The province thinks the city is too slow reviewing building permissions and is circumventing the process by chucking public consultations and planning reviews under the bus.
A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZOs) allows the Minister to directly zone land for particular purposes. The Minister does not have to give notice or consult with the public prior to issuing or revoking…
While people are dealing with the COVID pandemic, the Government of Ontario is setting the stage for development projects to proceed without public consultation or the right to appeal. Without alerting the public, the government has been issuing and revoking Minister’s Zoning Orders.
Zoning orders should be used rarely and judiciously. The recent flurry of decisions to expedite development on farmland and green space and in the City of Toronto by issuing or revoking zoning orders is a concerning trend.
More than 30 MZOs have been issued since 2019 – in the past the typical rate was one a year. Recent examples of the Minister using Minister’s Zoning Orders and how you speak up about this issue can be done by clicking here
