Communities that are well-designed and planned attract jobs and investment. Ontario’s simple and streamlined land use planning system gives municipalities the major role in planning decisions. The ministry identifies and protects provincial interests, as well as promoting sound infrastructure planning, environmental protection, economic development and safe communities.
- Land Use Planning and Related Legislation
- Provincial Policy StatementThe Provincial Policy Statement is
the complimentary policy
document
to the Planning Act. It provides
policy direction to decision makers
on matters of provincial interest
related to land use planning and
development. The Planning Act
requires that the Provincial Policy
Statement be reviewed
periodically
to make sure its policies are still
effective. The new Provincial Policy
Statement (2005) took effect on
March 1, 2005.
- Ontario Municipal Board / Planning ReformPlanning reform is a key
component of the government’s
commitment to building strong
communities in Ontario.
- Municipal Planning & Development Tools
- Greenbelt ProtectionThe Greenbelt Act, 2005, Greenbelt Plan, Greenbelt maps, Greenbelt Council, and all Greenbelt related information
- Brownfields OntarioBrownfields redevelopment is a critical part of building strong, healthy communities. Redeveloping unused, former industrial or commercial sites will help revitalize neighbourhoods, create jobs and housing, and boost development in areas with existing transit, infrastructure and community
facilities.
- The Oak Ridges MoraineThe Oak Ridges Moraine is an environmentally sensitive geological landform in south central Ontario, covering 190,000 hectares.
- Central Pickering Development Plan
- Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC)
- Places to Grow
- Citizens Guides to Land-use PlanningA series of Citizens’ Guides issued in 1997 to help you understand how the land use planning process works in Ontario have been replaced by updated Guides that reflect changes introduced by the government’s Planning Reform initiative through Bills 26 and 51 which received Royal Assent on November 30, 2004 and October 19, 2006 respectively.
- Planning Act Approval Authority in OntarioAn overview of where planning
approval authority rests with
respect to the approval of official
plans and amendments,
subdivisions, condominiums,
consents, power of sales and
validations, either by being directly
assigned in the Planning Act or
prescribed or delegated by the
Minister of Municipal Affairs
pursuant to the Planning Act for
municipalities, planning boards and
municipal planning authorities in
Ontario. The chart includes all 445
municipalities in the province as
well as a list of planning boards
and municipal planning authorities.