Bill 215 2005

An Act to amend
the Greenbelt Act, 2005 and
the Municipal Act, 2001

Note: This Act amends or repeals more than one Act. For the legislative history of these Acts, see Public Statutes - Detailed Legislative History on www.e-Laws.gov.on.ca.

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1.  Section 15 of the Greenbelt Act, 2005 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Report

(4)  The Council shall report to the Minister by December 31 in the year in which this subsection comes into force and in each subsequent year with recommendations for,

(a) amendments to this Act to allow a mechanism that is based on environmental science for adding areas of land to or removing areas of land from the Greenbelt Area, other than by way of a regulation made under subsection 2 (1), if interested parties so request;

(b) a formula for grants to support municipalities within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies, particularly municipalities with fewer than 30,000 inhabitants;

(c) a support plan to assist owners or operators of agricultural operations located within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies; and

(d) a capital plan to finance the construction or maintenance of infrastructure within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies to support the objectives of the Plan.

2.  Section 302 of the Municipal Act, 2001 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Factor to consider

(2.1)  In making a grant or loan or providing other financial assistance to a municipality under subsection (2) in the year in which this subsection comes into force and in each subsequent year, the Minister shall consider that a municipality located within an area to which the Greenbelt Plan under the Greenbelt Act, 2005 applies should not receive an amount less than the amount that the municipality received under that subsection in 2005.

Commencement

3.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

4.  The short title of this Act is the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Greenbelt Act, 2005 to require the Greenbelt Council to report to the Minister under the Act by December 31 in the year in which the Bill is enacted and in each subsequent year with recommendations on the following matters:

1. Amendments to the Act to allow a mechanism that is based on environmental science for adding areas of land to or removing areas of land from the Greenbelt Area, other than by way of a regulation made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, if interested parties so request.

2. A formula for grants to support municipalities within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies, particularly municipalities with fewer than 30,000 inhabitants.

3. A support plan to assist owners or operators of agricultural operations located within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies.

4. A capital plan to finance the construction or maintenance of infrastructure within areas to which the Greenbelt Plan applies to support the objectives of the Plan.

The Bill also amends the Municipal Act, 2001 to require that, in providing financial assistance to a municipality located within an area to which the Greenbelt Plan applies, the Minister under the Act consider that the municipality should not receive an amount less than the amount that the municipality received in 2005.