Bill 66: Restoring Ontario’s…

Bill 66: Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act.
The Provincial Government is proposing to make changes to the Planning Act to create a new economic development tool, the Open-for-Business Planning By-law.
The City of North Bay is generally in support of a Planning tool that would provide the necessary flexibility to make local planning decisions to promote and achieve economic development.
The Growth Plan for Northern Ontario identifies in Section 4.2 the long-range planning for all communities, which identifies that Municipalities should “prepare long-term community strategies, and that these strategies should support the goals and objectives of this Plan, identify local opportunities to implement the policies of this plan, and be designed to achieve the following:
a) economic, social and environmental sustainability

b) accommodation of the diverse needs of all residents, now and in the future

c) optimized use of existing infrastructure

d) a high quality of place

e) a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive community identity that builds on unique local features

f) local implementation of regional economic plans, where such plans have been completed

Municipalities are encouraged to align their Official Plan policies with their long-term community strategies developed in accordance with policy.
Providing a long-term vision of the City has been challenging, because of the changes or uncertainties with Provincial Policy and changes to the legislation.
The City of North Bay identified the Urban Settlement Area within the Official Plan. The Urban Settlement Area is where the City facilitates growth and development and consists of approximately 20% (6,460ha) of the land within the boundaries of the City of North Bay. Over many years, infrastructure has been planned and extended to facilitate growth within the Urban Settlement Area. The decision and investment into servicing these lands with paved roads and sewer and water was made based on previous policy, which allowed Municipalities to have regard for Environmental habitats and wetland features, but equally important was social and economic consideration.
Changes to the 2005 and 2014 Provincial Policy Statement changed the wording around environmental protection to be restrictive. This changed placed a hierarchy on the environmental policies.
As a result of these policies, the land within the Urban Settlement Boundary has substantial restrictions and uncertainties around cost and timing of development.
The City of North Bay is of the opinion a more balanced approach to development is required. In reviewing development the three (3) aspects of social, economy and the environment must be considered. Local Municipalities require flexibility with Provincial Policy to permit appropriate and sustainable development within the Urban Settlement Area.
The City of North Bay would prefer if the Open-for Business By-law could provide flexibility in Provincial and local policies to allow for the long-term vision of the City to be achieved, allowing reasonable development to take place in areas that are within the Urban Settlement Boundary.
The Open-for-Business By-law should be passed on the lands which would make the lands ‘open for business’. If lands are predetermined to have the ‘open for business’ designation, it would allow the property owner to work with the City to find a balance of economics, social and the environment. This way the ‘open for business’ designation could be used to advertise the property’s and attract national and international development.
If the City is required to wait until the opportunity arises before an ‘open for business’ by-law can be utilized it is likely that it will never achieve its desired effect. The Province has stated it will take a year to review and pass (or deny) the open for business by-law. If the Minister does not pass the open for business by-law, this property owner would have been delayed a year of attempting to develop the property by traditional means.

Recommendation #1-
Lands within the Municipality can apply for the designation of ‘open-for-business before they have a business willing to invest. This recommendation would allow for property owners to ensure they hold the designation.

The Open-for-Business By-law would provide the City of North Bay the flexibility to attract employment opportunities and business within the Urban Settlement Area. The City of North Bay, Provincial and Federal Government has invested substantial amounts money into servicing the ‘planned’ urban settlement area. The open-for-business by-law would provide the necessary flexibility to allow these properties to be used for economic development, while still finding a balance between the environment and social wants and needs.
The Open-for-Business By-law is a unique tool which will allow for sustainable development and remove the uncertainty of changing Provincial Policy and legislation and allow Municipalities to implement their long term vision.

Recommendation #2-
The Province creates different categories for Municipalities with less population. A threshold for a population of 75,000 or less the job creation would be 20.

Bill 66 proposes regulation which defines the threshold of a new major employment would be considered. The threshold which has been defined is the creation of 50 jobs for population of less than 250,000 and 100 jobs for municipalities with a population of more than 250,000.
The threshold being proposed is too broad and does not help mid to small Municipalities. The threshold will limit the ability to utilize the tool and smaller to mid-sized municipalities may miss opportunities for development based on the threshold. The open for business by-law is an opportunity for smaller Municipalities to be competitive in attracting business to their region.