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On June 25, 2020, O.Reg. 509/18, made under the Electricity Act, 1998  was amended to harmonize Ontario’s efficiency standards for nine products with Natural Resources Canada, and to increase efficiency requirements for one product to align with Ontario Building Code minimum requirements.

Ontario has made changes to the Building Code Act, 1992 to add more options for enforcement in areas without municipal organization (i.e., unincorporated areas) by allowing for the appointment of a building inspector for the enforcement of the Building Code. The inspector would need to have the qualifications of a registered building inspector.

We are delivering on our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commitment to hold polluters accountable by expanding the use of administrative monetary penalties and modernizing the process to seize vehicle permits and plates. Once implemented, these changes will strengthen our enforcement tools to ensure compliance with environmental laws.

The government has made legislative changes to the Planning Act and City of Toronto Act, 2006 through the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 (Bill 17).

We are moving forward with regulatory changes to allow the ministry and drinking water systems to act quickly to help ensure that drinking water in Ontario is protected during an emergency, including by providing systems with temporary staffing options, and operators with temporary relief from training and certification requirements.

The Province of Ontario has passed Bill 56, the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025, which amends the Clean Water Act, 2006 (to come into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council).

After consideration of what was heard from all parties during the initial consultation period and developing the proposals further, the Ministry is providing additional details and seeking further feedback on the proposed regulatory amendments which can be found at the following posting: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-7598

Ontario has made changes to the Planning Act, City of Toronto Act, 2006, and Municipal Act, 2001 through the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 (‘Bill 185’).

We have created Monarch Point Conservation Reserve in Prince Edward County to provide greater protection to the area. The conservation reserve was created through regulation under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

A decision was made on September 2, 2025 to approve, with modifications, Toronto Official Plan Amendment 583, as adopted by By-law 580-2022. The approved Official Plan Amendment 583 proposes policy and mapping updates on environmental matters.

We approved an amendment to Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) No. 9885-529P2Q for a waste disposal site to change the hours of operation.

We approved the updated Fire Management Planning Guideline for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves.

We have issued a Permit to Take Water No. 6511-CM4KYR on January 12, 2023, which cancels and replaces Permit No. 0068-C2HS2E, for Walker Aggregates Inc. (Spring Creek Quarry). The permit holder requested an amendment to the conditions of their previous permit to allow for the extension of quarry extraction activities within 500 m of Spring Creek.

We are moving forward with changes to Ontario Regulation 359/09: Renewable Energy Approvals regulation to:

• Remove Renewable Energy Approval requirements for low-risk biogas projects
• Update Natural Heritage Assessment and Bird/Bat Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan requirements
• Update outdated definitions, ministry names and other references

We have closed this notice.

We are moving ahead with implementing a new administrative monetary penalties framework for environmental contraventions, based on changes made via Bill 132 (Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019).