Slow build

A man who had purchased a plot of undeveloped land came to us after waiting almost two years for a development permit from the Niagara Escarpment Commission. The Commission’s role is to safeguard the area’s environmental features, and it specifically considers the impact of development on the landscape and natural environment of the Escarpment when issuing a permit.

Result: Officials at the Commission explained to us that staffing shortages were causing delays, but they were working to streamline their application process and increase the timeliness of their decisions. Shortly thereafter, the landowner received conditional approval to undertake work on his land.