Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Hon. Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Re: Bill 17, Protecting Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025
Dear Premier Ford, Minister Flack,
This is to express our deep concern and strong opposition to Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 which propose a number of amendments to the Planning Act and the City of Toronto Act 2006.
To begin with, our overriding concern is the undue haste with which this legislation is proceeding, without scrutiny or opportunity for public input at Standing Committee. Regardless of the intent or content of the legislation this is undemocratic and wrong.
Under the proposed legislation the Province is looking to fast-track road, transit and housing construction by giving itself more control over municipal processes, by:
- Standardizing municipal development fees and requiring development charges to be paid at the end of construction — at occupancy — instead of upfront during the permitting process.
- Preventing municipalities from ordering certain studies in relation to new developments, as well as adding any construction requirements that differ from the provincial building code.
- Giving school boards more powers to bypass municipal approvals to add portables on site or plan for new buildings.
- Giving the Minister of Infrastructure the power to issue Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) in addition to the Minister of Housing, allowing the Province to override municipal decisions, and change land zoning rules to expedite development.
With regard to the proposed measures themselves, we have many concerns:
- Municipalities rely on development charges to build the needed infrastructure around new housing developments. Since the investment in hard services is required in advance of the development, it is unclear how municipalities will be able to handle the delay in development charge payments.
- Expanding the MZO approach to Ministry of Infrastructure projects which has already been used at Ontario Place, to wide opposition, is anti-democratic and problematic.
- Eliminate the ability for municipalities to factor in sun/shade, wind, urban design guidelines, and lighting plans in the decision-making process would restrict municipalities’ abilities to apply development standards that protect energy affordability, public health and climate objectives.
- In this regard we note the Toronto Atmospheric Fund’s expert and trusted opinion that municipal ‘green’ standards do not duplicate or conflict with the Ontario Building Code (OBC). They feel that the standards complement the OBC and consolidate municipal design priorities into a single streamlined document, and neither do the standards slow down housing development. In fact, Toronto’s housing starts have grown or stayed consistent nearly every year since its green standard was adopted, and the City is on track to exceed its provincially mandated housing targets.
Municipalities have a legislated responsibility to protect public health and environmental wellbeing. Restricting their ability to exercise those duties will not protect Ontario or build housing faster. The proposed changes will only reduce the quality of new housing and communities and expose Ontarian residents to greater environmental risks. We are a democratic society, and this bill would add several measures to make us otherwise.
In closing, the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods (Ontario) urges the Government of Ontario to withdraw Bill 17 in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Geoff Kettel
President
cc: Members of Provincial Parliament
Alliance for a Liveable Ontario
Toronto Atmospheric Fund