The provincial government's Bill 73, the Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, changes the way municipalities' fund and plan growth through the Development Charges Act and the Planning Act.
"Bill 73 provides Council with more power to make local planning decisions that align with our Livable Oakville Plan," Mayor Rob Burton said. "It strengthens the municipal powers and reduces opportunities for appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board."
The new Smart Growth for our Communities Act will:
- Allow for increased allocation of funding to transit services - amount of costs that municipalities can receive from development charges to use for transit services has increased.
- Allow for more public engagement - providing residents with more opportunity to participate and provide input during the planning design process.
- Allow certainty for planning decisions made by Council - setting a two year hold on planning decisions before any change or amendment can be made. Previously, there was no time period before changes could be made.
- Reinforce the importance of urban design - focusing on better designed spaces and better builds that contributes to a sense of place, identity and belonging within a community.
- Emphasis placed on land retention - encouraging municipalities to take land versus capital based on new parkland dedication calculation.
"Oakville has a long standing commitment to public participation," Mayor Burton said. "We're pleased that the Act now includes many public participation provisions that are already in place at the Town of Oakville."
Visit oakville.ca for more information on the Town of Oakville's planning design and process.