Whereas Municipalities across this province collectively spend millions of dollars of taxpayer money and municipal resources developing Official Plans that meet current Provincial planning policy; and,
Whereas an Official Plan is developed through months of public consultation and in consideration of Provincial planning policy; and,
Whereas our Official Plan is ultimately approved by the province and the Province has the ability at the time of approval to demand any policy changes it feels is necessary to reflect Provincial Planning Policy and goals; and,
Whereas currently municipal planning decisions may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT; formerly the Ontario Municipal Board or “OMB”), an unelected, appointed body that is not accountable to the residents of Newmarket; and,
Whereas towns and cities across this Province are repeatedly forced to spend millions of dollars defending Official Plans that have already been approved by the province in expensive and time consuming OLT hearings; and,
Whereas lengthy, costly OLT hearings act as a barrier and slow the process of development of housing options including affordable housing options; and,
Therefore Be It Resolved:
- That Newmarket requests the Government of Ontario to dissolve the OLT thereby eliminating one of the most significant sources of red tape and delaying the development of more housing options including affordable housing options in Ontario OR create an adjudication process to only hear cases that challenge a municipality on the basis that it is not adhering to the local Official Plan; and,
- That a copy of this motion be sent to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leaders of the Liberal and Green Party, all MPPs in the Province of Ontario; and,
- That a copy of this motion be sent to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and Ontario Small Urban Municipalities (OSUM) and all Ontario municipalities for their consideration.