Section 1: Executive Summary

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) provides an annual multi-year Business Plan, in accordance with the Adjudicative Tribunals Accountability, Governance and Appointments Act (ATAGAA). The Agency and Appointments Directive (AAD) was updated in October 2024 and includes a requirement to enter into an updated Memorandum of Understanding with the Attorney General, which is reflected in this Business Plan.

This Business Plan covers the next three fiscal years from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029, focusing on modernizing and optimizing operations while accelerating case resolution.

Context

Established on June 1, 2021, under section 2 of the Ontario Land Tribunal Act, 2021, the OLT amalgamated five former tribunals: the Board of Negotiation, the Conservation Review Board, the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, and the Mining and Lands Tribunal.

The OLT was created to reduce delays and make land dispute resolution faster and more efficient by providing a single forum for resolving cases and eliminating unnecessary overlap.

As part of amalgamation, the OLT introduced:

• a single set of rules and procedures for all OLT appeals and applications (OLT’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, effective June 1, 2021),
• a streamlined appeal process to help stakeholders navigate hearings and prepare effective submissions.

The OLT received targeted investments between 2022 to 2024 to strengthen its capacity for timely case processing and resolution. The investments supported additional Order-in-Council (OIC) members, referred to as members, and case processing staff, expanded the mediation program, upgraded systems and technology for case management and hearings, and enhanced digital services through the introduction of the e-file portal (launched in 2024). The portal enables municipalities and other approval authorities to accept online appeals and forward them to the OLT.

With these foundational improvements in place, OLT is advancing new objectives to position the organization for the future. These objectives also address recommendations from the 2024 performance audit by the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, aimed at further improving accountability, operational efficiency, and service delivery.

Section 2: Mission, Mandate & Overview

The Tribunal is guided by its mission to work together in delivering modern, fair, responsive, accessible, effective, and efficient dispute resolution services that support strong, healthy communities and the public interest.

The OLT has a statutory mandate under approximately 60 statutes, which include matters related to:

land use planning,

• environmental and natural features,
• heritage protection,
• land valuation,
• land compensation,
• municipal finance,
• expropriated land valuation, and
• mining.

The OLT manages disputes across the province from intake to resolution. The Tribunal promotes early and effective outcomes by using a range of methods, including case management conferences, status and settlement hearings, mediations, and formal hearings. The OLT issues orders, decisions and recommendations as required.

Proceedings are conducted by highly qualified OIC members with expertise in land use planning, law, and related subject matter.

The Tribunal, and all who work within it, are committed to providing access to justice and delivering high quality, independent, timely, fair, and principled resolutions for all matters brought before it.

Section 3: Environmental Scan and Risks

Legislative and Policy Changes

Since its inception in June 2021, the OLT has been impacted by several legislative and policy changes. Key examples include: Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Bill 109 – More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022, Bill 134 – Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023, Bill 185 – Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024, and Bill 60 – Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. These bills introduced new powers, requirements and responsibilities for the Tribunal and have significantly influenced the tribunal’s caseload.

Impact of Bill 185

Bill 185 amended various pieces of legislation, including the Planning Act, Development Charges Act, Municipal Act, and the City of Toronto Act. Changes to the Planning Act affect who can file an appeal with the OLT and limit third-party appeals of certain municipal decisions. The Act also removed planning responsibilities from seven upper-tier municipalities, which are no longer approval authorities for draft plans of subdivisions, Official Plan Amendments, Zoning Bylaw Amendments, consents, or minor variances.

Comparing FY23-24 to FY24-25, the Tribunal received 17% fewer cases. During the same fiscal period, third-party zoning by-law amendment cases dropped by 53%. Despite a decline in third-party appeals, the Tribunal’s overall caseload has remained steady over the past several quarters. The OLT is currently on track in FY25–26 to match the total number of cases handled in FY24–25. The decrease in third‑party matters has been balanced by growth in first‑party appeals related to Minor Variances, Consents, Official Plan Amendments, and Zoning By‑laws. The OLT will continue to maintain the flexibility needed to deliver services to ensure the appeals receive fair, consistent, and thorough consideration and resolution.

