| Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing | Ministère des Affaires municipales et du Logement |
|---|---|
| Office of the Minister | Bureau du ministre |
| 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2J3 | 777, rue Bay, 17e étage Toronto ON M7A 2J3 |
| Tel.: 416 585-7000 | Tél.: 416 585-7000 |
234-2020-2680
July 8, 2020
Dear Head of Council:
The COVID-19 outbreak has touched everyone in the province, creating personal and financial hardship, and resulting in losses far greater than anyone could have imagined. We are making steady progress in the safe reopening of the province, and we acknowledge and celebrate those who went above and beyond through this crisis.
I am writing to inform you that on July 8, 2020, our government introduced the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, to help get Ontario back on track. Our proposed bill will address three critical needs Ontario faces: restarting jobs and development; strengthening communities; and creating opportunity for people.
Our government recognizes the key role that municipalities play in restarting the economy, and that their efficient functioning and economic sustainability is critical to Ontario’s future success. We are also continuing to negotiate with our federal partners to ensure communities across Ontario receive the urgent financial support they need. We know that municipalities require fair and flexible investment to protect front line services and help restart the economy.
This bill includes proposals that will enable municipal councils and local boards to meet electronically on a permanent basis and allow municipal councils to decide if they wish to have proxy voting for their members. Our government also proposes to finalize the community benefits charges framework; enhance the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s existing zoning order authority to provide more certainty when fast tracking the development of transit oriented communities; make it faster to update and harmonize the Building Code so that we can break down interprovincial trade barriers, and permanently establish the office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to help solve complex land use issues. We are also working on optimizing provincial lands and other key provincial strategic development projects that will help facilitate economic recovery efforts.
My ministry will be hosting a technical information briefing on the proposed community benefits charges framework, including proposed changes to development charges and parkland dedication, so that municipal staff can gain a better understanding of the proposal. The technical briefing will take place in the near future and invitations from the Assistant Deputy Minister of Local Government and Planning Policy Division to municipal Chief Administrative Officers, Treasurers and Chief Planners will be forthcoming.