Ontario’s legislative changes would give municipalities stronger tools to protect communities and enforce zoning
Township of King, Ont. (May 26, 2026) — King Township is continuing its work to protect residents, farmland and local roads from unauthorized land uses, and will be able to address violations more quickly and efficiently through Bill 119: Protecting Ontario’s Streets and Communities Act, 2026. The Township welcomes the Province of Ontario’s introduction of legislative changes, which would, if passed, strengthen enforcement against illegal land uses such as the storage of trucks, materials, containers, derelict cars, construction equipment, etc., frequently established on properties that are not zoned for such use. These misuses of land create safety hazards, contaminate land, damage local roads, and generate noise, odour, lighting and drainage issues for nearby residents.
The Bill was introduced in the Ontario legislature on May 25, following a news release the province issued on May 20 stating it was soon proposing changes that would allow municipalities to impose fines for misuse of lands.
The province’s proposed introduction of Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) for Planning Act matters under Bill 119 represents a fundamental shift in the municipal enforcement framework. Zoning by-law prosecutions currently require significant staff time, cost and can take several years to resolve through the courts. Allowing municipalities to use AMPs (fines) to address zoning by-law contraventions is expected to enable more timely, efficient, and cost-effective responses to land use violations, having the ability to reduce lengthy and expensive court proceedings to improve overall compliance outcomes.
In addition, the province has identified the need to explore opportunities for truck and trailer parking on lands in proximity to provincial highways. Advancing appropriate, strategically located sites is considered an important component of addressing the underlying drivers of illegal truck yard operations while supporting goods movement and protecting rural land uses.
These measures collectively reflect a more balanced and modernized approach to land use enforcement—streamlining enforcement efforts and creating a more cost effective and timely pursuit for encouraging compliance.
This development represents a significant outcome of sustained municipal advocacy, led by the Township and the Small Urban Mayors of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (SUM GTHA) group. This is a milestone achievement in the Township’s efforts to influence provincial legislative change on the issue.
King Township played a leadership role in advancing awareness of the impacts associated with illegal land uses across rural and agricultural communities, including pressures on infrastructure, environmental degradation and land use incompatibility. Through coordinated engagement with provincial partners and municipalities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, King has consistently advanced practical, solutions-oriented recommendations.
King will continue to engage with the province to drive forward impactful policy and legislative reforms that benefit municipalities across Ontario.
About the SUM GTHA
The Small Urban Mayors of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (SUM GTHA) group consists of mayors from 13 urban towns with a population of under 100,000 in Ontario. The group serves as advocates for issues that are integral to the smaller urban municipalities in the province including economic stabilization, infrastructure funding and environmental protection. The group emphasizes collaboration among municipalities to address challenges effectively and ensure the well-being of their communities.
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Mayor Steve Pellegrini, King Township
“As Chair of the Small Urban Mayors of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (SUM GTHA), I want to thank the Ford government and MPP for King-Vaughan, Stephen Lecce, for collaborating with municipalities to implement a locally led solution to halt illegal land use. Allowing municipalities to impose administrative monetary penalties (fines) for illegal land use is a pivotal tool necessary to enforce zoning rules, protect farmers and residents, and ensure we can keep our streets and communities safe in the process.”
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Photos: (Left) Mayor Steve Pellegrini with MPP for King—Vaughan, Hon. Stephen Lecce at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Right) Mayor Steve Pellegrini with Solicitor General, Hon. Michael Kerzner and the Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform, Hon. Zee Hamid at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Media Contact(s)
Township of King
Andrea Gyarmati, Manager of Communications and Public Engagement
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca