Bill 73 Smart Growth For Our Communities Act, 2015 proposes changes to the Planning Act and the Development Charges Act, 1997. On 5 March 2015, Bill 73 received its first reading in the Ontario Legislature. The second reading debate commenced on 21 April 2015. For an overview of the key proposed Bill 73 changes to the Planning Act, see our previous blog by clicking here.
Subsection 8(1) of the Planning Act currently allows municipalities the option to appoint a Planning Advisory Committee. One of the proposed Bill 73 changes is that these Planning Advisory Committees be mandatory, under subsection 8(1) for:
- every upper-tier municipality and
- every single-tier municipality that is not in a territorial district except for the Township of Pelee.
Bill 73 proposes, under subsection 8(2), that the Planning Advisory Committees would remain optional for:
- lower tier municipalities
- single-tier municipalities in a territorial district, and
- the Township of Pelee.
Bill 73 also proposes, under subsection 8(4) that the Planning Advisory Committee include at least one resident representative who is not an employee or Council member of the municipality.
**Correction: A previous version of Wood Bull’s comparison table of the Planning Act with the Bill 73 amendments, had contained an error with respect to subsection 8(1), referencing that every lower-tier municipality that is not in a territorial district would be required to appoint a Planning Advisory Committee. The Wood Bull comparison table has been corrected to reflect that the mandatory appointment applies to single-tier municipalities, not lower-tier municipalities. The appointment of a Planning Advisory Committee is optional for every lower-tier municipality, as set out in proposed subsection 8(2).
Wood Bull’s comparison table of the Planning Actwith the Bill 73 amendments is available here.