Planning Act Applications

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TRCA’s Role in
Planning Act Application Review

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is a public commenting body under the Ontario Planning Act and Ontario Regulation 686/21 under the Conservation Authorities Act.

Our comments must help to ensure municipal decisions are consistent with the natural hazards policies of the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 and, where applicable, conform as well with any applicable natural hazard policies in provincial plans (e.g., Greenbelt Plan).

Once we have completed our review, staff will forward comments to your municipality, recommending ways of protecting these features and protecting your development from the threat of flooding and erosion.

To assist you in your application, please refer to: Resources for Applicants: Policies, Guidelines and Checklists.

Prior to, or concurrent with, making your application to the municipality, where the property is within a TRCA Regulated Area, TRCA recommends the applicant request a pre-application consultation meeting with TRCA to confirm requirements.

In reviewing your application, TRCA will determine how your proposal may affect or be affected by natural hazards (flooding, erosion) and natural features important for managing natural hazards (river or stream valleys, wetlands, Lake Ontario shoreline, and areas around these features).

How it Works

Pre-Application Consultation Meeting

Prior to submitting your Planning Act application to the municipality, TRCA strongly recommends you discuss your proposal with a TRCA Development Planning and Permits Planner or an Infrastructure Planning and Permits Planner.

A pre-application consultation meeting before you apply will help:

  • Identify how your proposal is affected by applicable programs and policies.
  • Identify potential issues, constraints, and study requirements.
  • Inform you of what lies ahead in the permitting process, determining whether your proposal is supported in principle, and the anticipated processing timelines.
  • Determine complete application submission requirements.
  • Determine the limits of regulated natural hazards and features through certain studies and/or a site visit, if required.

To submit your application, please refer to: Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) Meeting.

Concept Review

The concept review service allows TRCA staff to review your proposal:

  • Conduct a site visit
  • Review preliminary proposals
  • Confirm or provide information on the delineation of natural hazard limits
  • Based on applicable policies, provide preliminary comments on your proposal

To submit your application, please refer to: Concept Review.

Get More Information

How to Submit to TRCA:
Planning Act Applications

Instructions

These guidelines are intended to complement
TRCA’s Role in Planning Act Application Review.

Submit to Municipality
  1. In advance of your formal submission, TRCA recommends you request a pre-application consultation meeting with TRCA staff, or submit a concept review application to TRCA to confirm our requirements.
  2. All Planning Act applications are to be submitted by the applicant to the local municipality in which their project is located. Municipal planning staff will determine if the application requires review by TRCA and will then circulate the application to TRCA for review.
  3. Prior to applying to the municipality for a Planning Act application that falls within a TRCA Regulated Area, it is highly recommended that the applicant:
    1. Talk to a TRCA planner, for a development project; or
    2. Submit an infrastructure inquiry, for an infrastructure project.
Circulation to TRCA by the Municipality
  1. Your local municipality will review your application. If your project proposal falls within or is adjacent to the TRCA Regulated Area, then your application will be forwarded to TRCA by your municipality for review and comment.
  2. All applications will be assigned to a TRCA planner. The planner will open your application within the TRCA Application Portal and upload the required plans and documents for staff review.
  3. Within two (2) business days of receipt, TRCA will send an email to the applicant:
    1. Advising of the TRCA planner’s contact and file access information.
    2. Advising that TRCA review status for their application is available on the TRCA Application Portal. Applicants will be provided with information regarding how to make an account if one has not yet been made.
  4. TRCA’s review is separate from the municipality’s review, and additional review fees in accordance with TRCA’s administrative review fee schedule will apply. These fees cover TRCA’s costs of administering its peer review and commenting services.
  5. The TRCA planner will review the complexity of the application, determine the administrative review fee, and send an invoice.
Application Status and TRCA Communication
  1. Application status is visible to the registered contacts for a particular application on the TRCA Application Portal. It can be found on the application dashboard, located on the menu bar of your homepage.
  2. On the dashboard, applicants will be able to see the name of the planner working on your file (“Assigned to”), all documents submitted for review, fee balance and payment link, the project description, and a Client Access tab.
  3. All formal correspondence from TRCA is directed to the municipal planner, with copies to the applicant. All TRCA communications will be available in the Client Access tab. The applicant (client) will be notified when there is new information available for download via email.
  4. As part of the review process, meetings between the applicant and TRCA may be required to clarify information:
    1. An agenda is required for these meetings.
    2. Meetings are generally held between the proponent or consultant and the TRCA planner only:
      • At their discretion, the TRCA planner may also invite TRCA technical review staff to the meeting. The agenda is used by the planner to inform this decision.
      • The TRCA planner will then advise the applicant if they should also bring their technical team to the meeting.
    3. Meetings are generally 30 minutes in length but may be extended depending on the scope of the agenda.
    4. Meetings generally occur between 2 and 15 business days of receipt of request, depending on the scope of the agenda.
    5. All meetings are generally conducted in a virtual environment.
  5. For municipal-led meetings, depending on the scope of the agenda, it is generally only the TRCA planner who will attend.

Creating a TRCA Application Portal Account

  1. If you have not yet created an account, you can learn more about the portal and follow the instructions provided HERE.
  2. If your application is currently under review by TRCA staff, it is already available online. Once you have created your account (above), log in to the portal. You will be able to view the status of your application on your personal dashboard. Note: If you cannot see your application, reach out to your planner and they can assist.

Need More Information Before You Apply?

Click on the links below for additional information:

For All Applicants

For additional information, see Quick Links for Homeowners, Landowners and Developers or Quick Links for Infrastructure Proponents and Consultants.

If you have any questions about the Development Planning and Permitting review services, please email developmentplanningpermits@trca.ca. If you have any questions about the Infrastructure Planning and Permitting review services, please email infrastructureplanningpermits@trca.ca.

Please note that it is the responsibility of the owner/proponent to undertake due diligence to determine all required planning and permitting approvals.

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