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ARTICLE · 27 DECEMBER 2018

Streamlining Zoning Approvals: Bill 66's Open-For-Business Planning By-Laws

On December 6, 2018, the Honourable Todd Smith, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, introduced Bill 66

CanadaReal Estate and Construction

On December 6, 2018, the Honourable Todd Smith, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, introduced Bill 66, the Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act (Bill 66) for its first reading in the Legislature. The Bill is intended to eliminate red tape and burdensome regulations so businesses can grow, create and protect jobs.

While Bill 66 makes sweeping changes across a number of sectors, Schedule 10, which proposes amendments to Ontario's Planning Act, will be of particular interest to landowners and developers in Ontario.

Open-for-business planning by-laws

Bill 66 proposes the addition of section 34.1 to the Planning Act, which would allow municipalities, with Ministerial approval, to pass an "open-for-business planning by-law" (OFB By-law) to authorize uses of land for "prescribed purposes." OFB By-laws would allow a streamlined zoning approval process for certain developments, and exempt them from compliance with higher order planning

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