We will be establishing a public registry for licences of occupation under the Mining Act. The public will be able to easily access this new registry through the Mining Lands Administration System (MLAS).
The Mining Act was amended to enable regulations to establish a “permit by rule” model, allowing claim holders to sell the end product of a bulk sample and retain proceeds, provided that certain conditions are met. There are no anticipated environmental impacts associated with this decision.
February 22, 2021 - April 8, 2021 (45 days) Closed
Last updated
We made 28 natural gas projects eligible for funding under Phase 2 of the NGEP. 26 projects will connect customers and on-reserve communities across Ontario. 2 economic development projects will help businesses create jobs. The government also included requirements for utilities that receive funds.
December 9, 2020 - February 7, 2021 (60 days) Closed
Last updated
OMAFRA has made a new Minister’s Regulation under the Drainage Act. This will implement the amendments to the Drainage Act that were included in Schedule 4 of the COVID Economic Recovery Act, 2020. It will address stakeholder concerns and reduce burden while maintaining environmental protections.
We want to insure that the Revised Lake Trout Rehabilitation Plan for the Ontario Waters of Lake Huron adequately addresses the factors that are limiting the successful re-establishment of naturally reproducing populations of Lake Trout throughout suitable locations in Lake Huron.
Changes have been made to the Planning Act related to control of the division of land (subdivision control, plans of subdivision, consents and validations), as well as other housekeeping and consequential changes to the Act.
We decided to repeal sections of the Electricity Act, 1998 (EA) and the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 (OEBA) that were introduced under the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009 to promote and prioritize the development of renewable energy.
The recently passed Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021 (MOMS Act) will help protect people and families by targeting stunt driving and unsafe, high-risk driving as well as to protect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and highway workers, improve commercial vehicle safety, and strengthen oversight of the towing and storage sectors.
October 22, 2019 - December 6, 2019 (45 days) Closed
Last updated
We have decided to transfer requirements from Ontario’s industrial effluent monitoring and limits regulations into Environmental Compliance Approvals and revoke the regulations. These changes will provide regulated industrial facilities with greater flexibility to make operational improvements, while maintaining strong environmental protections.
December 15, 2020 - February 4, 2021 (50 days) Closed
Last updated
We decided to revoke O. Reg. 274/18 – Siting Restrictions for Renewable Energy Generation Facilities. Since municipal authority over the siting of new renewable energy projects has been restored, this regulation no longer applies to any projects.
December 15, 2020 - February 4, 2021 (50 days) Closed
Last updated
We decided to revoke O. Reg. 326/09. As of July 1, 2021, timelines for all generation types seeking grid connection assessments will be the same. Related reporting requirements for Local Distribution Companies and the Independent Electricity System Operator will be removed.
September 21, 2020 - November 5, 2020 (45 days) Closed
Last updated
Ontario Regulation 385/21 (General) implements amendments that were made to the Ontario Heritage Act through the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019.The amendments and regulation come into force on July 1, 2021.
February 17, 2021 - March 19, 2021 (30 days) Closed
Last updated
A declaration order has been issued to exempt a proposed transformer station at the Lake Erie Works steel plant in Nanticoke from the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act.
February 11, 2021 - March 28, 2021 (45 days) Closed
Last updated
We have finalized the regulation that will make producers of hazardous and special products, including paints, pesticides, solvents, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, pressurized containers, mercury-containing devices and fertilizers, responsible for collecting, managing and/or promoting the recycling or proper disposal of these products.
We are reviewing the Permit Guide to ensure it reflects the amendments to Ontario Regulation 63/09, under the Pesticides Act that came into effect in April 2020. A new policy proposal for the revised Guide will be published at a later date. Therefore, a decision has been made not to proceed with this proposal and this posting is considered closed.
October 19, 2020 - December 3, 2020 (45 days) Closed
Last updated
We finalized the regulation that will make producers responsible for blue box materials under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016. We also finalized amendments to Regulation 101/94: Recycling and Composting of Municipal Waste to sunset municipal obligations to run blue box systems after transition to full producer responsibility.
We have amended Regulation 347 to remove requirements for the collection, storage and transportation of hazardous waste generated by COVID-19 antigen testing. The waste is still required to be disposed of at approved biomedical waste disposal site. Recommendations for storage and transportation of the waste will be set out in guidance.
We have made minor amendments to the Environmental Compliance Approval in respect of Sewage Works Regulation (O. Reg. 208/19). The amendments allow prescribed persons to make future alterations to municipal sanitary collection and stormwater works without requiring a separate approval if certain conditions are met.
We are consulting on updates to a set of five guides that are part of the Ontario Heritage Toolkit -- the core guidance material for users of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The Ontario Heritage Act enables municipalities to pass by-laws to protect real property that has cultural heritage value or interest. The Toolkit explains this process.
