To tackle affordable housing, the Province of Ontario is proposing to make changes to the Planning Act and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.  Bill 109 is currently at second reading before the legislature and, once passed, will change many aspects of the land use planning process in Ontario.  Some of the proposed changes include…

Before joining M&H LLP, Aisling practiced at a Toronto-based full-service law firm for over six years and then as in-house counsel for a large municipality within the GTHA.  Aisling’s practice focuses on real property litigation, particularly expropriation law. Aisling also has experience in land use planning, boundary and contract disputes, fraud cases, and employment litigation.…

MARIANA CHERKAS Articling Student Mariana is an articling student at M&H for the 2022 articling term. Mariana graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School with a Master’s in Canadian Common Law (LL.M).  During her LL.M degree Mariana worked as a legal assistant at one of Canada’s largest law firms, where she was exposed to a broad…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2021 –Mathany & Higgs Law is pleased to announce that 2 lawyers have been included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada. Since it was first published in1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. “Best Lawyers was founded in 1981…

On February 16, 2021, the Ontario government introduced Bill 245, the Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021. The Act is aimed at improving access to justice in Ontario and includes numerous changes to the administration of justice in Ontario, including the proposal to consolidate Ontario’s Land Tribunal. If passed, the Act would merge the Local Planning…

The Ministry of Transportation is seeking, through proposed legislative changes, to amend the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020.  Identified as Bill 222: Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act, 2020, the newly proposed legislation would, among other things, expand the elimination of hearings of necessity to “any other prescribed provincial transit project”. Bill 222 received first reading on October…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2 Mathany & Higgs Law lawyers named to 2021 Best Lawyers™ list September 8, 2020 — Mathany & Higgs Law is pleased to announce that 2 lawyers have been included in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to…

COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act (Bill 197) received Royal Assent on July 22, 2020.  Bill 197 sets out amendments to the Building Code Act, City of Toronto Act, Development Charges Act, Drainage Act, Education Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Act, Municipal Act, Planning Act, Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act and…

Transit-oriented communities (TOC) are part of the provincial government’s plan to build new, sustainable transit.  The Ontario government’s goal is to deliver faster, more reliable and seamless transit in the GTA by developing more housing and jobs near or at transit stations along the province’s four priority subway projects:  Ontario Line, the Yonge North Subway…

July 06, 2020 Effective October 13, 2020, the Ontario government will be discontinuing land registration counter services at all 54 Land Registry Offices (LROs). This means that October 9, 2020 is the last day LROs will be open to the public. Land Registry staff will continue to provide customer service support, document certification and processing…

On June 15 & 16, 2020, Ian Mathany of Mathany & Higgs Law was pleased to teach course 801C Canadian Land Titles for the International Right of Way Association.  This was the first time this course was taught using a virtual platform and brought students together from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Nunavut.  Thank you…

June 17, 2020 | Environment & Land Tribunals Ontario | News The Government of Ontario has announced the creation of a new tribunal organization, the Ontario Land Tribunals, effective July 1, 2020. The new organization will include the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, Environmental Review Tribunal, Board of Negotiation, Conservation Review Board and the Mining and…

https://ontarioplanners.ca/OPPIAssets/Documents/OPPI/Letter-from-Minister-Clark-to-Municipalities-re-End-of-Suspension-of-Planning-Act-Timelines-June-12-2020-(01535947xCDE1C).pdf

Extension Key to Protecting Ontarians as Province Safely Reopens June 2, 2020 8:15 P.M. Office of the Premier TORONTO ― In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontario is extending the provincial Declaration of Emergency to June 30. The decision supports the government’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and protect the…

Bill 189, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Protection Act, 2020 On April 14, 2020, Bill 189, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Protection Act, 2020 received royal assent. It makes amendments to the Planning Act as follows: Effects on Timelines The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (hereafter the “Minister”) may make regulations altering timelines for land use…

On April 13, 2020, the Director of Titles for the Province of Ontario issued a notice to the Ontario Expropriations Association clarifying expropriation best practices in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic. Although the electronic land registration system remains fully operational and many physical Land Registry Offices remain open for the filing of expropriations,…

In response to the COVID-19 health implications, on March 17, 2020 the Ontario Government made an emergency order under section 7.1(2) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, suspending limitation periods and procedural deadlines in Ontario proceedings (“Emergency Order”), retroactive to March 16, 2020. The implications of 7.1 (2) of the Emergency Order are…