AMCTO has submitted comments to the Standing Committee on General Government on the proposed repeal of the Line Fences Act in Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act. The repeal would take effect two years after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

We have expressed our concerns on the impact of the repeal, particularly for Ontario’s small and rural municipalities. While a two-year transitional period is sufficient to put alternative provisions in place, we believe the repeal’s impact will be more complex for some communities. More specifically, it may pose an administrative burden to municipalities with limited staffing resources that will have to draft by-laws to help resolve cost-sharing disputes.

For example, rural and agricultural communities that see disputes arise between livestock owners and cash crop farmers will require a different cost-sharing model than smaller residential communities that have disputes often relating to residential property owners with privacy or land access concerns.

The Line Fences Act was created to provide a procedure for fence dispute resolutions between owners of adjoining properties. In 2001, the Municipal Act was adopted and provided municipalities the authority to pass a by-law to use in place of the Line Fences Act. The repeal is reasoned on the ability of municipalities to regulate fencing matters through their own bylaws and standards.

For more information, please see below:

AMCTO: Government Introduces Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act

Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act

Line Fences Act