In Ontario, what is the primary difference between a building permit and a planning approval such as a zoning by-law amendment or site plan approval?
Correct Answer
A) Building permits cover construction standards while planning approvals govern land use and development
A building permit is issued by the municipality's chief building official under the Building Code Act, 1992 and deals with how a building is constructed. Planning approvals under the Planning Act, such as zoning amendments (s. 34) and site plan approval (s. 41), deal with how land is used and developed. The two connect because s. 8(2) of the Building Code Act bars a permit if the work would contravene any applicable law, including zoning.
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