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Report To: Planning and Development Committee
Date of Meeting: March 9, 2026 Report Number: PDS-013-26
Authored By: Laila Shafi, Coordinator-Projects and Administration, Planning and
Infrastructure
Submitted By: Darryl Lyons, Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure
Reviewed By: Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO
By-law Number: Resolution Number:
File Number:
Report Subject: Planning Act Application Fee Review and User Fee By-law Amendment
Recommendations:
1.That Report PDS-013-26, and any related delegations or communication items, be
received;
2.That the by-law appended as Attachment 2 to Report PDS-013-26, to amend
Schedule “E”, the Planning Fees, of By-law 2025-033, a by-law to require the
payment of fees for services, be approved; and
3.That all interested parties listed in Report PDS-013-26, be advised of Council’s
decision.
PD-040-262026-021
Municipality of Clarington Page 2
Report PDS-013-26
Report Overview
amendments to Clarington’s User Fee By
he Municipality’s current fee
1. Background
1.1 The last comprehensive fee review for Planning Act Application fees was undertaken by
the Municipality of Clarington in 2008 through a third-party consultant, followed by an
internal review of the fees in 2014, as mentioned in Report PSD-054-14.
1.2 On May 16, 2022 report PDS-024-22 was taken to Planning and Development
Committee (PDC) meeting, recommending a 3% increase to all Planning Application
Fees, except pre-consultation fees; anticipating a comprehensive review of fees in
2022.
1.3 In the fall of 2022, the Municipality engaged Hemson Consulting Ltd. to conduct a
comprehensive review of all Planning and Infrastructure Services fees, including those
within the Building Division. The purpose of this review was to inform amendments to
the Planning and Infrastructure section (Schedule E) of the User Fee By-law, ensuring
that fees reflect the full cost of service delivery and support cost recovery.
1.4 The study began with a review of building permit and inspection fees, resulting in a set
of recommendations presented in report FSD-006-24. Due to the significant changes
advanced by the Province, the planning fees review was delayed.
1.5 In 2025, Hemson Consulting was re-engaged to continue the study and provide
recommendations that reflect current legislative and operational realities. As an
independent third-party expert, Hemson was relied upon to maintain transparency and
eliminate bias throughout the review process.
Municipality of Clarington Page 3
Report PDS-013-26
Legislative Compliance
1.6 Under Part XII and Sections 9, 10 and 11 of the Municipal Act, municipalities have
broad authority to impose user fees for services they provide or for services provided on
their behalf. Fees may cover administration, enforcement, and capital costs, and can
apply to both mandatory and discretionary services. However, fees cannot be based on
income or unrelated property or services.
1.7 Section 69(1) of the Planning Act authorizes municipalities to establish a tariff of fees for
processing planning applications, designed to recover only the anticipated cost of each
application type. The Act also permits fee waivers and provides an appeal mechanism
through the Ontario Land Tribunal.
1.8 Fees have been calculated to recover the full cost of processing applications in respect
of planning matter in accordance with the Planning Act.
2. The Fee Study
Approach
2.1 Hemson Consulting Ltd. utilized an activity-based costing approach, which involved
interviewing staff to understand the time and resources required for various application
types. The study also analyzed the roles of different departments involved in the review
process and benchmarked Clarington’s Planning Act Application fees against other
Lakeshore and comparator municipalities to ensure consistency and competitiveness.
2.2 The study accounted for direct costs which includes the cost of staff, (mainly wages and
benefits) involved in providing the service.
2.3 Indirect (corporate overhead) costs were also included, representing costs incurred by
corporate and administration functions to support the direct service providers (e.g. the
cost of information technology or human resources functions). I ndirect costs in
Clarington generally range between 10% and 15% of direct costs, which is consistent
with Ontario municipalities of similar size.
2.4 The total cost of planning services is projected to be approximately $5.9 million in 2026,
with two new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions previously approved in the multi-year
budget to support service delivery. By 2030, the total cost is expected to rise, reflecting
both inflationary pressures and increased application volumes. To meet this
demand, additional staff is projected to be needed between 2027 and 2030, pending
council approval through the multi-year budget process. This staffing approach ensures
that resources scale commensurate with service delivery needs.
Municipality of Clarington Page 4
Report PDS-013-26
2.5 The study conducted by Hemson shows the allocation of direct and indirect costs
follows industry best practices and aligns with approaches used by other Ontario
municipalities, supporting the validity of the proposed fee structure .
Ongoing Communication with Council and the Development Community
2.6 Report FSD-019-25, presented to the General Government Committee on May 5 , 2025,
advised Council that Clarington staff, in collaboration with Hemson Consulting Ltd., are
undertaking a comprehensive review of Planning Act Application fees. The primary goal
of this review is to ensure full cost recovery for services provided.
2.7 A presentation was delivered at the September 15, 2025 Planning and Development
Committee, outlining three major, interdependent projects within the Planning and
Infrastructure Services Department. One of these key initiatives is the amendment to the
Planning Act application fees in the User Fee By-law. This presentation helped establish
the broader context and significance of the fee review within the department’s ongoing
work.
2.8 Engagement with the development community occurred throughout the fee review
process. In May 2025, at Planning and Infrastructure’s Community Builders Forum,
developers were advised of the three major projects underway and informed that there
would be amendments to the fee structure, intended to support cost recovery. On
October 23, 2025, Hemson Consulting presented the draft fee study findings and
proposed amendments. The development community was provided with draft
materials ahead of the meeting to allow for review. During this session, attendees were
invited to provide feedback on the proposed fee structure to ensure transparency and
support meaningful stakeholder input, with comments received on November 6,
2025. Following the release of Hemson’s final report, staff received additional comments
and held a consultation meeting in February with the Durham Region Home
Builders’ Association (DRHBA) and the Building Industry and Land Development
Association (BILD).
2.9 Hemson’s report addresses any concerns that were noted in these comments by
providing a detailed cost analysis that supports the proposed fee increases. The report
also confirms that only work performed by municipal staff is included in the
cost-recovery model, with third-party consultant-led work excluded. Additionally, the
draft fee schedule and accompanying notes offer clarification on fee categories and
definitions to ensure transparent and consistent application of the updated fees.
Planning Fee Review and Recommended Adjustments
2.10 Hemson’s review identified significant gaps between current Planning Act
application fees and the actual cost of delivering services, in line with the Planning Act.
The analysis shows that the average annual cost of processing Planning Act
applications from 2026 to 2030 is approximately $5.9 million.
Municipality of Clarington Page 5
Report PDS-013-26
2.11 Under the current structure, Planning Act application fees total roughly $2.6 million and
do not cover the full cost of processing applications. The $3.3 million shortfall would be
left to be funded by the general tax base. This underscores the need to adjust fees to
align with cost recovery principles.
2.12 Benchmarking against comparable municipalities indicates that Clarington’s existing
fees are among the lowest in the Greater Toronto Area.
2.13 As part of the review, Hemson recommended establishing a Planning Fee Reserve
Fund to help stabilize revenues and mitigate fluctuations in application volumes, thereby
managing financial risk and supporting consistent service delivery. However, following
staff’s detailed review and consultation with the development sector on February 25,
2026, staff are not recommending the creation of a planning reserve at this time, as the
proposed fee increases are intended to address the long gap since the last
comprehensive fee review in 2008. In response to this direction, Hemson recalculated
the recommended fees after completing their report, and the revised fees are reflected
in this staff report and the accompanying proposed amending by‑law (Attachment 2).
2.14 To address the gap between current Planning Act application fees and the actual cost of
delivering services, Hemson recommends substantial fee increases for major
application types. For example, the fee for a Major Official Plan Amendment would
increase from $27,030 to $63,790 (+136%), and a Zoning By-law Amendment would
rise from $13,890 to $22,510 (+62%).
2.15 In addition, the Hemson report recommended introducing Settlement Area Boundary
Expansion Official Plan Amendment applications as a new “at‑cost” fee. Following staff
review, this approach is not recommended due to challenges related to deeming
applications complete and ensuring cost certainty for both the municipality and
applicants. Instead, staff recommend that these applications be considered as either
major or minor Official Plan Amendments, depending on their scope and complexity.
New fees are also proposed to capture specialized services, including the processing of
Ministerial Zoning Orders and associated amendments, along with fee caps for
residential subdivision per‑unit fees and engineering inspection fees to better manage
large‑scale development scenarios.
2.16 Implementation of the revised fee structure is proposed for the first quarter of 2026,
accompanied by a communication strategy that includes updates to the municipal
website, application guides, and engagement with the development community through
the Community Builders Forum.
3. Financial Considerations
3.1 The proposed fees are designed to achieve full cost recovery based on the staff time
required to process planning applications, ensuring that service costs are appropriately
borne by applicants rather than taxpayers.
Municipality of Clarington Page 6
Report PDS-013-26
3.2 It should also be noted that the proposed fee schedule maintains the existing 50%
reduction for all planning applications submitted by registered charitable organizations
or registered non‑profit housing providers.
3.3 To ensure fees remain appropriate and reflective of actual service delivery costs, staff
recommend that the fee structure be reviewed every five years, with the necessary
funding to be requested through the annual budget process.
4. Strategic Plan
4.1 L.2 Finances and operations are efficiently and responsibly managed:
Implementing full cost recovery ensures that growth-related costs are funded by
applicants rather than the general tax base, reducing reliance on property taxes and
supporting long-term fiscal health.
5. Climate Change
Not Applicable.
6. Concurrence
This report has been reviewed by the Deputy CAO/ Treasurer of Finance and
Technology who concurs with the recommendations.
7. Conclusion
It is respectfully recommended that staff recommendations be approved and any related
delegations or communication items, be received.
Staff Contact: Laila Shafi, Coordinator- Projects and Administration, lshafi@clarington.net or
Adam Brooks, Manager of Projects and Capital Planning, abrooks@clarington.net
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Review of Planning Fees Report from Hemson Consulting Ltd.
Attachment 2- Amending By-Law of By-law 2025-033 – Schedule E
Interested Parties:
The following interested parties will be notified of Council's decision:
Durham Region Home Builders Association
Final Report
Prepared by Hemson for The Municipality of Clarington
Review of Planning Fees
January 15, 2025
1000 - 30 St. Patrick Street, Toronto ON M5T 3A3
416 593 5090 | hemson@hemson.com | www.hemson.com
Attachment 1 to Report PDS-013-26
Contents
Executive Summary 1
1. Introduction 3
A. General Approach to Cost Recovery 4
B. General Approach to Benchmarking 4
C. Report Structure 5
2. Legislation Governing User Fees 7
A. Municipal Act Part XII Fees and Charges 7
B. Planning Act 8
3. Planning Fee Calculations 9
A. Analysis of Planning fee Revenues 9
B. Planning Cost Analysis 15
C. Full Cost Recovery Planning Fees 23
D. Benchmarking 41
4. Conclusions and Recommendations 42
Appendix A 43
Appendix B 47
Executive Summary | 1
Executive Summary
The Municipality of Clarington has retained Hemson Consulting Ltd. to
undertake a comprehensive review of its user fees charged under the Planning
Act, R.S.O, 1990 (Planning Act). This report focuses on analyzing the full cost
of providing municipal services authorized under the Planning Act. Other user
fees and development charges are not addressed in the report.
