As part of its various legislative and regulatory responses to
the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Province of Ontario passed
Ontario Regulation 73/20 (O. Reg. 73/20) on March 20, 2020. The
effect of O. Reg. 73/20 was to suspend limitation periods and
procedural timelines under any statute, regulation, rule or by-law
in effect in Ontario. The result was a "pause" on various
forms of litigation and administrative proceedings to allow
parties, adjudicators, local authorities and the Province to
effectively respond to the changing needs of the crisis.
In the land use planning context, O. Reg. 73/20 had the effect
of suspending all timelines under the Planning Act, the
Local Planning Appeal Tribunal Act, the Tribunal's
Rules of Practice and Procedure and a number of other
related statutes, regulations, rules and by-laws.
