Ontario Planning Issues

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Ontario Planning Issues

• Mark Winfield, Ph.D.
• The Pembina Institute
• May 2005

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Special Planning Regimes

• Niagara Escarpment (1974)
• Oak Ridges Moraine (2001)
• Greater Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt (2005)

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Oak Ridges Moraine Plan Area
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Special Planning Regimes

• Statutory Basis
• Provincial plans zone area based on hierarchy of
  protection
• OPs and planning decisions required to conform to
  provincial plan
• Niagara Escarpment has Commission and Hearing
  Officers

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Special Planning Regimes

• Appeals re Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt to
  OMB

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New Developments in Ontario Planning Law and
Policy
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The PC Legacy

• Planning Act, Revised PPS (1996)
• Infrastructure Funding withdrawal (1997)

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The PC Legacy

• Smart Growth Strategy (April 2001)
• 1 Billion per year highway program
• Transit Funding (September 2001)
• Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act and Plan

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1 Billion/yr Highway Program
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October 3, 2005 Election

• Liberal Platform Commitments
• Transit Funding
• OMB Reform
• Greenbelt and Greenspace protection
• Infrastructure funding reform
• Brownfields redevelopment
• Source water protection
• GTTA

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3 Pillars to Recent Reforms

• Planning Act and PPS Reform
• Greater Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt
• Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan

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Planning Reform

• Planning Act reform (Bill 26)
• Adopted November 2004
• Planning decisions to be consistent with
  provincial policy
• Extended automatic appeal periods
• Limits on appeals for unwanted settlement
  boundary expansions

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Planning Reform PPS

• Revised Provincial Policy Statement (March 2005)
• Intensification and redevelopment theme
• Expanded language on source water protection
• Weak progress on natural heritage issues
• Strengthens aggregates override

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Planning Reform Unfinished Business

• OMB Reform (June 2004)
• Appellate body vs. de novo examination of
  decisions
• Intervener funding
• Planning Act (June 2004)
• Complete applications
• Transferable development rights

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GGH Greenbelt

• Legislation and Plan adopted March 2005
• Three core components
• Natural Heritage and Hydrologic System
• Agricultural System
• Protected Countryside

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GGH Greenbelt
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GGH Greenbelt

• Key issues
• Permanence (10 year review)
• Scope
• 68,000 Ha available for development between
  greenbelt and existing settlement areas
• Aggregates
• Implementation issues

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GGH Growth Management Plan (July 2004)
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Growth Management Plan and Greenbelt

• Greenbelt is where not to grow
• Growth Management Plan is where to grow

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Growth Management Plan Key Issues

• Adoption of Bill 136 Places to Grow Act
• Requirement for OP and planning decision
  conformity with growth plans
• Infrastructure conformity?

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Growth Management Plan Key Issues

• Sub-Area Plans
• Settlement area expansion rules
• Extent of designated land supply
• Intensification targets
• Definitions of centres and focus of
  infrastructure expenditures
• Economic corridors

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Fiscal Issues

• Development Charges Reform?
• Land Transfer Tax Reform?
• Municipal revenue base issues?

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Related Initiatives

• Source Water Protection
• Planning implications
• Linkages to other planning initiatives?
• Environmental Assessment Reform
• Infrastructure assessment
• Transit
• Highways