Joe Hoffman

The applicant appealed the City of Toronto's failure to make a decision on a Zoning By-law Amendment application to permit a mixed-use residential building.

Following successful mediation, the parties presented a settlement proposing a 38-storey building with various design revisions.

Based on uncontradicted planning evidence, the Tribunal found the settlement consistent with provincial and municipal policies, representing good planning.

The appeal was allowed in part, and the draft Zoning By-law Amendment was approved in principle, with the final order withheld pending satisfaction of several conditions.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a third Case Management Conference regarding 14 active appeals to the City of Toronto's Official Plan Amendment 777 (Sheppard East Secondary Plan).

The City requested the scheduling of a fourth CMC and a three-week merit hearing for March 2027.

The Tribunal established procedural deadlines and scheduled the fourth CMC for September 2026, but declined to schedule the merit hearing at this stage due to ongoing mediation, pending City Council instructions, and the lack of finalized issues lists and procedural orders.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a Case Management Conference regarding appeals by the applicant against the municipality's refusal of official plan and zoning by-law amendments for a 48-storey mixed-use development.

On consent of the parties, the Tribunal issued an amended Procedural Order to govern the procedures leading up to a 9-day video hearing commencing on June 16, 2026.

The applicant appealed the City of Toronto's failure to make a decision on applications for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment for the property at 554-552 Eglinton Avenue East.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a Case Management Conference where participant and party status were granted on consent.

A second Case Management Conference was scheduled to allow for Tribunal-led mediation.

The City of Hamilton brought a motion to have five common Residential Land Need Issues across three separate appeals (Upper West Side Landowners Group Inc., Elfrida Community Builders Group Inc., and Whitechurch Landowners Group Inc.) heard together.

The parties consented to the motion.

The Tribunal found that hearing the identical issues together would result in consistent adjudication and reduce overall hearing time without prejudicing the independent consideration of site-specific issues.

The motion was granted, and the common issues were ordered to be heard at the commencement of the previously scheduled Upper West Side Landowners Group Inc. merit hearing.

The City of Hamilton brought a motion to consolidate the common Residential Land Need Issues across three separate appeals regarding urban boundary expansions.

The appellants consented to the motion.

The Tribunal found that hearing the identical issues together would result in consistent adjudication and reduce overall hearing time without prejudicing the independent consideration of site-specific issues.

The motion was granted, and the common issues were ordered to be heard together at the commencement of the first scheduled merit hearing.

The City of Hamilton brought a motion to consolidate the hearing of five common Residential Land Need Issues across three separate appeals regarding urban boundary expansions.

The appellants consented to the motion.

The Tribunal found that hearing the common issues together was appropriate to ensure consistent adjudication and efficiency without prejudicing the individual site-specific hearings.

The motion was granted, and the common issues were ordered to be heard together at the commencement of the Upper West Side Landowners Group Inc. merit hearing.

The Tribunal held a first Case Management Conference regarding appeals by the Toronto Catholic District School Board against the City of Toronto's approval of Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for two adjacent mixed-use developments.

The Tribunal ordered the appeals to be heard together, granted participant status to a local resident, scheduled a five-day merit hearing, and approved the Procedural Order to govern the proceedings.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a Case Management Conference regarding an appeal against the City of Guelph's Development Charges By-law.

The appellant sought an exemption for a proposed student residence.

The Tribunal determined that a two-day merit hearing with viva voce evidence was appropriate and scheduled the hearing for January 2026.

This was the second Case Management Conference regarding multiple appeals of the City of Toronto's Official Plan Amendment 777 (Sheppard East Secondary Plan).

The Tribunal granted added party status to Lencroft Holdings Inc., allowing it to shelter under an existing appeal.

The Tribunal also granted requests to adjourn two specific appeals while those appellants pursue site-specific applications.

Procedural dates were established for the exchange of materials ahead of Tribunal-led mediation and a third Case Management Conference.

The applicant appealed the City of Toronto's failure to make a decision on a zoning by-law amendment application to permit a 21-storey and a 38-storey residential tower.

