Ontario Municipal Board

The Ontario Municipal Board is an independent adjudicative tribunal that has jurisdiction over matters appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board under specific provincial legislation. While the Ontario Municipal Board has a mandate under a large number of statutes, the majority of appeals arise under the Planning Act for planning instruments, such as official plans, zoning by-laws, subdivision plans, consents and minor variances. The other major areas of appeals are claims for compensation filed under the Expropriations Act, appeals related to development charges, ward boundaries and aggregate resources.

Effective advocacy before the Ontario Municipal Board requires experience and a thorough understanding of planning law, the regulatory framework at issue and the rules and procedures before this specialized Tribunal. It also requires working effectively with tribunal adjudicators, mediators, and investigators who are specialized. Clients have a right to fairness which involves some degree of input in decision-making and the right to an impartial and independent decision maker. The importance of achieving success before the Ontario Municipal Board cannot be overstated as the opportunity to have a decision of this administrative body reversed by a court is limited. The lawyers at James Lawyers regularly act for individuals and organizations involved in matters before the Ontario Municipal Board, the related Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario cluster, and other tribunals, agencies, boards, commissions, self-governing professions, municipalities, health and educational institutions. Our experience enables us to guide our clients through the complex web of laws, regulations, guidelines, policies and procedures in play before these tribunals and advance our clients’ case.

Specifically, we advise and represent clients involved in appeals and applications before the Ontario Municipal Board and the Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario cluster relating to land use planning, environmental and heritage protection, compensation for expropriation, zoning by-laws, subdivision plans, official plans, property assessment, and land valuation, among other matters.

Our experience before the Ontario Municipal Board and Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario stems from working on a daily basis in the administrative justice sector at the provincial and federal level. Bar none, James Lawyers offers its clients exceptional advice and representation before the Ontario Municipal Board and Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario.

We invite you to contact one of our experienced administrative and regulatory lawyers today.