Today, Queen’s Park has announced a series of reforms to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). For years, residents have justifiably railed at the OMB’s role in land-planning in the province. Arguably, it systemically favours developers in the face of local land-planning decisions. It is prohibitively expensive and time consuming, and is a de facto spur to the abdication of accountability for local Councils.
Last fall, several Ottawa councillors including myself wrote to Queen’s Park in response to its consultation to urge some key reforms: the end to de novo hearings (treating each appeal as a fresh case), and the implementation of public interest funding to help residents even the playing field.
The reforms announced today accomplish both of these. It will take a few days to digest the reform package, but on an early basis I’m encouraged.
