Key provisions of the Homeowner Protection Act come into force, amending new-home builder licensing rules

Sections 1 through 5 of Schedule 1 of the Homeowner Protection Act, 2024 have been proclaimed into force, meaning they now have legal effect. These provisions amend the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017, which…

Specific provision of COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act affecting Capital Investment Plan Act takes effect January 2027

A previously dormant section of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 is now being switched on by government order. Proclamation means the provision moves from "passed but not yet active" to legally in force — it n…

A specific section of Ontario's COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act affecting housing services takes effect January 1, 2027

Schedule 6, section 56 of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020 has now been formally activated by Order in Council, meaning it becomes legally operative law. This provision amends or affects the Housing Services A…

Specific Environmental Assessment Act amendments take effect on January 1, 2027

A set of amendments to the Environmental Assessment Act, originally passed as part of Ontario's COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, are now officially in force following a government proclamation order. Proclamation…

Two provisions of the New Deal for Toronto Act affecting Ontario Place redevelopment take legal effect January 1, 2027

Proclamation means specific provisions of a law that were passed but held in reserve are now officially activated and enforceable. The two provisions brought into force here are part of Schedule 2 of the New Deal for…

New condo owner protection rules take effect: specific Condominium Act amendments now have a force date

A set of provisions from the Protecting Condominium Owners Act, 2015 that amend the Condominium Act, 1998 have been officially proclaimed into force by Order in Council. Proclamation means these sections, which were p…

Ontario brings new residential tenancy rules into force under Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

Specific provisions of Ontario's Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 that amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 have now been officially proclaimed — meaning they become legally binding law on the stated co…

Specific rental-housing provisions of the 2023 Homebuyers/Tenants Act are now active

Sections 3 and 5 of Schedule 7 of the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 have been proclaimed into force, meaning these particular amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 are now legally operat…

Specific residential tenancy rule changes from Ontario's 2025 building-speed law will take effect in September 2026

A set of provisions from Schedule 12 of the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 that amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 have been officially proclaimed and will come into force on a fixed future date. Pr…

Two provisions of the 2023 Homebuyers/Tenants Act affecting residential tenancy law are now in force

Specific sections of the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 — Schedule 7, section 4 and section 11(2) — have been officially proclaimed into force, meaning they are now active law. Proclamation is the st…

Ontario building code updated with a new round of provincial amendments to the 2020 National Building Code

Ontario has adopted a revised set of provincial amendments to the National Building Code of Canada 2020. The amendment document referenced in the regulation has been updated to a newer dated version, replacing the pre…

New rule sets 60-day window for tenants to file bad-faith eviction claims after landlord moves in

A new regulation sets the time limit within which a tenant can make a claim under the Residential Tenancies Act after being evicted so a landlord, purchaser, or their family member can occupy the unit. If the tenant l…

Ontario adds new eviction-delay, persistent-nonpayment and co-op housing rules to the Residential Tenancies regulation

Several new rules are being added to the general regulation under the Residential Tenancies Act, all scheduled to take effect in September 2026. First, 'persistent failure to pay rent' is now defined: missing rent by…

Ontario stormwater registry rules updated to cover spill containment works and underdrain systems at power generation sites

A set of amendments scheduled to take effect September 1, 2026 expand Ontario's self-registration framework for stormwater management works to formally recognize two new types of works: spill containment works (design…

Condo Tribunal gains jurisdiction over meeting-requisition disputes and gets a $50,000 damages cap

Upcoming amendments expand the Condominium Authority Tribunal's jurisdiction to cover disputes about the process of requisitioning or calling owner meetings — including notice requirements, preliminary notices, materi…

Ontario condo rules updated with detailed owner requisition process and new voting rules for non-leased units

This amendment adds detailed rules for how condo owners can formally requisition (request) a meeting of owners, including required form content, delivery methods, board response timelines, withdrawal procedures, and h…

Selected Crown Forest Sustainability Act amendments now legally in force

Two specific provisions of the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025 — Schedule 2, sections 4 and 6(2) — have been proclaimed into force by Order in Council. Proclamation means these amendments to the Crown Fo…

Niagara Escarpment development permit exemptions comprehensively rewritten with new definitions and expanded permitted activities

The list of development activities that do not require a development permit in the Niagara Escarpment Development Control Area has been substantially restructured and expanded from roughly 41 items to 67. New defined…

New consumer credit report rights take effect: key provisions of Ontario's 2018 access law now active

