Municipalities can now notify the province electronically via a government website when giving notice of zoning by-law proceedings

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

The regulation has been updated to allow municipalities and planning boards to give notice to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing electronically through a Government of Ontario website, as an alternative to personal service, mail, fax or email. This applies to three types of notices: open house or public meeting notices, notices of the passing of a zoning by-law, and notices of the passing of an interim control by-law. The ministry name has also been corrected throughout to 'Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.' Separately, the requirement that documents included in the record forwarded to the Tribunal be 'certified' copies has been removed — plain copies are now sufficient for the by-law, refusal notices, notices of appeal, and related materials. Clerks and secretary-treasurers of planning boards should update their notice procedures to reflect the new electronic submission option and the reduced document certification requirement.

Who this affects: municipal clerks · secretary-treasurers of planning boards · municipalities passing zoning or interim control by-laws · planning boards