Provincial Planning Statement, 2024
Learn how the Provincial Planning Statement sets the rules for land use planning in Ontario.
About the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024
The Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024 is a streamlined province-wide land use planning policy framework that replaces both the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2019 while building upon housing-supportive policies from both documents. It came into effect October 20, 2024.
The PPS 2024 provides municipalities with the tools and flexibility they need to build more homes. It enables municipalities to:
- plan for and support development, and increase the housing supply across the province
- align development with infrastructure to build a strong and competitive economy that is investment-ready
- foster the long-term viability of rural areas
- protect agricultural lands, the environment, public health and safety
If you need this information in an alternative format, please contact growthplanning@ontario.ca. We will:
- acknowledge your request within 2 business days and answer emails within 15 business days
- provide you with the content within 2 business days
Consultation on proposed policy changes
We conducted three rounds of public consultations and Indigenous engagement between October 2022 and May 2024, seeking input on combining the housing-focused policies of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2019 into a simplified and more locally responsive planning document for municipalities.
The goals of the proposed changes were to address 5 priority areas:
- Generate an appropriate housing supply
- Make land available for development
- Provide infrastructure to support development
- Balance housing with resources
- Implementation
You can read the decision on the changes on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
Background
The Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024 is a consolidated statement of the government’s policies on land use planning. It gives provincial policy direction on key land use planning issues that affect communities, such as:
- building more housing where it’s needed
- making land available for development
- creating opportunities for economic development and job creation
- planning for the appropriate transportation, water, sewer and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate current and future needs
- protecting the environment and important resources including farmland, water, archaeology, cultural heritage, mineral aggregates and petroleum
- engaging with Indigenous communities to facilitate knowledge-sharing, inform decision-making in land use planning and protect Aboriginal and treaty rights
- protecting people, property and community resources by directing development away from natural or human-made hazards, such as flood prone areas
The PPS 2024 is issued under section 3 of the Planning Act, which requires that all decisions affecting planning matters shall be consistent with the minimum standards set in the Provincial Planning Statement.
Municipalities are the primary decision-makers for local communities. They implement provincial policies through municipal official plans and planning related documents such as zoning by-laws or plans of subdivision.