The review is based on extensive research of municipal documents,
including capital and operating budgets, by-laws, staff reports, and website
materials from Clarington and comparator municipalities, along with e-mail
and video-conference interviews with Municipal staff. Fee benchmarking
was also undertaken to support the cost analysis, particularly where
information on current and future costs and service levels was limited.
All fees have been calculated to recover costs over a five-year period from
2026 to 2030.
Planning Application Review Findings
▪ From 2026 to 2030, the average annual projected full cost of providing
Planning Application Review services in the Municipality is $6.8 million
(2026$). The cost breakdown is as follows:
▪ 59% - staff wages and benefits
▪ 5% - office space costs
▪ 12% - other operating costs
▪ 11% - indirect costs
▪ 13% - reserve fund contributions
▪ Projected average annual revenue for Planning Application Review
services over the same period, at current fee rates, is $2.6 million. In
accordance with the Planning Act, fee adjustments were calculated to
ensure full cost recovery for each application type.
Executive Summary | 2
▪ Modifications to the Planning fee structure are also proposed to reflect
staffing needs and new service delivery processes over the next five years
and to ensure that all eligible services are appropriately costed and
charged (see Section 3).
Introduction | 3
1. Introduction
Municipalities in Ontario are responsible for ensuring that the delivery of local
services is undertaken in accordance with the provisions of Provincial
legislation. To offset the cost of providing services, municipalities are
permitted to charge fees. The Municipality of Clarington has levied such fees
for many years. However, it has not conducted a comprehensive review of
planning fees in over eleven years.
Since then, the Province has introduced changes to various Acts and
Regulations, and the demand for planning services has increased as
Clarington continues to grow and plans for significant development. These
factors have made regular reviews of services and associated costs
increasingly necessary.
Currently, the Municipality levies user fees under By-Law No. 2025-033.
Although fees apply to many services across various departments of the
corporation, this report focuses specifically on fees charged under the Planning
Act, which are contained in Schedule E of the by-law.
To ensure appropriate full cost recovery, the Municipality retained Hemson
Consulting to analyze the cost of providing services and recommend fee rates
for recovering some or all costs as permitted under the Planning Act. In addition
to reviewing the Municipalityʼs existing fees, the analysis explored potential new
fees and fee structures.
This report summarizes the analysis results and makes recommendations for
changing fees and fee structures. It does not address corporate user fees,
building permit fees, recreation and cultural service fees, or development
charges.
Introduction | 4
A. General Approach to Cost Recovery
The review is based on extensive research of municipal documents,
including capital and operating budgets, by-laws, staff reports, and website
materials of Clarington and fourteen similar-sized municipalities within or
near the Greater Toronto Area, as well as e-mail and video-conference
interviews with Municipal staff.
Unlike taxes, user fees are levied for a specific purpose - to recover some or
all of the cost of providing a municipal service to the person paying the fee.
Where possible, this review establishes the cost of services provided by the
Municipality with a view to recommending an appropriate fee. In order to do
this, three types of cost are distinguished:
▪ Direct costs ‒ include the cost of staff (mainly wages and benefits)
involved in providing the service;
▪ Indirect costs ‒ include costs incurred by corporate and administration
functions to support the direct service providers (e.g. the cost of
information technology or human resources functions). Indirect costs in
Clarington generally range between 10% and 15% of direct costs, which
is consistent with Ontario municipalities of similar size; and
▪ Reserve fund contributions ‒ which are transfers to reserve funds
designed to manage annual fluctuations in fee revenue, as well as one-
time, unanticipated expenditures (e.g. for legal or capital costs).
B. General Approach to Benchmarking
Fee benchmarking has been used in this report to supplement the cost
analysis as information on current and future costs and service levels is
sometimes limited. Municipalities included in the benchmark review are
shown in Table 1 below.
Introduction | 5
Table 1: Benchmark Municipalities
Region Local Municipality Population
(2021 Census)
Durham Ajax
Brock
Clarington
Oshawa
Pickering
Scugog
Uxbridge
Whitby
126,700
12,600
101,400
175,400
99,200
21,600
21,600
138,500
Peel Caledon 76,600
Peterborough Peterborough 83,700
York Aurora
East Gwillimbury
Georgina
Newmarket
Whitchurch-Stouffville
62,100
34,600
47,600
87,900
49,900
Average 75,960
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Canada
It is noted that this benchmarking exercise does not take into account any
service level differences that may exist in terms of, for example, the scope and
quality of programs and services that are provided in other municipalities.
As well, given the differences in program scope and the nature of services that
are delivered, it is not possible to compare fee rates for some fees. The
benchmark for each service area is therefore restricted to “like for like” services.
C. Report Structure
After this introductory section, this report is organized into the following sections:
Section 2 describes the legislative authority for imposing user fees in
Clarington, with a particular focus on the Planning Act.
Section 3 sets out the fee calculations for planning services, including a
description of the service, the current fee structure, historical application
Introduction | 6
data and fee revenues, analysis of costs, and benchmarking results. A
proposed fee schedule for planning services is provided, with changes to
existing fee descriptions, as well as new fees.
Section 4 provides general conclusions and recommendations.
Legislation Governing User Fees | 7
2. Legislation Governing User Fees
The general power of municipalities to impose fees and charges derives
from Sections 9, 10 and 11 of the Municipal Act, 2021 (Municipal Act).
Specific authority to establish many of the fees and charges levied by the
Municipality is contained to Parts XII and IV of the Act. Under Part XII of the
Act, municipalities can establish wide ranging user fees and penalties either
for services they provide or for services provided on their behalf. Part IV of
the legislation gives municipalities the power to impose licensing fees.
As well, the Planning Act confers specific powers to impose fees for the
processing of planning applications.
A. Municipal Act Part XII Fees and Charges
Section 391(1) of the Municipal Act stipulates that a municipality or local
board may impose a fee or charge on persons: for service or activities
provided or done by or on its behalf; for costs payable by it for services or
activities provided or done by or on behalf of municipalities or local boards;
and for the use of its property including property under control.
Fees and charges can be used to pay for service administration and
enforcement costs as well as the cost of acquiring or replacing assets
(Section 391(3)). They can also include capital costs associated with a
deferred benefit (Section 391(2)). Services for which fees are charged can
either be mandatory or discretionary (Section 391(4)).
However, Section 394(1) prohibits fees that are based on:
▪ the income of a person, however it is earned or received, except that a
Municipality or local board may exempt, in whole or in part, any class of
persons from all or part of a fee or charge on the basis of inability to pay;
Legislation Governing User Fees | 8
▪ the use, consumption or purchase by a person of property other than
property belonging to or under the control of the municipality or local
board that passes the by-law;
▪ the use, consumption or purchase by a person of a service other than a
service provided or performed by or on behalf of or paid for by the
municipality or local board that passes the by-law;
▪ the benefit received by a person from a service other than a service
provided or performed by or on behalf of or paid for by the municipality or
local board that passes the by-law; or
▪ the generation, exploitation, extraction, harvesting, processing, renewal
or transportation of natural resources.
B. Planning Act
The Planning Act stipulates that planning application fees must “meet only
the anticipated cost to the municipality” of each type of application provided
in its tariff of fees. Section 69 (1) of the Act contains the following provision:
69. (1) The council of a municipality, by by-law, and a planning board, by
resolution, may establish a tariff of fees for the processing of applications made
in respect of planning matters, which tariff shall be designed to meet only the
anticipated cost to the municipality or to a committee of adjustment or land
division committee constituted by the council of the municipality or to the
planning board in respect of the processing of each type of application provided
for in the tariff. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, s.69 (1); 1996, c. 4, s. 35 (1).
The Planning Act also allows for fees to be waived for any application (s.69
(2)). Moreover, it provides a mechanism for fees to be appealed to the
Ontario Land Tribunal.
Planning Fee Calculations | 9
3. Planning Fee Calculations
This section calculates fees that recover the full cost of processing applications
in respect of planning matters in accordance with the Planning Act.
A. Analysis of Planning fee Revenues
In Clarington, the “tariff of fees” referred to in the Planning Act is contained
in Schedule “E” of By-law 2025-033 and is available on the Municipalityʼs
website. Most planning fees are one-time payments required upon
application submission.
Planning and Infrastructure Services is responsible for reviewing and project
managing on all planning applications submitted to the Municipality. Some
applications, such as minor variances, involve relatively less effort. Others,
such as official plan amendments or plans of subdivision, may take several
months to process. Most application review work is done in-house by
Municipal staff. The Municipality also provides and strongly encourages the
use of pre-consultation services to support applicants in preparing complete
applications. The main types of planning approvals in the Municipality are
summarized as follows:
i. Official Plan Amendment
The former Durham Region Official Plan, now incorporated in the
Municipalityʼs Official Plan, together with the Municipalityʼs Official Plan,
comprise broad policy documents that set out the long-range planning
objectives for the Municipality.1 All development must conform to the
policies in the Official Plans. In some cases, a planning application requires
1 The new Durham Regional Official Plan, “Envision Durham”, which was approved by the
Province in late 2024, has become part of each local municipalityʼs official plan. Each local
municipality has the ability to repeal or amend the Regional Official Plan as it pertains to their
jurisdiction.
Planning Fee Calculations | 10
an amendment to an Official Plan (OPA) before approval can be granted.
The review of an OPA application is done by Municipal staff.
The amendment process at the Municipality typically takes months to
complete and involves detailed review by staff and Council. The amendment
process can be lengthy and involves a public consultation process. OPAs are
less common than other types of applications, with the Municipality
processing 0 to 3 annually.
ii. Zoning Amendments
The Zoning By-Law regulates the use of land in the Municipality. When a
proposal for development includes a plan for uses which are not permitted
under the Zoning By-Law, an amendment to the by-law is required for the
proposal to be approved. The amendment process can be lengthy and involves a
public consultation process. The Municipality has processed an average of 21
zoning by-law amendments per year over the last four years.
iii. Site Plan Control
Site plan control is the process that regulates the detailed design of a site
including building location, landscaping, parking, drainage, lighting and
pedestrian and vehicular access. The number of site plan control applications is
highly variable̶the Municipality processed an average of 17 per year between
2021 and 2024. The review process also includes significant review time by the
Development Engineering group that is not currently accounted for in the fee
schedule.
iv. Subdivision and Condominium
The process for subdividing land is lengthy and involves considerable Municipal
planning resources and public consultation. The actual length of any one review
is highly dependent on the nature of the subdivision (or condominium) being
processed. In general, larger subdivisions require greater time for review. The
review process also includes significant time by the Development Engineering
Planning Fee Calculations | 11
group. Much of the review work takes place after the draft plan has been
approved.
