Bill 139 Update: Major Changes To The Planning Act Come Into Force On April 3, 2018

The Ontario government has recently announced that Bill 139, the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017, will be proclaimed into force on April 3, 2018. Bill 139 fundamentally changes the planning appeal system in Ontario by introducing significant amendments to the Planning Act and other legislation.

In our Bulletin of June 1, 2017 we described the changes proposed by Bill 139 at first reading, which will among other things replace the Ontario Municipal Board ("OMB") with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT"). Bill 139 subsequently received Royal Assent on December 12, 2017. Although some parts of the Bill came into force on December 12, the majority of the changes awaited proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor.