This consultation was open from:
October 23, 2020
to November 22, 2020
Decision summary
Bill 222, the Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act, made a series of legislative amendments to accelerate the delivery of major provincial public infrastructure projects, such as transit and highways. Measures in this proposal would strengthen communities, create jobs and enhance critical services in the province.
Decision details
Provincial Transit Projects
The Building Transit Faster Act (BFTA) aims to address issues and challenges common to the delivery of major transit projects.
The BFTA provides the tools needed to deliver the four priority transit projects (Ontario Line, Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension) by:
- Ensuring nearby developments or construction projects are coordinated so they do not cause unnecessary delays.
- Allowing the province to conduct due diligence and remove obstructions with appropriate notification to property owners.
- Enabling a more efficient assembly of land required for transit construction, while treating property owners fairly.
- Enabling relocation of utilities more efficiently while treating businesses fairly and ensuring costs are not passed on to consumers.
- Ensuring timely access to municipal services and rights-of-way.
Bill 222 amended the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 (BFTA) to enable the extension of these measures, as appropriate, to additional provincial transit projects by providing regulation making authority to prescribe such projects.
These amendments will help accelerate the delivery of other key provincial transit projects by enabling the province to apply a consistent legislative toolkit across various projects.
Transit-Oriented Communities
Bill 222 also amended the Transit-Oriented Communities Act, 2020 (TOC Act ), to allow for the extension of the Act’s measures to other provincial transit projects that would be specified in regulation.
Measures which already existed in the TOC Act include:
- Authority for streamlined land assembly by exempting expropriated lands from Hearings of Necessity, and
- Authority for the Minister of Infrastructure (or delegates) to enter into new types of commercial arrangements for Transit-Oriented Communities in connection with the four priority subway projects (Ontario Line, Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
The amendments to the TOC Act provide this same authority to the Minister of Transportation, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, and the ability to delegate the authority by regulation to Metrolinx or other government agencies. Bill 222 also made consequential amendments to the Ministry of Infrastructure Act to better define roles and responsibilities between the Ministries of Transportation and Infrastructure.
These measures would allow the Province and its agencies to have a consistent legislative toolkit across Transit-Oriented Communities programs that will be clear and easy to communicate to municipalities and development partners.
Effects of consultation
MTO received 13 comments related to Bill 222. Submissions were made by members of the public, municipalities and a range of interested stakeholders—including industry, professional associations and labour groups.
Comments and presentations made to the Standing Committee on Social Policy were also considered.
Bill 222 was reported out of Committee with no amendments on November 30, 2020.
The Legislative Assembly passed Bill 222 without amendments on December 3, 2020.
Consultation summary
Several stakeholders expressed general support for the bill and its aims to reduce barriers to the planning, design, and construction of major infrastructure projects across the province.
While municipalities generally supported the bill, several municipalities requested that the province continue to consult with municipalities and regions and requested ongoing transparency from the Province. They have also sought a commitment that municipal authority would not be diminished without appropriate consultation.
Some stakeholders raised concerns and requested clarification on the content of the bill, including:
- How risk will be allocated for general contractors and other constructors;
- Provisions for relocating utilities, arguing that relocating pipeline infrastructure requires significant experience and expertise;
- Criteria for deciding which are priority transit projects;
- Concern about the proposal to eliminate Hearings of Necessity, once a project has been designated a priority transit project,and
- The need for improved consultation and on-going community engagement throughout transit project construction
We are committed to continued engagement with industry, municipalities and with concerned communities as we strive to build more connected, healthier, and safer communities in Ontario.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
College Park 30th Floor Suite 3000, 777 Bay St,
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2J8
Canada
Connect with us
Contact
Cheryl Davis
777 Bay Street
Suite 700
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2J8
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
Provincial Transit Projects
The Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 (BFTA), aims to address issues and challenges common to the delivery of major transit projects.
The BTFA provides the tools needed to deliver the four priority transit projects (Ontario Line, Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension) by:
- Ensuring nearby developments or construction projects are coordinated so they do not cause unnecessary delays.
- Allowing the province to conduct due diligence and remove obstructions with appropriate notification to property owners.
- Enabling a more efficient assembly of land required for transit construction, while treating property owners fairly.
- Enabling relocation of utilities more efficiently while treating businesses fairly and ensuring costs are not passed on to consumers.
- Ensuring timely access to municipal services and rights-of-way.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is proposing amendments to the BFTA to enable the extension of these existing measures, as appropriate, to additional provincial transit projects by providing regulation making authority to prescribe such projects.
These amendments would help accelerate the delivery of other key provincial transit projects by the province to apply a consistent legislative toolkit across various projects.
Transit-Oriented Communities
MTO is proposing to amend the Transit-Oriented Communities Act, 2020 (TOC Act), to allow for the extension of the Act’s measures to other provincial transit projects that would be specified in regulation.
Measures which already exist in the TOC Act include:
- Authority for streamlined land assembly by exempting expropriated lands from Hearings of Necessity, and
- Authority for the Minister of Infrastructure (or delegates) to enter into new types of commercial arrangements for Transit-Oriented Communities in connection with the four priority subway projects (Ontario Line, Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
MTO is proposing amendments to the TOC Act to provide this same authority to the Minister of Transportation, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, and the ability to delegate the authority by regulation to Metrolinx or other government agencies. Consequential amendments are also being proposed to the Ministry of Infrastructure Act to better define roles and responsibilities between the Ministries of Transportation and Infrastructure.
These measures would allow the Province and its agencies to have a consistent legislative toolkit across Transit-Oriented Communities programs that will be clear and easy to communicate to municipalities and development partners.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
777 Bay Street, suite 3000
Toronto,
ON
M5B2H7
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from October 23, 2020
to November 22, 2020
Connect with us
Contact
Cheryl Davis
777 Bay Street
Suite 700
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2J8
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
9By email
4By mail
0