A provincial law change that curtailed third-party groups’ ability to appeal development decisions has left environmental and ratepayer groups saying they’ve been silenced in a move that puts developer interests ahead of citizen concerns.
Ontario residents can no longer appeal development decisions at the Ontario Land Tribunal — a quasi-judicial body designed to adjudicate planning and other land disputes — after the Doug Ford government introduced legislation that removes the ability of third-parties such as ratepayer groups or environmental groups to do so.
The province says the changes to the third-party appeal rights in the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act (Bill 185), which passed in June, will “help communities get quicker planning approvals for housing projects.”
But critics say the legislation is another attack on “citizen rights” and the public’s participation in the development process and will ultimately lead to poorly planned and less safe communities across the province.
Environmental and residents groups call new provincial rules barring OLT third-party appeals an attack on ‘citizen rights’ – Toronto Star, August 6, 2024
More:
Letter to the editor, Removing right to appeal to the OLT further erodes the rights of citizens – Toronto Star, August 7, 2024
Photo: Theonlysilentbob, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
