FIELD NOTES
Planning decisions, explained at the point of consequence.
Plain-language guidance for landowners and developers deciding what route a site requires, what evidence an application must contain, and where avoidable delay begins.
Minor Variances: the four tests, and how to pass them
The workhorse of Ontario approvals — when you need one, how the Committee of Adjustment weighs it, and how preparation decides the hearing.
Read the guide → Approvals · GuideRezoning: how a Zoning By-law Amendment works
Changing what the land is allowed to be — process, public meetings, council, and the evidence that separates approvals from refusals.
Read the guide → Approvals · GuideOfficial Plan Amendments: when the policy itself has to change
The most policy-heavy instrument in the toolkit — when it’s required, who approves it, and what makes one succeed.
Read the guide → Approvals · GuideLand severance and consent: splitting a property
Turning one lot into two — what committees weigh, the conditions that follow approval, and how consents are lost after they’re won.
Read the guide → Approvals · GuideSite Plan Approval: what to expect
The last planning gate before a building permit — what site plan control covers and how to keep the review rounds from eating the schedule.
Read the guide → Strategy · GuideMinor variance or rezoning? Choosing the right path
The first strategic call on any project. The wrong answer costs months — here’s how the scale test actually works.
Read the guide →IN PREPARATION
- D-07Plans of Subdivision: creating new lots and communitiesDraft — under review
- D-08Appealing planning decisions: understanding the Ontario Land TribunalDraft — under review
- D-09Five habits of successful planning applicationsDraft — under review
- D-10Why hire a planning consultant — and what to expect from oneDraft — under review
Guides describe Ontario’s planning system in general terms. Legislation, fees, and municipal practice change — confirm current requirements for your site with our team before acting on anything you read here.