OFA has submitted comments to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing through the consultation process for various proposed planning reforms including, “prescribed professions” for planning studies, complete application requirements, and site plan control reforms.
OFA supports efforts to streamline Ontario’s planning system but stresses that Agricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) and Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) assessments require specialized expertise and strong municipal oversight.
OFA supports retaining AIAs and MDS studies as complete application requirements and opposes removing municipal site plan control powers, which help implement agricultural compatibility measures. OFA recommends improving efficiency through better municipal support, separate intake streams for simple and complex applications, and continued consultation with small and rural municipalities.
Overall, OFA urges the province to modernize planning processes without weakening protections for Ontario’s agricultural sector.