The Exemption from Planning Application Fees Program is an incentive offered through the Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
Development Services staff can waive upfront select Development Services Fees, including planning application fees (e.g., pre-consultations, zoning by-law amendments, official plan amendments, site plan control, minor variances, consent, etc.), as well as other associated administrative fees (e.g. zoning compliance letters) for qualifying affordable housing projects by non-profits and charitable organizations.
Please note that certain fees are not waived through this Housing CIP program, including but not limited to:
- Building permit application fees
- Parkland or ecological offsetting fees
- Securities or deposits
- Fees associated with registering documents/plans/legal agreements on title
- Cash-in-lieu of parkland
- Development charges
- School board levies
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to have select planning application and related fees waived through the Housing CIP, applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria in Sections 3.4.1 and 3.4.4 of the Housing CIP. Please read and review the Housing CIP to confirm your understanding of the program and that your project meets all eligibility criteria. Below is a summary of eligibility criteria all projects must meet:
- The applicant must be a non-profit or charitable organization, or government entity (applicants may partner with market housing providers).
- The development must be new construction of an affordable rental or affordable ownership housing project (no restrictions on built form) located within the City of Barrie that will result in at least one (1) new affordable housing unit; for shared living arrangements, an increase in capacity (e.g. another bed, bedroom, suite, etc. qualifies.
- Projects can be at any stage in the development approval process, including early feasibility work (e.g., pre-consultation).
- The property under consideration shall not be in a position of property tax arrears.
- Project sites shall not be located on lands subject to flooding hazards, erosion hazards, including wetlands.
For the purposes of the Housing CIP, non-profit and charitable organizations shall have the same meaning as used in subsection 4.2(1) of the Development Charges Act, being:
- a corporation to which the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 applies, that is in good standing under that Act and whose primary object is to provide housing,
- a corporation without share capital to which the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act applies, that is in good standing under that Act and whose primary object is to provide housing, or
- a non-profit housing co-operative that is in good standing under the Co-operative Corporations Act. 2022, c. 21, Sched. 3, s. 4.
If you are a non-profit or charitable organization and have questions about which development application fees can be waived, please contact Housing.CIP@barrie.ca for more information.
Application is Automatic
The Exemption from Planning Application Fees Program is not an application-based program, but instead will be implemented at the discretion of the Executive Director of Development Services.
Planning application fees will automatically be waived by Development Services staff at the time of application for qualifying applicants. For more information about which fees are eligible to be waived, or to confirm whether you qualify to have your application fees waived, please contact Housing.CIP@barrie.ca.