Ontario Speeds Homes, Schools and Transit

Summary#

• Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, changes several Ontario laws to speed up housing, schools, long‑term care, and transit projects.
• It limits some municipal controls, standardizes what information cities can ask for, and gives the Province new tools to get data and set conditions on projects.

Key changes

• Long‑term care home projects no longer pay development charges.
• Cities must accept certain planning documents if signed by prescribed licensed professionals.
• Cities and school boards cannot use official plans or zoning to ban elementary or secondary schools on urban residential lots; portable classrooms face fewer approvals.
• The Province can cap minimum building setbacks on many urban residential lots (with exceptions like the Greenbelt).
• Development charge payment rules change so many home projects pay at occupancy; if different timing rules would cost more, the lower total applies.
• The Province can direct municipalities and their agencies to share data and documents for transit and other provincially funded projects.
• Transit‑oriented community deals face fewer approval steps, and the Province can register and enforce related agreements.
• Municipalities are clarified not to have authority to pass by‑laws about construction or demolition beyond the Building Code.

What it means for you#

• Homeowners and renters

  • On many urban residential streets, houses and small buildings may be allowed closer to lot lines once the Province sets the new setback percentage. This could mean more homes on a block and less space between some buildings. Greenbelt and non‑urban residential areas are excluded.
  • You may see new or expanded schools and child care in your neighbourhood, since cities cannot zone them out on urban residential land.
  • Portable classrooms can be added at schools with fewer city approvals, including in Toronto.

• Seniors and families needing care

  • Long‑term care homes will not pay development charges. This removes a major up‑front cost and may help more beds get built faster.

• Builders and developers

  • For most residential projects (not just rental), development charges are due at occupancy (earlier of occupancy permit or first occupied), not at building permit. You may be asked for financial security in prescribed cases. You can still pay early if you choose.
  • If two different timing rules for development charges would produce different totals (including interest), the lower total applies.
  • Cities can withhold building permits until required development charges are paid or properly deferred.
  • Credits can be moved across services that regulations treat as a single service.
  • Planning submissions prepared by prescribed licensed professionals must be accepted as meeting information requirements.
  • If the federal Canadian Construction Materials Centre is reviewing an innovative product, Ontario’s Building Materials Evaluation Commission will pause its own review.

• Parents, students, and school boards

  • It will be easier to place schools and child care on urban residential lots across Ontario.
  • Portable classrooms face fewer planning hurdles, which can speed up response to crowding.

• Municipalities and local boards (including Toronto)

  • You cannot use official plans or zoning to ban schools on urban residential land.
  • The Province can set what planning information you may require and will treat certain professional‑prepared materials as meeting those requirements.
  • For a period, some official plan changes need the Minister’s written approval; changes made without it after May 12, 2025 are deemed not adopted. This temporary rule will be repealed on a future date set by the Province.
  • You may be directed to share data, contracts, and other documents with the Province or its agencies to support transit and other provincially funded projects, within timelines set by the Minister.
  • Development charge revenues will change: no charges on long‑term care, later payment for many residential projects, and some process changes.
  • Your authority to pass by‑laws about construction or demolition is clarified as limited by provincial law (Building Code).

• Transit riders and neighbours near stations

  • Transit‑oriented community projects may move faster because some land deals won’t need cabinet approval, and the Province can register and enforce agreements tied to these projects.

Expenses#

Estimated fiscal impact: likely lowers municipal development charge revenue and shifts when payments arrive; provincial administration costs appear limited.

• Cities will collect no development charges for long‑term care homes; this reduces municipal revenue for growth‑related infrastructure.
• For many residential projects, charges are paid at occupancy instead of at building permit, which delays cash flow to cities.
• Allowing the lower of two charge‑timing calculations can reduce what’s ultimately paid on some projects.
• Municipalities may face added administrative work to share data and adjust planning processes; the bill does not include new provincial funding for this.
• No provincial cost figures are provided in the bill text. No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Speeds up building of homes, schools, long‑term care, and transit by cutting delays and standardizing rules across municipalities.
• Makes schools and child care easier to place in growing neighbourhoods, helping families sooner.
• Removes development charges on long‑term care to encourage faster expansion of beds and lower project costs.
• Lets builders pay development charges at a more practical time (when a building can be occupied), improving project cash flow.
• Sets a cap on setbacks to allow more housing on existing lots while keeping clear exceptions (like the Greenbelt).
• Ensures the Province can quickly get the information it needs to deliver major transit and infrastructure projects.

Opponents' View#

• Shifts power from local councils to the Province, reducing municipal control over planning, data, and how projects are conditioned.
• Cuts or delays development charge revenues, which may push cities to raise property taxes, fees, or cut services to fund growth‑related infrastructure.
• Smaller setbacks could reduce yard space, privacy, and tree cover on some urban streets.
• Accepting professional‑prepared documents as “meeting requirements” may limit municipal review and reduce quality control.
• Allowing schools by‑right on urban residential land could increase traffic and parking pressures without local mitigation.
• Fewer approval steps for transit‑oriented land deals and stronger use of provincial orders may reduce public oversight and local input.