Approved Regulatory Proposals

  2026   2025   2024   2023   2022   2021   2020   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007   2006   2005

  All   Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec

Instrument Type:  
Amendment to Regulation 619

Speed limits
Effective Date:  December 8, 2021

Enabling species at risk habitat definitions under the Endangered Species Act, 2007  (source: Environmental Registry)

The government has made regulations that move definitions of habitat under O. Reg 242/08 made under the Ontario Endangered Species Act to a Minister's regulation. This is for administrative purposes and there are no changes to the definitions.
Effective Date:  December 9, 2021

Administrative Changes to Regulations under the Environmental Assessment Act

The administrative changes to regulations under the Environmental Assessment Act have been approved as proposed
Effective Date:  December 14, 2021

Amendment to Regulation 620/05

Designation of Bus By-Pass Shoulders on King's Highway
Effective Date:  December 20, 2021

Amendment to Regulation 273/07

Highway Traffic Act
Effective Date:  December 6, 2021

Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021

The Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, a schedule to an omnibus bill entitled Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act, 2021, if passed, would govern the long-term care sector and repeal and replace the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007. The proposed legislation includes measures in three key areas: improving staffing and care, protecting residents through better accountability, enforcement and transparency, and building modern, safe, comfortable homes for our seniors.
Effective Date:  December 9, 2021

Strengthening the Retirement Homes Act, 2010

The Retirement Homes Act, 2010 (the "Act") sets out the standards and requirements for licensed retirement homes. The Act contains a fundamental principle that states, "a retirement home is to be operated so that it is a place where residents live with dignity, respect, privacy and autonomy, in security, safety and comfort and can make informed choices about their care options."
Effective Date:  December 9, 2021

Public Health Ontario Board Appointment Process

The Ministry of Health proposes to amend the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion Act, 2007 to provide authority for the Lieutenant Governor in Council to appoint and designate the subsequent Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the Board of Directors for Public Health Ontario for the purpose of aligning Board appointment processes across all ministry board-governed operational agencies.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Proposed Amendments to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act

OMAFRA is proposing amendments to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act which if approved, would clarify and codify the existing functions of the Minister and clarify OMAFRA's authorities to collect use and disclose information related to agriculture, food and rural affairs.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Fall 2021 Red Tape Reduction Package - proposed amendments to the Electricity Act, 1998

In response to the Auditor General's recommendation in the 2020 Value-for-Money Audit of the Electrical Safety Authority, this legislative proposal would establish an administrative monetary penalties framework in the Electricity Act, 1998, with regulations to be developed in the future to support the regime.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Recovery of Minerals  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing amendments to the Mining Act to support the recovery of minerals at current operating, closed or abandoned mine sites in Ontario through reprocessing of minerals, including critical minerals.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Clarifying the authority to change the classes of projects to which a class environmental assessment process applies  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing a minor amendment to the Environmental Assessment Act to make it clearer that the authority to amend a Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) and a Class EA approval, includes changing the types (or classes) of projects that can follow a Class EA
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Proposal to amend the Public Lands Act to support red tape reduction

The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry is proposing to amend the Public Lands Act to reduce red-tape for clients in support of the Fall 2021 Red Tape Reduction Bill. Changes to the Act will improve customer service and government efficiency, reduce unnecessary burdens and provide a greater ability to make public lands available for economic and resource-based development opportunities, particularly in the North.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Retention of Proceeds from Testing Activities on Leases and Patented Lands  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing amendments to the Mining Act to allow lessees, licensees and owners of mining lands to sell and retain the proceeds from materials extracted for the purposes of testing without the requirement for a mine production closure plan to have first been filed.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Amendment to the Development Charges Act, 1997 to extend the 10-year planned level of service to 20 years for the Yonge North Subway Extension (YNSE)

The proposed development charge DC amendment would treat the YNSE separately from other transit services, for the purposes of calculating and collecting DCs. The proposed amendment would extend the time horizon for the planned level of service for the YNSE under the Development Charges Act from 10 to 20 years. This proposed change would better position York Region to fund its portion of the YNSE costs, by enabling more of the eligible growth-related costs of the YNSE to be recovered through DCs
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Supporting Volunteers Under the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015

Amendments are being proposed to the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 that would: set a definition of "volunteer" to clarify the eligibility for supports under the PRCRA; require police services to conduct and provide the results of Criminal Record Checks and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks for volunteers at no charge and provide up to five free copies of the results; expand the Lieutenant Governor in Council's regulation-making authority.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Proposed amendments to the Professional Foresters Act

We are proposing changes to the Professional Foresters Act to improve the delivery of professional forestry in Ontario in support of the Fall 2021 Red Tape Reduction Bill.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Proposed amendments to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act to Reduce Red-Tape for the harvest of Crown forest resources for personal use

We are proposing changes to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act to reduce red-tape for clients in support of the Fall 2021 Red Tape Reduction Bill.
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Northern Services Boards Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.28 Amendment

Under Ontario's Open for Business initiative, an amendment to the Northern Services Boards Act (NSBA) is recommended to remove the requirement that notices of meetings and minutes be posted in six (6) conspicuous locations and only require posting in at least one physical location and, if available, require electronic positing of notices and meeting minutes by established Local Service Boards (LSBs).
Effective Date:  December 2, 2021

Enabling Municipalities to Enter into Special Loan Agreements with the Canada Infrastructure Bank for Capital Needs

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing to amend regulations under the Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006. The amendments would enable Ontario municipalities to enter into special conditional loan agreements for long-term borrowing for capital purposes with the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Effective Date:  December 10, 2021

Proposed regulatory amendments to Regulation 761: Milk and Milk Products under the Milk Act to allow for vertical bulk tanks on farm (Milk Silos).

At the request of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission is proposing amendments to Regulation 761: Milk and Milk Products under the Milk Act to allow for the storage of milk in vertical bulk tanks on-farm. The proposed amendments would provide producers with greater flexibility in storing larger amounts of cow and goat milk on-farm without having to increase their building footprint, while maintaining food safety and quality requirements.
Effective Date:  December 22, 2021

Empowering the Municipality of Shuniah to make decisions on certain applications under the Planning Act

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing to amend regulations under the Planning Act to empower the Municipality of Shuniah in relation to three areas of land use planning authority
Effective Date:  December 1, 2021

Proposed amendments to drinking water operator and water quality analyst certification regulation to address impacts of emergencies  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing regulatory changes that would give the ministry and drinking water systems the tools they need to act quickly to help ensure the province's drinking water is protected during an emergency, such as providing systems with temporary staffing options, and operators with temporary relief from training and certification requirements.
Effective Date:  December 3, 2021

Proposed amendments to wastewater operator licensing regulation to address impacts of emergencies  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing regulatory changes that would give the ministry and owners and operators of wastewater facilities the tools they need to act quickly to ensure waterways in Ontario are protected during an emergency, such as providing wastewater facility owners with temporary staffing options and extending operator licences.
Effective Date:  December 3, 2021

Amendment of O. Regulation 329/04 (General) under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA)

Ministry of Health proposing an amendment to name Ontario Health as a "Prescribed Person" (i.e. a Prescribed Registry) in respect of its planned operation of the Cardiac and Vascular Services Registry, replacing CorHealth Ontario (CorHealth currently identified in the regulation under its former name, "Cardiac Care Network".) Cardiac Care Network would be removed and Ontario Health would be designated as operator of the Cardiac and Vascular Services Registry.
Effective Date:  December 1, 2021

A proposal under the Endangered Species Act to enable use of the Species at Risk Conservation Fund and to streamline authorizations for certain activities that impact species at risk, while maintaining protections for species at risk.  (source: Environmental Registry)

We are proposing new regulations to enable use of the Species at Risk Conservation Fund (the Fund) and to establish a provincial agency to administer the Fund. We are also proposing to amend Ontario Regulation 242/08 to streamline Endangered Species Act authorizations by amending certain conditional exemptions.
Effective Date:  December 9, 2021