Pumping the Brakes: New Regulations Aim to Limit the Impact of Short-Term Rentals in Toronto
The rise of the “sharing economy” has spawned many new industries, but perhaps one of the most prominent (together with ride sharing) has been the explosion in “vacation rental by owner” services, led most prominently in Canada by Airbnb. These short-term rental platforms operate worldwide, generally without regulation. The City of Toronto (the “City”), however, is seeking to change this trend. On June 12, the City’s Municipal Licensing and Standards division released a number of proposed regulations that could seriously impact the short-term rental market in Toronto. These regulations aim to increase the availability of permanent affordable rental housing by curbing the number of short-term rentals available, especially in the downtown core.
Bill 139, Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017
On May 30, 2017, Bill 139 passed first reading. Bill 139 would, among other things, continue the Ontario Municipal Board (“OMB”) under the new name “Local Planning Appeal Tribunal” (“LPAT” or “Tribunal”), and amend the Planning Act to revise the jurisdiction and authority which the OMB had previously exercised.
Panic in Wychwood Park?
On May 18, 2017, the Ontario Court of Appeal (“the Court”) released its decision in Black v. Owen. The appeal concerned the enforceability of the appellants’ legal obligation to pay an […]
Fact Sheet: Changes to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
On May 18, 2017, the Government of Ontario released the updated Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“Growth Plan”). The new Growth Plan will come into effect on July 1, […]
Residential Landlords Beware! Toronto By-law Creates Onerous New Obligations
On March 28, 2017, Toronto City Council adopted Agenda Item LS17.1, which authorizes the creation of a new by-law (the “By-law”) to govern apartment buildings in Toronto, and creates significant […]
Bill 68: Proposed Amendments Have Far-Reaching Implications
Bill 68, Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017, received second reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy on March 23, 2017. Bill 68 proposes a number of amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and the Municipal Elections Act which could have a significant impact on how municipalities and their councils function.
New Record Keeping Requirements for Ontario Corporate Land Owners
On December 10, 2016, amendments to various statutes in Ontario will come into force with some significant changes relating to record keeping obligations for Ontario corporations regarding land owned by […]
Toronto Ponders Controversial New Parking Tax to Help Balance City Books
Counsel advising shareholders of private corporations need to pay careful heed to the Ontario Court of Appeal decision in Frye v. Frye Estate.
WeirFoulds Lawyers Recognized in 2017 Best Lawyers® in Canada Directory
WeirFoulds is pleased to announce that 27 of our lawyers have been listed in the 2017 edition of Best Lawyers® in Canada. WeirFoulds has proudly earned 45 rankings in 21 […]
Municipal and Planning Law Update: Bill 73 – Changes to the Planning Act
Bill 73 – Changes to the Planning Act In March 2015, we reported on the Province’s first reading of Bill 73 Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, 2015 and some […]
The Benefits of Brightfields Developments for Municipalities
The increasing viability and importance of distributed energy resources, and the content of the provincial government’s policies on climate change, make the use of brownfields sites for brightfields developments a compelling option for municipalities.*
Chris Tzekas Discusses Expropriation with CityTV News
Chris Tzekas, administrative law and civil litigation partner at WeirFoulds, spoke to Adrian Ghobrial of CityTV News on May 31, 2016 about expropriation issues related to the proposed Scarborough subway extension.
What’s New in the World of Asset Management Planning?
“Bankruptcy” is commonly used to describe a number of legal situations involving a tenant’s financial distress.
The Challenges and Benefits of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) for Municipalities
The growing interest in, and deployment of, distributed energy resources (“DER”) has been thought to be of interest, albeit for different reasons, primarily to consumers and to local electricity distribution utilities. However, DER has important implications for municipalities, both in their capacity as the owners of those distribution utilities and as a means to promote both conservation and the development of contaminated properties.
Corporate Governance for Municipally-Owned Local Electricity Distribution Utilities
Local distribution electricity utilities (“LDCs”) have been a source of stable and predictable income for their municipal owners. That is in large measure a result of the fact that LDCs are providing a monopoly service overseen by a regulator charged with the obligation, among other things, to ensure the stability of the LDCs.