Over the past four years, the Municipality has processed an average of 14
subdivision applications annually, though the number of housing units per
application ̶ and corresponding level of review effort ̶ varies significantly.
Looking ahead, subdivision applications are anticipated to rise substantially as
new greenfield areas of the Municipality are approved for development.
Condominium applications are typically fewer in number, averaging 2 per year.
However, given the higher rate of intensification planned for by the Municipality
in the coming years, condominium applications are anticipated to increase.
v. Minor Variances
A Committee of Adjustment is responsible for approving applications for
minor variances. Often a proposed development will require that one or
more development standards established by the Zoning By-Law be revised
to allow the development to proceed. In such cases an approval for variance
from the Committee must be secured. The Municipality has averaged 48
minor variance applications annually from 2021 to 2024.
vi. Consents
The Committee of Adjustment is also the approval authority for applications
for consent to sever land. The Municipality has averaged 34 consent
applications per year over the last four years.
vii. Telecommunications Tower
The Municipality is a commenting authority on new telecommunication
towers and levies a fee from telecommunication companies for this work.
Approval authority lies with the Federal government. The Municipality has
averaged 12 telecommunication tower reviews annually from 2021 to 2024.
Planning Fee Calculations | 12
viii. Part-Lot Control
The Planning Act permits municipalities to pass by-laws to exempt lots
within a plan of subdivision from part-lot control so that further subdivision
can take place. Applications for part-lot control are infrequent and less
labour intensive than other applications in Clarington.
Table 2 below outlines the number of planning application per application
type between 2021 and 2024.
Table 2: Planning Fee Applications 2021 - 2024
Application Type 2021 2022 2023 2024
Official Plan
Amendment 3 2 0 1
Zoning By-law
Amendment 21 20 14 29
Subdivision 17 23 11 4
Condominium 6 1 0 0
Residential Site Plan 12 11 3 1
Other Site Plan 23 16 3 1
Minor Variance 32 59 44 56
Consent 32 25 28 49
Pre-consultation 48 76 107 73
Telecom Tower 4 6 17 21
Zoning Compliance 166 236 238 123
Signs 67 79 85 112
Agreements 38 35 21 51
Table 3 shows the revenue generated from planning applications for each
application type between 2021 and 2024. The table shows that average
annual revenue is $1.4 million. However, revenues are highly variable,
ranging from a low of $740,000 in 2023 to a high of $1.6 million in 2022. The
primary revenue generators are applications for subdivisions (29% of total
Planning Fee Calculations | 13
revenue), zoning by-law amendments (19% of total revenue), and site plan
amendments (11% of total revenue).
It is noted that fluctuations in planning application revenue on any given
year do not necessarily reflect the level of building or development activity
because the timing of fee payments and development activity do not always
correspond.
Table 3: Planning Fee Revenues 2021-2024 (Inflated to 2025$)
Application
Type 2021 2022 2023 2024
% of
Historical
Revenues
Official Plan
Amendment $39,666 $52,562 $0 $25,158 3%
Zoning By-law
Amendment $197,402 $250,011 $116,138 $260,256 19%
Subdivision $517,555 $660,752 $49,451 $19,217 29%
Condominium $55,414 $8,584 $0 $0 1%
Residential Site
Plan $13,176 $174,025 $9,169 $6,648 5%
Other Site Plan $91,483 $152,502 $9,169 $6,648 6%
Minor Variance $28,518 $54,253 $41,497 $39,993 4%
Consent $50,925 $24,607 $75,086 $76,600 5%
Pre-consultation $10,661 $40,284 $175,323 $102,403 8%
Telecom Tower $40,558 $48,049 $113,935 $138,665 8%
Zoning
Compliance $35,137 $46,348 $47,467 $25,412 4%
Signs $22,643 $47,958 $31,014 $27,874 3%
Agreements $97,829 $60,910 $71,209 $69,832 7%
Other $1,814 $1,843 $288 $1,311 <1%
Total $1,202,781 $1,622,688 $739,746 $800,017 100%
Planning Fee Calculations | 14
Historical revenue data in Table 3 show a significant fluctuation in planning
revenues received over the past four years. Internal Municipal forecast data
and the Municipalityʼs recently released Development Charge (DC)
Background Study, indicate that application activity and associated
revenues will rise substantially over the next five years.
A five-year revenue forecast has been prepared for fee-setting purposes.
The forecast is based on historical application data and forecasts of
residential and non-residential development set out in the 2025
Development Charges Background Study. Revenue is forecast separately for
residential and non-residential planning applications as follows, with
forecast annual growth for 2026-2030 assumed to be:
▪ Residential revenue growth (compared to 2021-2024): +33% per year
▪ Non-residential growth (compared to 2021-2024): +5% per year
The anticipated revenue generated from each application type (at current
fee rates) is shown in Table 4. These revenue projections form the basis of
the full-cost recovery fee calculations.
Planning Fee Calculations | 15
Table 4: Planning Revenue Forecast - 2026 - 2030
Application Type Annual Projected Revenue
Official Plan Amendment $77,227
Zoning By-law Amendment $541,971
Subdivision $820,369
Condominium $42,104
Residential Site Plan $133,563
Other Site Plan $80,294
Minor Variance $108,066
Consent $149,484
Pre-consultation $216,228
Telecommunications Tower $105,453
Zoning Compliance $101,554
Signs $40,019
Agreements $197,221
Other $3,458
Total $2,617,009
B. Planning Cost Analysis
This section presents an analysis of the direct and indirect costs of delivering
services required to review planning applications in Clarington. All costs are
expressed in 2026 dollars.
i. Direct Costs
A number of staff across six departments at the Municipality are responsible
for processing applications in respect of planning matters. The departments
that process planning application or participate in the process include:
▪ Planning & Infrastructure Services
▪ Emergency and Fire Services
▪ Legislative Services
Planning Fee Calculations | 16
▪ Public Works/Operations
▪ Chief Administrative Officer
To cope with increased application volumes, it is assumed that the Municipality
will require new staff over the planning period. The costs associated with these
new staff members are assumed to be phased in over the five-year planning
period.
Time shares of existing and anticipated new staff incurring direct costs were
determined based on extensive interviews and correspondence with staff
during the third quarter of 2025. A summary of the time share breakdown is
provided in Appendix A.
Table 5 displays the calculations of direct costs. Payroll costs, amounting to
$4.0 million and including all salaries, benefits, and overtime, account for the
majority (77%) of the direct costs.
Direct (non-salary) operating cost were determined by multiplying the time
shares attributed to planning application staff by 2026 operating budget
projections. The total direct operating cost that can be attributed to planning
approval activities is $830,900, or 16% of total direct costs.
Space allocations were determined based on the Municipalityʼs 2026
operating budget projections, floor plans, and asset management
allocations. Direct costs associated with space total $359,900 and account
for approximately 7% of total direct costs.
The total direct cost of planning applications and approvals amounts to $5.2
million.
Planning Fee Calculations | 17
Table 5: Planning Review Average Direct Cost 2026-2030 (2026$)
Application Type Salaries Other
Direct Space Total
Official Plan Amendment $118,928 $19,898 $10,715 $149,541
Zoning By-law
Amendment $615,523 $98,829 $55,084 $769,435
Subdivision $849,095 $240,164 $84,190 $1,173,449
Condominium $95,154 $36,563 $8,924 $140,641
Residential Site Plan $275,509 $59,344 $25,087 $359,941
Other Site Plan $252,264 $47,792 $22,709 $322,765
Minor Variance $189,956 $29,636 $17,386 $236,978
Consent $301,822 $47,096 $27,648 $376,567
Pre-consultation $273,166 $45,726 $24,934 $343,826
Telecommunications
Tower $59,981 $10,962 $5,597 $76,539
Zoning Compliance $119,197 $18,648 $11,061 $148,906
Signs $35,730 $5,589 $3,313 $44,632
Agreements $155,652 $29,546 $826 $186,023
Ministerial Zoning Order &
Settlement Area Boundary
Expansion
$87,128 $18,061 $8,269 $113,458
Development
Engineering Fees $563,835 $123,006 $54,192 $741,033
Total $3,992,940 $830,858 $359,937 $5,183,735
ii. Indirect Costs
The indirect (or overhead) costs of processing planning applications in
Clarington represent the share of costs of the Municipalityʼs corporate
departments that can reasonably be attributed as overhead support of the
planning application review service.
Indirect costs are estimated based on what drives the cost of the corporate
departmentsʼ support of planning activities. The calculation is undertaken in
two steps. First, the total cost of each overhead department is determined.
Next, it is determined what cost driver should be used for each department
Planning Fee Calculations | 18
involved in the planning application process. The corporate overhead
departments and the relative metrics are provided in Table 6 below. Cost
drivers are consistent with those used in the Municipalityʼs recent Building
Permit Fee Review.
Table 6: Corporate Costs and Indirect Cost Drivers
Corporate Department Service Unit Total Cost
(2026$) Cost Driver
Mayor & Council Mayor $538,439 Payroll & Budget
Mayor & Council Council $606,105 Payroll & Budget
Mayor & Council Ward Council $54,672 Payroll & Budget
Mayor & Council Administration $3,570 Payroll & Budget
Chief Administrative Officer Administration $596,603 Payroll & Budget
Chief Administrative Officer Communications $1,489,266 Payroll & Budget
Chief Administrative Officer Corporate Performance $1,062,456 Payroll & Budget
Legislative Services Administration $1,765,421 Payroll & Budget
Legislative Services Human Resources &
Payroll $1,860,030 Payroll & Budget
Finance & Technology Finance Administration $4,131,707 Payroll & Budget
Finance & Technology Information Technology $4,233,695 Payroll & Budget
Next, it is determined how each overhead cost applies to each department
involved in the planning application process. Using these calculated shares
of corporate costs, the amount attributable to processing planning
applications is estimated based on the time shares identified in Appendix A.
Table 7 below summarizes how each corporate overhead cost relates to
each department involved in the planning application process.
Table 8 summarizes the indirect costs for each application type, based on the
time shares provided in Appendix A. The calculated cost shares are applied to
the corporate departments projected net costs excluding costs for activities
which are clearly unrelated to planning applications. The total indirect costs
amount to about $736,900.