Bill 60 and Proposed Changes

Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, was introduced on October 20, 2025. On the same day, the government launched several consultations as part of legislative and policy changes under the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Initiative, including:

• Consultation on simplifying and standardizing official plans
• Consultation on enhanced development standards

The Bill received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025. With a more standardized approach being implemented for development applications across Ontario, the Tribunal anticipates that matters requiring adjudication will become more streamlined and straightforward.

Land Development

Land development decisions follow a legislated framework that includes the Provincial Policy Statement and Provincial Plans. These decisions affect both Ontario’s built and natural environments, influencing how communities grow. The OLT provides an independent forum to resolve complex land use, environmental issues, and municipal planning disputes, supporting economic growth, environmental sustainability, and the well-being of communities across the province.

Aligned with the government’s Protecting Ontario by Building plan outlined in the Fall Economic Statement, which focuses on investing in infrastructure to support housing and economic growth, major projects such as transportation initiatives, often lead to cases coming before the Tribunal under the Expropriations Act, including land acquisition disputes. These projects may increase mediations and hearings at the Tribunal. Municipal financing methods for capital projects can also result in cases involving development charges, land compensation and municipal finance applications. The Tribunal’s adjudicative processes ensure these disputes are addressed fairly and in accordance with Ontario’s legislative frameworks.

Section 4: Strategic Priorities

The OLT operates in a changing environment shaped by legislation and the government policy framework. Since its creation nearly five years ago, the Tribunal has adapted to evolving stakeholder needs, technological advances, and shifting expectations. Its strategic priorities must have both an outward focus—meeting clients and stakeholder needs —and an inward focus—strengthening internal capacity and processes to deliver effectively. The OLT recently reviewed its strategic pillars and objectives to help guide and inform where the organization focuses its time and resources over the next two to three years.

1. Access to Justice

Access to justice is at the core of the OLT’s mandate. To advance this commitment, the Tribunal has set the following objectives:

• Simplify information: develop and refine website content and public-facing resources to make Tribunal information and processes easier to access, understand and navigate.
• Strengthen stakeholder engagement: monitor inquiries and feedback from stakeholders and the public to identify trends and service gaps and continuously improve service quality and responsiveness.
• Enable fair, timely, effective and efficient resolution of disputes, including through use of alternative dispute resolution methods.
• Improve transparency and make Tribunal information and hearings more accessible.
• Ensure inclusive and accessible services: provide services in both English and French, maintain accessibility supports, and provide accommodations that remove barriers and enable equitable participation in OLT processes.

2. Modernization and Optimization

Modernizing and optimizing the Tribunal’s services builds on the work done in recent years to meet the growing demand for digital services and strengthen its organization’s ability to deliver modern, effective and more efficient services. To achieve this, the OLT has set the following objectives:

• Transform website functionality to enhance public engagement, security, usability and accessibility.
• Modernize ways of working and providing service, including in-person and digital service channels and offerings to meet evolving public expectations and improve transparency.
• Improve the Case Status Service to enable improved user access to reliable and timely data and case information.
• Continue to optimize online appeal filing and payment services and their integration with other digital services for a seamless user experience.
• Elevate hearings (virtual, hybrid, in-person) experience for all stakeholders, including simplified access, improved platform reliability, security and usability.

3. Operational Excellence

The Ontario Land Tribunal continues to build a strong operational foundation by streamlining workflows to deliver on its mandate.

The following objectives will guide the OLT’s Operational Excellence efforts:

• Advance organizational excellence through Lean methodology and a culture of continuous improvement aimed at refining processes and removing inefficiencies.
• Accelerate case resolution through process efficiency and resource optimization while delivering excellent service.
• Continue improving scheduling and decision issuance through enhanced templates, streamlined processes, and adoption of best practices.
• Strengthen performance measurement, improvement, and accountability through advanced monitoring and tracking, improved data quality, and the refinement and expansion of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Develop an AI roadmap to explore and implement capabilities that streamline processes, improve efficiency and achieve strategic objectives.

