Natural Resources Regulatory and Permit Reform Initiative: Improving forest legislation, regulations, processes and forest management policy

To support economic prosperity and protect Ontario, we are proposing changes to permits and approvals to:

• improve client services through clearer rules and simpler processes
• make it easier and faster to get approvals for projects in mining, energy, forestry, infrastructure, housing and economic development
• continue to safeguard public health, safety and the sustainable management of natural resources

We are seeking input on potential changes to various legislation, regulations, processes and policies related to forests and trees in Ontario. 

This posting is your opportunity to provide input on the following proposals to support the development of changes. We do not anticipate posting additional proposals related to these items:

• Harvest Approvals (including Scaling Manual)
• Forest Resource Processing Facilities Licences
• Scaler’s Licences (fees)
• Trees Reserved to the Crown on Private Land
• Forestry Workers Lien for Wages Act
• Personal Use Harvesting Authorizations
• Manufacture in Canada Exemptions

We are also developing details for the following proposals and welcome input on the concepts. If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post an additional proposal for consultation: 

• Forest Manuals
• Permit to Remove
• Compliance and Enforcement
• Forest Resource Licences
• Scaler’s Licences (renewal)
• Forest Renewal Trust

The proposals build on:

• proposed and recent amendments to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994  introduced through Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025 and adopted in Bill 56, Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025
• other proposed updates under the natural resources regulatory and permitting reform initiative

Indigenous communities have unique rights and interests. We have a legal duty to consult Indigenous communities when a proposed activity or decision may adversely impact those rights. Where applicable, we will work with communities to gather input on specific proposals. 

For the purposes of the Environmental Registry of Ontario, this posting is consulting only on items identified as Trees Reserved to the Crown on Private Land and Personal Use Harvesting Authorizations.  Other items are being described to provide an opportunity for comments to be provided for consideration as MNR continues to consider how and if it may proceed with these proposals.  Where required further notices will be posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario with more details about these proposals.

Overview of proposed changes:

Forest Manuals

These manuals are regulated under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994:

• The Forest Management Planning Manual provides direction for preparing, implementing and reporting on forest management plans for each management unit​.
• The Forest Information Manual sets information requirements for forest management planning and directs how this information is shared between the ministry and forest industry.
• The Scaling Manual sets standards for forest resource (wood) measurement, movement and record keeping as well as standards for training and licensing/certifying scalers and scaling auditors. 

We are proposing to: 

Revise the following manuals:

• Scaling Manual — to reflect proposed changes to harvest approvals (see Harvest Approval section below)
• Forest Management Planning Manual and Forest Information Manual — to enable opportunities to prepare a single forest management plan for multiple units

We are also exploring how to direct forest management planning and operations over a longer timeframe (referred to as Continuous Forest Management Planning). This would also require revisions to the:

• Forest Management Planning Manual and Forest Information Manual

We are developing the details and welcome input on these concepts. We will continue to work with Indigenous communities and stakeholders as these proposals evolve. If we propose regulatory changes in the future to the Forest Management Planning Manual and/or Forest Information Manual, we will post a proposal for consultation. 

Permit to Remove

A Permit to Remove is required when trees (forest resources) need to be removed from Crown lands for non-forestry activities like developing roads, utility corridors, or mines.

We are proposing to: 

Explore ways to make it easier to get a Permit to Remove. If Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025 is approved, we will consider developing regulations that would create a permit-by-rule (also known as ‘rules in regulation’) pathway for certain activities. This could allow proponents to simply self-register then be allowed to remove trees if they meet specific conditions set out in the new regulations.

We are developing the details and welcome input on the proposed permit-by-rule pathway including:

• what types and size/scale of projects should qualify (for example, projects of certain low risk categories)
• what other laws must be met to qualify (for example, approvals, requirements, or conditions)
• requirements for utilization of trees/wood (where feasible)
• how to measure and apply fees to removed trees/wood
• if notice should be provided to Indigenous communities and the public prior to removal
• how we will notify or coordinate with existing licence holders
• what information applicants must submit through a registry or notification system

We will continue to consult with Indigenous communities and stakeholders as this proposal evolves. If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post a proposal for consultation. 

