Ontario using frequent Minister's Zoning Orders to fast-track development, auditor says
The Ontario government is employing a previously little-used land-planning tool to fast-track development and circumvent normal planning processes, the auditor general said in her annual report.
An audit by Bonnie Lysyk's office released Wednesday said the government issued 44 Minister's Zoning Orders between March 2019 and March 2021, when in the past, about one was issued per year. In 2017 and 2018, there were none.
The report said that 17 of the 44 orders were issued to the same seven development groups or companies.
MZOs were originally intended to be issued in special circumstances, but the government is using them as a tool to overcome potential barriers and delays to development, Lysyk said, and there is no set criteria the minister uses to decide when to use one.
"We still think that, given the frequency that these are happening now, that it's time to sit back and kind of say, what should be put in place so that there's real clarity for everybody that's involved around when an MZO is used," Lysyk said.
"If an MZO is used to build a long-term care home, I think people would go, 'OK, I kind of get it and understand the necessity' as long as it's clear why that decision for that particular developer was made. The other side is if, you know, somebody's building something on a wetland, you'd kind of sit back and go, 'I need more information."'
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark said it's all about tackling the housing crisis in order to create more supply, and suggested MZOs should be used even more.
"If other ministers from other governments used that tool as much as we have in our time in government, we might not have a housing supply crisis. We might not have a crisis in long-term care beds," he said.
"I think it's a very good tool that allows not-for-profit housing to be built, long-term care, job creation. This is a tool that that our government really believes in."
MZOs override local zoning bylaws if there is a conflict and can't be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, the audit noted.
The auditor pointed out that the government also recently embedded increased powers for MZOs as part of COVID-19 economic recovery legislation.
Five of the 44 MZOs were used for pandemic response, the report said, such as permitting restaurant patios and the construction of a facility manufacturing personal protective equipment.
Eighteen of them were issued on lands that were previously zoned for agricultural use or natural heritage protection, affecting an estimated 2,000 acres of farmland, the audit said.
There were 23 MZOs issued in order to increase the supply of long-term care beds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.