4. People and Culture

The Ontario Land Tribunal recognizes that its strength lies in its people. Ensuring an equitable workplace that values inclusion, collaboration, recognition and growth remains a continuing priority. The Tribunal’s approach focuses on attracting and developing talent, supporting well-being, and fostering leadership for the future. The OLT has set clear objectives that reflect its commitment to people and culture:

• Foster an inclusive, equitable and respectful workplace by promoting diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism policies and practices across all organizational levels.
• Adopt best practices in talent management: implement leading approaches for recruitment, onboarding, retention and performance management.
• Invest in continuous learning and development: training and development programs for staff and adjudicators to support professional growth.
• Strengthen employee engagement and well-being through initiatives that promote mental health, work-life balance, and overall well-being.
• Develop leadership and succession planning: identify and prepare future leaders for advancement and organizational continuity.
• Enhance internal communication, collaboration and inter-departmental cohesion.
• Build a strong recognition culture by improving practices for acknowledging achievements and contributions to organizational goals.
• Maintain focus on OIC appointments and reappointments by prioritizing recruitment, onboarding, performance and retention of adjudicators.

Section 5: Staffing, Human Resources, and Compensation

The OLT is led by the Chair and an Executive Director.

The Chair provides strategic leadership to the OLT and is accountable to the Attorney General for the OLT's performance in fulfilling its mandate. The Chair oversees recruitment of members and uses a skill-based strategy to provide recommendations to the Minister on appointments and reappointments and advises on members’ performance.

Adjudicators are selected through a competitive merit-based process and appointed by the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council on the recommendation of the Chair and Minister and approved by Cabinet. Once appointed, adjudicators report to the Chair.

The Executive Director oversees the OLT’s business operations and is accountable to the Deputy Attorney General. The Executive Director supports the Chair in implementing policies and operational decisions.

Tribunal staff are Ontario Public Service (OPS) employees who report to the Executive Director.

The OLT has a total of 106 allocated full-time staff positions and 45 full-time member/OIC positions. As OPS employees, compensation for OLT management and staff is governed by the OPS Compensation Directive. Compensation for OIC appointees is set out in the Agencies and Appointments Directive.

Recruitment and Retention of OIC Members

The OLT remains focused on recruiting highly qualified and capable candidates for Order-in-Council (OIC) positions and retaining existing members.

In line with a recommendation from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (OAGO), the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) worked with the OLT to review member remuneration to support the recruitment and retention of qualified adjudicators. In September 2025, Treasury Board Secretary confirmed amendments to the Agencies and Appointments Directive (AAD) regarding remuneration rates for appointees to adjudicative tribunals and regulatory agencies. The Ontario government has implemented updates to remuneration rates for these appointees; rates are in effect as of April 1, 2025.

Ontario Land Tribunal Human Resource Allocation (as of December 31, 2025)

Section 6: Information Technology (IT) and Electronic Service Delivery Plan

The OLT leverages modern technology and digital tools to deliver efficient and accessible dispute resolution services. The OLT is dedicated to ensuring that all who appear before the Tribunal have the support and information they need to effectively understand, navigate, and participate in the Tribunal’s appeals and hearing process.

Hearings and Mediations

The majority of OLT’s hearing and mediation events are held virtually via video conference. However, recognizing the importance of adaptability and responsiveness to accessibility and accommodation needs, the OLT offers a variety of hearing and mediation formats, including hybrid and in-person events. Our hearing and mediation rooms are equipped with modern audio‑visual technology, with dedicated OLT staff available to provide technology support as needed.

The OLT maintains a live-streaming policy enabling remote public access to hearings upon request. When the Tribunal decides to livestream a specific hearing, it provides observers with a publicly available YouTube link.

The Tribunal actively pursues opportunities to enhance its technology wherever feasible to simplify administration and improve ease of use for hearing and mediation participants. The OLT continues to monitor advancements in video conferencing and live-streaming technologies and will implement improvements where possible.

OLTIS

The Ontario Land Tribunal Information System (OLTIS), OLT's case management system, was launched in 2021 to track and process appeals from initial filing to the final decision and case closure. Since implementation, ongoing phased development— multiple releases a year— has significantly enhanced case processing and tracking efficiency, while strengthening data integrity. These improvements enable more reliable and accurate data, supporting better reporting and deeper analysis to inform decision-making.

OLTIS includes integrated reporting and analysis tools that enable the OLT to generate business intelligence reports and real-time data. These capabilities allow for effective monitoring of case management activities and outcomes, as well as proactive identification and management of case processing issues.

The OLT is also preparing to implement new requirements recommended in the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario’s 2024 performance audit. These updates will focus on enhancing data integrity, data quality and performance monitoring.