Planning Fee Calculations | 19
Table 7: Average Annual Planning Review Indirect Costs 2026-2030
Corporate Department Time Spent on
Planning Applications
Indirect Costs
(2026$)
Planning 56% $577,096
Engineering 23% $116,683
Fire Prevention <1% $4,865
Public Works <1% $8,639
Chief Administrative Officer <1% $307
Legal 3% $29,344
Total Indirect Cost $736,934
Table 8: Average Planning Review Indirect Costs 2026-2030
Application Type Indirect Costs (2026$)
Official Plan Amendment $21,179
Zoning By-law Amendment $108,964
Subdivision $167,293
Condominium $19,432
Residential Site Plan $50,607
Other Site Plan $45,319
Minor Variance $33,528
Consent $53,267
Pre-consultation $48,680
Telecommunications Tower $10,816
Zoning Compliance $21,024
Signs $6,302
Agreements $29,344
Ministerial Zoning Order & Settlement
Area Boundary Expansion $16,055
Development Engineering $105,124
Total Indirect Cost $736,934
Planning Fee Calculations | 20
iii. Reserve Fund Contribution
The Municipality does not have a reserve fund in place for Planning Act fees.
Given the variation in historical fee revenue, as well as the uncertainty of
short-term development forecasts, a provision to establish a planning fee
reserve fund over the next five years has been incorporated into the cost
analysis.
Planning fee reserve funds are a prudent financial management tool for
municipalities. The Planning Act does not require municipalities to adjust
their planning fees every year in order to match their costs. Indeed, as the
majority of application review costs are payroll costs it would be impractical
to even attempt to match revenues and costs on an exact annual basis. As
shown in Table 2 and Table 3 there have been fluctuations in both the
number of applications and the amount of fee revenues from any one year to
the next. This could result in an imbalance between costs and revenues. In
years of high activity revenues will likely exceed costs. However, in quieter
years costs may well exceed revenues.
The proposed Planning Fee Reserve Fund is therefore intended to mitigate
operating pressures in the departments involved in planning application
reviews during years of low application volume and, to a lesser extent, to
fund future capital. Revenues in the reserve fund are designed to pay for
“the processing of applications made in respect of planning matters” per the
Planning Act. They are not to be used to fund general operations.
The reserve fund target set for fee calculation is 75% of operating costs in
2030. This is generally lower than equivalent targets established by other
municipalities, which generally range from 100% to 150% of operating costs.
Under the proposed fees, this target would be achieved by the end of a five-
year planning period. The target is set at 75% as the Municipality currently
has no planning fee reserve fund. The 75% target will allow the Municipality
to build up a reserve fund consistently and over a reasonable period of time.
A larger reserve fund target would cause an unreasonable increase in the
fees.
Planning Fee Calculations | 21
In order to achieve this target, an annual contribution of $852,700 to the
reserve fund has been incorporated into the application fees. It is
recommended that the Municipality review its reserve fund balances and
target at a subsequent fee review update at the end of the five-year period.
A summary of the reserve fund costs broken down by application type is
shown in Table 9. These shares are based on the time shares in Appendix A.
Table 9: Average Yearly Reserve Fund Contribution Cost 2026-2030
Application Type Reserve Fund Contribution
Cost (2026$)
Official Plan Amendment $32,384
Zoning By-law Amendment $173,581
Subdivision $213,724
Condominium $24,107
Residential Site Plan $68,452
Other Site Plan $60,683
Minor Variance $42,661
Consent $68,031
Pre-consultation $65,278
Telecommunications Tower $14,065
Zoning Compliance $26,378
Signs $7,948
Agreements $34,446
Ministerial Zoning Order & Settlement
Area Boundary Expansion $20,963
Development Engineering (1) $0
Total Indirect Cost $852,701
(1) Development Engineering has a previously-establish, and separate, reserve fund.
It is noted that the Municipality already maintains a separate reserve fund
for costs related to development engineering review. The balance of this
reserve fund is $1.4 million, equivalent to 71% of the anticipated cost of
development engineering review services. No further contributions to this
reserve fund have been included in the fee calculations in this report.
Planning Fee Calculations | 22
iv. Cost Summary
A summary of the cost analysis is displayed in Table 10. The table shows
that the average annual cost of processing planning applications under the
Planning Act in the Municipality is $6.8 million, of which 59% of costs are
wages, 12% of costs are direct operating costs, 5% of costs are related to
office space, 11% of costs are indirect costs, and 13% of costs are reserve
fund contributions.
Table 10: Average Planning Review Costs 2026-2030 (2026$)
Application Type Salaries Other
Direct Space Indirect Reserve
Fund Total
Official Plan
Amendment $118,928 $19,898 $10,715 $21,179 $32,384 $203,104
Zoning By-law
Amendment $615,523 $98,829 $55,084 $108,964 $173,581 $1,051,980
Subdivision $849,095 $240,164 $84,190 $167,293 $213,724 $1,554,466
Condominium $95,154 $36,563 $8,924 $19,432 $24,107 $184,180
Residential Site Plan $275,509 $59,344 $25,087 $50,607 $68,452 $479,000
Other Site Plan $252,264 $47,792 $22,709 $45,319 $60,683 $428,767
Minor Variance $189,956 $29,636 $17,386 $33,528 $42,661 $313,168
Consent $301,822 $47,096 $27,648 $53,267 $68,031 $497,864
Pre-consultation $273,166 $45,726 $24,934 $48,680 $65,278 $457,784
Telecommunications
Tower $59,981 $10,962 $5,597 $10,816 $14,065 $101,420
Zoning Compliance $119,197 $18,648 $11,061 $21,024 $26,378 $196,308
Signs $35,730 $5,589 $3,313 $6,302 $7,948 $58,882
Agreements $155,652 $29,546 $826 $29,344 $34,446 $249,813
Ministerial Zoning
Order & Settlement
Area Boundary
Expansion
$87,128 $18,061 $8,269 $16,055 $20,963 $150,475
Development
Engineering $563,835 $123,006 $54,192 $105,124 $0 $846,158
Total $3,992,940 $830,858 $359,937 $736,933 $852,700 $6,773,368
Planning Fee Calculations | 23
C. Full Cost Recovery Planning Fees
This section presents full cost recovery fee rates in light of the cost analysis
presented above. The full cost recovery analysis demonstrates that the
Municipality is currently subsidizing the planning application review process
through the tax rate to a considerable degree. Given the provisions of the
Planning Act, Council has the authority to increase current fees in order to
recover the full cost of the process for each application type.
The planning fees required to recover the full cost of processing planning
applications are set out in Table 11. Full cost fees have been calculated by
dividing the total (direct and indirect) cost of providing applications review
services by the average annual revenues anticipated over the next five
years. Fees are rounded to the nearest hundred, ten, or one dollar
depending on the fee amount.
Table 11 shows that the current fee rates for most applications, aside from
pre-consultation, are insufficient to recover the full cost of services. Full
cost recovery fees are therefore higher than current fee rates for almost all
types of applications.
When setting fee rates, the Municipality should consider the following:
▪ the revenue shortfall that would result from imposing less than full cost
recovery fees, a shortfall would most likely need to be funded from taxes;
▪ the possibility that a “general” benefit to the Municipality might arise as
a result of processing certain types of applications (e.g. Official Plan
amendments with broad application);
▪ the competitiveness of the Municipalityʼs fees relative to other
comparable municipalities in or near the Greater Toronto Area (see
below); and
▪ the ability of applicants to pay the fee.
Planning Fee Calculations | 24
i.Fee Elimination and Fee Structure Recommendations
Given the changes in Provincial legislation and projected growth for the
Municipality, a number of proposed textual and structural changes to the
planning fee schedule are proposed. They include:
▪dividing Regional Official Plan Amendment fees into two (minor and
major) fee categories;
▪eliminating fees for Comments on Applications under the Green Energy
Act; and
▪eliminating the Extension of Site Plan Approval fee.
These changes to the fee structure are set out in Table 11.
ii.New Fees
In order to recover costs of reviewing applications for which fees are not
currently imposed, it is also recommended that the Municipality consider
introducing the following new fees:
▪“at cost fees” based on staff time spent, for applications for Settlement
Area Boundary Expansion;
▪similar “at cost fees” based on staff time spent, for applications for
Ministerial Zoning Orders and Ministerial Zoning Order Amendments;
▪$5,280 flat fee for temporary use applications;
▪$21,640 flat fee for revisions to existing or registered condominium
agreements;
▪$400 flat fee for telecommunications tower letters of exemption;
▪fee equivalent to 100% of the base minor variance application fee for
minor variance change of use applications;
▪fee equivalent to 15% of peer review costs, to cover staff administration
costs associated with peer reviews;
▪$0 for heritage permits;
▪$400 flat fee for lighting review applications;
Planning Fee Calculations | 25
▪site plan engineering fees set as the same as subdivision engineering
inspection fees;
▪$1,880 flat fee for Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental
Compliance Reviews;
▪$400 flat fee for providing existing drawing or reports; and
▪$3,000 flat fee for pre-servicing agreements.
iii.Fee Caps
Additionally, it is recommended that:
▪the Municipality maintain a combined “base + variable” approach to fees
for plan of subdivision (for residential and non-residential development)
but introduce a maximum fee payable of:
▪$472,000 for residential subdivision per unit fees; and
▪$617,500 for engineering inspection fees (this cap also applies to site
plan application related engineering inspections).
The proposed fee caps recognize Claringtonʼs context in the Greater Toronto
Area, where a significant volume of greenfield development is expected in
the coming decade. The proposed caps assume no planning fee will be
charged for units exceeding 800 or engineering costs exceeding $30 million
in any single subdivision application. It is noted that some future
subdivisions are likely to exceed this threshold.
