Parking exemption for long-term care facility in Port Hope zoning order has been revoked

The provision that waived the minimum parking requirement for a long-term care facility on this site has been formally revoked and removed from the regulation. All other site-specific zoning rules remain in place: accessory buildings with waste storage must be in a side or rear yard, loading space may be in an exterior side yard, and the Institutional–Urban zone standards apply with a maximum building height of 26 metres for a long-term care facility. Developers or operators planning a long-term care facility on this site should now check whether standard municipal parking requirements under the Port Hope Zoning By-law apply to their project. The change also adds regulatory source citations to each remaining subsection, which is a housekeeping update with no substantive effect.

Ontario creates new provincial rules requiring transit systems in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area to align fares, payment, and accessibility services

A new Ontario law establishes provincial authority over local transit systems operating in Toronto, Hamilton, and the four surrounding regional municipalities (Durham, Halton, Peel, York). The Minister of Transportation can now set fare structures, require all covered transit systems to join a common fare payment platform, designate cross-boundary priority routes with minimum service standards, and apportion fare revenue among systems sharing a geographic zone. Specialized transit operators serving people with disabilities must join a unified trip booking system and, on request, provide door-to-door service beyond their usual boundaries without requiring a transfer, at no charge for a support person. Municipalities and their transit agencies must file compliance reports and respond to ministerial information requests; no private lawsuits may be brought against governments, agencies, or Metrolinx arising from actions taken under this law.

Ontario drinking water law updated to recognize new water and wastewater public corporations and streamline consent rules

Ontario has amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to expand the definition of 'municipal drinking water system' to include systems owned by corporations designated as water and wastewater public corporations under the new Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025 — though this particular change takes effect only when a separate provision of that Act comes into force. Separately, a new deemed-consent rule is now in force: if a person obtains municipal consent for a water public utility under the relevant provision of the Municipal Act, 2001, that consent automatically counts as written consent under the Safe Drinking Water Act, removing the need to seek a second, parallel approval. The deemed-consent provision also clarifies that certain liability and abandonment rules do not apply to these deemed consents. Operators of water systems that rely on municipal consents, and any corporations that may be designated as water and wastewater public corporations, should review how these changes affect their approval and consent obligations.

Non-profit retirement homes are now exempt from municipal development charges in Ontario

A new exemption removes development charges for retirement home projects developed by provincially or federally incorporated non-profit corporations in good standing. Any development charge that became payable before the new provision took effect is not covered by the exemption, but future instalment payments that would otherwise have come due afterward are also relieved. Non-profit operators planning or currently building retirement home facilities should review whether their projects qualify and confirm their corporate status under either the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 or the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. Related rules on payment timing for front-ending agreements have also been updated to align with revised instalment provisions. Organizations that may qualify should verify their standing under the applicable not-for-profit statute and consult with their municipality about how the exemption applies to charges already levied.

Coroner's inquests now ban unauthorized photos, recordings and dissemination — with fines up to $25,000

A new section of the Coroners Act prohibits anyone from taking photos, audio or video recordings at a coroner's inquest, of people entering or leaving the inquest room, or of people in the building who appear to be attending the inquest. It is also prohibited to publish, broadcast or otherwise share any material taken in violation of these rules. Limited exceptions exist: unobtrusive note-taking and sketching are still allowed, and audio recordings for note-supplementing purposes are permitted for parties with standing and journalists if the presiding coroner authorizes it. The coroner can also authorize recordings for presenting evidence, with consent of all parties, or for ceremonial proceedings. Anyone who contravenes these rules faces a fine of up to $25,000, up to six months imprisonment, or both. Separately, the Chief Forensic Pathologist's training responsibilities have been reorganized to distinguish postgraduate training of new pathologists from continuing education programs for those already providing services.

Ontario bans breeding cats and dogs for research, tightens rules on invasive animal research and sharply raises penalties

A set of amendments (not yet in force) makes several significant changes to how animal research and supply facilities operate in Ontario. Supply facility operators will be prohibited from breeding cats or dogs for research purposes. A new section restricts invasive medical research on cats, dogs and other prescribed animals to registered research facilities, and only where an animal care committee has reviewed and approved the specific research proposal under criteria set by regulation. Animal care committees gain expanded duties, including formal written approval of research proposals and record-keeping obligations for operators. The rules for selling or transferring animals out of a research facility are broadened—any transfer now requires a written procedure approved by an animal care committee, not just transfers of dogs and cats to other facilities. Penalties are substantially increased: individuals convicted of major offences (such as operating without a licence, performing unauthorized invasive research, or failing to anaesthetize animals) can face fines up to $260,000 and up to two years imprisonment for repeat offences; corporations face fines up to $1,000,000. Operators, animal care committees, inspectors and anyone involved in animal research or supply should review the new requirements well before the proclaimed in-force dates.

