On October 25, 2022, the Province of Ontario (the Province) introduced Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23). Bill 23 is the next installment in the Province’s Housing Supply Action Plan, which encourages the creation of 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. On November 4, 2022, the Province announced further changes to the Greenbelt Plan and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, seeking consultation on the removal and addition of various lands to the greenbelt, among other things. Feedback is requested on dozens of potential changes through the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry (ERO). Seen by some as the largest overhaul of Ontario’s planning regime in decades, the Act will amend numerous statutes impacting as of right zoning for additional residential units, appeal rights, parkland dedication, development charges, community benefit charges, inclusionary zoning, heritage and more. More changes are expected to come following the end of the consultations on the ERO.

Top of mind for landowners, municipalities, and interested parties, is the impact of these changes, if adopted as proposed, on existing and future development applications and appeals.