Planning and Development 101
Planning and Development in the City of Toronto is governed by the Province of Ontario. This means the Provincial Government determines which provincial planning rules the City of Toronto must follow when considering development applications (See Interactive Chart Below!)
The City must accept and consider every planning development that is submitted and report on it within a time-frame set by the Province. Failure to do so within the mandated time-frame, or refusal, authorizes the developer the right to Appeal.
Planning and development in the City of Toronto is comprised of three layers: Provincial Policy, City of Toronto Official Plan, and Zoning By-Laws. Provincial Policies, like The Planning Act, A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and legislative changes govern planning in Ontario. The Official Plan and subsequent Zoning By-Laws stem from these policies, as does the process to review and approve all development proposals submitted.
The City must accept and consider every planning development that is submitted and report on it within a timeframe, which is set by the Provincial Government. If the City does not make a decision in the allotted time, the developer can appeal the application to the OLT. Applicants can also appeal refusals at the OLT.
Most recently, the Government of Ontario passed two new bills that introduce sweeping changes to development and planning in Toronto: Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 and Bill 109, More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022.
Understanding the planning and development process:
The interactive chart below provides an overview of the Planning and Development process. You can click on any of the boxes with underlined text to learn more about that specific process.
