What's in Ontario Premier Doug Ford's 'Get It Done Act'?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government tabled an omnibus bill Tuesday afternoon that makes changes to multiple pieces of legislation with the goal of streamlining development, banning tolls on highways and enforcing referendums for the carbon tax.
The bill—called the “Get It Done Act”—covers a variety of topics. Here’s what is inside:
Urban boundary changes
The ‘Get It Done Act’ puts some of the government’s previously reversed urban boundary changes back into place.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Back in October, the Progressive Conservatives reversed plans to change the urban boundaries of multiple Ontario municipalities. Housing Minister Paul Calandra said at the time that decisions had not been made “in a manner that maintains and reinforces public trust.”
In the ‘Get It Done Act,’ a large number of those changes have been reinstated.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Calandra said the decisions were made after consultations with the affected municipalities.
“They have made the decisions as to what parts they want to retain and what parts they aren’t happy with.”
Carbon tax referendums
If passed, the bill will give Ontarians a direct say over whether the province adopts a carbon pricing program. A vote of more than 50 per cent would be needed for a government to move forward with any change—although it makes clear this would not apply to other greenhouse gas emission policies.
The ‘Get It Done Act’ will amend the Elections Act to include a process for an issues-based referendum.
Ban on tolls
The ‘Get It Done Act’ prohibits new tolling of provincial roadways, including the uploaded Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway in Toronto.
It does not change any tolls already in place under other legislation, including the fees for Highway 407 East.
Automatic licence and photo card renewal
A freeze on driver's licence and photo card fees has been made permanent.
The government also plans on making the renewal of licence plates automatic for drivers “in good standing.” This comes after the Ford government eliminated all fees associated with the annual registration of licence plates.
Streamline environmental assessments
Few details have been released so far about this part of the bill. The legislation makes it clear that property needed for building can be acquired through purchase, lease or expropriation. It also mentions streamlining the environmental assessment process on lower-risk projects, which the government says includes the Hazel McCallion Light Rail Transit line extension, as well as Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6903244.1716897063!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Scotiabank suffers direct deposit outage on pay day
Scotiabank has acknowledged technical difficulties affecting direct deposits as clients report missed payments Friday morning. On Friday morning, the bank's client services phone line was playing an automated message assuring customers that work was underway to rectify the outage.
BREAKING Canada Soccer head investigating 'systemic ethical shortcoming' amid spying scandal
Canada Soccer chief executive officer Kevin Blue said he was investigating a potential 'systemic ethical shortcoming' within the program but has not considered pulling the women's soccer team from the Paris Olympics due to a drone spying scandal.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.
Paris Olympics begin with unique opening ceremony along the Seine
The Paris Summer Olympics officially get underway today with a unique opening ceremony. Instead of marching into a stadium, representatives from more than 200 competing countries will enter the Games on boats along the River Seine.
'Catastrophic' situation 'cannot continue': Open letter from Trudeau, other PMs calling for Gaza ceasefire
Prime ministers of Canada, New Zealand and Australia released a letter renewing calls for an “urgent ceasefire” in Gaza on Friday morning.
Arson attacks cause travel chaos before start of Olympics in Paris, thwarting athletes' travel
Arsonists attacked the French high-speed rail network early Friday, paralyzing travel to Paris from across the rest of France and Europe for some 800,000 people, including Olympic athletes heading to the grand opening ceremony of the Games in the evening.
Latest updates on wildfires in Jasper National Park: Rain, cooler weather limiting spread
Cool and wet weather is making a difference in Jasper National Park.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sunken treasure: Is the champagne nestled in a 19th-century shipwreck still fit for a toast?
A team of Polish divers has discovered the wreckage of an old sailing ship loaded “to the brim” with luxury goods including porcelain items and about 100 bottles of Champagne and mineral water about 58 meters (190 feet) deep off the Swedish coast.