chapter 25
An Act to revise the
Municipal Act and to amend
or repeal other Acts
in relation to municipalities
Assented to December 12, 2001
ContentsPart
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XV / General
General Municipal Powers
Specific Municipal Powers
Licensing and Registration
Municipal Reorganization
Practices and Procedures
Financial Administration
Municipal Taxation
Limitation on Taxes for Certain Property Classes
Tax Collection
Sale of Land for Tax Arrears
Fees and Charges
Debt and Investment
Enforcement
Municipal Liability
Regulations and Forms
Transition
Amendments, Repeals, Commencement and Short title / Sections
1-7
8-23
24-149
150-170
171-223
224-284
285-305
306-326
327-338
339-370
371-389
390-400
401-424
425-447
448-450
451-454
455-474
475-486
______
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
PART I
GENERAL
Definitions
1.(1)In this Act,
“assessment corporation” means the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation; (“société d’évaluation foncière”)
“county” means an upper-tier municipality that was a county, including the Frontenac Management Board, on the day before this Act came into force; (“comté”)
“economic development services” means, in respect of a municipality, the promotion of the municipality for any purpose by the collection and dissemination of information and the acquisition, development and disposal of sites by the municipality for industrial, commercial and institutional uses; (“services de développement économique”)
“First Nation” means a band as defined in the Indian Act (Canada); (“Première nation”)
“highway” means a common and public highway and includes any bridge, trestle, viaduct or other structure forming part of the highway and, except as otherwise provided, includes a portion of a highway; (“voie publique”)
“land” includes buildings; (“bien-fonds”)
“local board” means a municipal service board, transportation commission, public library board, board of health, police services board, planning board, or any other board, commission, committee, body or local authority established or exercising any power under any Act with respect to the affairs or purposes of one or more municipalities, excluding a school board and a conservation authority; (“conseil local”)
“local municipality” means a single-tier municipality or a lower-tier municipality; (“municipalité locale”)
“lower-tier municipality” means a municipality that forms part of an upper-tier municipality for municipal purposes; (“municipalité de palier inférieur”)
“Minister” means the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; (“ministre”)
“municipality” means a geographic area whose inhabitants are incorporated; (“municipalité”)
“old Act” means the Municipal Act, being chapter M.45 of the Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990, as it read immediately before its repeal under this Act; (“ancienne loi”)
“person” includes a municipality unless the context otherwise requires; (“personne”)
“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under this Act; (“prescrit”)
“public utility” means,
(a)a system that is used to provide any of the following services or things for the public:
(i)water,
(ii)sewage,
(iii)fuel, including natural and artificial gas,
(iv)energy, excluding electricity,
(v)heating and cooling, and
(vi)telephone, and
(b)the service or thing that is provided; (“service public”)
“rateable property” means land that is subject to municipal taxation; (“bien imposable”)
“record” means information however recorded or stored, whether in printed form, on film, by electronic means or otherwise, and includes documents, financial statements, minutes, accounts, correspondence, memoranda, plans, maps, drawings, photographs and films; (“document”)
“regional municipality” means an upper-tier municipality that was a regional or district municipality or the County of Oxford on December 31, 2002; (“municipalité régionale”)
“regular election” means the triennial regular election referred to in subsection 4 (1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996; (“élections ordinaires”)
“same-sex partner” means a person of the same sex with whom the person is living outside marriage in a conjugal relationship, if the two persons,
(a)have cohabited for at least one year,
(b)are together the parents of a child, or
(c)have together entered into a cohabitation agreement under section 53 of the Family Law Act; (“partenaire de même sexe”)
“sewage” includes,
(a)storm water and other drainage from land, and
(b)commercial wastes and industrial wastes that are disposed of in a sewage system; (“eaux d’égout”)
“single-tier municipality” means a municipality, other than an upper-tier municipality, that does not form part of an upper-tier municipality for municipal purposes; (“municipalité à palier unique”)
“spouse” means a person of the opposite sex,
(a)to whom the person is married, or
(b)with whom the person is living outside marriage in a conjugal relationship, if the two persons,
(i)have cohabited for at least one year,
(ii)are together the parents of a child, or
(iii)have together entered into a cohabitation agreement under section 53 of the Family Law Act; (“conjoint”)
“system” means one or more programs or facilities (including real and personal property) of a person used to provide services and things to the person or to any other person and includes administration related to the programs, facilities, services and things; (“réseau”, “système”)
“transportation system” includes harbours, ports and transportation terminals; (“réseau de transport”)
“unorganized territory” means a geographic area without municipal organization; (“territoire non érigé en municipalité”)
“upper-tier municipality” means a municipality of which two or more lower-tier municipalities form part for municipal purposes. (“municipalité de palier supérieur”)
Municipality
(2)In this Act, a reference to a municipality is a reference to its geographical area or to the municipal corporation, as the context requires.
Priority lien status
(3)If, under this or any other Act, a fee or charge is added to the tax roll of a municipality in respect of a property and is given priority lien status, that fee or charge, including interest,
(a)may be collected in the same manner as taxes on the property;
(b)may be recovered with costs as a debt due to the municipality from the assessed owner of the property at the time the fee or charge was added to the tax roll and from any subsequent owner of the property or any part of it;
(c)is a special lien on the property in the same manner as are taxes under subsection 349 (3); and
(d)may be included in the cancellation price under Part XI in the same manner as are taxes on the property.
Application to other Acts
(4)This section applies to all other Acts or provisions of Acts affecting or relating to municipal matters unless the context otherwise requires.
Purposes
2.Municipalities are created by the Province of Ontario to be responsible and accountable governments with respect to matters within their jurisdiction and each municipality is given powers and duties under this Act and many other Acts for purposes which include,
(a)providing the services and other things that the municipality considers are necessary or desirable for the municipality;
(b)managing and preserving the public assets of the municipality;
(c)fostering the current and future economic, social and environmental well-being of the municipality; and
(d)delivering and participating in provincial programs and initiatives.
Consultation
3.(1)The Province of Ontario endorses the principle of ongoing consultation between the Province and municipalities in relation to matters of mutual interest.
Review
(2)The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing shall initiate a review of this Act before the end of 2007 and thereafter within five years of the end of the previous review.
Body corporate
4.The inhabitants of every municipality are incorporated as a body corporate.
Powers exercised by council
5.(1)The powers of a municipality shall be exercised by its council.
Council a continuing body
(2)Anything begun by one council may be continued and completed by a succeeding council.
Powers exercised by by-law
(3)A municipal power, including a municipality’s capacity, rights, powers and privileges under section 8, shall be exercised by by-law unless the municipality is specifically authorized to do otherwise.
Scope
(4)Subsections (1) to (3) apply to all municipal powers, whether conferred by this Act or otherwise.
Expropriation
6.The power of a municipality to acquire land under this or any other Act includes the power to expropriate land in accordance with the Expropriations Act.
Special Acts
7.(1)In this section,
“special Act” means an Act relating to a particular municipality.
Relationship between this Act and special Acts
(2)Except where otherwise expressly or by necessary implication provided,
(a)this Act does not limit or restrict the powers of a municipality under a special Act; and
(b)a special Act does not limit or restrict the powers of a municipality under this Act.
Override power
(3)Despite subsection (2) and the sections set out in subsection (4), a municipality may exercise its powers under any of the following provisions to override a special Act even if the special Act is more specific and is enacted more recently than the provision:
1.Section 187 (change of name).
2.Sections 188 to 193 (transfer of powers).
3.Section 216 (dissolution of local boards).
4.Sections 217, 218, 219, 220 and 221 (council composition).
5.Sections 222 and 223 (wards).
6.Any other provision of an Act that provides, expressly or by necessary implication, that the provision or the exercise of power under the provision prevails over the special Act.
Provisions
(4)The sections referred to in subsection (3) are section 27 of the City of Toronto Act, 1997 (No. 1), section 120 of the City of Toronto Act, 1997 (No. 2), section 47 of the Town of Haldimand Act, 1999, section 37 of the City of Hamilton Act, 1999, section 38 of the Town of Norfolk Act, 1999, section 38 of the City of Ottawa Act, 1999 and section 37 of the City of Greater Sudbury Act, 1999.
Exclusion
(5)Subsection (3) does not apply if the special Act expressly or by necessary implication precludes the exercise of the power by provisions other than those set out in subsection (4).
PART II
GENERAL MUNICIPAL POWERS
Powers of a natural person
8.A municipality has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person for the purpose of exercising its authority under this or any other Act.
Interpretation
9.(1)Sections 8 and 11 shall be interpreted broadly so as to confer broad authority on municipalities,
(a)to enable them to govern their affairs as they consider appropriate; and
(b)to enhance their ability to respond to municipal issues.
Ambiguity
(2)In the event of ambiguity in sections 8 and 11, those sections shall be interpreted broadly to include, rather than exclude, municipal powers that existed on December 31, 2002.
Scope of by-law making powers
(3)Without limiting the generality of subsections (1) and (2), a by-law under section 11 respecting a matter may,
(a)regulate or prohibit respecting the matter; and
(b)as part of the power to regulate or prohibit respecting the matter, require persons to do things respecting the matter, provide for a system of licences, permits, approvals or registrations respecting the matter and impose conditions as a requirement of obtaining, continuing to hold or renewing a licence, permit, approval or registration.
Scope
10.(1)Without limiting the generality of section 9 and except as otherwise provided, a by-law under this Act, except Parts VII to XIII, may be general or specific in its application and may differentiate in any way and on any basis a municipality considers appropriate.
Classes
(2)Despite subsection (1) and except as otherwise provided, a by-law under this Act may only deal differently with different persons or businesses if the persons or businesses constitute different classes of persons or businesses defined in the by-law.
Spheres of Jurisdiction
Spheres of jurisdiction, single-tier municipality
11.(1)A single-tier municipality may pass by-laws respecting matters within the following spheres of jurisdiction:
1.Highways, including parking and traffic on highways.
2.Transportation systems, other than highways.
3.Waste management.
4.Public utilities.
5.Culture, parks, recreation and heritage.
6.Drainage and flood control, except storm sewers.
7.Structures, including fences and signs.
8.Parking, except on highways.
9.Animals.
10.Economic Development Services.
Spheres of jurisdiction,
lower and upper-tiers
(2)A lower-tier municipality and an upper-tier municipality may pass by-laws respecting matters within the spheres of jurisdiction described in the Table to this section, subject to the following provisions:
1.If a sphere or part of a sphere of jurisdiction is not assigned to an upper-tier municipality by the Table, the upper-tier municipality does not have the power to pass by-laws under that sphere or part.
2.If a sphere or part of a sphere of jurisdiction is assigned to an upper-tier municipality exclusively by the Table, its lower-tier municipalities do not have the power to pass by-laws under that sphere or part.
3.If a sphere or part of a sphere of jurisdiction is assigned to an upper-tier municipality non-exclusively by the Table, both the upper-tier municipality and its lower-tier municipalities have the power to pass by-laws under that sphere or part.
4.An upper-tier municipality does not have the power to pass a by-law that applies within one of its lower-tier municipalities under a sphere or part of a sphere of jurisdiction to the extent that this Act (other than this section) or any other Act confers power to pass the by-law on the lower-tier municipality.
5.A lower-tier municipality does not have the power to pass a by-law under a sphere or part of a sphere of jurisdiction to the extent that this Act (other than this section) or any other Act confers power to pass the by-law on its upper-tier municipality.
TABLESphere of
Jurisdiction / Part of
Sphere Assigned / Upper-tierMunicipality (ies) to which Part of Sphere assigned / Exclusive or Non-Exclusive Assignment
1.Highways, including parking and traffic on highways / Whole sphere / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
2.Transportation systems, other than highways / Airports / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
Ferries / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
Disabled passenger transportation system / Peel, Halton / Non-exclusive
Bus passenger transportation system / Waterloo, York / Exclusive
3.Waste management / Whole sphere, except waste
collection / Durham, Halton, Lambton, Oxford, Peel, Waterloo, York / Exclusive
4.Public Utilities / Sewage treatment / All counties, Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non-exclusive
Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Collection of sanitary sewage / All counties, Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non-exclusive
Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Sphere of
Jurisdiction / Part of
Sphere Assigned / Upper-tierMunicipality (ies) to which Part of Sphere assigned / Exclusive or Non-Exclusive Assignment
Collection of storm water and other drainage from land / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
Water production, treatment and storage / All upper-tier municipalities except counties / Exclusive
Water distribution / Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non-exclusive
Oxford, Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Peel / Exclusive
5.Culture, parks, recreation and heritage / Whole sphere / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
6.Drainage and flood
control, except storm sewers / Whole sphere / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
7.Structures, including fences and signs / Whole sphere, except fences and signs / Oxford / Non-exclusive
8.Parking, except on highways / Municipal parking lots and
structures / All upper-tier municipalities / Non-exclusive
9.Animals / None / None
10.Economic Development
Services / Promotion of the municipality for any purpose by the collection and dissemination of information / Durham, Halton, Oxford / Exclusive
All counties, Muskoka, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo,York / Non-exclusive
Acquisition, development and disposal of sites for industrial, commercial and institutional uses / Durham, Halton, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Lambton / Non-exclusive
tableau
domaine de compétence / partie du domaine attribuée / municipalité(s) de palier supérieur à qui la partie
du domaine est attribuée / attribution exclusive ou non exclusive
1.Voies publiques, y compris le stationnement et la circulation sur celles-ci / Tout le domaine / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
domaine de compétence / partie du domaine attribuée / municipalité(s) de palier supérieur à qui la partie
du domaine est attribuée / attribution exclusive ou non exclusive
2.Réseaux de transport autres que les voies
publiques / Aéroports / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
Traversiers / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
Réseau de transport des personnes handicapées / Peel, Halton / Non exclusive
Réseau de transport de passagers par autobus / Waterloo, York / Exclusive
3.Gestion des déchets / Tout le domaine, à l’exception
de la collecte des déchets / Durham, Halton, Lambton, Oxford, Peel, Waterloo, York / Exclusive
4.Services publics / Épuration des eaux d’égout / Tous les comtés, Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non exclusive
Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Collecte des eaux domestiques / Tous les comtés, Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non exclusive
Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Collecte des eaux pluviales
et des autres eaux drainées
des biens-fonds / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
Production, traitement et stockage de l’eau / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur, à l’exception des comtés / Exclusive
Distribution de l’eau / Niagara, Waterloo, York / Non exclusive
Oxford, Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Peel / Exclusive
5.Culture, parcs, loisirs
et patrimoine / Tout le domaine / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
6.Drainage et lutte contre les inondations, à l’exception des égouts pluviaux / Tout le domaine / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
7.Constructions, y
compris les clôtures,
les panneaux
et les enseignes / Tout le domaine, à l’exception des clôtures, des panneaux et des
enseignes / Oxford / Non exclusive
8.Stationnement autre
que sur les voies
publiques / Parcs de stationnement municipaux et constructions connexes / Toutes les municipalités de palier
supérieur / Non exclusive
9.Animaux / Aucune / Aucune
10.Services de développement économique / Promotion de la municipalité à toute fin par la collecte et la diffusion de renseignements / Durham, Halton, Oxford / Exclusive
Tous les comtés, Muskoka, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo, York / Non exclusive
Acquisition, aménagement et disposition d’emplacements à usage
industriel, commercial ou
institutionnel / Durham, Halton, Oxford, Peel / Exclusive
Lambton / Non exclusive
Previous transfer of powers
12.If, on December 31, 2002, an order under section 25.2 or 25.3 of the old Act, a by-law passed under section 209, 209.2 or 209.4 of the old Act or a by-law passed under section 41 of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Act or under section 150 of the Regional Municipalities Act, as they read on that day, was in force, the order or by-law continues despite section 11 and has the same effect as it had on December 31, 2002.
Conflicts
Conflict between certain by-laws