Ontario Green Standard

On May 14, 2026 – despite widespread opposition from opposition parties, environmentalists, industry groups and municipalities – the Government of Ontario passed Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act 2026.

This disastrous legislation scraps municipal green building standards, such as the Toronto Green Standard, including the ability of municipalities to enforce requirements for new developments to be built safe for birds, and to use native species in landscape design.

Bill 98 has enormous consequences for Ontarians and the environments we interact with every day. Without essential standards for new developments, the built environment will continue to harm wildlife, ecosystems, and ...

On May 14, 2026 – despite widespread opposition from opposition parties, environmentalists, industry groups and municipalities – the Government of Ontario passed Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act 2026.

This disastrous legislation scraps municipal green building standards, such as the Toronto Green Standard, including the ability of municipalities to enforce requirements for new developments to be built safe for birds, and to use native species in landscape design.

Bill 98 has enormous consequences for Ontarians and the environments we interact with every day. Without essential standards for new developments, the built environment will continue to harm wildlife, ecosystems, and water resources. Developments will proceed that do not align with evidence-based performance standards for energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with Canada’s international agreements.

As birds and Ontario’s biodiversity continue to decline, our entire food system will be threatened.

Together, we can resist the loss of municipal green building standards and replace them with a standardized province-wide green standard that respects the needs of communities and the right to a healthy environment for all Ontarians.

Join us in calling for Premier Ford and your MPP to establish an Ontario-wide Green Standard that protects birds from collisions with buildings, and harmonizes expectations for developments to protect our environment.

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Write to your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP)

Send a letter to your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and let them know why Ontario needs a provice-wide green building standard.

Find your local rep

Subject:

I am writing to express my concerns about Bill 98 putting the environment at risk across Ontario. This follows years of the Government of Ontario weakening provincial protections for nature.

The bill removes the authority of municipalities to enforce green building standards, which have been democratically adopted by communities across our province. These standards have not been replaced, while Ontario's Building Code is lagging far behind current recommended energy performance standards.

The loss of municipal green building standards has particular consequences for migratory birds, millions of which are killed by colliding with glass on buildings in Ontario each year. Many municipalities across the province have followed the lead of the City of Toronto to incorporate a bird safe building design standard into their local site plan bylaws and official plans. These communities have also adopted design standards that prioritize planting native species, stormwater infiltration and energy efficiency.

Now, migratory birds across Ontario have been left without protection. It is illegal in Ontario under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and under the Environmental Protection Act for building owners to kill birds by causing collisions with glass.

Economic uncertainty cannot be used as a pretense for sacrificing vulnerable species, municipal climate goals and allowing buildings to be designed in ways that will cause environmental problems for surrounding communities.

I urge you to replace municipal green standards with an Ontario-wide standard for buildings to protect the environment. Many aspects of green building construction, such as compliance with a bird safe design standard like CSA A460, can be regulated through updates to Ontario's Building Code. Promoting a province-wide standard will help to reduce red tape and make it easier for builders to follow harmonized rules.

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