Among other things, Bill 189, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Protection Act, 2020, passed on April 14, 2020, adds a new section 9.2 (Special rule re emergency declaration) to the Development Charges Act, 1997.
New section 9.2 adds a definition of “specified date” (which is six months after the day the emergency declared on March 17, 2020 is terminated or disallowed) and provides that:
- a development charge by-law that expired on or after March 17, 2020 and before April 14, 2020 is deemed not to have expired and shall remain in force until the earlier of the day the by-law is repealed and the “specified date”; and
- a development charge by-law that expires on or after April 14, 2020 and before the “specified date” shall remain in force until the earlier of the day the by-law is repealed and the “specified date”.
This effectively extends current development charge by-laws that would otherwise expire by a period of up to six months after the emergency is terminated or disallowed (unless a by-law is repealed earlier). Presently, the emergency is scheduled to terminate on May 12, 2020.