Table 11 ‒ Planning & Infrastructure Fee Schedule
Official Plan Amendment (Note
9)
Current
Fee Proposed Fee
$18,440 $45,920 149%
$27,030 $77,580 187%
$40,810 $107,330 163%
$5,640 New
Major Regional Official Plan
Amendment Application $9,530 New
Neighbourhood Design Plan
Amendment $6,150 $16,170 163%
Settlement Area Boundary
Expansion At Cost New
Ministerial Zoning Order
At Cost New
Zoning By-law Amendment
(Note 9)
Current
Fee Proposed Fee
$9,270 $17,990 94%
$13,890 $26,960 94%
$3,200 $6,210 94%
Temporary use application
Extension of a temporary use
Combined Official Plan and
Zoning By-law Amendments Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
(%)
$25,385 $59,400 134%
$33,975 $91,060 168%
Planning Fee Calculations | 26
Draft Plan of Subdivision
Note 9
Current
Fee
Proposed
Fee
Change
%Unit
$19,670 $37,270 89% Base
amount
Residential (Note 13)
$310 $590 89% Per unit
$520 $990 89%
Per
development
block
subject to
site plan
Non-Residential $8,140 $15,420 89%
Preparation of
Subdivision Agreement
Note 5
$5,548 $7,030 27%
Preparation of
Subdivision Agreement
Amendment Note 5
$1,390 $1,760 27%
Recirculation Fee (Note
11)
50% of the
base
Current Fee
50% of the
base
Current Fee
N/A
Red Line Revisions to
Draft Approval Plan of
Subdivision Note 9
Current
Fee
Proposed
Fee
Change
(%) Unit
$10,860 $20,580 89% Base amount
All revisions $310 $590 89% Per unit
$520 $990 89%
Per development
block subject to site
plan
Planning Fee Calculations | 27
Major Revisions to
Subdivision Applications
Not Draft Approved (Note
9 and 13
Current
Fee
Proposed
Fee
Change
(%) Unit
$17,190 $32,570 89% Base amount
Where original application
was filed prior to July 1,
2000
$310 $590 89% Per unit
$520 $990 89%
Per development
block subject to
site plan
Where original application
was filed between July 1,
2000 and December 31,
2006
$8,610 $16,310 89% Base amount
$310 $590 89% Per unit
$520 $990 89%
Per development
block subject to
site plan
Where original application
was filed after December
31, 2006
$8,610 $16,310 89%
Subdivision Clearance $3,130 $5,930 89%
Extension of Draft Plan
Approval $3,130 $5,930 89%
Other Related Subdivision
Applications (Note 9)
Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
(%) Unit
Part Lot Control Exemption
Subsection 50(7)
$1,230 $2,330 89% Base
amount
$65 $123 89% Per
unit
Deeming By-law Subsection
50(4) $1,230 $2,330 89%
Planning Fee Calculations | 28
Draft Plan of Condominium (Note 9) Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Residential and Non-residential $8,960 $39,190 337%
Application for Condominium
Conversions $10,860 $47,510 337%
Preparation of Condominium
A reement Note 5 $1,028 $1,028 0%
Revision to existing or registered
condominium a reement $21,640 New
Site Plan Approval /
Amendment Note 9 and 14 Current Fee Proposed
Fee
Change
%Unit
$7,390 $26,500 259% Base
$235 $840 259%
Per unit for
first 100
units
Residential Use (Note 14)
$155 $560 259%
Per unit
after first
100 units
(maximum
$140,000
total per
unit fee
$6,150 $32,870 434%
Base
Commercial Use
$3.00 $4.80 60%
Per m2
commercial
gross floor
area
Planning Fee Calculations | 29
Site Plan Approval /
Amendment Note 9 and 14 Current Fee Proposed
Fee
Change
%Unit
$5,540 $29,580 434%
Base
Mixed Use Building (Note 6) $0.80 $4.30 434%
Per m2
commercial
gross floor
area
$65 $347 434%
Per
residential
unit (max
$100,000
$3,700 $16,400 343%
Base
Industrial / Other Uses
$0.60 $2.40 300%
Per m2
gross floor
area (max
$40,000
Amendment – Residential
Use
$1,230 $4,410 259% Base
$55 $197 259%
Per unit
(maximum
$21,400
$2,220 $11,870 434%
Base
Amendment – Commercial
Use
$3.00 $4.80 60%
Per m2
commercial
gross floor
area
(maximum
$16,400
Planning Fee Calculations | 30
Site Plan Approval /
Amendment Note 9 and 14 Current Fee Proposed
Fee
Change
%Unit
$2,610 $13,940 434%
Base
Amendment – Mixed Use
(Note 6)
$0.80 $4.30 434%
Per m2
commercial
gross floor
area
$65 $347 434%
Per
residential
unit
(maximum
$85,000
$1,000 $4,430 343% Base
Amendment – Industrial /
Other Use $0.80 $3.20 300%
Per m2
gross floor
area
(maximum
$25,000
Minor Site Plan Note 7 $800 $2,870 259%
Sales Trailer / Model Home $2,470 $13,190 434%
Preparation of Section 41
A reement Note 5 $836 $1,060 27%
Landscape Inspection Fee
For projects
with greater
than 2500
sq.m. of
floor area, or
25 units or
greater
(0.5% of the
landscape
cost
estimate
with a
minimum of
$1,000
For projects
with greater
than 2500
sq.m. of
floor area, or
25 units or
greater
(0.5% of the
landscape
cost
estimate
with a
minimum of
$1,000
New
Recirculation Fee (Note 11)
50% of the
base
Current Fee
50% of the
base
Current Fee
New
Planning Fee Calculations | 31
Committee of Adjustment (Note 9) Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Request for Deferral by Applicant
Tablin Fee $320 $1,000 211%
Recirculation Fee (per additional
circulation) or Additional Committee
of Ad ustment Meetin
$520 $1,620 211%
– Minor Variance (Notes 8 and 9)Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Accessor Buildin s and Structures $700 $2,030 190%
Residential Minor (single, semi-
detached, townhouse or proposed
lot
$910 $2,640 190%
Residential Major (all other
residential $1,480 $4,290 190%
Commercial $2,110 $6,110 190%
Other non-residential $910 $2,640 190%
Change of Use 100% of base
application fee New
Land Division (Note 9) Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Application Fee $2,125 $7,080 233%
Preparation of Section 53
A reement Note 5 $836 $850 2%
Deed Stampin Fee $1,130 $1,130 0%
Pre-Consultation Fees Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Pre-Consultation Meetin Request $1,055 $2,230 112%
Pre-Consultation Minor Note 10 $320 $680 112%
Planning Fee Calculations | 32
Signs Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Permanent Si n Permit $245 $360 47%
Temporar Si n Permit $135 $200 47%
Si n B -law Variance $860 $1,270 47%
Si n B -law Amendment $2,155 $3,170 47%
Additional Dwelling Unit Current
Fee Proposed Fee Change
%
Application and Re istration $255 $260 0%
Registration for Applications
submitted prior to Januar 1, 2015 $120 $120 0%
Rental Protection Act $1,590 $1,590 0%
Land Use Information and
Compliance Letter
Current
Fee
Proposed
Fee Change (%) Unit
Zoning, Building, and all other
propert information $205 $400 93%
Subdivision and Site Plan (per
a reement $205 $400 93%
Environmental Review Letter $205 $400 93% Per
propert
Peer Review Current Fee Proposed
Fee
Change
%
Peer review
(Applicant
responsible for
100%
Municipality's
full costs of
undertaking a
Peer Review
(Applicant
responsible
for 100%
Municipality's
full costs of
undertaking a
Peer Review
N/A
Peer Review Administration Fee 15% of
Cost New
Planning Fee Calculations | 33
Other Current
Fee
Proposed
Fee Change (%) Unit
$1,485 $1,485 0% Base
Street Name Change
Request $55 $55 0%
Per
Municipal
ddress
Activation of a dormant
application not requiring
a public meeting
Greater of
25% of
initial
application
fee or
$1,650
Greater of
25% of
initial
application
fee or
$1,650
0%
Application Requiring
Additional Public
Meeting or Open House
$2,470 $2,470 0%
Additional
fee for
each
subsequent
public
meetin
Application Involving
Review Under EPA
and/or EAA Process
additional fee
$17,830 $17,830 0%
Preparation o
Development / Servicing
Agreement (note 5 and
note 12)
See Notes
5 and 12
See Notes
5 and 12 0%
Folding of drawings
accompanying a
submission (fee per
sheet
$5.92 $5.92 0%
Per sheet
Herita e Permit $0.00 New
Telecommunications
Towers $9,830 $9,830 0%
Telecommunications
Towers Letter of
Exemption
$400 New
Planning Fee Calculations | 34
Real Propert Transactions Fee Unit
Preparation of any agreements relating
to real property transactions not
otherwise specifically addressed in
this Fee schedule; land transfers (e.g.,
right-of-ways, encroachments, leases
and licensed, easements) the person
requiring the agreement shall be
required to pay fees and
disbursements in accordance with
notes 5 and 12 below.
Development
En ineerin Fees Current Fee Proposed Fee Change (%) Unit
ROW Closure and
Conveyance
Application Fee
$290.13 $290.13 0% Per
application
ROW Closure and
Conveyance
Processing Fee
$870.38 $870.38 0%
Per closure
and
conveyance
processed
Winter Maintenance
Fee $5,751.20 $5,751.20 0%
Per km of
road in the
development
Streetlighting Fee $128.38 $128.38 0% Per light in
subdivision
Engineering Review
Fee
1.25% of the
Final Works
Cost
Estimate or
$2,000,
whichever is
reater.
1.25% of the
Final Works
Cost Estimate
or $2,000,
whichever is
greater.
0%
Planning Fee Calculations | 35
Development
En ineerin Fees Current Fee Proposed Fee Change (%) Unit
En ineerin Inspection Fee: Estimated Cost of Services Note 13
Less than $500,000
$8,000 or
3.5% of the
Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
hi he
$8,000 or 3.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
higher
0%
$500,000-$1,000,000
$17,500 or
3.0% of the
Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
$17,500 or 3.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
greater.
0%
$1,000,000-
$2,000,000
$30,000 or
2.5% of the
Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
$30,000 or 2.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
greater.
0%
$2,000,000-
$3,000,000
$50,000 or
2.25% of the
Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
$50,000 or
2.25% of the
Estimated Cost
of Services,
whichever is
greater.
0%
$3,000,000 or
greater
$67,500 or
2.0% of the
Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
$67,500 or 2.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
greater.
0%
Lighting Review
Fee $400 New Per
application
Planning Fee Calculations | 36
Development
En ineerin Fees Current Fee Proposed Fee Change (%) Unit
Site Plan En ineerin Inspection Fees Note 14
Less than $500,000
$8,000 or 3.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
hi he
New
$500,000-$1,000,000
$17,500 or
3.0% of the
Estimated Cost
of Services,
whichever is
reater.
New
$1,000,000-
$2,000,000
$30,000 or 2.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
New
$2,000,000-
$3,000,000
$50,000 or
2.25% of the
Estimated Cost
of Services,
whichever is
reater.
New
$3,000,000 or
greater
$67,500 or 2.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of
Services,
whichever is
reater.
New
Consolidated
Linear
Infrastructure
Environmental
Compliance Review
$1,880 New
Providing Existing
Drawin or Reports $400 New Per
application
Preservicing
A reement $3,000 New
Planning Fee Calculations | 37
Note 1
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a Major Official Plan
Amendment application:
•New golf courses or expansion to existing golf courses;
•New waste facility or expansion to existing waste facility;
•Commercial Development greater than 2,500 m2;
•Deletion or addition of arterial or collector road; and/or
•Any application that due to the broader policy implications for the Municipality
would require the need to review or manage studies, or any application deemed
to be a major by the Deputy CAO of Planning and Infrastructure Services.
•Associated with a Regional Official Plan Amendment
Note 2
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a major Zoning By-law
Amendment application:
•Associated with an Official Plan Amendment;
•Associated with an application for proposed Plan of Subdivision;
•Application involving multiple properties, except for commercial and industrial
related applications; and/or
•Any application that requires the review of technical support documents or
studies (e.g., environmental analyses, transportation).
Note 3
Where Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments are submitted together a reduction
of 50% of the Major Zoning By-law Amendment Fee shall apply.
Note 4
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a minor application for red-
line revisions to Draft Approval:
•Does not require circulation to outside agencies.
