Warning: As a result of further Ministerial Orders issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, this article is no longer current and should not be relied upon. Updated articles reflecting the most current information can be found at the following links:

• Update on Assessment and Taxation Deadlines Extended by Ministerial Order: Blanket Extension to October Rescinded
• COVID-19 Update: The Impact of Draft Planning Documents and Some More Important Extensions to Deadlines Under the MGA
• COVID-19 Update: Q & A for Municipal Planning Issues
• Streamlining Approval Processes and Meeting/Hearing Procedures - Updated as of April 20, 2020
• COVID-19 Update: Miscellaneous MGA Deadlines Extended by Ministerial Order

By Jenaye Lewis and Rebecca Kos

On March 25, 2020, the Minister of Municipal Affairs passed two Ministerial Orders (MSD 019/20 and 022/20) extending deadlines under the Municipal Government Act (the “MGA”).  What follows is a brief overview of some of the affected deadlines. 

The extensions will have significant impacts on municipalities and should be reviewed in detail – in particular, orders and other decisions issued by municipalities, as well as boards created pursuant to the MGA, may be subject to appeal or other review up until October 1, 2020 (instead of the shorter deadlines mandated by the MGA which typically range from 7 to 60 days).

Please note that there are numerous extensions that have not been addressed in this article. Also note that this article provides information as of April 2, 2020.  Before relying on this article, please confirm whether any additional Ministerial Orders have been issued revising these deadlines.  As the situation evolves, it is possible that the Minister of Municipal Affairs will change these extensions.

If you have any questions about whether a deadline has been extended under the MGA or not, please do not hesitate to contact any member of our municipal team.

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