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On February 6, 2023, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing posted to the Environmental Registry a proposal for a new Minister’s regulation under the Planning Act that would require 29 municipalities in Ontario to report data on planning matters on a quarterly and annual basis. The Ministry decided to proceed with the Minister’s regulation.

No changes are proposed to the enhanced minister’s zoning authority. The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing will exercise their discretion, on a case by case basis, in using the authority.

The Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act has been updated to remove the requirement to publish notices of proposed amendments to the Niagara Escarpment Plan and associated hearings in newspapers, enables broader exemptions for low-risk activities, and broadens the range of compliance tools for the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

The government has made changes to the Planning Act and Development Charges Act, 1997 through Bill 23 – the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 to encourage gentle density in most existing residential areas province-wide.

A decision has been made to proceed with amendments to the Mining Act to allow lessees, licencees and owners of mining lands to sell and retain the proceeds from materials extracted for the purposes of testing without the requirement for a mine production closure plan to have first been filed.  Bill 13 received Royal Assent on December 2, 2021.

The Ministry has decided to amend O. Reg. 45/11 to set out the conditions that are required for mining claimholders to sell the end product of a bulk sample and recover associated costs, without first obtaining the Minister’s permission: a “permit by rule” approach. This will allow previous amendments to the Mining Act to come into force. 

PR-14-10603 early exploration permit application that Canada Chrome Corporation submitted pursuant to Section 78.3 (1) of the Mining Act has been withdrawn as of November 15, 2019.

The Permit to Take Water for Pure Gold Mining Inc. for the taking of water from one pond (process water pond) for mining operations in the District of Kenora, Ontario has been approved under Permit No. 6834-BVBRSJ.

The renewal of Permit to Take Water No. 8130-BW5QBF, for Evolution Mining Gold Operations Ltd. to take water for the purposes of remediation from five wells, was issued on April 7, 2021 as permit No. P-300-1109015653.

New regulations through Bill 97: the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 in support of Ontario's Housing Supply Action Plan

We have made regulations, including the Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Projects regulation, and taken related actions to move Ontario’s environmental assessment program to a project list approach under the Environmental Assessment Act.

PR-14-10602 early exploration permit application that Canada Chrome Corporation submitted pursuant to Section 78.3 (1) of the Mining Act has been withdrawn as of November 15, 2019.

PR-14-10604 early exploration permit application that Canada Chrome Corporation submitted pursuant to Section 78.3 (1) of the Mining Act has been withdrawn as of November 15, 2019.

The Director of Mine Rehabilitation has acknowledged receipt of the Closure Plan according to the provisions of the Mining Act. The Certified Closure Plan is now considered filed and the proponent must comply with the Closure Plan, as amended.

We have changed when facilities have to review their toxic reduction plans. This will help to align the first two plan reviews with federal timelines and ensure facilities plan and report on current and relevant toxic substances. We also made a new regulation to provide more options to serve documents making it consistent with other regulations.

The government has made changes to O. Reg. 82/98 under the Development Charges Act. in order to increase the supply and range of housing options for Ontarians.