Places to Grow Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 13

• Jurisdiction: Ontario

Places to Grow Act, 2005

S.o. 2005, chapter 13

Consolidation Period: From February 22, 2024 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2021, c. 4, Sched. 6, s. 79.

CONTENTS

Preamble

The Government of Ontario recognizes that in order to accommodate future population growth, support economic prosperity and achieve a high quality of life for all Ontarians, planning must occur in a rational and strategic way.

The Government of Ontario recognizes that building complete and strong communities, making efficient use of existing infrastructure and preserving natural and agricultural resources will contribute to maximizing the benefits, and minimizing the costs, of growth.

The Government of Ontario recognizes that identifying where and how growth should occur will support improved global competitiveness, sustain the natural environment and provide clarity for the purpose of determining priority of infrastructure investments.

The Government of Ontario recognizes that an integrated and co-ordinated approach to making decisions about growth across all levels of government will contribute to maximizing the value of public investments.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Purposes

1 The purposes of the Act are,

(a) to enable decisions about growth to be made in ways that sustain a robust economy, build strong communities and promote a healthy environment and a culture of conservation;

(b) to promote a rational and balanced approach to decisions about growth that builds on community priorities, strengths and opportunities and makes efficient use of infrastructure;

(c) to enable planning for growth in a manner that reflects a broad geographical perspective and is integrated across natural and municipal boundaries;

(d) to ensure that a long-term vision and long-term goals guide decision-making about growth and provide for the co-ordination of growth policies among all levels of government. 2005, c. 13, s. 1.

Interpretation

2 In this Act,

“area of settlement” means an area of land designated in an official plan for urban uses, including urban areas, urban policy areas, towns, villages, hamlets, rural clusters, rural settlement areas, urban systems, rural service centres or future urban use areas, or as otherwise prescribed; (“zone de peuplement”)

“growth plan” means a plan approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a growth plan under subsection 7 (6); (“plan de croissance”)

“growth plan area” means an area of land designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a growth plan area under clause 3 (a); (“zone de croissance planifiée”)

“Minister” means the Minister of Infrastructure or such other member of the Executive Council to whom the administration of this Act is assigned under the Executive Council Act; (“ministre”)

“municipal planning authority” means a municipal planning authority established under section 14.1 of the Planning Act; (“office d’aménagement municipal”)

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under this Act; (“prescrit”)

“public body” means a municipality, local board, conservation authority, ministry, department, board, commission, agency or official of a provincial or federal government or a First Nation. (“organisme public”) 2005, c. 13, s. 2; 2012, c. 8, Sched. 46, s. 1.

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2012, c. 8, Sched. 46, s. 1 - 20/06/2012

Designation of area

3 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation,

(a) designate an area of land as a growth plan area; and

(b) amend or revoke a designation made under clause (a). 2005, c. 13, s. 3.

Growth plan

4 The Minister shall prepare a proposed growth plan for all or part of an area designated under clause 3 (a). 2005, c. 13, s. 4.

Advice to Minister

5 The Minister may appoint one or more persons and establish one or more advisory committees, consisting of such persons as the Minister appoints, to,

(a) carry out such consultations as the Minister directs;

(b) advise and make recommendations to the Minister in respect of,

(i) the preparation and implementation of growth plans, amendments to growth plans and revisions of growth plans, and

(ii) facilitating the resolution of issues arising out of the implementation of growth plans, amendments to growth plans and revisions of growth plans; and

(c) perform such other functions as the Minister directs. 2005, c. 13, s. 5.

Contents of plan

6 A growth plan may contain,

(a) population projections and allocations;

(b) an assessment and identification of priority growth areas, emerging growth areas and future growth areas, over specified time periods;

(c) growth strategies for all or part of the growth plan area;

(d) policies, goals and criteria in relation to,

(i) intensification and density,

(ii) land supply for residential, employment and other uses,

(iii) expansions and amendments to the boundaries of areas of settlement,

(iv) the location of industry and commerce,

(v) the protection of sensitive and significant lands, including agricultural lands, and water resources,

(vi) non-renewable resources,

(vii) the conservation of energy,

(viii) infrastructure development and the location of infrastructure and institutions,

(ix) transportation planning,

(x) municipal waste management planning,

(xi) the co-ordination of planning and development among municipalities,

(xii) growth-related capital spending and financing,

(xiii) affordable housing,

(xiv) community design,

(xv) specified actions to be taken by municipalities to implement or achieve the policies or goals;

(e) such other policies, goals or matters that the Minister considers advisable. 2005, c. 13, s. 6.

Notice

7 (1) When a proposed growth plan has been prepared, the Minister shall ensure that,

(a) notice is given informing the public of the proposed plan, indicating where a copy of the proposed plan together with such information relevant to the proposed plan as the Minister considers advisable can be examined and inviting written submissions on the proposed plan within such period of time as is specified by the Minister;

(b) each municipality, municipal planning authority and planning board having jurisdiction in the area which is the subject of the proposed plan or having jurisdiction in a planning area which abuts that area is consulted with respect to the contents of the proposed plan and is invited to make written submissions within such period of time as is specified by the Minister; and

(c) notice of the proposed growth plan, in a form approved by the Minister and containing such information as the Minister considers appropriate, is given on the environmental registry established under section 5 of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993. 2005, c. 13, s. 7 (1).

Minister may confer

(2) The Minister may confer with any person, public body or other body that the Minister considers may have an interest in the proposed plan. 2005, c. 13, s. 7 (2).

Hearing officer

(3) The Minister may appoint one or more hearing officers for the purpose of conducting one or more hearings within the area to which the proposed plan applies or in the general proximity of that area for the purpose of receiving representations respecting,

(a) the proposed plan or any part of the proposed plan or any matter relating to the proposed plan that has been specified by the Minister; or

(b) a proposed modification to the proposed plan under subsection (4) or a matter relating to a proposed modification that has been specified by the Minister. 2005, c. 13, s. 7 (3).

Notice of proposed modifications

(4) If, after considering the submissions received and any recommendations made by a hearing officer, modifications to the proposed plan appear desirable to the Minister, the Minister may,

(a) cause notice to be given informing the public of the proposed modifications;

(b) provide an opportunity to the public to make written submissions in respect of the proposed modifications within such time as is specified by the Minister; and

(c) provide every municipality, municipal planning authority and planning board having jurisdiction in the area which is subject to the proposed plan or having jurisdiction in a planning area abutting the area with a copy of the proposed modifications and an opportunity to make written submissions in respect of them within such time as is specified by the Minister. 2005, c. 13, s. 7 (4).

Modification of plan

(5) After considering the submissions received under subsection (4) and any recommendations made by a hearing officer, the Minister may make such modifications to the proposed plan as the Minister considers desirable and shall submit the proposed plan or the proposed plan as modified, as the case may be, a summary of the submissions and comments made and his or her recommendations on the plan to the Lieutenant Governor in Council. 2005, c. 13, s. 7 (5).

Approval of plan

(6) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may approve the plan submitted under subsection (5) in whole or in part or may approve it with such modifications as the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers desirable or may refuse to approve it, and, unless the Lieutenant Governor in Council refuses to approve the plan, the plan as approved in whole or in part or as modified and approved comes into effect on the day specified by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as the growth plan for the area to which it...