Protection corridor maps updated for SickKids and St. Michael's Hospital heliport flight paths

The zoning order that restricts building heights near two Toronto hospital heliports has been updated to reference new official corridor maps. The map numbers defining the protected air corridors for The Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael's Hospital have changed, meaning the geographic boundaries of the height-restriction zones are now determined by the newly filed maps rather than the previous ones. Anyone planning construction, installing cranes, antennas, or other structures near these hospitals should consult the updated maps (now numbered 391 and 392, filed at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing at 777 Bay Street) to determine whether their project falls within a restricted area. Two housekeeping provisions in the regulation have also been formally revoked. Developers, architects, and project managers with active or planned projects in the vicinity of either hospital heliport should verify compliance against the updated corridor boundaries.

Ontario bans cat declawing, dog devocalization, and ear cropping except for medical necessity

A new regulation under Ontario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act formally prohibits three surgical procedures on companion animals: declawing (onychectomy) on cats, devocalization on dogs, and ear cropping on dogs. These procedures are now off-limits as routine or cosmetic practices. The only exception allows a veterinarian to perform one of these procedures if they determine it is medically necessary to treat an injury or disease, and they must document that determination in the animal's records. Veterinary clinics and animal owners should be aware that requesting or performing these procedures outside the medical exception exposes them to liability under the Act. Anyone currently offering or planning these procedures for non-medical reasons should review their practices immediately.

Homeless shelters, retirement homes, and long-term care homes are exempt from the illegal drug activity landlord rules

A new regulation carves out three categories of premises from the definition of

New regulation names specific federal drug offence as trigger for Ontario's illegal drug premises law

A new Ontario regulation identifies one specific federal offence — contravening the provision of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that relates to certain drug-related activity — as a "prescribed offence" under Ontario's Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act, 2025. This designation is significant because that provincial Act allows authorities to take action against premises where prescribed offences have occurred. Property owners, landlords, and operators of commercial or residential spaces should be aware that a conviction or finding related to this federal offence can now trigger Ontario's premises-based enforcement tools. Businesses and property owners who lease or manage spaces should review their tenant screening and lease compliance practices in light of this connection between federal drug offences and provincial premises powers.

Ontario coroner rules updated: mandatory tissue collection for genetic conditions, new 50-year retention, and family genetic testing requests

Amendments taking effect in early 2027 make significant changes to how pathologists and coroners handle tissue samples when a genetic condition is believed to have contributed to a death. Pathologists and coroners will be required—not just permitted—to collect and retain tissue samples (including a new category, extracted DNA samples) when they believe a genetic condition contributed to the death. Retained tissue samples collected for future genetic testing, and extracted DNA samples, must now be kept for at least 50 years, a major extension from previous maximum periods of two years or less. Accommodation policies for post mortem examinations are broadened to cover conscientious beliefs in addition to religious beliefs. A new formal process allows close genetic relatives (parents, siblings, children) or their substitute decision-makers to request genetic testing of a deceased person's retained tissue samples to inform their own health care decisions, with the Chief Coroner or Chief Forensic Pathologist deciding whether to proceed and sharing results in writing. Personal representatives may request disposal of tissue samples collected for future genetic testing, but extracted DNA samples are excluded from burial or cremation handover rights.

Ontario pharmacists and pharmacy technicians gain expanded vaccine and minor-ailment prescribing authority

The regulation adds tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccines to the list of vaccines that eligible pharmacy members are authorized to administer by injection. Separately, a future change (taking effect mid-2026) will expand pharmacy technicians' injection authority beyond influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines to cover all Schedule 3 vaccines, and will remove the requirement to follow Ontario's Universal Influenza Immunization Program when giving flu shots. The minor ailment schedule is also significantly expanded (effective mid-2026) to let pharmacists independently manage additional conditions, including calluses and corns, mild tension headaches, head lice, seborrheic dermatitis, body and groin ringworm, warts, viral rhinitis/rhinosinusitis, and dry eye disease, using specified drug classes. Pharmacy operators, pharmacists, intern pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians should review which new vaccines and conditions now fall within their scope and ensure their staff training and protocols reflect these changes.

