RESOURCE CENTRE

Major topic areas are listed alphabetically.

Census Data

• The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The 2021 Population was recorded as 36,991,981 with 16,284,234 private dwellings.

Environmental/Climate Change Resources

• Greenbelt Plan (2017)
• Lake Simcoe Protection Plan
• Protecting Lake Simcoe

Governance and Accountability

• Ontario Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
• Value-for-Money Audit: Land-Use Planning in the Greater Golden Horseshoe – Auditor General of Ontario’s Report 2021

Housing Options

• Federal election 2021: More supply won’t solve Canada’s housing affordability crisis (September 15, 2021)
• Housing is both a human right and a profitable asset, and that’s the problem (December 14, 2021)
• Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report (February 8, 2022)
• AMO’s Response to the Province’s Housing Affordability Task Force Report – Association of Municipalities Ontario (March 1, 2022)
• HOUSING AFFORDABILITY REPORT – Open Letter to Doug Ford – A Better GTA (March 1, 2022)
• Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force and Implications for Mississauga (March 2, 2022)
• Improving Housing Affordability While Protecting Local Communities: Mississauga Responds to Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Report (March 3, 2022)
• City of Mississauga – Housing Affordability Task Force Report Card (March 10, 2022)
• City of Ottawa’s Response to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Report Recommendations – March 10, 2022
• City of Toronto Review of Provincial Housing Affordability Task Force Recommendations – Report for Action, March 16, 2022
• Ontario Task Force on Housing Affordability – Response from Federation of Community Associations Ottawa – March 17, 2022
• FoNTRA Report on the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force – March 28, 2022
• FoNTRA Letter to Toronto City Council Executive Committee re: Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force – March 28, 2022
• Bill 109 – More Homes for Everyone Act 2022
• City of Toronto Agenda for the Executive Committee on March 30, 2022 – no recommendations/referred to Planning and Housing Committee
• Bill 109 – Response from Federation of Community Associations Ottawa – April 4, 2022
• City of Toronto Review of Bill 109: More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022 – presented at the Planning and Housing Committee on April 27, 2022
• Attachment 2, City of Toronto Review of Bill 109 – Legislation Amendments to the Planning Act, Development Charges Act, and City of Toronto Act, 2006
• Canada HomeShare program – a not-for-profit intergenerational housing initiative which matches older adults (55+) who have a spare room with post-secondary students seeking safe and affordable housing. Students pay $400-$600 a month for rent and contribute 5-7 hours/week of companionship and/or assistance around the home. Applications for home providers and students are available on their website

Neighbourhood Associations & Activities

Forming an Association

• How to form Community Associations – suggestions by Susan Bentley, former Secretary, F.U.N.
• Municipal Ratepayer’s Guide – A guide to assist local taxpayers by equipping them with the necessary steps for developing an organization capable of taking on city hall and doing at the local level what the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) does at the provincial and federal levels.

Funding your association & engaging residents

• Shape the future of your neighbourhood (PDF) – Kitchener’s Neighbourhood Action Plan Guide. In 2015, the City brought together a project team of residents from across the city to develop #lovemyhood – Kitchener’s first ever Neighbourhood Strategy. #lovemyhood aims to build on the great things already happening in Kitchener’s neighbourhoods by giving residents tools, programs and resources to affect positive change in neighbourhoods. One of the key deliverables from the project was to develop a framework to help residents create Neighbourhood Action Plans.
• Creating the Change We Want: A Guide for Building Neighbourhood Capacity – This publication produced by the City of Ottawa contains information that neighbourhood associations may find helpful.
• Recruiting and renewing memberships
  Terry West, President of the Don Mills Residents Inc. in Toronto discusses how they have built their 1200 member association.
• A successful fund-raiser 
  Janice Brown, past President of Durand Neighbourhood Association Inc. in Hamilton describes the Grand Durand Garden Tour. 
• F.U.N. 2011 Survey Report – A report on the results of our survey of the most important issues for Ontario residents associations.

Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA)

• The Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act has been proclaimed as of October 19, 2021. All residents associations should review their constitutions and by-laws to determine compliance with the new act and any changes that may be necessary.
  • Boards & Bylaws: Special Webinar on ONCA Changes
    • Feb. 16, 2022 (Video of Zoom Presentation hosted by the Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations (FoNTRA) and FUN, featuring Benjamin Millar from CLEO)
    • PDF of CLEO presentation
  • Understand the Law – Non-Profit Law Ontario
  • Getting Ready for the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) – Carters Barristers & Solicitors
  • Record Keeping Obligations of Ontario Charitable and Not-for-Profit Corporations – Miller Thomson LLP
  • Moving Forward with the ONCA: Understanding key provisions and practical tips – Carters Barristers & Solicitors webinar handout, Wednesday, December 8, 2021
  • The ONCA – Overview of Key Provisions and Practical Tips – Carters Barristers & Solicitors webinar for Federation of Citizens Association (FCA), January 19, 2022
  • How to prepare for the ONCA: An overview for community Associations – Judith Shane, LAC & Associates Consulting

Residents’ Association Activities

• A Brief Guide to Organizing a Candidates Debate by Judith Shane, Hampton Iona Community Group (March 2018, PDF)
• Smart Growth Toolkit – This report suggests opportunities and tools for public engagement in the planning process. It is the outcome of a workshop session with ratepayers groups, NGOs, and municipal leaders.
• Urban planning – Guidelines and recommendations for Applicants or Opponents for minor variances/severances – Guildwood Village Community Association (May 2018, PDF)
• You and the OMB
  Tips on appearing before the OMB by William Roberts, OMB lawyer

Ontario Planning Policies and Legislation

• The Environmental Assessment Act
• The Environmental Protection Act
• The Clean Water Act
• The Great Lakes Protection Act
• The Greenbelt Act
• The Nutrient Management Act
• The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act
• The Ontario Water Resources Act
• The Places to Grow Act
• The Planning Act
• The Provincial Policy Statement

Preservation and Historical Resources

• Heritage Conservation Districts
• Ontario Bill 108 – Text of Bill and supporting info
• Ontario Heritage Trust
• Ontario Heritage Trust – Places of Worship Inventory
• Province moves forward with implementation of Ontario Heritage Act amendments (Cassels – insight on Bill 108)

Provincial and Federal Advocacy

• Transport Action Canada

Taxation Issues

• No good reason not to raise rates on vacant homes: Professor on foreign homebuyer tax – Bloomberg interviews Thomas Davidoff, from UBC’s Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate, discussing Ottawa’s proposal to impose a federal vacant home tax.
• City Council approves an implementation plan for a tax on vacant homes in Toronto
• City mulling tax on vacant homes (CBC – Ottawa, Dec. 12, 2020)
• How the Speculation and Vacancy Tax Works (BC government)
• Vacancy taxes won’t solve Canada’s housing problems, but they can make a real difference (Globe & Mail, Dec. 8, 2020)

Transportation

• Connecting the North: A Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario
• Connecting the Southwest: A Draft Transportation Plan for Southwestern Ontario
• Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) transportation plan
• Transportation Action – Annual General Meeting, October 24, 2020

Urban Planning Resources

• The Downside to Life in a Supertall Tower: Leaks, Creaks, Breaks (New York Times, Feb. 3, 2021)
• Five Good Ideas to Build a City – In this Five Good Ideas session, Mary W. Rowe, President & CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute, and the host of CityTalkCanada, presented her five good ideas for the non-profit sector to build a city, now and in the wake of a global pandemic. (video, Dec. 3, 2020)
• Fixing the five i’s of urban planning failure – by Tobi Nussbaum, Miranda Spessot, Policy Options, Nov. 8, 2017
• Problems and Solutions – Moving Forward Transportation Forum – Metrolinx (PDF, May 11, 2012)
• Advancing the Agenda – Moving Forward Transportation Forum – Toronto Board of Trade (PDF, May 11, 2012)
• Exploring Transportation Funding Solutions for the GTA – Matti Siemiatycki, Geography and Planning, University of Toronto (PDF, May 11, 2012)