Sections of Ontario's Access to Consumer Credit Reports and Elevator Availability Act that amend the Consumer Reporting Act are now coming into force. These provisions cover consumers' rights to access their credit re…

Selected tenancy-law amendments from Ontario's 2025 building legislation now have a confirmed start date

Three specific sections of Schedule 12 of the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 — which amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 — have been officially proclaimed and will come into force on a set date by Or…

A specific amendment to Ontario's Planning Act takes legal effect, triggering new planning rules

Proclamation means the government has officially 'turned on' a provision that was passed by the legislature but not yet active. Schedule 7, section 9 of the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure A…

Metrolinx Act amendments from Ontario's 2026 housing and transit law take effect July 1

Specific provisions of the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026 that amend the Metrolinx Act, 2006 are now legally in force following a formal proclamation. Proclamation means the gover…

New parcel of land added to Niagara Escarpment Area of Development Control

A third parcel of land has been formally added to the designated Area of Development Control under the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. The new area is described in a plan called the "Plan of the Bound…

Ministry notice rules for subdivision approvals updated: electronic filing added, certified-copy requirement dropped

Three types of notices that approval authorities must send to the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing — notices of new applications, decisions on applications, and changes to draft-approval conditions…

Consent application notices to the Ministry no longer need certified copies, and can now be sent via a government website

Three practical changes apply to consent applications under the Planning Act. First, notices and records sent to the Ministry's regional director no longer need to be "certified copies" — plain copies are now sufficie…

Key sections of the Halton/Burlington planning regulation will be revoked and converted into a deemed City of Burlington zoning by-law

A future amendment revokes sections 1 to 39 of this provincial planning regulation and replaces them with a provision that deems the substantive zoning sections (sections 1, 2, and 14 to 39) to have always been a by-l…

Provincial zoning regulation for former Halton County lands to be converted into municipal by-laws

A provincial regulation that has governed land use and zoning for parts of what are now the Towns of Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills, and the City of Mississauga will be wound down. The bulk of the regulation's pro…

Markham zoning regulation converts to a city by-law and is then revoked on July 1, 2026

A future amendment will transform the bulk of this provincial regulation — specifically sections 1 to 88 and most of the associated Schedules — into a deemed zoning by-law of the City of Markham, as if the city counci…

New rules set out what owners must submit when proposing parkland conveyance, and how municipalities must refuse one

When a landowner proposes a specific parcel to satisfy a parkland dedication requirement, they must now provide a licensed survey, disclose easements and below-grade infrastructure, and confirm whether the land meets…

Ontario photo card rules updated as part of Get It Done Act provisions taking effect

A specific section of the Get It Done Act, 2024 that amends the Photo Card Act, 2008 has been formally proclaimed into force by the Ontario government. Proclamation means these changes now have legal effect — they mov…

A new parcel of Niagara Escarpment land is being added to the development control area

A third area of land is being added to the designated areas of development control under the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. This addition is described in a new plan filed with the Office of the Surve…

Caledon Official Plan Amendment added to list of changes that require provincial approval

A new subsection has been added to the regulation removing the automatic exemption from provincial approval for a specific Town of Caledon Official Plan amendment (file number POPA 2026-0006). This means that amendmen…

Ontario creates provincial top-up rebate for residential property buyers and builders on new homes

Ontario has introduced a new rebate program that provides provincial payments to people who have already received a federal HST new-housing rebate on a residential property. Eligible recipients include purchasers of n…

Several Ottawa residential properties added to list of exempt social-housing transfers

The regulation has been updated to add a new entry that permits a specific transfer of residential properties on Craig Henry Drive and Greynam Court in Ottawa. The transfer moves interests in these properties — along…

Water and wastewater public corporation rules now in force in Ontario

Specific sections of Ontario's Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026 dealing with water and wastewater public corporations have been officially activated by government order. Proclamatio…

Ontario brings new water and wastewater public corporations rules into effect

Sections 1 through 21 of Schedule 16 of the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 are now legally operative, meaning the framework they establish under the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025 carri…

Landlord-Tenant Board review requests now limited to specific qualifying grounds

A new regulation sets out the only circumstances under which the Landlord and Tenant Board must consider reviewing one of its own decisions or orders when a person requests it. A review request will only be accepted i…

Ontario Place zoning order updated: Block 3 expanded with new Theatre Parcel and East Plaza zones, bridges and uses added

The zoning order for Ontario Place has been significantly amended to expand and redefine Block 3, splitting it into two distinct sub-areas: the Theatre Parcel (where a building footprint of up to 15,250 sq m and a max…

