Conservation Halton provides a variety of planning services to municipalities, provincial agencies and property owners throughout the watershed. This includes input on high-level provincial and municipal planning and policy documents, such as municipal official plans, planning studies, secondary plans, comprehensive zoning by-laws, and technical studies.
Conservation Halton also reviews planning applications circulated under the Planning Act, including the following types of applications and technical studies:
- Official Plans and Official Plan Amendments
- Secondary/Area Plans and Infrastructure Master Plans
- Zoning By-laws and Zoning By-law Amendments
- Plans of Subdivision and Plans of Condominium
- Consents (severances and lot-line adjustments)
- Site Plans and Site Alterations
- Minor Variances
In addition to providing comments to municipalities, we provide comments and technical review for projects approved under other legislation and plans such as the Niagara Escarpment Plan and related Development Permit Applications and amendments, Parkway West Belt Plan, Greenbelt Plan, Environmental Assessment Act, Drainage Act, Aggregate Resources Act, and Water Resources Act. Conservation Halton also provides review on large-scale planning projects such as watershed studies, subwatershed studies, and subwatershed impact studies.
More details about the roles and responsibilities of Conservation Halton regarding both planning and permitting activities can be found on the main Permitting and Planning page.
Conservation Halton’s Planning MOUs//MOAs:
Halton Region – Memorandum of Understanding (High Level Version)
Halton Region – Memorandum of Understanding (Detailed Version)
City of Hamilton – Memorandum of Understanding
Peel Region – Memorandum of Understanding
County of Wellington – Memorandum of Understanding
On 一月 1, 2023, Ontario Regulation 596/22: Prescribed Acts – Subsections 21.1.1 (1.1) and 21.1.2 (1.1) of the Conservation Authorities Act (O. Reg. 596/22) came into effect. As a result, technical review services for planning and development applications previously provided by Conservation Halton (CH) under Memorandums of Understanding with municipalities (e.g., technical reviews related to natural heritage and select aspects of stormwater management) can no longer be provided.
O. Reg. 596/22 does not affect CH’s mandatory programs or services. Municipalities are still required to circulate planning applications and technical reports to CH so that we may review and comment on natural hazard, wetland, and source water protection matters, per Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services. Further, CH will continue to support its partners through the delivery of other watershed programs and services not directly related to planning and development applications (e.g., monitoring, data analysis, restoration, landowner outreach).
Updates will be needed to the above Planning MOUs to reflect legislative and regulatory changes and to clarify roles and responsibilities as it relates to planning and development reviews.
When an applicant submits a planning application to a municipality, municipal staff may screen the application to determine whether it is within the area of interest of Conservation Halton. We may be requested to attend a formal pre-consultation meeting with the applicant and the municipality.
At the pre-consultation meeting, we will identify the type of technical information needed for us to assess the application (e.g., topographical survey, geotechnical study, etc.) and determine whether approval from Conservation Halton is required under the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 41/24. Conservation Halton may also provide feedback related to our role as a service provider and/or Conservation Halton’s Delegated Interest in Plan Review.
The goal of the pre-consultation process is to:
- discuss the nature and extent of the proposed works and define and scope technical studies and information that will be required in order for Conservation Halton to assess the application
- identify any issues or concerns early in the process
- clarify roles and responsibilities
- specify complete application requirements
- reduce or eliminate draft or repeat submissions later in the process
- Send an E-mail – We are available via email, video conference, phone or in person, but it is best to connect through email first. Please email us with any questions, or if you would like to set up a time for a virtual meeting or conference call. You should continue to connect directly to your contact on the Planning & Regulations team for matters specific to your file. General inquiries can be directed to envserv@hrca.on.ca.
- 数码提交 - 数码提交是首选,可以通过电子邮件提交。较大的文件也可以使用Dropbox(见下面的过程)。保护哈尔顿的许可证和通信将通过电子邮件发布。
- Dropbox- 已经为大型规划和许可证提交设立了一个Dropbox账户。我们将为申请人提供一个链接和密码,以便上传数字材料。
- 减少文件大小--鉴于我们收到的数字提交文件的数量,以及与大多数规划或许可提交文件相关的数据量,在可能的情况下,对文件进行压缩是有帮助的(即减少PDF和AutoCAD文件的大小并创建压缩文件)。将大型技术报告分解成独立的部分(即主要报告应与附录分开),并将大型计划或数字与报告分开发送,也是有帮助的。请使用简短的文件名,明确标识文件内容。
- 对文件进行优先排序 - 如果你能对你的文件进行优先排序,并确定对你的业务至关重要的需求,是很有帮助的,所以请让我们知道你是否有某些文件希望我们集中注意。
- 电子支付- 信用卡或电子资金转账(EFT)是许可证和规划文件的首选支付方式。工作人员可以提供关于如何进行这些付款的指导。(请注意,没有适用的审查费,我们无法处理任何申请。)
- 规划审查--新的规划申请由我们的市政合作伙伴分发到保护哈尔顿,不应直接提交给保护哈尔顿(电子支付除外)。所有的审查机构都应该在随后的提交中被复制,以确保每个机构都在审查相同的信息。数字提交是首选,应包括所有需要的信息。
- 前期技术审查--为加快审查速度,我们建议在提交正式规划或许可申请(如EIR/FSS、SIS)之前完成大型技术审查。我们还可以与土地所有者合作,确定特定地点的环境限制和机会(例如,洪泛区建模审查,湿地水平衡评估)。技术审查费将适用。
- 现场检查- 我们可以完成现场检查。参与者必须遵守公共卫生要求(例如,物理距离、戴口罩等)。在某些情况下,我们可能会考虑替代方案以加快现场检查,如无人机飞越视频和/或照片。我们鼓励土地所有者与工作人员联系,以便我们可以讨论视频是否适合特定的地点或工程。
CH’s fees fall into three discrete categories: 1) fees for permit applications under the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 41/24; 2) fees for planning applications under the Planning Act; and 3) fees for technical reviews and miscellaneous services not associated with permit or planning applications. Review fees are to enable CH to deliver good customer service, provide timely reviews, and respond to the increases in file volumes experienced in the past few years. CH has a Board approved a target recovery rate of 100% to cover the costs associated with CH’s review of planning and permit applications.
Please contact us to confirm the correct fee prior to submitting any payments.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all other necessary approvals are obtained prior to undertaking any works. Links to planning approval agencies within the Conservation Halton watersheds are provided below:
- Region of Halton
- Region of Peel
- County of Wellington
- 汉密尔顿市
- Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC)
- Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH)
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF)
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)