The parties settled all issues except whether a minimum non-residential gross floor area should be required.

The Tribunal accepted the applicant's expert planning evidence that the site did not warrant a mandatory retail component and that the entirely residential development represented good planning.

The appeal was allowed in part on an interim basis, approving the zoning by-law amendment without the non-residential gross floor area requirement.

The appellant appealed the City of Toronto's failure to make a decision on a zoning by-law amendment application for a 35-storey residential building.

The parties reached a settlement for a revised 42-storey building that includes 37 rental replacement units.

Based on uncontested expert planning evidence, the Tribunal found the settlement is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, conforms to the City's Official Plan, and represents good planning.

The appeal was allowed in part, and the draft zoning by-law amendment was approved in principle, subject to the satisfaction of several pre-conditions.

The appellant appealed the City of Toronto Committee of Adjustment's refusal of minor variances required to construct a nine-storey mixed-use apartment building.

The proposed development included 60 rental units and ground-floor retail, with reduced parking and other zoning deviations.

The Tribunal adopted the uncontested expert planning evidence that the variances satisfied the four tests under s. 45(1) of the Planning Act.

The Tribunal found the proposal represented transit-supportive intensification consistent with provincial and municipal policies, and allowed the appeal subject to conditions.

The Ontario Land Tribunal issued a procedural order to govern the hearing of appeals by the applicant against the City of Toronto's refusal of official plan and zoning by-law amendment applications.

The applications seek to permit a 48-storey mixed-use development at 506-516 Church Street.

The order sets out the organization of the hearing, requirements before the hearing, a summary of dates, the list of parties and participants, the issues list, and the order of evidence.

This was the third Case Management Conference regarding appeals of the City of Toronto's Zoning By-law No. 63-2024 for the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan area.

Several appeals were withdrawn, and the remaining appellants agreed to scope their appeals to be site-specific and adjourn them sine die.

The Tribunal acknowledged the withdrawals, adjourned the remaining site-specific appeals sine die, released the scheduled 10-day hearing dates, and directed the parties to provide a status update within one year.

The moving party brought a motion seeking an order that the unappealed portions of Official Plan Amendment 778 relating to its property at 428 and 430 Royal York Road are in full force and effect.

The City of Toronto and the appellants to OPA 778 did not object to the motion.

The Tribunal found that because the appeals did not apply to the subject property, the relevant policies and overlays came into force by operation of s. 17(27) of the Planning Act on the day after the appeal period expired.

The Tribunal issued an order confirming the policies are in effect and that the order does not prejudice the remaining appeals.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a second Case Management Conference regarding appeals by Signature Hill Corporation for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to facilitate a 40-storey residential building in Toronto.

On consent, 280 Viewmount Limited Partnership was granted Party status.

The Tribunal scheduled a two-week merit hearing for April 2026 and approved the draft Procedural Order and Issues List.

Several property owners brought motions seeking party status and orders pursuant to subsection 34(31) of the Planning Act to deem Zoning By-law No. 608-2024 in force for their respective properties.

The by-law, along with Official Plan Amendment No. 727, was adopted by the City of Toronto to permit gentle residential intensification along major streets but was appealed city-wide by 2856973 Ontario Inc. Relying on uncontested expert planning evidence, the Tribunal found that scoping the appeals to exclude the moving parties' lands would not create conformity issues and would facilitate timely redevelopment.

The Tribunal granted the motions, deemed the by-law in force for the specified properties, and permitted the moving parties to withdraw from the proceedings.

The Ontario Land Tribunal issued a Procedural Order on consent of the parties to govern the hearing of appeals by the applicant regarding the City of Toronto's failure to adopt requested Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments for the property at 120 Bouchette Street.

The order sets out the hearing dates, issues list, order of evidence, and deadlines for the exchange of witness statements and other materials.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a Case Management Conference regarding appeals by the applicant against the City's refusal of official plan and zoning by-law amendments for a 48-storey mixed-use development.

The Tribunal granted party status to a neighbouring property owner and a neighbourhood association, and participant status to a condominium corporation.

A 9-day hearing was scheduled for March 2026.