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OPPI Recommendations to �Streamline the Planning Process

Ontario West Municipal Conference

Friday October 25, 2025

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About OPPI

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) is the Professional Institute and regulator of Registered Professional Planners in the Province of Ontario.
OPPI has over 5,000 members who work across the planning spectrum; for consulting firms, provincial and municipal approval bodies, private developers, community agencies, and academic institutions.
OPPI was created in 1994 through private legislation, Ontario Professional Planners Institute Act, and has the mandate to:

Grant the Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation;
Govern the rights and responsibilities of its members; and
Set academic, experience and examination requirements for membership.

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Registered Professional Planners (RPPs) go through a rigorous process to obtain their designation through a third-party certification body (Professional Standards Board) and are subject to the Professional Code of Practice with a complaints and discipline process for professional negligence.

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There is a planning system in place in Ontario…

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Significant Legislative Changes

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Bill 108

More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019

Bill 109

More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022

Bill 3

Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022

Bill 23

More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

Bill 150

Planning Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023

Bill 185

Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024

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Significant Legislative Changes

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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A bit about the Provincial Planning Statement:

A strong PPS is crucial to ensure consistent implementation of planning across the province.

Provides consolidated and concise planning policy
Provides broad direction for land use planning in Ontario
Policies for growth, resource use, environmental protection as well as public health and safety
Streamlined approach to achieve provincial priorities and housing / development targets

A Place to Grow (2020)

Provincial Policy Statement (2020)

Provincial Planning Statement (2024)

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OPPI acknowledges that changes are necessary to create a responsive and effective system…but there are bigger issues that need solutions

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Major Areas of Improvement

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Theme #1

Timely & Focused Development Approvals

Theme #2

Promoting Flexible Policies

Theme #3

Improving Data & Transparency

Theme #4

Oversight & Consistency

Theme #5

Capacity Building

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Theme #1: �Timely & Focused Development Approvals

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Mandatory delegation of technical planning approvals

1.

Growth & Infrastructure Management

2.

Community Planning Permit System

3.

Concurrent Applications

4.

Stability in the Planning System

5.

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Theme #2: �Promoting Flexible Policies

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Forward-Thinking, Flexible Official Plans

1.

As-of-Right Zoning in Strategic Growth Areas

2.

Theme #3: �Improving Data & Transparency

Central Provincial Repository

1.

Minimize Burden on Municipalities

2.

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Theme #4: �Oversight & Consistency

Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Chief Planner of Ontario

1.

Chief Planner of Ontario as an independent non-political officer responsible for providing oversight of Ontario’s planning system.

Theme #5: �Capacity Building

Shortage of Planners

1.

Training on Policy Changes

2.

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So what is next?

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Informing Choices. Inspiring Communities.

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Who really knows…but we do know that

Ambitious targets timelines are challenged by professional capacity
Policies and guidelines must be responsiveness to the local conditions / context
Consultation must be right sized and done at the “appropriate” time relative to decision making
Implementation must be guided by a reconsideration of supporting guidelines
Partnerships are critical and necessary
Monitoring, management and oversight will help with responsiveness, efficacy and efficiency

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For more information

Claire Basinski, MCIP, RPP, CP3

Chair

chair@ontarioplanners.ca

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Rural Ontario Institute - Rural Housing Information System

Western Ontario Wardens Caucus Conference

October 25, 2024

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Kezia Cowtan

Housing Project Manager

Yogesh Mandel

GIS Technician

Zviko Gwekwerere

RHIS Northern Coordinator

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ROI envisions thriving vibrant communities

in rural and northern Ontario.

The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) is a charitable not-for-profit.

Our mission is “Building Vision, Voice and Leadership.”

We do this by offering leadership programs, providing leaders with data and analysis to make informed decisions, and by connecting leaders so they can share innovative practices around opportunities and challenges.

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www.ruralontariohousing.ca

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The Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus worked together with the Rural Ontario Institute as the Project Manager and tech firm, Itergy who were awarded $1.2M from CMHC’s Housing Supply Challenge to develop a data solution to support affordable housing in rural communities.

Funded by:

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In 2023, ROI scaled the data solution to rural Western Ontario with our partner leads from South Central Ontario Region Economic Development Corporation (SCOR) and the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC). Through continued support from CMHC and new funds from OMAFRA - RED program.

Funded by:

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The system now features 366 Municipalities which includes the newly added 145 Northern Ontario Municipalities - by working in partnership with the Northern Policy Institute - NPI, the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association - NOMA, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities - FONOM and FedNor.

Funded by:

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360+ Rural and Northern Ontario Featured Municipalities

www.ruralontariohousing.ca

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Demographics

Population
Age
Household make-up
Number of people on the

by name priority list

Economics

Labourforce
Industries
Income
Unemployment

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Housing Market

% of Households living in unaffordable
House values
Asking rental prices

Housing Supply

% of Households in core housing need
Affordable housing stock
Housing stock
Permit data

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Zoning

Residential Zoning Types and permissible builds
Zoning by-laws
Interactive Zoning Map

Community Comparison

Brings all data points and available locations on the RHIS into one easy table.

