | Allows “pets” on the roof (but does not allow dogs as pets). |
| Unit patios and balconies | Animals must not be left unattended. | — |
| During maintenance work | Animals must be confined or supervised. | — |
| Removal of animals causing problems | Specifies how the co-op would deal with a breach of this by-law, including the role of outside authorities. | Says the co-op “can remove any animal causing problems,” but the legal basis for that statement is doubtful. |
| Removal of animals in emergency | The co-op may temporarily remove animals at risk. | — |
This section contains brief answers to common questions about the by-law.
For complete information about the by-law, read the full text here. To send a question to be added to this section, click here.
It’s unlikely. Only three categories of animals would need to be removed, if they already live here: very large reptiles (3.2a), animals prohibited by City by-law (3.2b), and animals prohibited by provincial law (3.2c).
A household that owns more than the allowable number of pet cats and/or pet dogs at the time that the by-law passes would be able to keep the “extra” animals until those animals leave the unit permanently. (See section 1.4(c).)
Yes. Pet dogs would be officially allowed. Under the 2009 policy, only dogs registered as “assistance animals” are allowed.
Only if the City has issued a Dangerous Dog Order that requires muzzling. (See section 3.3.)
No. Only Service Animals, when accompanying those they are supporting and when kept under control. (See sections 2.1 and 6.4(b).) Click here for more information.
Registration is required under the 2009 policy, but the proposed by-law is more specific. Dogs, cats, and ferrets that are in the co-op for more than 30 days must be registered annually.
The registration form includes legal statements that members must sign: to acknowledge that they will comply with the by-law, and to indemnify the co-op staff and directors.
The proposed by-law requires dogs and cats to wear collars and/or tags with identification, to aid in returning them to owners if they are found outside their unit.
If members pass the by-law, they are saying that owning a pet dog at Windmill Line is allowed, although it was not allowed before. Owners will certainly be protected against that particular complaint.
Most animal owners already respect the community’s expectations for responsible behaviour. But new rules sometimes lead to a brief uptick in complaints because there’s more awareness in the community about what is and isn’t allowed. Over time, however, clear and consistent rules tend to reduce complaints.
Pet dogs are here. That’s the reality. Most owners of pet dogs are responsible and respectful of their neighbours.
But it’s in everyone’s interests to have rules to help us all get along. It’s better to have some tools for managing problems than it is to have no rules about pet dogs, as if they weren’t here.
Yes. At the GMM on September 19, 2024, the vote was 44 in favour, 23 against; because a two-thirds majority (45 votes) was required to confirm the by-law, it did not pass. At the March 4, 2025, GMM, the meeting ended without a vote because of technical difficulties.
Yes. The board has a “fiduciary responsibility”: to act in the best interests of the co-op as a whole. This responsibility includes protecting the co-op from risks by ensuring that we have clear and enforceable rules that are in line with the law. Only by-laws meet this test. For more information, scroll down to the section “Why does the co-op need a by-law instead of a policy?"
The members can still vote for or against this by-law. The members can also propose changes to make the by-law better. The board is providing detailed information on how to propose changes and any member who wants to present their own ideas for improvement can get some help, if they want it, before the GMM.
The way to get the by-law changed is to speak up and say what you want. If members at the GMM agree with your ideas, those changes will become part of the by-law that will be voted on at the end of the meeting.
The 2009 Pets & Other Animals will stay in effect. The board will have to decide what to do next.
Making and voting on by-laws is how co-op members define and communicate our expectations for living in our community. Creating by-laws is a privilege of co-op living. They are the ultimate expression of autonomy (Co-op Principle 4) and democratic control (Co-op Principle 2).
At the first meeting about this by-law, 67 members voted. In the 2024 annual elections, 150 members voted. We urge members not to miss opportunities to have their voices heard.
Unfortunately, the province allows advance voting only for elections.
The first draft of this proposed by-law, prepared by the By-law and Policy Development Committee (BPDC), was distributed in advance of a hybrid member forum on June 1, 2023. The forum was well attended, and some members sent in written comments afterwards.
