Your guide to…

The Planning Act requires the City to

applications for amendments to the citizen member panels who regularly hold
service for the City of Toronto, available
Official Plan or Zoning Bylaws and public hearings in each of the Community
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Staff will
Plans of Subdivision, as well as for Council areas. These panels consider
help you with information about services
City-initiated Official Plan or Zoning applications for minor variances and
and programs and how to contact your City
Bylaw amendments. The responsibility consents.
for Public Meetings has been assigned to
Councillor. Service is available on line at Toronto’s City Planning
toronto.ca/311. Division manages growth
the City’s four Community Councils and, For more information
where there is city-wide significance, to • Phone within Toronto city limits: 311 and guides the evolving
You are encouraged to find out about
the Planning and Growth Management planning applications, proposals, and • Phone
outside city limits: 416-392-CITY physical form of the city.
Committee. The purpose of the Public policies by: (2489)
Meeting is to consider the staff report and City Planning works with

• participating in meetings, public forums • TTY customers: 416-338-0TTY (0889) the community and other
provide a public forum for debate on the
merits of the application. Applicants have and consultations • Email: [email protected] City divisions to set goals
the opportunity to present their proposal,
• making deputations at City committee • Fax: 416-338-0685 and policies for responsible
the public can write in or attend to make meetings development. Planning staff
their views known and Community • talking to your neighbours gather public input, work
Council has the ability to evaluate
• contacting your City Councillor with local organisations and
the application.

• contacting City planners with your groups, study issues, process
Staff and the local Councillor may also
questions, concerns, and ideas development applications,
decide to host a community consultation
meeting, which is not required under
• visiting the City Planning website –
and create plans and policies
the Planning Act. This gives the City toronto.ca/planning – to learn more about that protect and improve our
Planning staff, the Councillor and the active projects, read reports and policies, urban environment. They
local community an opportunity to and learn more about the role of the Planner. provide support and advice
go over a planning proposal with the to City Council to help
applicant and ask questions in a less ensure orderly growth and
formal setting. This brochure is just one in a series on
the City of Toronto. You can find the rest the kind of communities,
of the series online and downloadable on neighbourhoods and city
the City’s website at we want.
toronto.ca/civic-engagement/learning-material

toronto.ca

THE CITY OF TORONTO LEARNING SERIES P L A N N I N G A N D T H E C I T Y O F T O R O N T O

The Planning Process Planning in Ontario is governed by the Strategic initiatives, Policy & analysis The City’s Official Plan, a legal document
Planning Act and the City of Toronto approved by City Council and prepared
Depending on the type of application • Develops
planning policy based on
Act, 2006. The Planning Act requires in consultation with City residents, is
there are different approval processes. extensive research in land use, housing,
each municipality to have an Official a blueprint for how the City will grow
For Official Plan and/or Zoning Bylaw employment, community services and
Plan, outlines the approval processes over the coming decades. It describes the
amendment applications the City follows the environment
for land development and the minimum location for new housing, industry, parks,
the process below.
requirements for public consultation, office and retail areas, community services
and sets out appeal rights to the Ontario Urban Design and other land uses. The Official Plan also
Pre-application consultation with staff & community engagement Municipal Board. The Province also issues • Promotes
quality design for our streets, establishes policies for the built environment,
Policy Statements which provide planning parks and open spaces for improvements to the City’s hard services
Applicant submits complete application direction on issues such as the environment, • Guides
how buildings are located, (such as transit, roads, and sewers) and
the economy and housing. All of the City’s organized and shaped for the protection of the City’s natural
planning decisions must be “consistent environment. All development applications
Application circulated by staff
• Administers
and promotes heritage
with” the Provincial Policy Statements are evaluated against the Official Plan and
preservation
Preliminary report to Community Council
and must also “conform” to the Province’s the City’s zoning bylaws must reflect the
Growth Plan for the Greater Golden intent of the Plan.
Horseshoe. Transportation Planning

• Responsible for transportation planning The Planning Process and
Community consultation
The City Planning Division is organized
into four districts – Etobicoke York, initiatives, travel demand forecasting,
Response to applicant by staff
and leading district transportation studies,
the Role of the Public
North York, Toronto & East York, and With public participation, City Council
Scarborough. Work is done by staff with including Environmental Assessment work
Application revision and resubmission by applicant
and developing implementation strategies is able to make better decisions about
a focus in Community Planning; Strategic the future of Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
Initiatives, Policy & Analysis; Urban Community involvement in the decision-
Recirculation, consultation, revisions, finalization and staff report
Design; Transportation Planning; and Zoning Bylaw & making process varies depending on the
Public meeting at Community Council
Zoning Bylaw & Environmental Planning Environmental Planning type or complexity of the application,
• Responsible
for developing and any directions from City Council and the
Decision by City Council
Community Planning maintaining a comprehensive Zoning number of revisions, public meetings and

• Offers advice to Council on development Bylaw for the City and reporting on submissions that are required.
applications after consulting with members city-wide zoning issues. This section also
Opportunity for appeal to Ontario Municipal Board (OMB)
of the public and City divisions, and after formulates and implements environmental
reviewing and analyzing all parts of a policy from the perspective of the City
development project Planning Division mandate
Official Plan amendment/By-law in effect