In July 2020, the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 (BTFA) came into force, introducing measures that support the accelerated completion of the Provincial Government's four priority transit projects. Many measures are intended as reinforcements, however, Metrolinx is expected to make every reasonable effort to negotiate.
The Ministry of Transportation has delegated powers to Metrolinx, giving them almost complete control to push the Province’s agenda. Metrolinx's use of these powers is expected to help the Province meet its commitment to deliver these projects on accelerated timelines. There are zero requirements for community consultation and how municipalities can address the impact in their neighbourhoods. There are still many unanswered questions about how this impacts the Official Plan, municipal planning policies and community benefits framework.