E-file Portal

The OLT e-file portal facilitates the online preparation and submission of appeals. Developed in consultation with legal representatives, municipalities, and other ministries, who are the primary users of the OLT, the portal was launched on March 27, 2024. As of December 2025, more than 300 municipalities and other approval authorities have registered to accept appeals through the portal, and more entities continue to register to use the portal.

The portal employs smart form technology to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of appeal submissions by:

• Enforcing mandatory fields and utilizing logic to assist users in providing complete and accurate information.
• Pre-populating data, where applicable, to help appellants and approval authorities submit correct information and minimize the time required to complete forms.
• Ensuring submissions meet current requirements and standards (compared to use of paper forms that may become outdated).

Additionally, the portal features a CCPay Online Payment Service, which enables secure real-time payments for filing fees via credit and debit cards. A user-friendly dashboard further aids appellants and approval authorities by clearly outlining the required information for appeal submissions.

Accessible via the OLT website, the e-file portal is fully integrated with OLTIS and provides a common environment for appellants/representatives to submit their appeals, including all supporting documentation, and for municipalities and other approval authorities to manage and remit the appeals directly into OLTIS. The integration of the e-file system to OLTIS has automated the intake process, streamlining workflow for staff and enhancing OLT’s timeliness and efficiency.

The OLT has actively worked to enhance the functionality and features of the OLTIS/e-file system and will ensure it remains responsive to evolving needs.

Public Inquiries Engagement Platform

The OLT has been working with the Digital Enterprise Engagement Practice team at the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement to modernize and streamline how it handles public inquiries and communications through the implementation of an Engagement Platform (EP) solution.

The EP solution will allow the OLT to more effectively track, route and manage public inquiries received through its phone lines. It will also capture performance data, such as response times, and collect stakeholder feedback to support training and quality assurance. By leveraging insights from the EP solution, the OLT will be better positioned to identify operational gaps, drive service improvements, and deliver a more elevated client experience.

The OLT is aiming to have the EP solution in place in 2027.

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence

The Government of Ontario’s AI Strategic Framework sets out how artificial intelligence will be integrated into operations to drive innovation and efficiency. OLT’s efforts align with this broader strategy, ensuring readiness for future innovation while safeguarding transparency and accountability.

Currently, OLT uses CisionOne, a vendor platform with AI features for media monitoring and business analytics. Microsoft Copilot Chat is the only OPS-approved, web-based generative Artificial Intelligence digital assistant, and it is available to OLT staff to support research and streamline tasks. AI is not used to prepare briefing materials, develop policy, or write Tribunal decisions.

To explore future opportunities, OLT has established an internal working group to assess how AI can be leveraged to improve efficiency and service delivery. As part of this work, the OLT announced on January 29, 2026, that it is introducing a new Practice Direction on the use of AI in OLT proceedings. The Practice Direction will take effect on March 30, 2026.

The OLT will continue acting in accordance with the OPS’s Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Directive, as well as other applicable OPS policies, guidance and standards that further define obligations relating to the transparent, responsible, and accountable use of AI.

Section 7: Operations & Case Management

Mediation Services

OLT’s mediation program offers parties in OLT proceedings with an opportunity to access expert mediators who can help them navigate disputed issues, assess the strengths and weaknesses of their respective positions, and collaborate towards a mutually agreeable solution. Even when mediation does not result in a full settlement, it can assist in narrowing the scope of issues in dispute, which contributes to a more streamlined hearing process and faster case resolution.

OLT mediations are primarily conducted by experienced external mediators with expertise in land-use planning, expropriations, land compensation, municipal finance, and other related matters. Internal OLT adjudicators also mediate select cases, including expropriation and former Board of Negotiation matters.

Since its launch in 2020, OLT’s mediation program has continued to garner positive feedback from participants and stakeholders. The program’s success is reflected in its outcomes: over the past three years, the number of mediations conducted through OLT’s mediation program has risen by 87%, with a 92% success rate.