Parking exemption for long-term care facility in Port Hope zoning order has been revoked

The provision that waived the minimum parking requirement for a long-term care facility on this site has been formally revoked and removed from the regulation. All other site-specific zoning rules remain in place: acc…

Ontario seizes control of Billy Bishop Airport lands from City of Toronto and bans further city dealings

Ontario has enacted a new law that allows the provincial Crown to take ownership of specified Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport lands and all buildings, structures, fixtures and improvements on those lands currently o…

Metrolinx can request voluntary Building Code assessments and inspections for provincial transit projects

A new section (not yet in force) allows Metrolinx (the Corporation) to voluntarily notify a municipality's chief building official when it plans to construct or demolish a building as part of a provincial transit proj…

Toronto's code-of-conduct and accountability rules for councillors overhauled, green-roof and zoning provisions repealed

Several significant changes have been made to the City of Toronto Act. The City's power to require buildings to meet environmental or green-roof construction standards under its own by-laws (section 108.1) has been re…

Non-profit retirement homes are now exempt from municipal development charges in Ontario

A new exemption removes development charges for retirement home projects developed by provincially or federally incorporated non-profit corporations in good standing. Any development charge that became payable before…

Ontario removes two regulation-making powers under Building Code Act and clarifies that municipal environmental bylaws can coexist with the Building Code

Two previously existing regulation-making powers have been repealed: the authority to prescribe specific building code provisions and conditions/limits for the purposes of related municipal-act sections no longer exis…

Ontario Planning Act overhauled: standardized official plan structure, new EV and parking rules, expanded County of Simcoe planning changes

Ontario's Planning Act has been significantly amended by the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026. The most sweeping change (not yet in force) requires all Ontario municipalities and pl…

Upcoming wording fix to how Bail Act liens bind registered land — not yet in force

A future amendment (not yet active) will update the language describing when a certificate of lien under the Bail Act can bind registered land. The current text refers broadly to 'any certificate of lien under the Bai…

Protection corridor maps updated for SickKids and St. Michael's Hospital heliport flight paths

The zoning order that restricts building heights near two Toronto hospital heliports has been updated to reference new official corridor maps. The map numbers defining the protected air corridors for The Hospital for…

New regulation names specific federal drug offence as trigger for Ontario's illegal drug premises law

A new Ontario regulation identifies one specific federal offence — contravening the provision of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that relates to certain drug-related activity — as a "prescribed offence" under…

Ontario school boards' capital funding eligibility list updated to January 2026 version

The regulation now references a January 31, 2026 version of the eligibility list that determines which school board capital projects qualify for funding under the Capital Priorities, Land Priorities, Child Care Capita…

Ontario adds a new retail-sales-tax rebate program for residential property purchases, capped at $50,000

The Act now includes a new rebate stream (section 51.2) that lets the Minister create regulations providing credits or payments to buyers in respect of the federal component of HST paid on residential property. Each r…

Municipalities can now opt out of the small-population rule for resort condominium property tax classification

A provision that had been revoked is replaced with a new rule allowing single-tier or upper-tier municipal councils to pass a by-law waiving the requirement that a resort condominium unit be located in a municipality…

County of Oxford and Township of Norwich authorized to grant development-charge relief to VDK Development Inc.

The regulation has been expanded to allow the County of Oxford and the Township of Norwich to grant assistance to VDK Development Inc. in the form of full or partial exemptions from development charges imposed under t…

Critical habitat of the endangered Channel Darter (Lake Erie populations) now legally protected under federal species-at-risk law

A new federal order activates the legal prohibition on destroying or damaging the critical habitat of the Channel Darter (Lake Erie populations), an endangered fish species. The protected critical habitat is defined i…

Federal order activates legal protection for Channel Darter critical habitat in Lake Ontario

A new federal order brings the critical habitat of the Channel Darter (Lake Ontario populations) — an endangered fish species — under the active prohibition regime of the Species at Risk Act. The practical effect is t…

Future-dated amendment notes removed as changes from O. Reg. 123/26 are now in force

The regulation governing occupation of public lands has been updated to incorporate changes that were previously flagged as upcoming amendments taking effect in May 2026. Those future-dated notes have been removed and…

Ontario updates public lands work permit rules: new definitions, registration system, artifact/remains duties, and geotechnical exemption

Ontario has consolidated a series of previously announced amendments to the public lands work permit regulation into the main text. Key practical changes include: the definition of 'shore lands' is now based on the hi…

