Submission to the…

Submission to the Environmental Registry of Ontario
Re: ERO Posting on Bill 17 – Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025
Comment Type: Supportive

Subject: Support for Bill 17 – Addressing Inefficiencies in Municipal Planning and Accelerating Infrastructure Delivery

This submission is provided in support of Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, currently before the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and expected to receive Royal Assent. As a stakeholder engaged in Ontario’s development and infrastructure landscape, I offer the following in support of the bill’s provisions, which I believe are essential to achieving timely, coordinated, and scalable housing and infrastructure delivery across the province.

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1. Provincial Consistency Over Municipal Discretion in Environmental Standards

Relevant Section: Schedule 6 – Amendments to the Municipal Act and Planning Act

The proposed removal of authority for municipalities to impose their own "Green Development Standards" is a necessary course correction. While well-intentioned, these standards have created inconsistent planning expectations across jurisdictions and have resulted in unnecessary project delays. Many of these local regulations duplicate or exceed requirements already addressed under the Ontario Building Code, the Environmental Protection Act, and other provincial frameworks.

A consistent, provincially administered environmental standard will better serve long-term climate objectives while enabling efficient planning and reducing litigation risk.

2. Centralized Control Over Qualification of Environmental Professionals

Relevant Section: Schedule 6 – Changes to the Planning Act (Professional Certification Provisions)

The bill’s proposal to enable the Province to set the standards for who may conduct technical and environmental studies is a critical improvement. Municipalities currently have discretion to require assessments only from consultants of their choosing, which has led to protectionism, delays, and higher costs. Central oversight ensures that assessments are completed by appropriately qualified professionals in line with provincial criteria increasing consistency, reducing bias, and promoting evidence-based decision-making.

3. Strategic Flexibility in the Use of Green and Open Space Lands

Relevant Section: Schedule 6 – Planning Act Amendments Allowing Institutional Uses on Open Space Lands

The proposal to permit development of essential public infrastructure (e.g., schools, long-term care, child care centres) on lands previously zoned as parkland or open space is justified when weighed against the demographic and educational needs of growing communities. These lands were never intended to serve as an immutable barrier to social infrastructure.

Future land use planning must prioritize the health and capacity of our public service systems, especially in urban areas where land is constrained.

4. Development Charge Reform to Enhance Affordability and Transparency

Relevant Section: Schedule 4 – Amendments to the Development Charges Act

Development charges have increasingly been used to fund discretionary amenities unrelated to the direct servicing of growth. This has added significant costs to new housing costs that are ultimately passed on to homebuyers and renters.

The restrictions introduced in Bill 17 refocus development charges on essential infrastructure, create transparency in municipal budgeting, and support the government’s goal of improving housing affordability.

5. Streamlining Consultation to Enable Timely Delivery of Housing and Infrastructure

Relevant Section: Schedule 6 – Planning Act Streamlining Provisions

Public input remains important, but current planning processes are vulnerable to procedural abuse and obstruction. Lengthy consultation and appeal windows, often used by small but vocal opposition groups, have stalled or cancelled needed developments across Ontario. Bill 17 introduces necessary efficiencies without eliminating consultation ensuring that public feedback is considered within a framework that prioritizes timely and balanced decision-making.

My message

Ontario is in the midst of a severe housing and infrastructure delivery crisis. Bill 17 presents a decisive response to long-standing issues that have limited the province’s ability to build efficiently and equitably. It strikes the right balance between enabling growth, maintaining environmental protections, and removing structural inefficiencies in local governance.

The Province must maintain its authority to lead, coordinate, and standardize growth policy particularly where municipal actions are misaligned with regional or provincial goals. I strongly support the passage of Bill 17 and urge the government to proceed with implementation and oversight mechanisms that will ensure its long-term success.

I have seen firsthand how fragmented municipal decision-making can obstruct timely and affordable development. This bill is a critical step toward restoring coherence and accountability in Ontario’s growth management systems.

Professional Background

I am a mechanical engineer specializing in sustainable infrastructure, energy systems, and district energy. My work focuses on decarbonization strategies and the optimization of building and campus-scale utilities across Ontario. With experience delivering complex infrastructure projects in both public and private sectors, I bring a systems level understanding of how regulatory frameworks impact the timely and cost effective delivery of projects.