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Ontario’s Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 (Bill 60) is a major legislative update focused on speeding up construction, cutting bureaucracy, and aligning development with infrastructure investment¹. The bill amends the Planning Act, Development Charges Act, 1997, Municipal Act, 2001, and other statutes that directly influence development timelines, approvals, and cost structures in the province².
For builders, developers, and commercial real estate investors, Bill 60 presents meaningful advantages. The changes are designed to accelerate approvals, improve project feasibility, and increase cost predictability. While public discussion has often concentrated on tenant considerations, there is a substantial positive story for the development sector.
Faster approvals increase project viability
Bill 60 creates the potential for faster pathways for planning and zoning decisions. Municipal approval processes are simplified and timelines for certain decisions are shortened³.
For large developers, a reduction in time spent navigating procedural delays has a direct financial impact. Shorter approval cycles reduce carrying costs, including interest, taxes, fees, and overhead. Capital can be put to work sooner. The sooner a project begins, the sooner revenue can be realized.
Faster approvals also improve internal rate of return (IRR), a critical measure for builders working with lenders and investment partners.
Greater transparency in development charges
The legislation updates development charge rules to provide clearer direction on what municipalities may include in charge calculations⁴. The act reinforces the requirement for municipalities to adopt defined local service policies. This helps prevent unexpected changes in project cost inputs and supports more reliable financial modeling.
For commercial real estate projects, where infrastructure contributions often represent a sizable budget line, this transparency lowers risk. Predictability in upfront capital makes investment decisions more strategic and less speculative.
Alignment with transit and infrastructure priorities
The Government of Ontario continues to expand transit systems and modernize infrastructure through multi billion-dollar capital plans⁵. Bill 60 reinforces planning tools that connect higher density and mixed-use projects to transit expansion zones.
Transit locations remain among the strongest performers for rental demand, commercial viability, and long-term land value. Builders who align development activity with planned transit corridors and station areas may experience reduced market absorption risk and enhanced project returns.
This alignment also allows institutions to attract financing more easily, since lenders typically view transit infrastructure as a stabilizing factor in revenue projections.
Support for larger, more ambitious development projects
The updates in Bill 60 provide municipalities with greater authority to streamline approvals for complex, multi phase projects. Fewer procedural steps can increase confidence in timelines for:
- Multi tower residential developments
- Mixed use commercial districts
- Industrial intensification
- Institutional and commercial expansions
These are the types of projects that drive substantial economic growth and provide long-term value for investors. With improved legislative support, more transformational builds become financially feasible.
Competitive advantages for well capitalized builders
The builders most equipped to benefit from Bill 60 are those ready to move quickly.
Firms with strong liquidity can:
- Secure land earlier in strategic zones
- Begin design and planning of municipal rollout
- Accelerate shovels in the ground once approvals are streamlined
This creates a first mover advantage. Early adoption of the new framework can help builders capture the strongest sites near transit and employment centers before demand increases and pricing follows.
Financial outcomes for developers and institutional investors
Key financial improvements linked to Bill 60 include:
- Lower holding costs because of shorter entitlement periods
- Stronger pro forma performance due to reduced regulatory uncertainty
- Increased absorption potential in transit connected locations
- More favourable financing outcomes when timelines are predictable
There is potential for multi phase projects to reach revenue generating stages sooner when approval timelines are shortened. This does not change accounting revenue recognition rules, but it can allow developers to advance construction phases earlier and move projects to market more quickly. The actual timing will still depend on factors such as construction financing conditions, municipal processing capacity, labour availability and material cost stability.
For Zeifmans’ clients involved in commercial and large-scale development, these advantages align directly with strategic capital deployment and long-term portfolio growth.
Risks to monitor
While the opportunity is significant, developers should consider several implementation realities.
Some provisions of Bill 60 take effect upon Royal Assent while others rely on additional regulations². Builders must monitor when municipal bylaw updates are in place in each region. Variation may create timing gaps between jurisdictions.
Municipalities also differ in staffing capacity and resource readiness. Even with streamlined rules, administrative speed will depend on each municipality’s ability to adopt change at pace.
Policy continuity is an inherent risk in major development legislation. Market leaders typically mitigate this through diversification and proactive stakeholder engagement.
Strategic recommendations for builders
Developers and commercial real estate investors should take the following steps now:
- Map land assets against Ontario transit expansion plans
- Update financial assumptions in project forecasting
- Engage municipalities early to understand local timelines
- Prioritize acquisitions where planning efficiencies are likely to be fastest
- Incorporate streamlined approval timing into capital pacing strategies
This is a moment for proactive repositioning. Builders who act early can capture enhanced value.
Bill 60 represents a significant move toward speeding up the development process in Ontario. The legislation creates a clearer and faster pathway for large projects. It supports transparency in development funding and encourages alignment with major public infrastructure.
For builders, developers, and institutional investors, this results in improved project feasibility, lower financial risk, and stronger long-term returns. As one of the most consequential planning reforms in recent years, Bill 60 gives Canada’s largest development players a new foundation for growth.
Footnotes
- Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Bill 60. https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-60
- Government of Ontario. Bill 60 Statutes Affected. https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-60/acts-affected
- Government of Ontario. Planning Act Amendments Overview. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90p13
- Government of Ontario. Development Charges Act Overview. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/97d27
- Government of Ontario. Transit and Infrastructure Investments. https://budget.ontario.ca/2024/chapter-2.html
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At Zeifmans, we help our clients with everything from planning, risk management to tax minimization. If you have questions around this piece, consult your Zeifmans advisor or connect with our team today at info@zeifmans.ca.