Ontario renewable energy approvals rules updated: Indigenous terminology, qualified-person assessments, and new biogas exemption

This amendment makes several practical changes to the rules governing Renewable Energy Approvals under the Environmental Protection Act. All references to 'aboriginal communities' have been replaced with 'Indigenous c…

Ontario building code updated to reference revised April 21, 2026 Ontario Amendments document

Ontario's building code regulation now points to a revised version of the "Ontario Amendments to the National Building Code of Canada 2020" dated April 21, 2026, replacing the previous April 1, 2026 dated document. Th…

New law removes bus-parking obligation on Toronto's Block 18C and shields government from related lawsuits

A new Ontario statute eliminates the requirement under a City of Toronto by-law that bus parking be provided on Block 18C, a parcel of land in downtown Toronto near the former SkyDome. The law also bars virtually all…

Status Indians now excluded from Ontario's 'foreign national' definition for land transfer tax purposes

The definition of 'foreign national' in Ontario's Land Transfer Tax Act has been updated to explicitly exclude persons registered as Indians under the federal Indian Act. Previously, the definition tracked the federal…

Metrolinx must follow new notice and consultation steps before ordering access to municipal roads and rights of way

Metrolinx now has explicit procedural obligations before it can issue an order requiring access to, or alteration of, a municipal highway or right of way. Before issuing such an order, Metrolinx must make good-faith e…

Kelowna added to short-term rental principal-residence zone; annual reporting deadline and review-period rules adjusted

Two sets of changes are being made to B.C.'s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Regulation on different dates. First, the City of Kelowna is moved from Schedule 2 (exempt municipalities) into Schedule 1, meaning short-t…

New regulation sets design, maintenance, training and record-keeping rules for all elevating work platforms on Ontario construction projects

Ontario has introduced a standalone regulation governing elevating work platforms (EWPs) — including mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), mast climbing work platforms and vehicle-mounted aerial devices — on all co…

Respirator approval rules for designated substances expanded to recognize CSA Group certification

Starting mid-2026, respirators used under Ontario's Designated Substances regulation will be accepted if approved by NIOSH, by the CSA Group (a newly recognized certifier), or by another agency whose protection is jud…

Asbestos rules to accept CSA-certified respirators alongside NIOSH-approved ones starting mid-2026

Amendments scheduled to take effect add the CSA Group (CSA) as an accepted respirator certification body alongside the existing NIOSH standard for asbestos work on construction projects and in buildings. Workers and e…

Hard hats must meet side-impact standards and section 22 rules tightened; several elevating work platform sections to be revoked

Two sets of future changes have been added to Ontario's construction regulation. First, hard-hat requirements are being upgraded: workers who may be exposed to side-impact hazards will need headwear that meets the Typ…

Respirator approval rules updated to recognize CSA Group certification alongside NIOSH

Starting mid-2026, respirators provided to workers can be approved by the CSA Group (CSA) as an alternative to NIOSH approval, not just by NIOSH or a qualified-opinion-backed third party. The amendment adds CSA as a r…

Fence-viewer rules for unorganized territory updated: ministry name references removed, notice delivery simplified

This regulation, which governs how boundary fence disputes are resolved on land in territory without municipal organization, has been amended in several housekeeping ways. The definition of 'Minister' has been removed…

Steel surtax remission expanded: more product types added and in-transit window extended to late December 2025

The federal remission order that waives the steel import surtax for qualifying goods has been updated in two ways. First, the in-transit relief window has been extended: goods that were in transit after August 1, 2025…

B.C. residential tenancy rules updated for public housing bodies, supportive housing, and standard tenancy agreements

Several changes have been made to the Residential Tenancy Regulation affecting landlords and tenants in public and non-profit housing, supportive housing, and standard residential tenancies. A new definition of 'speci…

Federal government remits permanent residence application fees for certain out-of-status construction workers and pandemic healthcare workers

This new federal order grants a refund (or waiver) of the processing fees for permanent resident applications made on humanitarian and compassionate grounds by two specific groups: out-of-status construction workers i…

Canada's Budget 2025 Implementation Act No. 1 is now law, touching tax, housing, banking, transport and more

The federal government has enacted a wide-ranging budget implementation statute that makes changes across dozens of areas of federal law. Key practical effects include: repealing the Digital Services Tax (with refunds…

Building Canada Act registry must now cover a fifth project outcome, and Schedule 2 gains a new regulatory entry

