Further to the changes coming to the Planning Act as a result of Bill 73, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has just posted draft regulations on its Environmental Registry. The commenting period for each of the five proposed regulations will be open until April 14, 2016.

Some of the proposed changes include:
• the requirement for applicants to submit a "public consultation strategy" as part of a complete application for official plan and zoning by-law amendments and plans of subdivision ( EBR 012-6823 )
• modernizing the methods of providing notice ( EBR 012-6824 )
• requirements for the content of a new optional notice that approval authorities can give to establish a 20 day period for appealing a non-decision on an official plan ( EBR 012-6824 )
• new requirement for minor variance approvals that meeting minutes be forwarded to the OMB as part of the municipal submission package on appeal ( EBR 012-6825 )
• renaming "development permit system" to "community planning permit system" and prohibiting applications to amend the permitting system within five years of its coming into effect ( EBR 012-6826 )
• proposed transition provisions for the coming into force of Bill 73 ( EBR 012-6827 )