Planning Fee Calculations | 38
Note 5
Agreement preparation fee does not include the cost of registering the agreement and
all related documents (e.g., Transfers, Postponements, or inhibiting orders) in the Land
Registry office. The cost of such registrations is as follows:
•Initial registration $270 plus HST, plus disbursements.
•All subsequent registrations $135 plus HST, plus disbursements. Applicants must
provide the Municipality (Legal Services) with all such costs prior to registration.
Note 6
The fee for a Mixed-Use Building will apply when residential units are proposed and a
minimum of 50% of the ground floor of a building is for non-residential purposes.
Note 7
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a Minor Site Plan application:
•A dog kennel and similarly scaled uses; and/or
•A minor alteration to an existing site plan to revise parking, add a patio, add a
storage building, revise signage, add or delete portables, etc.
Note 8
Minor Variance applications for the construction or placement of an accessibility device
to provide access to a single-detached/link or townhouse dwelling is exempt from the
fee. An “accessibility device” is defined as a device including a ramp that aids persons
with physical disabilities in gaining access to a dwelling unit.
Note 9
Fees for all Planning applications submitted by a registered charitable organization or
for a registered non-profit housing organization will be reduced by 50%.
Note 10
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a minor Pre-consultation:
•Associated with a Land Division Application;
•Applications associated with a single detached dwelling; and/or
•Applications associated with an agricultural use.
Planning Fee Calculations | 39
Note 11
Recirculation fees will be required on the 4th resubmission and every submission
therafter of application materials that require circulation to internal departments and/or
external agencies.
Note 12
For preparation of any development/servicing agreement other than a subdivision
agreement, Section 41 agreement or a Section 53 agreement, the applicant is required
to reimburse the Municipality for its legal costs. If the legal work is undertaken by the
Municipal Solicitor, it will be charged at the rate of $195/hour. If the legal work is
undertaken by other legal counsel, it will be charged at the legal counsel’s hourly rate.
The minimum fee for any such agreement shall be $515 plus HST.
Note 13
Planning subdivision per unit fees are capped at $472,000 (the cost of 800 units).
Engineering inspection fees are capped at $617,500 (the equivalent of $30,000,000 of
estimated cost of service).
Note 14
Site plan per unit fees are capped at $140,000 (the cost of 200 units) for residential site
plan and $100,000 for mixed use buildings. Industrial/other uses per square metre site
plan fees are capped at $40,000. Engineering inspection fees are capped at $617,500
(the equivalent of $30,000,000 of estimated cost of service).
Planning Fee Calculations | 40
Planning Fee Calculations | 41
D.Benchmarking
In order to better understand current and full cost recovery fee rates in
Clarington in relation to similar and surrounding municipalities, a planning
application fee comparison was prepared. The results of this comparison are
presented in Appendix B. The fees for other municipalities are those that are
currently in force and may not recover the full cost of providing planning
application review services.
The benchmarking analysis looks at the full cost of a range of typical
planning applications.
Appendix B shows that the current planning application fees in Clarington
are on the lower end of the benchmark range for all major application types.
Each municipalityʼs fees are from their most recently available planning fee
schedule.
The calculated full cost recovery rates, if adopted, would move the
Municipalityʼs fees to the middle or high end of the benchmark range for
most fees. Fees for Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-Law Amendments,
and Site Plans would move to within the middle of the benchmark range
while fees for Consents, Minor Variances, and Plans of Condominium would
shift to the higher end of the range. Although these fees would be in the
higher end of the range, they would not be the highest among the
benchmarked municipalities. Subdivision fees would remain at the lower to
middle end of the benchmark range.
It is noted that this comparison does not take into account any service level
differences that may exist between municipalities in terms of, for example,
the time taken to process an application or the level of customer service
provided to applicants.
Conclusions and Recommendations | 42
4. Conclusions and Recommendations
This section provides general user fee recommendations over and above the
service-specific recommendations set out in each section above. In this
respect, it is recommended that the Municipality:
▪ undertake a comprehensive fee review every ten years to ensure that its
fees are achieving appropriate cost recovery and align with municipal
benchmarks;
▪ ensure that user fees increase at the same (or greater) rate as increases
in program operating costs. In keeping with municipal leading practices,
this means that the Municipality should index its fees on an annual basis
to cover changing costs arising from inflation and (given that the majority
of costs are payroll-related) wage agreements;
▪ monitor municipal benchmark fees annually for key services and
programs to ensure its fees remain competitive; and
▪ continue to make information on fees accessible to the public via the
municipal website.
Appendix A | 43
Appendix A
Time Shares
Appendix A | 44
Time Shares
The tables below provide estimated time shares for all staff involved in
Planning and Infrastructure applications. The time associated with
application review is further broken down by specific application type. The
time matrix is based on extensive consultation with staff.
MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON PLANNING FEE STUDY
APPENDIX A - TABLE 1
Existing Staff Position PLN ENG Non-Fee OPA ZBA Sub.D Condo Res. SP Other SP
Chief Fire Prevention Officer 3% 0% 97% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Fire Prevention Officer 12% 0% 88% 1% 2% 1% 0% 1% 1%
Traffic Supervisor 5% 0% 95% 0% 0% 0% 2% 2% 2%
Traffic Coordinator 4% 0% 96% 0% 0% 0% 2% 1% 1%
Manager, Roads 3% 0% 98% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 1%
Manager, Parks 3% 0% 98% 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0%
Arborist 3% 0% 98% 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0%
Forestry Coordinator 3% 0% 98% 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0%
Director of Infrastructure 19% 5% 77% 0% 0% 15% 1% 1% 0%
Director of Planning 70% 11% 19% 2% 13% 14% 1% 6% 6%
Manager, Development Review 95% 0% 5% 1% 14% 19% 1% 11% 11%
Principal Planner 93% 0% 7% 2% 7% 31% 1% 19% 6%
Principal Planner 95% 0% 5% 3% 21% 30% 3% 18% 9%
Senior Planner 98% 0% 2% 3% 28% 15% 1% 15% 15%
Senior Planner 98% 0% 2% 3% 28% 15% 1% 15% 15%
Senior Planner 98% 0% 2% 3% 28% 15% 1% 15% 15%
Senior Planner 98% 0% 2% 3% 28% 15% 1% 15% 15%
Planner II 98% 0% 2% 0% 4% 6% 0% 10% 24%
Planner II 78% 0% 22% 0% 3% 5% 0% 8% 20%
Planner I 72% 0% 28% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Planner I 60% 0% 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Planner I 60% 0% 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Planner I 72% 0% 28% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Development Application Coordinator 100% 0% 0% 0% 6% 4% 1% 2% 4%
Development Application Coordinator 100% 0% 0% 0% 6% 4% 1% 2% 4%
Infrastructure and Construction 12% 3% 85% 0% 0% 12% 0% 0% 0%
Development Construction Inspector 80% 20% 0% 0% 0% 80% 0% 0% 0%
Utility and infrastructure coordinator 18% 2% 80% 0% 0% 18% 0% 0% 0%
Manager of Construction 24% 6% 70% 0% 0% 20% 0% 0% 0%
Senior Construction inspector 10% 0% 90% 0% 0% 10% 0% 0% 0%
Manager, Development Engineering 46% 44% 10% 5% 12% 18% 3% 0% 0%
Development Review Technician 40% 45% 15% 3% 8% 14% 3% 0% 0%
Development Review Technician 60% 30% 10% 5% 12% 21% 4% 0% 0%
Engineering Coordinator 0% 85% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Transportation Engineer 65% 30% 5% 10% 23% 24% 4% 0% 0%
Water Resources Engineer 65% 30% 5% 10% 23% 24% 4% 0% 0%
Manager, Park Design & Development 30% 0% 70% 1% 2% 12% 7% 5% 1%
Landscape Architect Technician 30% 0% 70% 1% 2% 12% 7% 5% 1%
Law Clerk 65% 0% 35% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Manager of Engineering Design 0% 8% 93% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Capital Works Engineer 0% 5% 95% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Capital Works Engineer 0% 5% 95% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Capital Works Coordinator 0% 5% 95% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Manager of Community Planning 10% 0% 90% 0% 4% 4% 0% 1% 1%
Principal Planner 10% 0% 90% 0% 4% 4% 0% 1% 1%
Principal Planner 10% 0% 90% 0% 4% 4% 0% 1% 1%
Senior Planner 25% 0% 75% 0% 2% 6% 0% 0% 0%
Accessibility Coordinator 1% 0% 99% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1%
Total of Current Staff Salaries $2,946,131 $505,310 $3,973,811 $89,725 $437,916 $718,058 $79,779 $236,961 $225,799
Total of New Staff Salaries $831,473 $94,940 $795,203 $53,742 $331,076 $228,775 $27,019 $66,293 $43,038
Appendix A | 45
MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON PLANNING FEE
APPENDIX A - TABLE 1
Existing Staff Position MV Consent Precon. Telecom Zone Comp. Signs Agreement MZO/SAB Dev. Eng
Chief Fire Prevention Officer 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Fire Prevention Officer 1% 2% 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Traffic Supervisor 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Traffic Coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Manager, Roads 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Manager, Parks 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Arborist 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Forestry Coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Director of Infrastructure 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5%
Director of Planning 7% 9% 6% 1% 3% 1% 0% 0% 11%
Manager, Development Review 8% 12% 11% 0% 0% 2% 0% 4% 0%
Principal Planner 3% 6% 12% 0% 0% 2% 0% 3% 0%
Principal Planner 0% 2% 6% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Senior Planner 1% 1% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Senior Planner 1% 1% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Senior Planner 1% 1% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Senior Planner 1% 1% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Planner II 0% 31% 16% 0% 0% 4% 0% 4% 0%
Planner II 0% 26% 13% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Planner I 27% 23% 0% 4% 15% 0% 0% 4% 0%
Planner I 22% 19% 0% 3% 13% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Planner I 22% 19% 0% 3% 13% 0% 0% 3% 0%
Planner I 27% 23% 0% 4% 15% 0% 0% 4% 0%
Development Application Coordinator 8% 15% 20% 3% 25% 12% 0% 0% 0%
Development Application Coordinator 8% 15% 20% 3% 25% 12% 0% 0% 0%
Infrastructure and Construction 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3%
Development Construction Inspector 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 20%
Utility and infrastructure coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2%
Manager of Construction 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 6%
Senior Construction inspector 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Manager, Development Engineering 1% 4% 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 44%
Development Review Technician 3% 6% 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 45%
Development Review Technician 4% 9% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 30%
Engineering Coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 85%
Transportation Engineer 0% 0% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 30%
Water Resources Engineer 0% 0% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 30%
Manager, Park Design & Development 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0%
Landscape Architect Technician 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0%
Law Clerk 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 65% 0% 0%
Manager of Engineering Design 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 8%
Capital Works Engineer 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5%
Capital Works Engineer 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5%
Capital Works Coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5%
Manager of Community Planning 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Principal Planner 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Principal Planner 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Senior Planner 3% 3% 8% 0% 0% 1% 0% 3% 0%
Accessibility Coordinator 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Total of Current Staff Salaries $183,466 $290,421 $246,427 $55,301 $116,860 $34,849 $152,600 $77,970 $505,310
Total of New Staff Salaries $5,532 $10,967 $42,765 $7,009 $0 $361 $0 $14,898 $94,940
Appendix A | 46
Appendix B | 47
Appendix B
Benchmarking Analysis
Appendix B | 48
Benchmarking Analysis
Fee benchmarking is used extensively throughout the report to supplement
the cost analysis and ensure the proposed fees are aligned with those
charged in comparable municipalities. The following municipalities were
used as comparators for Clarington:
▪ Ajax, Brock, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge, and Whitby in Durham
Region
▪ Caledon, in Peel Region
▪ the City of Peterborough
▪ Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Newmarket, and Whitchurch-
Stouffville in York Region
The benchmarking analysis was undertaken for all fees considered under
this report. The following tables provide the results of the analysis, including
details on the average, median, minimum, and maximum fees within the
benchmark range.
MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REVIEW OF BUILDING, PLANNING, & ENGINEERING FEES
APPENDIX B - TABLE 1
Application Type Ajax Brock Oshawa Pickering Scugog Uxbridge Whitby Caledon Aurora Newmarket Whitchurch-
Stouffville Georgina East
Gwillimbury Peterborough Benchmark
Average
Benchmark
Median Pickering,
Oshawa Avg.
(Current
Fees)
(Calculated
FCR)
Official Plan Amendment
Minor $38,879 $10,000 $53,560 $12,470 $10,200 $40,382 $27,700 $29,027 $48,019 $10,300 $22,221 $21,214 $31,720 $27,361 $27,700 $44,274 $18,440 $45,920
Major $102,212 $15,000 $26,523 $109,180 $30,025 $10,200 $55,022 $51,300 $50,314 $48,019 $33,643 $34,504 $34,607 $46,196 $34,607 $73,234 $27,030 $77,580
Revision Requiring Recirculation $2,125 $5,100 $2,515 $4,653 $278 $2,934 $2,515 $2,125
Additional Public Meeting $1,195 $1,000 $867 $1,280 $8,400 $1,834 $2,090 $2,381 $1,280 $1,237 $2,470 $2,470
Zoning By-Law Amendment
Minor $32,224 $5,000 $11,081 $14,000 $6,960 $6,100 $30,000 $39,900 $17,909 $41,236 $17,053 $17,272 $13,986 $6,000 $18,480 $15,527 $21,826 $9,270 $17,990
Major $34,357 $7,500 $21,218 $41,415 $17,765 $13,580 $50,000 $49,900 $31,954 $41,236 $28,422 $25,122 $24,527 $22,920 $29,280 $26,772 $36,747 $13,890 $26,960
Removal of "H" Provision $9,454 $1,500 $4,775 $4,050 $3,115 $1,700 $10,000 $4,100 $11,328 $7,203 $5,815 $4,410 $7,266 $5,747 $4,775 $7,070 $3,200 $6,210
Temporary Use Application $32,224 $5,000 $3,051 $22,470 $1,455 $3,537 $14,876 $39,900 $19,341 $8,140 $16,184 $8,764 $7,124 $6,090 $13,440 $8,452 $18,155 $0 $5,280
Amendment
Recirculation Fee $2,120 $5,000 $1,843 $4,653 $278 $2,779 $2,120 $2,120
Additional Public Meeting $1,195 $1,000 $867 $1,280 $8,400 $1,834 $2,090 $2,381 $1,280 $1,237 $2,470 $2,470
Part Lot Control (10 lots, 1 extension) $2,946 $1,200 $3,125 $2,277 $2,295 $887 $17,340 $11,600 $5,698 $3,136 $6,752 $6,289 $11,921 $3,130 $5,614 $3,133 $6,422 $1,880 $3,560
Per Lot $37 $111 $105 $1,734 $90 $103 $150 $194 $198 $50 $277 $108 $627 $65 $123
Extension $2,581 $650 $1,044 $3,051 $2,564 $1,978 $2,564 $1,813
Reapplication
Site Plan
Small Development(1)
Mid-Size Development(2)
Large Development (3) $659,298 $5,000 $313,540 $580,235 $314,960 $14,843 $814,176 $660,020 $923,346 $1,166,772 $496,600 $304,421 $696,462 $672,190 $544,419 $619,766 $591,812 $46,040 $517,580
Subdivision
Small Development
Mid-Size Development(5) $1,064,642 $17,000 $2,026,187 $1,285,215 $763,590 $157,189 $1,507,258 $1,031,050 $2,125,836 $219,354 $723,776 $1,123,372 $1,102,044 $1,166,635 $1,022,368 $1,083,343 $1,470,825 $730,060 $822,980
Large Development
Plan of Condominium $23,901 $12,500 $15,239 $22,325 $20,990 $13,291 $41,100 $34,551 $72,051 $46,500 $10,750 $26,335 $47,340 $29,760 $23,901 $18,689 $9,988 $39,190
Sign By-law
Permanent Sign Permit $140 $615 $260 $200 $242 $356 $519 $446 $320 $290 $339 $305 $332 $245 $360
Temporary Sign Permit $113 $140 $615 $104 $93 $53 $100 $179 $131 $191 $446 $137 $265 $197 $137 $230 $135 $200
Sign By-law Variance $1,127 $1,065 $695 $634 $313 $6,194 $833 $536 $539 $763 $514 $1,350 $1,213 $729 $2,270 $860 $1,270
Sign By-law Amendment $2,925 $14,092 $356 $1,260 $4,658 $2,092 $8,508 $2,155 $3,170
Committee of Adjustment
Minor Variance $2,674 $1,500 $1,410 $2,300 $3,533 $1,039 $2,251 $3,067 $4,636 $2,194 $3,838 $1,692 $2,058 $1,350 $2,396 $2,222 $2,159 $1,195 $2,640
Land Division/Consent $4,498 $3,250 $3,296 $5,625 $8,725 $4,228 $4,000 $11,310 $8,939 $7,293 $7,906 $11,620 $10,051 $540 $6,520 $6,459 $4,355 $3,255 $7,080
Base $5,950 $6,281 $4,208 $5,480 $5,950
Per Unit $2,989 $5,339 $1,896 $3,408 $2,989
(1)A small site plan is 20 dwellings, no non-residential space, 1,960 sq.m of GFA, $1,000,000 of engineering construction works, and $15,000 of landscaping construction works
(2)A mid-size site plan is 200 dwellings, 3000 sq.m of non-residential space, 12,600 sq.m of GFA, $2,000,000 of engineering construction works, and $15,000 of landscaping construction works
(3)A large site plan is 500 dwellings, 10,000 sq.m of non-residential space, 42,000 sq.m of GFA, $10,000,000 of engineering construction works, and $50,000 of landscaping construction works
(4)A small subdivision is 20 dwellings, 1 ha, 1,000 sq.m of non-residential space, $1,000,000 of engineering construction works, and $15,000 of landscaping construction works
(5)A mid-size subdivision is 269 dwellings, 12 ha, no non-residential space, $18,464,366 of engineering construction works, and $1,144,937 of landscaping construction works
(6)A large subdivision is 500 dwellings (singles), 25 net ha, 5,000 sq.ft. of non-residential space, $30 million of engineering construction works, and $2.5 million of landscaping construction works
(7) Plan of Condominium includes agreement fee and no engineering fees
Appendix B | 49
Attachment 2 to
Report PDS-013-26
If this information is required in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility
Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131.
The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
By-law 2026-xxx
Being a By-law to amend By-law 2025-033, a by-law to require the payment of
fees for services, by amending Schedule “E”- Planning and Infrastructure
Services Fees with new and revised fees.
Whereas Subsection 69(1) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.12, as amended,
provides that a municipality may establish a tariff of fees for the processing of
applications made in respect of planning matters;
And whereas Subsection 391(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, as
amended, authorizes a municipality to impose fees or charges for services or activities
provided or done by or on behalf of it.
And whereas, the Municipal Council has adopted the recommendations contained in
Staff Report PDS-013-26.
Now therefore the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington enacts as follows:
1. That Schedule “E’ – Planning and Infrastructure Services Fees of By-law 2025-
033, be deleted and replaced with Schedule “E” as Attachment 1 to this By-law.
2. That this by-law shall come into force and effect on the date the by-law is
deemed passed under Part VI of the Municipal Act.
Passed in Open Council this 23rd day of March, 2026.
_____________________________________
Adrian Foster, Mayor
_____________________________________
June Gallagher, Municipal Clerk
By signing this by-law on March 23, 2026, Mayor Adrian Foster will not exercise the
power to veto this by-law, and this by-law is deemed passed as of this date
Planning Fee Calculations | 26
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Schedule “E”
Planning and Infrastructure Services Fees
Fee Schedule Effective March 23, 2026
Fees include HST where applicable.
For Building Permit Fees, please refer to the Building By-law.