Harvest Approvals

To implement the operations from approved forest management plans, an additional harvest approval is required before harvesting operations begin. A harvest approval serves the following functions:

• tracks the movement of harvested wood (including measurement and invoicing)
• enables the ministry to withhold the approval if a licensee doesn’t pay its Crown charges

We are proposing to: 

Add terms and conditions into the Forest Resource Licence through regulation (Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994 Ontario Regulation 167/95 section 7) to maintain some functions of a harvest approval, including:

• a requirement to submit information to the ministry on the specific location and who is harvesting
• a process for the ministry to issue a unique harvest area number(s) to the licensee.
• clarity that MNR may disclose the status of unpaid Crown charges to relevant Sustainable Forest Licensee 

If these regulation changes are approved, the ministry will remove the harvest approval requirement enabled by Bill 56 Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025.

Procedural, information management and Scaling Manual changes will also be made to reflect these Harvest Approval changes. This will support the continuation of wood tracking and the management of payments for Crown charges. This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to support development of regulation changes.

Compliance and Enforcement

Compliance and enforcement play a key role in implementing sustainable forest management. Operations are regularly inspected to verify that they follow approved forest management plans and operational prescriptions. If an operation is found to be non-compliant, warnings, orders, administrative monetary penalties and charges may be applied.

The ministry made some compliance related changes through Bill 56 Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025, and is working to make administrative updates and improvements to:

• the Forest Compliance Handbook
• inspector training and visual identity

We are proposing to:

Review additional compliance tools in the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994 compliance strategy and policies to strengthen compliance and enforcement tools. We are developing the details and welcome input on:

• amounts for Administrative Monetary Penalties and offence fines
• new compliance tools and court orders to enhance inspections and investigations (e.g. power to issue a production order)

If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post a proposal for consultation.

Forest Resource Licences

A Forest Resource Licence is valid for up to 10 years and allows tree harvesting within areas approved in a forest management plan. They typically apply to smaller areas within a larger management unit that is overseen by a Sustainable Forest Licensee, who holds a 20-year licence.

We are proposing to: 

Explore a permit-by-rule approach for renewing Forest Resource Licences. This could allow proponents to simply self-register to have their licence renewed if they meet specific conditions set out in the regulations. For example:

• requirements or conditions to qualify for renewal
• information applicants must submit to renew through a registry or notification system
• duration of the renewal period

We are also reviewing how we issue, amend and transfer Forest Resource Licences and exceptions or exemptions (under sections 27, 29, 34, 35, 42 and 47 of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994).

We are developing the details and welcome input. If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post a proposal for consultation.

Forest Resource Processing Facility Licences

A Forest Resource Processing Facility Licence is required to build or operate a mill (e.g. pulp and paper mill, sawmill, veneer mill, etc.) that consumes more than 1,000 cubic metres of wood per year.

We are proposing to: 

Make it easier to get or renew a Forest Resource Processing Facility Licence. For example:  

• establish clear timelines for issuing new licences
• revise payment options or remove licence fees (Ontario Regulation 167/95)
• renew or extend existing facility licences without ministry approvals if the licensee meets the conditions of their licence (e.g. operation in accordance with their business plan, submission of a facility annual return, etc.) (Ontario Regulation 167/95)

This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to support development of regulation changes and/or policy changes.

Scaler’s Licences

Scalers measure harvested and/or standing forest resources (trees/wood) to determine the volume and quality. The ministry issues a Scaler’s Licence to individuals that successfully complete a scaler’s course and exams. Licences are valid for 5 years and have fees for renewal.

We are proposing to: 

Revise payment options or remove renewal fees (Ontario Regulation 167/95). This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to support development of regulation changes and/or policy changes.

We are also exploring how to:

• make it easier to renew a Scaler’s Licence

We are developing the details and welcome input. If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post a proposal for consultation.

Trees Reserved to the Crown on Private Land

Some private properties have trees where the Crown (province) has kept ownership (rights) to certain tree species or all species of trees on the land. These rights originated in Crown Patents, the documents that granted land to private landowners.

