The Ontario Planning and Development Act (OPDA) details the objectives of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the steps required during the approval process of a development plan. Similar to an official plan that a municipality enacts under the Planning Act, a development plan under the OPDA sets out the ground rules for land use planning in Ontario and describes how land uses may be controlled, and who may control them; thus, the main difference between the OPDA and the Planning Act is Provincial authority versus municipal authority.
Once a development planning area has been identified and established, the Ministry must undertake an investigation and survey into the environmental, physical, social and economic conditions that are unique to or affect the development planning area or any part of it. Once this process has been completed, a development plan is developed for the planning area in question.
A development plan under the OPDA may contain,
1) policies for the economic, social and physical development of the area covered by the plan, taking into account:
- the distribution and density of population
- the location of industry and commerce
- the identification of land use areas
- the provision of parks and open space
- the policies regarding the acquisition of lands
- the management of land and water resources
- the control of all forms of pollution of the natural environment
- the location and development of servicing, communication and transportation systems
- the development and maintenance of educational, cultural, recreational, health and other social facilities
- the adequate provision of a full range of housing
2) policies relating to the financing and programming of public development projects and capital works;
3) policies to co-ordinate planning and development among municipalities or planning boards within an area or within separate areas, as defined by the Minister.
A key component of the OPDA is that the Ministry is required to ensure that the public is given an opportunity to participate in the preparation of the proposed development plan. Once the proposed plan has been prepared, the public or municipalities within the affected planning area may make written submissions for suggested modifications. Modifications to the plan may be made after further consultation with the affected parties.