ERO 025-1097 Submission:…

ERO 025-1097 Submission: Proposed Planning Act Amendments (Minor Variances, Minister’s Decisions, MZOs, PMTSAs, and CIPs)

I recognize the Government of Ontario’s goal to accelerate housing, infrastructure, and development approvals. While streamlining processes can support timely housing delivery, the proposed amendments raise significant concerns regarding transparency, municipal oversight, environmental protection, and public accountability.

Key Concerns

Minor Variances (“As-of-Right” Changes)

Automatically allowing minor zoning variances may reduce municipal oversight and public input.
Cumulative minor changes could affect neighbourhood character.
Recommendation: Retain municipal review for minor variances beyond a clearly defined threshold.

Policy Statements & Minister’s Decisions

Exempting Ministerial decisions from Provincial Policy Statements outside the Greenbelt reduces alignment with provincial planning objectives and limits public oversight.
Recommendation: Require consistency with PPS for all decisions, or a transparent reporting mechanism for Ministerial exemptions.

Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs)

Existing MZOs are published on e-Laws, but public consultation is limited and timelines are often short.

Proposed changes to non-regulatory MZOs published online could further reduce meaningful public notice and input.
Recommendation: Ensure clear public notice and consultation periods, alongside municipal engagement, even with streamlined processes.

Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs)

Exempting certain residential amendments from Minister approval may speed development but could weaken transit-supportive planning if key policies are altered.
Recommendation: Preserve Ministerial oversight for amendments that materially affect transit-supportive design or minimum density requirements.

Community Improvement Plans (CIPs)

Current CIP adoption includes public consultation, but funding agreements and regional flexibility under the proposed changes may reduce transparency.
Recommendation: Implement reporting and accountability measures for all CIPs, including funding decisions, to maintain transparency and equitable allocation.

Environmental Considerations
Development on designated lands is anticipated to have a neutral impact, but reduced oversight could produce cumulative effects on local ecosystems if municipal or provincial review is bypassed.

Recommendations

To balance faster housing delivery with transparency, accountability, and community protection, we urge the Ministry to:

Retain municipal oversight and thresholds for minor variances.

Ensure Ministerial decisions remain transparent and aligned with provincial policy objectives.

Require public notice, consultation, and municipal engagement for MZOs and PMTSA amendments.
Establish reporting and accountability for all CIPs and related funding.

These measures would allow streamlined housing and infrastructure approvals while safeguarding communities, municipal authority, and environmental protections.