Summary#
Bill 162, the Get It Done Act, 2024, amends several Ontario laws and creates the Protecting Against Carbon Taxes Act, 2024. Its stated goals include speeding up infrastructure and housing, keeping costs down and protecting against a provincial carbon tax; these are goals, not guaranteed results. The bill received Royal Assent in 2024, but some provisions start only on a date set by proclamation.
- Carbon pricing: The new Act generally requires a referendum before a provincial bill or regulation can establish a carbon pricing program, or a bill can give another person or body authority to establish one. More than 50 per cent of votes cast must support the proposal. There is an exception for changes to the existing industrial emissions program, but a new program charging emissions from non-industrial activities is covered.
- Highway permits and fees: The amendments to the Highway Traffic Act set a $7.50 fee for each six-month period or part of one that a driver’s licence is valid. They also let the Ministry change some vehicle-permit details and require refusal or cancellation in circumstances to be set by regulation.
- Photo cards: The Photo Card Act, 2008 is amended to set a $3.50 fee for each six-month period or part of one that a photo card is valid. This change starts on a date set by proclamation.
- Tolls: The Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act is amended to bar tolls on highways where the Crown is the road authority, unless an Act authorizes the toll.
- Official plans: The Official Plan Adjustments Act, 2023 is amended to change provincial decisions and modifications affecting official plans in several municipalities and regions. These include changes to urban boundaries, land-use designations, growth plans and natural-area policies. The amendments are deemed to have been in force since December 6, 2023.
- Other changes: The Environmental Assessment Act is amended to clarify that acquiring property includes purchase, lease, expropriation or other means. This clarification does not itself require an acquisition or authorize a specific one.
What it means for you#
- Drivers and vehicle owners: Once the relevant Highway Traffic Act provisions start, licence holders must pay the $7.50 fee for each six-month period or part of one their licence is valid. The materials do not show how this compares with existing fees.
- Vehicle owners and commercial drivers: A vehicle-permit contravention can bring a fine of $100 to $1,000, or $250 to $2,500 if committed using a commercial motor vehicle. An expired, suspended or cancelled permit is not currently valid. For prescribed vehicle classes, the Ministry must refuse validation if prescribed requirements are not met. It may change a permit’s status or dates in prescribed circumstances, and must cancel a valid permit in prescribed circumstances. There is no appeal or right to be heard before these changes.
- Photo-card holders: Once the amendment starts, holders must pay the $3.50 fee for each six-month period or part of one their card is valid. The amendment does not state how this compares with existing fees.
- Municipalities and people affected by local planning: The province’s changes to listed official plans may affect where urban growth, employment areas, housing or development are planned. The bill does not create a general application or review process for residents.
- People taking part in a carbon-pricing referendum: Campaign organizers must register, subject to a limited exception for spending no more than $1,000 without combining funds. Campaign contributions and expenses are limited, and campaign advertising is restricted on referendum day and the preceding day, with exceptions. A referendum approving a proposal authorizes it, but does not require a later government to establish it.
- People using Crown-administered highways: A toll may be charged only if an Act authorizes it. The rule does not cover every highway; it applies where the Crown is the road authority.
Money#
The materials give some fee amounts and require referendum costs to be paid from public funds, but provide no overall cost estimate.
- Driver’s licence fee: $7.50 for each six-month period or part of one the licence is valid. The relevant provisions start on a date set by proclamation.
- Photo-card fee: $3.50 for each six-month period or part of one the card is valid. Its start date is also set by proclamation.
- Costs incurred by the Chief Electoral Officer for a referendum are payable from Ontario’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- No publicly available information on the total cost of the bill, staffing costs, or other implementation costs.
What is unclear#
- The bill leaves key vehicle-permit requirements and circumstances to regulations. It also lets regulations determine whether and how permit holders receive notice of changes.
- The supplied material does not include the proclamation dates for the driver’s licence, vehicle-permit and photo-card provisions.
- It is unclear how the new licence and photo-card fees compare with amounts payable under existing rules. The parent Acts were not supplied, so I could not verify that comparison.
- The Lieutenant Governor in Council sets the referendum question’s wording after the Chief Electoral Officer reviews a proposed question. The wording cannot be challenged in court or before a tribunal under this Act.
- The bill does not require the government to hold a referendum by a particular date. It also does not require a later government to act on a referendum result.
- The supplied material includes no fiscal estimate for referendums or the other changes. No publicly available information.
Case for#
- A referendum requirement gives voters a direct role before a new provincial carbon pricing program, or certain authority to create one, can be established.
- The bill requires a public statement of the annual revenue the government expects a proposed carbon pricing program to raise.
- Limiting tolls on Crown-administered highways may make travel costs more predictable unless the Legislature authorizes a toll.
- The planning changes set out specific provincial decisions for named municipalities and regions, rather than leaving those modifications unstated.
Case against#
- The referendum requirement could make it harder for a government to establish a carbon pricing program, while the Act does not require a referendum to be held.
- The government sets the final referendum question, and the Act bars court or tribunal review of its wording. A poorly framed question could affect how voters understand the proposal.
- A referendum result authorizes a proposal but does not require a later government to carry it out.
- The vehicle-permit rules allow changes without a hearing or appeal. Important conditions, notice rules and procedures are left to future regulations.
- The bill sets licence and photo-card fees but the supplied material does not explain their relationship to existing fees or provide a broader cost estimate.