City of Cambridge Response:…

City of Cambridge Response:
Bill 98 is intended to streamline planning and development approvals and support faster delivery of housing and infrastructure. While these objectives are supported, the proposed amendments raise considerations for Cambridge related to local autonomy, transparency, and municipal capacity.

• Standardization of municipal planning frameworks: Prescribed structures and land-use designations may limit the City’s flexibility to reflect local context, urban conditions, and community priorities. A standardized approach risks oversimplifying complex local planning environments and reducing the City’s ability to tailor solutions.
• Reduced municipal discretion and increased provincial control: Greater alignment with provincially prescribed standards and frameworks may reduce the City’s ability to address unique local needs and conditions, including the use of local development standards and other tools that influence infrastructure decisions.
• Provincial authority over minimum lot sizes: Enabling the Province to set minimum lot sizes in serviced urban areas could override municipal zoning where conflicts occur, limiting local control over neighbourhood character, servicing capacity, and built-form outcomes.
• Expanded ministerial discretion and reduced transparency: Removing notice requirements for certain amendments or revocations of Minister’s Zoning Orders may reduce municipal and public visibility into significant land-use decisions. Transparency and consultation remain important to maintaining public confidence in the planning system.
• Municipal capacity and fiscal impacts: The cumulative effect of recent planning reforms, combined with Bill 98, may increase administrative and resource pressures. Implementation demands are not accompanied by additional funding or revenue tools, and continued regulatory change may create uncertainty and additional workload.
• Building Code Act review: A review of the Building Code Act and related regulations is supported to help ensure requirements are clear, practical, and cost-effective while maintaining health, safety, and serviceability standards.