This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Yesterday in the legislature, Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue introduced a Private Member’s Bill that seeks to extend the time that municipalities have to approve development applications without the threat of being taken to the OMB.
Currently, developers can appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board only 120 days after their application is filed with the municipality.
Across Ontario, many municipalities cannot meet the current tight timeframes to make a rational, clear decision on new development proposals. The bill would extend this timeline from 120 days to 365 days, allowing the municipalities to engage community members and work together to support development that is suitable.
In some municipalities, including Toronto, Prue has been told that that many developers have long been bypassing the process of community consultation and municipal oversight by appealing to the OMB, knowing that timelines cannot be met.
The bill comes on the heels of local Beach community members who oppose three controversial proposed developments on historic Queen Street East. With two of these proposals, developers went straight to the OMB after 120 days had lapsed.
Beach activist Brian Graff welcomes the bill and said “This bill is important across Ontario because it will give communities and municipalities enough time to make decisions about re-zoning and reduce the ability of developers to short-circuit the process.”
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