Proposal to return lands to the Greenbelt (Amendment to Greenbelt Boundary Regulation O. Reg. 59/05)

ERO number
019-7562
Notice type
Regulation
Act
Greenbelt Act, 2005
Posted by
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Notice stage
Decision
Decision posted
Comment period
September 5, 2023 - October 20, 2023 (45 days) Closed
Last updated

This consultation was open from:
September 5, 2023
to October 20, 2023

Decision summary

The government has made changes that restore all 15 areas of land that were redesignated or removed from the Greenbelt in December 2022.

Decision details

The lands in Ajax that were the focus of this posting have been returned to the Greenbelt using the legislative mechanism of the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023.

Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023

On October 16th 2023, the government introduced Bill 136 (the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023). This legislation received Royal Assent on December 6, 2023 and is now in effect.

This legislation has restored all 15 areas of land that were redesignated within or removed from the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Areas in December 2022 by incorporating the description of the Greenbelt Area and Oak Ridges Moraine Area boundaries directly into the legislation. This includes the approximately 133 acres located at 765 and 775 Kingston Road East in the Town of Ajax.

This posting originally proposed to return lands in Ajax to the Greenbelt through an amendment to the Greenbelt Plan and Greenbelt Area boundary regulation (O. Reg. 59/05). Because the boundaries have now been added directly to legislation, the regulations that previously defined the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Areas (O. Reg. 59/05 and O. Reg. 01/02) have been revoked.

This legislation also provides for a simultaneous amendment to the Greenbelt Plan’s land use schedules to restore the same policy protections that were in place before the December 2022 changes. This has restored the Protected Countryside designation to the lands located in Ajax at 765 and 775 Kingston Road East. 

The Greenbelt Area is shown on Schedules 1-4 and Appendices I-II of the Greenbelt Plan, which also show the land use designations, including the Protected Countryside and Urban River Valley areas, of the Greenbelt Plan.  All survey maps should be read in conjunction with section 2 of the Greenbelt Act, 2005.  Please visit Greenbelt Maps to see the current Greenbelt Area.

More information on the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 can be found at ERO 019-7739

Comments received

Through the registry

22

By email

5

By mail

0
View comments submitted through the registry

Effects of consultation

Summary of Feedback

There was strong support for returning these lands to the Greenbelt. Many submissions requested the return of all lands removed or redesignated in December 2022.

Other feedback received included:

  • Emphasis on the importance of protecting agricultural lands and the environment
  • Support for densifying existing urban areas to increase the supply of housing

Effects of Consultation

In response to feedback received from Indigenous communities, the public, municipalities, and stakeholders since November 2022, the government has now restored all 15 areas of land in the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Areas through the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023. More information about the consultation on this legislation can be found at ERO 019-7739.

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Original proposal

ERO number
019-7562
Notice type
Regulation
Act
Greenbelt Act, 2005
Posted by
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Proposal posted

Comment period

September 5, 2023 - October 20, 2023 (45 days)

Proposal details

In December 2022, the government took bold action to address the housing supply crisis and build 1.5 million homes by 2031 by making changes to the Greenbelt. This action was in addition to a variety of other measures intended to tackle the housing supply crisis, including four housing supply action plans to date, and was intended to support our municipal partners in planning for responsible growth and to help build housing faster and in a targeted manner, while leading to an overall expansion of the Greenbelt.

To accommodate Ontario’s expected growth and support the building of more homes, our government removed or redesignated 15 areas of land totaling approximately 7,400 acres from the edge of the Greenbelt Area (ERO Posting 019-6216: Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Plan)​. At the same time, a portion of the Paris Galt Moraine was added to the Greenbelt, along with 13 Urban River Valleys (see ERO Posting 019-4485: Growing the size of the Greenbelt), totalling 9,400 acres, for an overall expansion of approximately 2000 acres.

The government was clear that owners of the lands removed from the Greenbelt would be expected to develop detailed plans to build housing and move forward with the project quickly. It is the government’s expectation that significant progress on approvals and implementation be achieved by the end of 2023.

It has come to the government’s attention that the discussions surrounding the development of the lands removed from the Greenbelt located at 765 and 775 Kingston Road East in the Town of Ajax were at an early stage, and that a 104-acre parcel within the lands was recently listed for sale.

These lands were removed from the Greenbelt as part of the 2022 Greenbelt Plan and Greenbelt Area boundary regulation amendments. The government is now seeking feedback on a proposal to return these lands, amounting to approximately 133 acres, to the Greenbelt Area through an amendment to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation (Ontario Regulation 59/05) and an amendment to the Greenbelt Plan. The government is not seeking feedback on any ideas for other Greenbelt removals or redesignations through this consultation, nor is it seeking feedback on the 2022 decision to amend the Greenbelt Plan and boundary regulation.

While this ERO posting relates specifically to the proposed amendment to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation, there is a related ERO posting regarding the proposed amendment to the Greenbelt Plan policies to add these lands back to the Greenbelt:

The Greenbelt Act, 2005 requires consultation with affected municipalities, public bodies and the public on any proposed Greenbelt Plan amendment.

If these lands are returned to the Greenbelt, the Greenbelt Act and Greenbelt Plan’s Protected Countryside policies would apply.

The map available for this consultation is posted in supporting materials below and outlines the land in the Town of Ajax that the government is currently seeking feedback on returning to the Greenbelt.

For more information on the Greenbelt Plan policies, please refer to the Decision on proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Plan and the Greenbelt Plan.

Description of Regulation

Ontario Regulation 59/05 was made on February 25, 2005 and established the boundary of the Greenbelt Area pursuant to the Greenbelt Act, 2005.

The proposed regulation would return (i.e., add) the following areas to the Greenbelt Area as described in Ontario Regulation 59/05:

  • Land located in the Town of Ajax at 765 and 775 Kingston Road East[KC((1]

The proposed regulation would be an amendment to Ontario Regulation 59/05. The final decision on the proposal would be made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Purpose of Regulation

The purpose of the proposed regulation is to:

  • Return land located in the Town of Ajax to the Greenbelt Area that was removed in 2022 to support the goal to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years, as significant progress on approvals to build homes on these lands has not been made within the stipulated timelines.

Analysis of Regulatory Impact

There is no anticipated regulatory impact resulting from this proposal. The proposed return of lands to the Greenbelt is consistent with government’s objectives for the 2022 Greenbelt amendment and commitment to building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. The return of these lands will continue to effectively direct growth, optimize investments in infrastructure and support needed housing by allowing municipalities to focus resources on lands housing developments that are making more significant progress. Lands returned to the Greenbelt would be protected by the prohibitions and requirements of the Greenbelt Plan. There would be some additional burden placed on the lands proposed to be returned, though they were previously part of the Greenbelt and the proposal would result in the lands being subject to the same policies they were subject to prior to December 14, 2022. There are no direct administrative costs associated with this proposal.

Comment

Commenting is now closed.

This consultation was open from September 5, 2023
to October 20, 2023

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