The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) is issued under section 3 of the Planning Act and provides policy direction on matters related to land use planning that are of provincial interest (including those as set out in section 2 of the Planning Act).
The PPS provides the policy foundation for regulating the development and use of land in Ontario. The PPS includes direction on matters such as managing growth and new development, housing, economic development, natural heritage, agriculture, mineral aggregates, water and natural and human-made hazards.
Municipalities implement the PPS through their official plans, zoning by-laws and decisions on planning applications. The Planning Act provides that decisions made by councils exercising any authority that affects a planning matter “shall be consistent with” the PPS. This means that the PPS must be applied when making land use planning decisions and in developing planning documents, such as official plans and zoning by-laws. Every planning situation must be examined in light of the relevant PPS policies.
The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) is a consolidated statement of the government’s policies on land use planning. It gives provincial policy direction on key land use planning issues that affect communities, such as:
efficient use and management of land and infrastructure
the provision of sufficient housing to meet changing needs, including affordable housing
the protection of the environment and resources including farmland, natural resources (for example, wetlands and woodlands) and water
opportunities for economic development and job creation
the appropriate transportation, water, sewer and other infrastructure needed to accommodate current and future needs
the protection of people, property and community resources by directing development away from natural or human-made hazards, such as flood prone areas