MIRANET Article

Ontario Municipal Board (OMB)

On June 22, 2011, Mississauga Council unanimously passed Resolution 0172-2011 that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing be requested to amend the Ontario Planning Act to abolish the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and to provide that decisions of municipal councils are only appealable to the courts on questions of law.

The Resolution further requests that appeals of decisions of the Committee of Adjustment be appealable to municipal councils and that municipalities be authorized to conduct hearings on such appeals through a Committee of Council, if deemed appropriate to do so by the municipality.

Statement on the OMB by Mississauga South MPP Charles Sousa (August 22, 2011) -- Excerpt: "Many residents have shared with me their concerns about the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and some of their recent decisions that affect our local community. Some have even called for the OMB to be abolished and for zoning appeals to become the jurisdiction of the divisional courts. ... The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is an arms-length, quasi judicial body that has been a component of the planning system in Ontario since 1897. It’s where Ontarians can go to challenge a municipal or provincial planning decision at little or no cost. OMB decisions are not final, however. All decisions can be appealed to divisional court."

RELATED LINKS

Mississauga News article (Sept. 28, 2011)
Scrap the OMB, candidates say.
Excerpt: "There was a rare moment of cohesion last night during an all-candidates debate in the riding of Mississauga South. All it took was a question about the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to bring the candidates together during the debate held at Clarkson Secondary School. ... Most of the candidates who attended agreed that the provincial organization that provides mediation on land use and planning issues needs to be abolished or reworked."

Mississauga News article (June 23, 2011)
City wants OMB abolished.
Excerpt: "The motion also stated that, 'it is manifestly undemocratic for an appointed board such as the OMB to substitute its opinions for the considered judgement of elected councillors on matters affecting municipalities in which the councillors will continue to live and in which the OMB has no ongoing presence.'"

Toronto Star article (June 22, 2011)
Mississauga wants OMB dismantled.
Excerpt: "[Councillor Pat] Mullin told the Star the timing is right for the motion, with the provincial election coming up this fall. It will be circulated to cities and towns across the province before the August meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario."

National Post article (June 22, 2011)
Mississauga council urges province to scrap OMB.
Excerpt: "Mississauga council is calling on the province to abolish the Ontario Municipal Board, citing a need to 'take back' planning powers from the hands of an unelected agency."