Two practical changes appear in this amendment. First, the public project registry that the Minister must maintain now has to disclose how each national interest project is expected to meet a fifth category of outcome…

Canada Infrastructure Bank's capital ceiling raised from $35 billion to $45 billion

The maximum amount the federal government can pay to the Canada Infrastructure Bank from the Consolidated Revenue Fund has been increased from $35 billion to $45 billion in aggregate. This change expands the Bank's po…

Canada creates a new high-speed rail authority with streamlined expropriation and land-control powers

A new federal law establishes the legal framework for a high-speed passenger rail network between Quebec City and Windsor, operated through VIA HFR - VIA TGF Inc., a subsidiary of VIA Rail Canada. The Act gives the Co…

Underused Housing Tax effectively ended: no tax owed and no returns required from 2025 onward

Two new provisions have been added to the Underused Housing Tax Act that together shut down the tax going forward. First, no tax is payable under the Act for 2025 or any later calendar year. Second, owners of resident…

Mortgage administrators, brokers and lenders now trigger client identity verification at first transaction, matching real estate rules

The regulations now require mortgage administrators, mortgage brokers, and mortgage lenders to verify a client's identity the very first time that obligation arises — the same standard that already applied to real est…

Co-op housing corporations carved out of purpose-built rental GST/HST rebates unless equity-transfer rules are met

Amendments to Canada's Real Property (GST/HST) Regulations introduce the concept of an "excluded equity housing supply," which blocks certain co-operative housing transactions from qualifying for the enhanced GST/HST…

Bridge To Strengthen Trade Act officially added to the International Bridges and Tunnels Act schedule

A previously pending amendment to the International Bridges and Tunnels Act has now come into force. The schedule of that Act — which lists the bridges and tunnels subject to federal oversight — has been updated to fo…

Gordie Howe International Bridge officially added to the federal list of regulated international crossings

The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan, has been formally added to the schedule of international bridges and tunnels subject to federal oversight under the International…

B.C. rewrites fee rules for renewable energy project permits, adding tiered costs based on project size

The Renewable Energy Projects Regulation has been amended to replace its entire fees-and-security section with a new structured framework. Permit application fees are now tiered: smaller projects (over 5 MW and under…

Federal protection now applies to Plains Minnow critical habitat in Canada

A new federal order formally activates the Species at Risk Act's prohibition on destroying critical habitat for the Plains Minnow, a threatened freshwater fish. The critical habitat is defined in the species' recovery…

B.C. broadens groundwater diversion exemptions for construction and adds new rules for riparian-area development assessments

The Water Sustainability Regulation now allows construction dewatering (pumping groundwater to keep a site dry) without a water authorization, provided daily volumes stay under 300 m³ (no professional oversight requir…

Home Owner Grant threshold lowered: eligible properties must be assessed at $2,075,000 or less

The assessed value threshold used to determine eligibility for the Home Owner Grant has been reduced from $2,175,000 to $2,075,000. Homeowners whose property is assessed above $2,075,000 will no longer qualify for the…

B.C. Energy Regulator overhauls dormancy, liability reduction, and consultation rules for oil and gas permit holders

The British Columbia Energy Regulator has amended five regulations governing dormant and former energy sites, hydrogen facilities, processing facilities, service obligations, and pipeline consultation. Key practical c…

B.C. creates comprehensive permitting and operating rules for wind and solar energy projects

The British Columbia Energy Regulator has adopted a new regulation that establishes end-to-end requirements for renewable energy projects (primarily wind and solar) that go through the streamlined provincial permittin…

Residential Tenancy Act no longer applies to rental units in licensed assisted living residences

Rental units inside assisted living residences (as defined under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act) are now exempt from the Residential Tenancy Act. This means the standard tenant protections, rent rules, and…

BC creates competitive process and capacity caps for data centres and hydrogen exporters seeking BC Hydro power

A new regulation requires that AI data centres, conventional data centres, and hydrogen-for-export facilities go through a formal competitive process run by BC Hydro (the authority) before receiving new grid connectio…

Two new land areas added to B.C. mineral claim reservation lists, blocking new mining registrations

The Chief Gold Commissioner has added two new sites to B.C.'s mineral land reserve tables, which prohibit the registration of new mineral (and in one case placer) claims on those lands. The first site, Ajax North & So…

Underused Housing Tax Regulations flagged for future repeal

An amendment has been added to the consolidated text of the Underused Housing Tax Regulations noting that a future legislative provision will repeal these regulations entirely. This repeal is not yet in force — it is…