We are proposing to: 

Transfer ownership of any reserved trees to private landowners. This change would: 

• remove the need for landowners to:
  • get a licence to harvest any reserved trees on their property and pay fees (under Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994 and Ontario Regulation 167/95, section 29)
  • submit a request to the ministry for releasing tree reservations and pay fees (as per Public Lands Act section 58(6))
  • get a Voidance Certificate from the ministry to prove they own all trees on their land (under Public Lands Act section 69(1))

This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to inform a future bill and related regulation and policy changes. If approved, a future bill could void tree reservations in the Public Lands Act and making complementary changes to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994 (and Ontario Regulation 167/95) and the Mining Act (to ensure that no new tree reservations are created in the future).

Forestry Workers Lien for Wages Act

This Act may give some forestry workers a legal claim (lien) on the wood they worked on if their employer owes them wages.

We are proposing to:

Repeal this Act because it is:

• outdated and complex
• duplicative of modern worker supports and protections

This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to inform a future bill.

Personal Use Harvesting Authorizations

Using wood for non-commercial purposes from Crown land (also known as public land) is known as personal use harvesting. Depending on the type and amount of personal use harvesting, a person may need an authorization, or the activity may be allowed through an existing set of rules (called a code of practice).

• see Using wood from Crown land for personal use for more information

We are proposing to: 

Expand the existing rules (Ontario Regulation 167/95) for personal use harvesting to include the following activities: 

• cutting a maximum of 10 cubic metres or 4 full stacked cords of dead standing trees in certain zones without an authorization
• cutting individual trees posing a safety hazard in all zones without an authorization
• establishing clear timelines for issuing authorizations

This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal to support development of regulation changes.

Manufacture in Canada Exemptions 

Forest resource licences are subject to a condition under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994 that all trees harvested shall be manufactured in Canada into lumber, pulp or other products. In circumstances such as when Crown trees cannot be consumed by a Canadian mill, the ministry may consider granting an exemption to this condition.

We are proposing to: 

Make it easier to get a Manufacture in Canada Exemption by:

• establishing clear timelines for issuing a Manufacturing in Canada exemption

 This is your opportunity to provide input on this proposal.

Forest Renewal Trust 

The Forest Renewal Trust provides dedicated funding for forest renewal. Charges are set annually for each management unit based on anticipated renewal costs.

We are proposing to:

Explore ways to make the annual approval of the renewal rates for the Forest Renewal Trust more efficient.

We are developing the details and welcome input on this concept. If we propose regulatory changes in the future, we will post a proposal for consultation.

Background:

Regardless of whether these proposed changes advance, Ontario’s forest sector will continue to operate under a system of laws, regulations and policies known as the forest policy framework. The sector follows rigorous processes and standards to:

• consult with First Nations and Métis communities and involve the public
• protect the environment and biodiversity
• responsibly harvest and renew the forest
• consider how all users value the forest

Forest management plans will continue to provide the long-term health of Ontario’s forests while providing social, economic and environmental benefits to Ontarians.

The proposed changes align with commitments identified in Sustainable Growth: Ontario's Forest Sector Strategy and supporting actions underway such as the:

• Forest Biomass Action Plan
• Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan
• Wood Measurement Modernization Plan

Regulatory impact analysis

The anticipated environmental consequences of the proposals are neutral.

• Many of the proposed changes relate to administrative processes.
• The proposed changes include strengthening compliance and enforcement mechanisms which are a key part of implementing forest management.
• Approved forest management plans will continue to provide sustainable management of Ontario’s public forests.

The anticipated social consequences of the proposal are neutral.

• The proposed changes support Ontario’s forest sector and the socio-economic wellness of associated communities.
• They maintain opportunities for First Nation and Métis community involvement. Stakeholders and the public will also continue to have an opportunity to provide input into forest management plans and review forest operations.

The anticipated economic consequences of the proposal are positive. 

• The proposed changes will likely reduce costs for forest industry, other sectors and individuals.

No new administrative costs are anticipated.

• Some proposed aspects will likely reduce or have similar administrative costs.

Other proposed aspects are under development and the specific costs and benefits will be assessed in any future proposals.