Planning Act (RSO 1990, c P.13).

The purposes of this Act are (a) to promote sustainable economic development in a healthy natural environment, (b) to provide for a land use planning system led by provincial policy; (c) to integrate matters of provincial interest in provincial and municipal planning decisions; (d) to provide for planning processes that are fair by making them open, accessible, timely and efficient; (e) to encourage co-operation and co-ordination among various interests; (f) to recognize the decision-making authority and accountability of municipal councils in planning.
The Act is organised in VII Parts. Part I, on provincial administration, under Art. 2 provides the basis for considering provincial interests, these include protection of ecological systems and farmland; conservation and management of natural resources; promotion of development that is sustainable in the supply, use and conservation of energy and water, and waste management services. Art. 3 confers to the province the role to issue provincial policy statements and Art. 4 allows delegation of Minister’s powers to the council or planning board.
Part II is on local planning administration. Art 8 rules that the council of every upper-tier municipality and the council of every single-tier municipality that is not in a territorial district shall appoint a planning advisory committee while it remains optional for other municipalities. A local appeal body might be also constituted if certain conditions are met (Art. 8(1)). The planning area may be corresponding to the council area; it may be defined and named by the Minister (Art. 9), and in this case the Minister shall also establish the planning board for the planning area and specify the name of the board; or may be a joint planning area (Art. 14.1) when the councils of two or more local municipalities that are within one or more counties by by-law define a municipal planning area and establish a municipal planning authority for the area and specify the name of the authority.
Part III regulates the content of the official plan, process of approval and recommendation of plan when is prepared by a planning board, lodging, amendment, and repeal. Part III contains as well provisions on possible conflicts of official plans with matters of provincial interests (Art. 23), public works and by-laws (Art. 24) Part IV concerns “community improvement”, that means any activity such as the planning or replanning, design or redesign, resubdivision, clearance, development or redevelopment, etc. of a community improvement project area, and the provision of such structures as may be appropriate or necessary. Part V concerns land use controls. Art. 34 entails zoning provisions, and establishes that zoning by-laws may be passed by council of municipalities, for prohibiting the use of land or for prohibiting the erecting, locating or using of buildings or structures for the purposes established in the by-law, or because the land is contaminated, or contains a sensitive groundwater feature or a sensitive surface water feature, or is within an area identified as a vulnerable area in a drinking water source protection plan that has taken effect under the Clean Water Act, 2006, or is within an area that is a significant wildlife habitat, wetland, woodland, ravine, valley or area of natural and scientific interest, that is a significant natural corridor. Part VI regulates subdivisions of land, application, approval appeal rights; the approval authority is the Minister, but the Minister may delegate the authority to approve plans of subdivision to municipalities.