Land use planning and environmental planning are activities of MNR central to the ministry’s mission which is to manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way to ensure that they are available for the enjoyment and use of future generations. Determining the orderly arrangement of land uses and addressing the implications of plans and developments on the environment help to achieve ecological sustainability.
The Ministry of Natural Resources has released new guidelines to help communities make balanced planning decisions on natural heritage protection for a healthier, greener Ontario.
Municipalities and other stakeholders involved in land use planning can now access the second edition Natural Heritage Reference Manual online.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has a mandate for conducting land use planning for Crown lands in Ontario. In allocating Crown lands and establishing guidelines for resource activities, MNR supports the achievement of provincial policies and program objectives, while striving to find a suitable balance among public preferences, competing uses and anticipated implications within an overall context of sustainable development and ecological sustainability.
MNR has a role in land use planning for private lands in Ontario. This occurs through MNR’s participation in the municipal planning process and in the development of provincial plans by other ministries. MNR has a unique planning and oversight role with respect to the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the implementation of the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act.
MNR also carries out environmental planning to support the conservation and wise management of Ontario’s natural resources. This is done by implementing our requirements under the Environmental Assessment Act and by actively engaging the public in environmentally significant decision making through the Environmental Bill of Rights and the Environmental Registry.