Out-of-province health professionals now explicitly covered as dispensers and prescribers of monitored drugs

The regulation now formally defines "out of province health professional" — a person from outside Ontario who is exempt from certain title-use and practice restrictions under Ontario's health profession laws. The definitions of "dispenser" and "prescriber" have been updated to specifically reference this new category, replacing broader language about persons exempt under particular sections of the Controlled Acts regulation. In practical terms, out-of-province health professionals who are permitted under Ontario law to dispense or prescribe monitored drugs (such as non-listed opioids) are now clearly captured within the narcotics monitoring framework. Pharmacies, dispensing organizations, and out-of-province practitioners operating in Ontario should ensure their reporting and compliance practices treat these individuals as dispensers or prescribers for monitored drug purposes.

Out-of-province pharmacy technicians added to Ontario's controlled-acts exemption framework

The regulation now formally defines "out of province pharmacy technician" as a person exempted from Ontario registration requirements under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 who holds the equivalent of an Ontario pharmacy technician class certificate. A new entry in the exemptions table assigns oversight of these individuals to the Ontario College of Pharmacists under the same Pharmacy Act provision that governs out-of-province pharmacists. This means qualifying pharmacy technicians licensed in other Canadian jurisdictions can now perform controlled acts in Ontario under the out-of-province practitioner framework. Pharmacy businesses and staffing agencies that source pharmacy technicians from outside Ontario should verify that those individuals meet the equivalency requirements and are subject to the applicable College of Pharmacists oversight before allowing them to perform controlled acts.

Future amendments flagged: indemnity approval requirement for Ontario health Agency and Service Organization set to be removed

The consolidated text of the Connecting Care Act, 2019 now includes prospective amendment notices signalling that, once brought into force by Lieutenant Governor in Council order, the requirement for Agency and Service Organization indemnities to be pre-approved under the Financial Administration Act will be repealed. At the same time, the cross-reference to that approval requirement in the duty-of-care provisions will be removed. These changes are not yet in force and have no immediate legal effect. Organizations governed by these provisions — Ontario Health (the Agency) and designated Service Organizations — should be aware that the indemnification approval process may eventually change. No action is required until a proclamation date is announced.

Respirator approval rules for designated substances expanded to recognize CSA Group certification

Starting mid-2026, respirators used under Ontario's Designated Substances regulation will be accepted if approved by NIOSH, by the CSA Group (a newly recognized certifier), or by another agency whose protection is judged equivalent to either NIOSH or CSA. Previously, only NIOSH approval or an equivalency opinion was required. For asbestos protection specifically, the filter designation codes are also being updated: the current 'N-100, R-100 or P-100' labelling will be replaced with expanded codes including 'CA-N100, CA-R100 and CA-P100' to align with CSA standards. Employers who supply workers with respirators for designated-substance work should verify that their equipment selections and purchasing specifications reflect the updated approval criteria and filter codes before the changes take effect.

Asbestos rules to accept CSA-certified respirators alongside NIOSH-approved ones starting mid-2026

Amendments scheduled to take effect add the CSA Group (CSA) as an accepted respirator certification body alongside the existing NIOSH standard for asbestos work on construction projects and in buildings. Workers and employers will be able to use respirators approved by either NIOSH or CSA when asbestos exposure controls require respiratory protection. The respirator filter designations in Table 2 are also being updated to reflect current NIOSH and new CSA filter coding conventions (e.g., N100, CA-N100, R100, CA-R100, P100, CA-P100 replacing the older hyphenated codes). Employers and safety managers should review their respirator procurement and worker training to ensure equipment meets either the NIOSH or CSA approval standards once the changes are in force.

Respirator approval rules updated to recognize CSA Group certification alongside NIOSH

Starting mid-2026, respirators provided to workers can be approved by the CSA Group (CSA) as an alternative to NIOSH approval, not just by NIOSH or a qualified-opinion-backed third party. The amendment adds CSA as a recognized certifying body in the respirator selection requirements and updates the filter designation codes for asbestos work (e.g., 'N-100' becomes 'N100' or 'CA-N100', and equivalent changes for R and P series filters). Employers who select and provide respirators will need to ensure their equipment meets the updated approval and filter labelling standards. Anyone currently specifying respirators for workers—particularly for asbestos exposure—should check that the filter designations in their written programs match the new codes.