Bill 98 is a major provincial proposal that would standardize planning rules, speed up housing approvals, and shift some planning authority away from upper‑tier municipalities, while also limiting municipalities’ ability to impose certain environmental or design requirements.
Bill 98 Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026 is a proposed Ontario law aimed at accelerating housing construction, reforming land‑use planning, and aligning transit systems. It amends several core statutes, including the Planning Act, Municipal Act, City of Toronto Act, and Building Code Act.
Key Planning Changes
1. Standardized Official Plans
The Province proposes a mandatory, uniform structure for all municipal official plans, including required sections (e.g., settlement areas, growth management, employment areas, infrastructure) and standardized schedules (e.g., land use, transportation, public service facilities).
This is intended to make plans more consistent and faster to review.
2. Streamlined Approvals & Complete Application
– Update what counts as a complete planning application
– Expand which professional disciplines can certify required documents
– Introduce electronic submission requirements
– Reform site plan control rules
These changes aim to reduce delays and standardize submissions across Ontario.
3. Minimum Residential Lot Sizes
The Province proposes regulations to establish minimum lot sizes in urban areas, limiting municipalities’ ability to require larger lots and thereby supporting intensification.
4. Parkland Dedication Reform
Bill 98 includes proposals to standardize parkland dedication requirements, reducing municipal variation and potentially lowering costs for developers.
5. Changes to Growth Forecasting
The Province would update how growth is calculated, aligning it with the new Provincial Planning Statement (PPS 2024) and the Draft Projection Methodology Guideline.
6. Communal Water & Wastewater Systems
Bill 98 would allow rules for privately run communal water and wastewater systems, expanding servicing options for development.
7. Governance & Approval Authority Changes
The Province proposes to remove Simcoe County’s role in approving local planning decisions (official plans, subdivisions, condos).
Initial transition: Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth.
Eventually, all lower‑tier municipalities would approve their own planning instruments, with the Minister becoming the final approval authority for local official plans. This is a major structural change affecting regional coordination for roads, transit, waste, and emergency services.
8.Environmental & Design Standards
Bill 98 would limit municipalities’ ability to impose enhanced environmental or sustainable design requirements.