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Moving Forward with Change
After years of advocating alongside my colleague, Kristyn-Wong Tam and local residents’ associations, the Ontario legislature voted to move forward with major changes to the planning appeals system in Toronto. Bill 139, the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017 will replace the OMB with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). Significant reforms under LPAT include:
“de novo” (entirely new) hearings for the majority of land use planning appeals will be eliminated. Instead, LPAT will be true appeal body
- Tribunal will only be able to overturn appeals involving official plans and zoning bylaws, if City did not conform to provincial policies and municipal plans
- Free Local Planning Appeal Support Centre will offer guidance on Tribunal process and as well as providing planning and/or legal representation
- Secondary Plans (such as Midtown in Focus in the Yonge-Eglinton area) will be shielded from amendment applications for 2 years after approval
Current News Updates
Have your Say: Consultation on the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB)
TLAB is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that was created last [...]
Our Fight to Abolish the Ontario Municipal Board- Province Passes Legislation to Eliminate OMB
After years of advocating alongside my colleague, Kristyn-Wong Tam and local [...]
Ontario to Overhaul Land Use Planning Appeals System to Give Local Communities a Stronger Voice in Land Use Planning Decisions
Issue / Background: On May 16, 2017 the Ontario Government [...]
Ontario Municipal Board Will no Longer Hear Minor Variance Appeals
Committee of Adjustment decisions on minor variances (generally related to single-family [...]
The Toronto Star Feature Series on the OMB and our Yonge-Eglinton Area
The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is an unaccountable, unelected and [...]
Free Toronto from the OMB!
Read this in-depth Toronto Star series on how the [...]
