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Implementation and interpretation
5.1 Context
Key to the success of this Plan is its effective implementation. Successful implementation will require that all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and citizens work together in a co-ordinated and collaborative way to implement the policies of this Plan and to realize its goals. The success of this Plan is dependent on a range of mechanisms being in place to implement the Plan's policies. This includes the legislative framework provided by the Places to Grow Act, 2005, and a wide range of complementary planning and fiscal tools, including instruments found in the Planning Act and the Municipal Act, 2001.
Measuring the success of this Plan will also require rigorous and consistent evaluation of its progress. One method to measure this Plan’s progress currently under development is an index that will monitor changes in the amount of land developed and the increased percentage of new development taking place within the built-up areas of the GGH.
5.2 Places to Grow Act, 2005
The Places to Grow Act, 2005 provides the legislative framework for this Plan. It gives the Lieutenant Governor in Council the authority to establish any area of land in the Province as a growth plan area and requires that the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal prepare a growth plan for all or part of that area. The growth plan area for this Plan is defined by Ontario Regulation 416/05, and is shown on Schedule 1 of this Plan.
A growth plan works in conjunction with other provincial legislation, policies, plans and regulations. Land use within the growth plan area is governed by the Planning Act and Ontario’s planning system and is also subject to the conformity requirements and conflict provisions of the Places to Grow Act, 2005. Within a growth plan area, a growth plan applies to all decisions on matters, proceedings or applications, made under the Planning Act and the Condominium Act, 1998, subject to any applicable regulations.
The Places to Grow Act, 2005 also includes processes for making and amending growth plans. This includes the requirement that the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal review each growth plan at least every 10 years after the plan comes into force. Under the Act, the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal may propose an amendment to a growth plan. When an amendment is proposed, the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will give notice and invite written submissions on the amendment. Any significant modification to the plan requires approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
5.3 Implementation Analysis
The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will work with other Ministers of the Crown, municipalities and other stakeholders on the following key pieces of further analysis, in order to implement this Plan:
- Verification and finalization of the built boundary;
- Assessment of the need for new designated greenfield areas;
- Determination of the approximate size and location of the urban growth centres;
- Sub-area assessments at a regional scale, focussing on –
- regional economic analysis and provincially significant employment areas
- further work on the proposed transportation network
- implications of projected growth for water and wastewater servicing
- identification of natural systems
- identification of prime agricultural areas, including specialty crop areas
- identification of significant mineral aggregate resources.
Implementation analysis will be undertaken by the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, in consultation with other Ministers of the Crown, municipalities, and other stakeholders. While this further analysis and assessment is being completed, all relevant policies of this Plan continue to apply.
5.4 Policies for Implementation and Interpretation
5.4.1 General implementation and interpretation
- This Plan, including context sections, policies, definitions and schedules, should be read in its etirety and all relevant policies are to be applied to each situation.
- The appendices to this Plan are provided for information purposes only.
- Terms in italics are defined in the Definitions section of this Plan. The definitions apply to these italicized terms regardless of whether the terms are singular or plural.
- In the Definitions section, sources have been cited where the definitions are the same or have the same content as the definitions provided in the policy or statute cited.
- The policies and targets of this Plan represent minimum standards. Planning authorities and decision-makers are encouraged to go beyond minimum standards established in specific policies and targets, unless doing so would conflict with any policy of this Plan, the applicable PPS, or any other provincial plan.
- Unless otherwise stated, the boundaries and lines displayed on the schedules provide general direction only and should not be read to scale.
- The built-up area, shown on Schedules 2, 4, 5, and 6, is conceptual only.
- The designated greenfield area, shown on Schedules 2, 4, 5, and 6, is conceptual. For the actual settlement area boundary, the appropriate municipal official plans should be consulted.
- Where this Plan indicates that further analysis and assessment will be carried out but the analysis has not been completed, all relevant policies of this Plan continue to apply and any policy that relies on information that will be available from further analysis should be implemented to the fullest extent possible.
- Where policies contain a list of sub-policies, the list of sub-policies is to be applied in its entirety unless otherwise specified.
- References to the responsibilities of the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal set out in this Plan should be read as the Minister, his or her assignee, his or her delegate pursuant to the Places to Grow Act, 2005, or any other member of Executive Council given responsibility for growth plans under the Places to Grow Act, 2005.
5.4.2 Co-ordination
- A co-ordinated approach will be taken both within the Government of Ontario, and in its dealings with municipalities and other related planning agencies, to implement this Plan, in particular for issues that cross municipal boundaries.
- Where planning is conducted by an upper-tier municipality, the upper-tier municipality, in consultation with the lower-tier municipalities, will –
- allocate the growth forecasts provided in Schedule 3 to the lower-tier municipalities
- identify intensification targets for lower-tier municipalities, to achieve the intensification target and density targets for urban growth centres where applicable
- identify density targets for the designated greenfield areas of the lower-tier municipalities, to achieve the density target for designated greenfield areas
- provide policy direction on matters that cross municipal boundaries.
- Where planning is not conducted by an upper-tier municipality, the affected lower-tier municipalities and the upper-tier municipality will work together to implement the matters listed in policy 5.4.2.2. The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will work with the affected municipalities as appropriate to implement these policies.
- Notwithstanding policy 5.4.2.2, if at the time this Plan comes into effect a lower-tier municipality’s population is greater than 50 percent of the population of the upper-tier municipality, the upper-tier municipality may assign some or all of its responsibilities pursuant to the policies of this Plan to the applicable lower-tier municipality, provided that applicable allocations and targets are met at the regional or county level.
- Single-tier municipalities in the outer ring and adjacent municipalities should ensure a co-ordinated approach to implement the policies of this Plan.
5.4.3 Monitoring and Performance Measures
- The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will develop a set of indicators to measure the implementation of the policies in this Plan.
- The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will monitor the implementation of this Plan, including reviewing performance indicators concurrent with any review of this Plan.
- Municipalities will monitor and report on the implementation of this Plan’s policies within their municipality, in accordance with guidelines developed by the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal.
5.4.4 Public Engagement
- The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will ensure ongoing consultation with the public and stakeholders on the implementation of this Plan.
- The Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal will provide information to the public and stakeholders in order to build understanding of growth management and facilitate informed involvement in the implementation of this Plan.
- Municipalities are encouraged to engage the public and stakeholders in local efforts to implement this Plan and to provide the necessary information to ensure the informed involvement of local citizens.