$37,990 Exempt
$63,790 Exempt
$90,220 Exempt
$4,670 Exempt
$7,840 Exempt
$13,600 Exempt
At Cost Exempt
$15,020 Exempt
$22,510 Exempt
“(H)” $5,190 Exempt
$4,410 Exempt
$3,570 Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 26
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Combined Official Plan and Zoning
By-law Amendments (Note 3) Fee HST Included/
Exempt
Associated with a Minor OPA $49,245 Exempt
Associated with a Major OPA $75,045 Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 27
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Draft Plan of Subdivision (Note 9) Fee Unit HST Included/
Exempt
Residential (Note 13)
$32,150
Base
amount
Exempt
$510
Per unit Exempt
$850
Per
development
block subject to
site plan
Exempt
Non-Residential $13,300 Exempt
Preparation of Subdivision
Agreement (Note 5) $6,060
Included
Preparation of Subdivision
Agreement Amendment (Note 5) $1,520
Included
Recirculation Fee (Note 11) 50% of the
base
Current
Fee
Red Line Revisions to Draft
Approval Plan of Subdivision
(Note 9)
Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
All revisions
$17,750 Base amount Exempt
$510 Per unit Exempt
$850
Per
development
block subject to
site plan
Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 28
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Major Revisions to Subdivision
Applications Not Draft Approved
(Note 9 and 13)
Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Where original application was filed
prior to July 1, 2000
$28,090 Base amount Exempt
$510 Per unit Exempt
$850 Per development
block subject to
site plan
Exempt
Where original application was filed
between July 1, 2000 and
December 31,
2006
$14,070 Base amount Exempt
$510 Per unit Exempt
$850 Per development
block subject to
site plan
Exempt
Where original application was
filed after December 31, 2006 $14,070
Exempt
Subdivision Clearance $5,120 Exempt
Extension of Draft Plan Approval $5,120 Exempt
Other Related Subdivision
Applications (Note 9) Fee Unit HST Included/
Exempt
Part Lot Control Exemption
Subsection 50(7)
$2,010 Base amount Exempt
$106 Per unit Exempt
Deeming By-law Subsection 50(4) $2,010 Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 29
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Draft Plan of Condominium (Note 9) Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Residential and Non-residential $34,060 Exempt
Application for Condominium
Conversions $41,290 Exempt
Preparation of Condominium
Agreement (Note 5) $1,028 Included
Revision to existing or registered
condominium agreement $18,805 Exempt
Site Plan Approval / Amendment
(Note 9 and 14)
Fee Unit HST Included/
Exempt
Residential Use (Note 14)
$22,720 Base Exempt
$720
Per unit for first
100 units
Exempt
$480
Per unit after
first 100 units
(maximum
$140,000
total per unit
fee)
Exempt
Commercial Use
$28,220 Base
Exempt
$4.10
Per m2
commercial
gross floor area
Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 30
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Site Plan Approval / Amendment
(Note 9 and 14)
Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Mixed Use Building (Note 6)
$25,400
Base Exempt
$3.70
Per m2
commercial
gross floor area
Exempt
$298
Per residential
unit (max
$100,000)
Exempt
Industrial / Other Uses
$14,100 Base Exempt
$2.10
Per m2 gross
floor area (max
$40,000)
Exempt
Amendment – Residential Use $3,780 Base Exempt
$169
Per unit
(maximum
$21,400)
Exempt
Amendment – Commercial Use
$10,190
Base Exempt
$4.10
Per m2
commercial
gross floor area
(maximum
$16,400)
Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 31
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Site Plan Approval / Amendment
(Note 9 and 14)
Fee Unit HST Included/
Exempt
Amendment – Mixed Use (Note 6)
$11,960 Base
Exempt
$3.70
Per m2
commercial
gross floor area
Exempt
$298
Per residential
unit (maximum
$85,000)
Exempt
Amendment – Industrial / Other
Use
$3,810 Base Exempt
$2.80
Per m2 gross
floor area
(maximum
$25,000)
Exempt
Minor Site Plan (Note 7) $2,460 Exempt
Sales Trailer / Model Home $11,320 Exempt
Preparation of Section 41
Agreement Note 5)
$910 Included
Landscape Inspection Fee
For
projects
with greater
than 2500
sq.m. of
floor area,
or 25 units
or greater
(0.5% of the
landscape
cost
estimate
with a
minimum of
$1,000)
Recirculation Fee (Note 11)
50% of the
base
Current Fee
Planning Fee Calculations | 32
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Committee of Adjustment (Note 9) Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Request for Deferral by Applicant
(Tabling Fee) $860 Exempt
Recirculation Fee (per additional
circulation) or Additional
Committee of Adjustment Meeting $1,400 Exempt
– Minor Variance (Notes 8 and 9) Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Accessory Buildings and
Structures $1,750
Exempt
Residential Minor (single, semi-
detached, townhouse or proposed
lot) $2,280 Exempt
Residential Major (all other
residential) $3,700 Exempt
Commercial
$5,280
Exempt
Other non-residential
$2,280
Exempt
Change of Use 100% of base application fee
Land Division (Note 9) Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Application Fee $6,110 Exempt
Preparation of Section 53
Agreement (Note 5) $850 Included
Deed Stamping Fee $1,130 Included
Pre-Consultation Fees Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Pre-Consultation Meeting Request $1,920 Exempt
Pre-Consultation – Minor (Note 10) $580 Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 33
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Signs Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Permanent Sign Permit $310 Exempt
Temporary Sign Permit $170 Exempt
Sign By-law Variance $1,090 Exempt
Sign By-law Amendment $2,740 Exempt
Additional Dwelling Unit Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
Application and Registration $260 Exempt
Registration for Applications
submitted prior to January 1, 2015 $120 Exempt
Rental Protection Act $1,590 Exempt
Land Use Information and
Compliance Letter
Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Zoning, Building, and all other
property information $340 Exempt
Subdivision and Site Plan (per
agreement) $340 Exempt
Environmental Review Letter $340 Per
property
Exempt
Peer Review Fee HST
Included/
Exempt
(Applicant responsible for 100%
Municipality's full costs of
undertaking a Peer Review)
Peer review
Peer Review Administration Fee 15% of Cost Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 34
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Other Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Street Name Change Request
$1,485 Base Exempt
$55 Per
Municipal
Address
Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 35
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Activation of a dormant
application not requiring a public
meeting
Greater of
25% of initial
application
fee or
$1,650
Application Requiring Additional
Public Meeting or Open House
$2,470
Additional
fee for
each
subsequen
t public
meeting
Exempt
Application Involving Review
Under EPA and/or EAA
Process (additional fee)
$17,830
Exempt
Preparation of Development /
Servicing Agreement (note 5 and
note 12)
See Notes 5 and
12
Folding of drawings
accompanying a submission (fee
per sheet)
$5.92
Per sheet Included
Heritage Permit $0.00
Telecommunications Towers
$7,860 Exempt
Telecommunications Towers
Letter of Exemption $340 Exempt
Planning Fee Calculations | 36
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Real Property Transactions Fee Unit
Preparation of any agreements
relating to real property
transactions not otherwise
specifically addressed in this Fee
schedule; land transfers (e.g.,
right-of-ways, encroachments,
leases and licensed, easements)
the person requiring the
agreement shall be required to
pay fees and disbursements in
accordance with notes 5 and 12
below.
Development Engineering Fees Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
ROW Closure and Conveyance
Application Fee $290.13 Per
application
Included
ROW Closure and Conveyance
Processing Fee
$870.38
Per closure
and
conveyance
processed
Included
Winter Maintenance Fee $5,751.20 Per km of
road in the
developme
nt
Exempt
Streetlighting Fee $128.38 Per light in
subdivision
Exempt
Engineering Review Fee
1.25% of the Final
Works Cost
Estimate or
$2,000,
whichever is
greater.
Planning Fee Calculations | 37
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Development Engineering Fees Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Engineering Inspection Fee: Estimated Cost of Services (Note 13)
Less than $500,000
$8,000 or 3.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
higher
$500,000-$1,000,000
$17,500 or 3.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$1,000,000-
$2,000,000
$30,000 or 2.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$2,000,000-
$3,000,000
$50,000 or 2.25%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$3,000,000 or
greater
$67,500 or 2.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
Planning Fee Calculations | 38
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Lighting Review Fee $400 Per
Application
Planning Fee Calculations | 39
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Development Engineering Fees Fee Unit HST
Included/
Exempt
Site Plan Engineering Inspection Fees (Note 14)
Less than $500,000
$8,000 or 3.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
higher
$500,000-$1,000,000
$17,500 or 3.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$1,000,000-
$2,000,000
$30,000 or 2.5%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$2,000,000-
$3,000,000
$50,000 or 2.25%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
$3,000,000 or
greater
$67,500 or 2.0%
of the Estimated
Cost of Services,
whichever is
greater.
Consolidated Linear Infrastructure
Environmental Compliance
Review
$1,880
Providing Existing Drawing or
Reports $340 Per
application
Planning Fee Calculations | 40
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Preservicing Agreement $3,000
Planning Fee Calculations | 41
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Note 1
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a Major Official Plan
Amendment application:
New golf courses or expansion to existing golf courses;
New waste facility or expansion to existing waste facility;
Commercial Development greater than 2,500 m2;
Deletion or addition of arterial or collector road; and/or
Any application that due to the broader policy implications for the Municipality
would require the need to review or manage studies, or any application deemed
to be a major by the Deputy CAO of Planning and Infrastructure Services.
Associated with a Regional Official Plan Amendment
Note 2
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a major Zoning By-law
Amendment application:
Associated with an Official Plan Amendment;
Associated with an application for proposed Plan of Subdivision;
Application involving multiple properties, except for commercial and industrial
related applications; and/or
Any application that requires the review of technical support documents or
studies (e.g., environmental analyses, transportation).
Note 3
Where Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments are submitted together a reduction
of 50% of the Major Zoning By-law Amendment Fee shall apply.
Note 4
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a minor application for red-
line revisions to Draft Approval:
Does not require circulation to outside agencies.
Planning Fee Calculations | 42
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Note 5
Agreement preparation fee does not include the cost of registering the agreement and
all related documents (e.g., Transfers, Postponements, or inhibiting orders) in the Land
Registry office. The cost of such registrations is as follows:
Initial registration $270 plus HST, plus disbursements.
All subsequent registrations $135 plus HST, plus disbursements. Applicants must
provide the Municipality (Legal Services) with all such costs prior to registration.
Note 6
The fee for a Mixed-Use Building will apply when residential units are proposed and a
minimum of 50% of the ground floor of a building is for non-residential purposes.
Note 7
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a Minor Site Plan application:
A dog kennel and similarly scaled uses; and/or
A minor alteration to an existing site plan to revise parking, add a patio, add a
storage building, revise signage, add or delete portables, etc.
Note 8
Minor Variance applications for the construction or placement of an accessibility device
to provide access to a single-detached/link or townhouse dwelling is exempt from the
fee. An “accessibility device” is defined as a device including a ramp that aids persons
with physical disabilities in gaining access to a dwelling unit.
Note 9
Fees for all Planning applications submitted by a registered charitable organization or
for a registered non-profit housing organization will be reduced by 50%.
Note 10
The following are criteria for determining what constitutes a minor Pre-consultation:
Associated with a Land Division Application;
Applications associated with a single detached dwelling; and/or
Applications associated with an agricultural use.
Planning Fee Calculations | 1
Attachment 1 to
By-law 2026-xxx
Note 11
Recirculation fees will be required on the 4th resubmission and every submission
thereafter of application materials that require circulation to internal departments and/or
external agencies.
Note 12
For preparation of any development/servicing agreement other than a subdivision
agreement, Section 41 agreement or a Section 53 agreement, the applicant is required
to reimburse the Municipality for its legal costs. If the legal work is undertaken by the
Municipal Solicitor, it will be charged at the rate of $195/hour. If the legal work is
undertaken by other legal counsel, it will be charged at the legal counsel’s hourly rate.
The minimum fee for any such agreement shall be $515 plus HST.
Note 13
Planning subdivision per unit fees are capped at $472,000 (the cost of 800 units).
Engineering inspection fees are capped at $617,500 (the equivalent of $30,000,000 of
estimated cost of service).
Note 14
Site plan per unit fees are capped at $140,000 (the cost of 200 units) for residential site
plan and $100,000 for mixed use buildings. Industrial/other uses per square metre site
plan fees are capped at $40,000. Engineering inspection fees are capped at $617,500
(the equivalent of $30,000,000 of estimated cost of service).
Note 15
Settlement Boundary Area Expansion applications will be captured as Major or Minor
Official Plan Amendments (OPA). The scale of OPA required will be determined
through pre-consultation between the applicant and Planning and Infrastructure staff.