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CASE EXAMPLES

REQUESTS

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ROMP

The Rural Ontario Medical Program (ROMP) coordinates medical rotations for future physicians from the six medical universities in Ontario. Located in South-Central Ontario, their mission is to alleviate the burden on communities caused by the nation-wide physician distribution problem and create learning opportunities outside the academic centres and into communities.

Use Case

The Rural Ontario Medical Program has been able to leverage the RHIS as a tool to show the true cost of living in rural Ontario. This is what helps them to advocate for higher living stipends for doctors who are sent to work in rural Ontario.

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Simcoe County

The County of Simcoe is comprised of sixteen towns and townships. It has an estimated population of 530,000 people and is the second largest County based upon population and third largest based upon physical size in Ontario.

Use Case

Simcoe County has been able to use the RHIS as a data source for their Rental Market Aggregator Dashboard tool. The tool is designed to provide real-time insights into the rental market across all communities in the region. This dashboard will allow residents across Simcoe County to discover meaningful trends in the rental market to best inform themselves when making critical housing decisions.

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Grey County

Grey County is the fourth largest county in Ontario, and is home to more than 96 thousand residents. The County is made up of 9 local municipalities including City of Owen Sound, Municipality of Grey Highlands, Municipality of Meaford, Municipality of West Grey, Town of Hanover, Town of The Blue Mountains, Township of Chatsworth, Township of Georgian Bluffs and the Township of Southgate.

Request

Grey County Senior Planner greatly appreciates the data available in the RHIS and wants to ensure it will be available for the years to come. They are also requesting if we could improve the site to include the data to complete the Housing Needs Assessment. They are asking Council for funding to support this work and Grey would like to see the RHIS data architecture improved to benefit all other municipalities in completing the HNA.

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Thank you

Connect with us!

Kezia Cowtan, Housing Project Manager

kcowtan@ruralontarioinstitute.ca

We look forward to continuing to support the centralised housing data needs for the region and improving our data to meet the needs of municipalities completing the HNA.

www.ruralontariohousing.ca

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Housing: Enhancing Resources �and Streamlining Processes��Bruce County �Community Development Office��Ontario West Municipal Conference

October 25, 2024

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**apartment and townhouse units

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KPMG Report Highlights

Demographic changes

Employment trends influencing housing demand

Lack of housing options

Affordability of housing

Maintenance of existing housing stock

Gap in housing supply

Location and lack of services

High cost of utilities

Started in 2022 and published in 2023 to form basis for undertaking the development of a new housing and homelessness plan – KPMG did an assessment of the state of housing in Bruce County based on 2016-2021 census data.

Increase of seniors and in-migration

Pressures on housing due to large sectors paying high wage. Increasingly we are seeing employers (esp. retail and service industry) needing to arrange housing for staff.

82% of our dwelling stock are single detached homes

Value of dwellings across the County increased 76% between 2016 & 2021. Higher than the provincial growth of 59% over the same period.

In 2021 - 45% of renters spent more than 30% of income on housing; 18% of renters spent over 50% on housing

Population grew by 8% between 2016 and 2021. Housing stock only grew by 4%

Seen incomes rise across the County – but not in same proportions as housing costs.

Demographic Changes - Bruce County’s aging population continues to highlight the importance of accessible housing units. There is a noteworthy influx of working age group and younger age brackets in the County.

Influence of Employment Trends - Bruce Power initiatives are a major driver in regional employment growth, which influences housing demand in the County.

Lack of Housing Options - There is a lack of diversity in housing options in the County, with 83% of dwellings being single-detached houses.

Affordability of Housing Units - Housing in Bruce County, particularly along the lakeshore, has become increasingly unaffordable, not only for low-income individuals and families, but among middle income earners as well. 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing and 18% of renters spend over 50% of their income on housing.

Value of dwellings across the County increased by 76% between 2016 and 2021. In Bruce County, the affordable housing thresholds for 2020 are rents below $1,014 and ownership costs below $346,600. The average monthly dwelling costs in 2020 were $1,081 for rental and $1,251 for ownership.

Maintaining Existing Stocks - 30% of Bruce County’s dwellings were constructed before 1960, which may highlight a need for capital commitment, including for the community housing portfolio owned by the Bruce County Housing Corporation.

Gap in Housing Supply - Bruce County’s population has grown 8.5% since 2016 and is expected to reach 86,000 by 2046. Bruce County’s dwelling supply (40,814 in 2021) has only grown 4% since 2016. This imbalance in growth could be addressed with a focus on increasing supply with higher density housing and appropriate land development in key areas to support complete communities.

Location and Lack of Services - Transportation is a barrier for lower income individuals and families seeking to find and maintain affordable housing while sustaining their employment. Affordable housing is available in outlying areas where access to employment, services, and support can be limited.

Cost of Utilities - Utility costs are not an identified top housing issue in Bruce County. Low Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP), and the Housing Stability Fund (HSF) are available to lower income individuals and families to assist with the cost of their electricity bill and/or arrears.

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Claire Dodds, Commissioner,

Community Development Office

Bruce County

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE CONTACT

cldodds@brucecounty.on.ca

housingconcierge@brucecounty.on.ca