Regulations under this Act:
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 888 Fees
The Act governs and details the powers and general jurisdiction of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
Through the Act, the Board is conferred all the powers of a court of law and has authority to hear and determine all questions of law in matters within its jurisdiction. The Board hears applications and appeals on municipal and planning disputes, including appeals under the Planning Act (related to matters such as zoning, subdivision plans, official plans, consents and variances), land compensation matters under the Expropriations Act, specific heritage appeals under the Ontario Heritage Act, municipal financing proposals under the Municipal Act, and various other matters under other legislation such as the Development Charges Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, and the Consolidated Hearings Act.
The OMB has jurisdiction and power in specific municipal affairs, particularly in financial matters. Examples of OMB powers include:
(a) approving borrowings – the OMB has the power to approve any borrowing of money by a municipality or the incurring of any debt;
(b) approving by-laws – the power to approve any by-law which the municipality voluntarily applies for or is required by law to obtain;
(c) supervising certain expenditures – the power to supervise, where necessary, the expenditure of any money borrowed by a municipality with the approval of the Board;
(d) detailed statement of affairs – the power to require and obtain from any municipality at any time statements detailing any of its affairs, financial or otherwise;
(e) power of investigation – the power to inquire at any time into any or all of the affairs, financial and otherwise, of a municipality and to hold hearings and make investigations into such matters;
(f) settlements of disputes between municipalities – when authorized by an agreement made between two or more municipalities the OMB has the power to hear and determine disputes in relation to such an agreement;
(g) water or sewage service - where water or sewage service is supplied or is to be supplied by one municipality to another municipality, the OMB has the power to hear and determine the application of either municipality to confirm, vary or fix rates charged or to be charged in connection the service.
The Act sets out the power and jurisdiction of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). In addition to jurisdiction conferred by this Act or other Acts, the OMB has broad jurisdiction over municipal affairs, including the approval of borrowing by a municipality through the issuing of debentures.