MZO's should not be used to…

MZO's should not be used to side-step community consultation and local planning policies. Minister’s Zoning Orders undermine public participation and circumvent the planning process.
These have been rarely used in the past as they are considered a tool for only extraordinary cases.
MZO’s were introduced to make decisions over land that has no official plan and when a
provincial issue was in question. They cannot be appealed and allow projects to skip the usual planning process.

While previous governments have used MZO's a handful of times per year, the current government has used an unprecedented number of MZO's, issuing 37 between 2018 and 2020, many of which were used to override environmental concerns. They have been misused to override local planning processes and provincial planning rules. Though the lands are not in the greenbelt, many affect the quality of protected land. Most of these MZO's have benefited developers and the expense of local communities.

When governments do not abide by land-use plans, they create sprawl which increases car
dependence, traffic congestions, disrupts watershed management and more. Smart growth has
a host of benefits which range from healthier municipal finances to healthier residents. Efficient
growth has a lower financial cost for municipalities than low-density towns. More than 40% of
the costs of sprawl are passed onto taxpayers. By growing smarter, we are also protecting
farmland and natural heritage areas, so residents continue to have access to fresh, local food
and clean water sources.

I strongly oppose proposed changes to the Planning Act that would allow Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) to override protections for Ontario’s farmland and significant natural areas. Schedule 3 of Bill 257 would amend the Planning Act so that MZOs no longer have to be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, the very foundation of Ontario’s comprehensive, integrated land use planning framework. Over the past year there has been a sharp, unprecedented increase in the use of MZOs to fast-track development without public consultation or the right to appeal. Schedule 3 adds insult to injury by also limiting our ability to challenge MZOs through the courts.