On July 8, 2020, the Ontario government gave first reading to
Bill 197—COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, which aims
to create jobs and stimulate economic activity. Of particular
interest to the development industry, three schedules to the
Omnibus Bill tweak the land use planning regime from last
year's Bill 108. Bill 197 received Royal Assent on July 21,
2020.
New Community Benefit Charges and s. 37 of the Planning
Act
Schedule 17 of the Bill amends sections 37 and 37.1 of the
Planning Act to further amend them as it relates to the
community benefit charges against land to pay for the capital costs
of facilities, services, and other development related costs by
by-law after preparing a communities benefits charge strategy.
Community benefit charges may include the costs of development
charges on eligible services or parkland, but
those costs are only recoverable once.
