The Ottawa-Carleton District…

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) can provide the following comments in response to the proposed amendments to the Planning Act through Bill 185 Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024:

The OCDSB supports the proposed amendment to include a new section (62.0.3) to establish an approval authority to streamline the development of schools through the non-application of other provisions of the Planning Act. Particularly due to the funding cycle for new schools and the requirement to open in specific timeframes, the OCDSB has an interest in reducing planning and construction delays in the opening of new schools and additions, and we believe that the proposed changes the Province has put forward helps achieve these goals. The OCDSB supports community service facilities operating under a standardized list of requirements to streamline the development application process, as the OCDSB regularly repeats proven designs. The OCDSB believes that exempting community service facilities from the planning process will help provide critical social infrastructure in rapidly expanding communities and allow us to serve our growing communities faster. We do work closely with our partners at the City of Ottawa to streamline the processes, so failing a complete exemption from the planning approvals process, the OCDSB would request that the expedited approval authority arising from Section 62.0.3 would help reduce “red-tape” by:

- Providing a clear scope on municipal comments to shorten review period;

- Removing Letter of Credit requirements for individual projects to shorten legal timelines associated with a project;

- Consider standardized and expedited standing agreements on developments to avoid bottlenecks in other municipal departments (other than approval authority) or ROs.

The OCDSB fully supports the Province’s proposal to streamline the development of schools and additions to better serve the communities that we operate in. We thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this matter.

Taylor West, RPP, MCIP, Planner II - on behalf of

Karyn Carty Ostafichuk (she/her/elle)
General Manager, Planning
Planning, Community Use of Schools, Admissions
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
133 Greenbank Road
Ottawa ON K2H 6L3