Description of Policy:
The Province is undertaking a review of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 (PPS) to determine the need for revisions. The PPS sets out the Ontario government’s policy direction for land use planning and development and is the integrated, consolidated statement of all provincial ministries’ policies concerning land use.
The PPS is issued under the authority of Section 3 of the Planning Act and came into effect on March 1, 2005. The PPS plays a key role in Ontario’s land use planning system by providing policy direction on matters of provincial interest. It is the basis of the Province’s policy-led planning system and provides the foundation necessary to regulate the development and use of land. The PPS applies province-wide and provides the policy basis upon which provincial plans such as the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and the Greenbelt Plan are built.
The Planning Act requires that decisions on planning matters made by municipalities, the Province, the Ontario Municipal Board and other decision-makers “shall be consistent with" the PPS. This includes, for example, when municipalities develop their official plans and zoning by-laws. This standard ensures that the policies in the PPS are applied as an essential part of the land use planning decision-making process.
The PPS recognizes the complex inter-relationships among economic, environmental, cultural and social factors in land use planning, and embodies good planning principles.
The PPS includes the following major policy areas:
Building Strong Communities
The PPS provides policy direction to help build strong communities in Ontario through, for example:
the effective management and use of land to meet current and future needsWise Use and Management of Resources
the protection of employment areas and other policies to promote economic development and competitiveness
the provision of a range of housing types (including affordable housing) and densities to meet the needs of current and future residents
the availability of appropriate infrastructure, e.g., transportation systems, and sewer and water services, to accommodate projected needs
the promotion of energy efficiency and minimizing negative impacts to air quality.
The PPS protects Ontario’s natural heritage (e.g., wetlands and woodlands), water, agricultural, mineral, petroleum, mineral aggregate, cultural heritage and archaeological resources. The protection of these important resources helps to ensure Ontario’s long-term prosperity, environmental health and social well-being.
Protecting Public Health and Safety
The PPS protects people, property and community resources by directing development away from natural or human-made hazards (e.g., flood plains or contaminated lands).
The input the province receives through consultation is an important part of the PPS review. The government is interested in hearing from you on the following questions:
What policies of the current PPS are working effectively?Purpose of Policy:
Are there policies that need clarification or refinement?
Are there policies that are no longer needed?
Are there new policy areas or issues that the Province needs to provide land use planning direction on?
Is additional support material needed to help implement the PPS?
Do you have any other comments about the PPS?
The purpose of this Policy Proposal Notice is to inform the public that the Province is:
reviewing the PPS for the purpose of determining the need for revisions, in accordance with subsection 3 (10) of the Planning Act; and,This is just one opportunity for you to participate in the PPS review and help improve Ontario’s land use planning system.
seeking comments on the questions identified above.
Other Information:
The following information is available on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing web site:
Provincial Policy Statement Five Year Review: http://ontario.ca/pps.
Public Consultation:
This proposal has been posted for a 111 day public review and comment period starting May 12, 2010. If you have any questions, or would like to submit your comments, please do so by August 31, 2010 to the individual listed under "Contact".
On-line submission of comments on this proposal is not permitted.
All comments received prior to August 31, 2010 will be considered as part of the decision-making process by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing if they are submitted in writing and reference EBR Registry number 010-9766.
Please Note: All comments and submissions received will become part of the public record. You will not receive a formal response to your comment, however, relevant comments received as part of the public participation process for this proposal will be considered by the decision maker for this proposal.
Other Public Consultation Opportunities:
In addition to this EBR posting, the Ministry has developed a PPS review e-consultation web site at http://ontario.ca/pps. This web site provides further information about the review and provides the public an opportunity to comment.
Comments can be submitted electronically to: PPSReview@ontario.ca and via the Provincial Policy Statement Five Year Review page: http://ontario.ca/pps.
To submit written comments, please forward your response to:
PPS Review
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Provincial Planning Policy Branch
777 Bay St., 14th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2E5
Tel: (416) 585-6014 or 1-877-711-8208
Fax: (416) 585-6870
This is just one opportunity for you to participate in the PPS review and help improve Ontario’s land use planning system. Please check the ministry website for regular updates on other opportunities for you to participate: http://ontario.ca/mah.
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