The BPDC reviewed all the comments and distributed a survey about five points of strong disagreement. There were 101 responses to the survey questions, plus 264 comments. A report on the survey was issued in December 2023.
The BPDC incorporated the survey results and any comments from the forum that seemed un-controversial into the next draft, which was passed by the board in May 2024 and presented to the members at a GMM on September 19, 2024.
Co-op self-governance is built on the principle that if members listen to everyone’s point of view and then take a vote, members will respect that decision. A by-law has to pass by a two-thirds vote, so it is a strong expression of what members want.
By-laws are how co-op members define and communicate our expectations for living in our community. Creating by-laws is a privilege of co-op living. They are the ultimate expression of autonomy (Co-op Principle 4) and democratic control (Co-op Principle 2).
By-laws are confirmed by the members of the co-op. They aren’t handed down by a landlord or a government or co-op staff. Members have the right and the responsibility to decide on fair and consistent rules for their community. At a members’ meeting, members consider the version of a by-law that the board presents and can decide to make changes (amendments) to it.
Most members follow the rules that the co-op has agreed upon — not because there’s strict enforcement but because they accept this democratic process and respect their neighbours. The purpose of by-laws is not to punish people but to make a better community.
By-laws are recognized in the Co-op Act, which is the provincial legislation that governs co-ops. Policies, which need only a simple majority to pass, are not recognized in the Act. If a co-op needs to bring a matter to court or to the Landlord and Tenant Board, a by-law is recognized as representing the will of the community.
By-laws provide a toolkit for the staff and the board when problems come up. But they don’t tell staff to go looking for problems: they just outline what to do if issues come to their attention. Every complaint and every situation is considered individually, and the co-op and the member will work together to find a resolution. If that doesn’t work, a by-law lays out the actions the co-op can take.
By-laws are recognized in the Co-op Act, which is the provincial legislation that governs co-ops. Policies, which need only a simple majority to pass, are not recognized in the Act. If a co-op needs to bring a matter to court or to the Landlord and Tenant Board, a by-law is recognized as representing the will of the community.
The co-op has several by-laws that function as toolkits. For example, the Occupancy By-law says no one is allowed to make a profit from letting other people use their unit. The co-op is not going to look at everybody’s bank statements. But if the co-op needs to look into a problem with a guest or sub-occupant, and it finds the member might be charging key money, the Occupancy By-law will be called upon.
The office has received about one complaint a month over the past six months. These were about dogs relieving themselves in common areas; dogs on the rooftop patio (in one case, without a leash); a cat unattended in a common area; dog noise; and dog aggression. Staff say the same issues come up repeatedly.
The current policy addresses unattended cats, and the City can help with dog noise and aggressive behaviour. But the policy does not have strong or clear tools to address dog waste or rooftop problems. Click here for more information
The City of Toronto has an Animals By-law.
The City’s by-law covers all the different types of homes across Toronto, not just apartment buildings.
Our co-op can’t allow anything that is prohibited by the City, but we can be more restrictive than the City. For example, the City does not allow alligators, so we can’t allow them. On the other hand, the City allows up to six cats in a household, but we can put a lower limit in our by-law.
The City’s by-law does not provide practical tools to deal with many of the day-to-day animal-related questions that come up in our building. The City doesn’t tell us what rules we should have for the use of our rooftop patio, for instance: we need to decide that for ourselves.
Members can call upon the City for help with persistent noise or aggressive behaviour by animals, because these issues are covered in the City’s by-laws. For other problems, the proposed Animals By-law would provide tools that our staff need.
No one can guarantee that members will follow rules of any kind. But most members follow the rules that the co-op has agreed upon — not because there’s strict enforcement but because they accept this democratic process and respect their neighbours.
Yes, at a GMM in October 2018: they chose a by-law. It’s been pointed out that this GMM was many years ago. But when the members vote on something, the decision is valid unless the members vote to change it.