A 2024 performance audit by the Office of the Auditor General recognized mediation as an effective tool for resolving appeals more efficiently, reducing legal costs, and improving access to justice. In response to audit recommendations, OLT has been working on a Mediation Modernization and Expansion Plan, which includes:

• refining standardized screening criteria to identify cases suitable for mediation
• updating the OLT’s Rules of Practice and Procedure on mediation to encourage the use of mediation services
• implementing new mediation-related performance measures and accountability standards
• updating OLT’s case management system, OLTIS, to enable more robust mediation-related workflows, performance monitoring and reporting
• highlighting mediation success in settlement decisions and promoting greater awareness and understanding of OLT’s mediation services
• using post-mediation surveys to collect feedback, evaluate participant satisfaction and service quality, and inform service improvements
• upgrading the spaces and audio-visual technology used to conduct mediations

To meet program objectives, the OLT recently completed a competitive procurement to expand and diversify its roster of qualified external mediators for its mediation program. In parallel, and to the extent possible, OLT will recommend adjudicator candidates with mediation experience for appointment and invest in training to strengthen internal mediation capacity.

Strengthening Decision-Issuance Process

Since its creation in February 2024, the OLT Decisions Unit within the Case Management Branch has played a key role in supporting the timely production and issuance of the Tribunal’s decisions. The unit focuses on addressing operational issues, streamlining the decision-issuance process and adopting best practices into its daily operations.

These best practices include enhancing templates, improving scheduling and decision quality to be consistent with OLT decision writing standards, and working closely with Members, including Vice-Chairs, and the Executive Office.

By doing so, the Tribunal ensures decisions are issued in accordance with strategic objectives and key performance indicators.

Section 8: Communications Plan

The Ontario Land Tribunal’s Communications unit works collaboratively across the organization to support Tribunal initiatives by delivering clear, accessible, and effective communications products, advice, and services.

The Communications Unit also supports the Executive Office by developing internal communications, media relations and issues management.

For 2026–29, the team will focus on simplifying Tribunal information to make processes easier to access, understand and navigate, and on strengthening stakeholder engagement in line with the Tribunal’s objectives. The OLT will monitor inquiries and feedback from stakeholders and the public to identify trends and service gaps and continuously improve service quality and responsiveness.

In addition, the Tribunal will work with the ministry to comply with the Public Communications Protocol set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for ongoing public communications.

Website

The OLT website is a comprehensive resource of Tribunal news, information, and services. In 2026, the Ontario Land Tribunal’s public-facing website will:

1. Refine website content and improve functionality to enhance public engagement, security, usability and accessibility.
2. Migrate to the Azure Cloud, improving scalability, security, and consistency by moving from a third-party provider to the Ontario Public Service IT environment, while also allowing for future enhancements including improved tribunal decisions search capabilities.

Key website features include:

• E-file Service: enables users to prepare and manage appeals, attach supporting documentation, and pay filing fees online.
• Case Status and Decisions Service: allows users to view active cases, current status, hearing schedules, and access decisions that have been issued.
• Instructional Guides: provide detailed instructions on a variety of topics including filing appeals, understanding the hearings process, participating in video hearings, and preparing submissions.
• Videos: provides content in an engaging format to support different learning styles.
• Dedicated Pages: provides support to stakeholders to support a variety of information needs, for example, filing appeals and OLT’s mediation services.
• Newsroom and Blog: allows interested stakeholders to subscribe to updates regarding OLT news and announcements.
• FAQ Section: addresses the most common questions the OLT receives.

Consultation Policy

The OLT has established a Consultation Policy that outlines how the OLT will consult with the public and stakeholders when it is considering changes to its rules, practice directions or policies, and invites ongoing feedback on the impact of such changes. The OLT will use its website to provide notice of proposed changes to the public and stakeholders, giving reasonable time periods for comments to be submitted on proposals for changes initiated by the OLT.

Public Inquiries

The OLT provides multiple avenues for members of the public to contact the Tribunal, including general inquiry lines, Citizen Liaisons for information on the Tribunal and its processes, and a dedicated media email. Individuals involved in a matter before the Tribunal can also reach their Case Coordinator directly. In keeping with OPS service standards, the OLT strives to deliver timely, respectful, and accessible services across all channels, including phone, email, online and in person.

In addition, the Tribunal has a dedicated Complaints Coordinator to facilitate complaints received, in adherence with the OLT’s Complaints Policy. This policy sets out how complaints about OLT’s services and/or the conduct of an adjudicator or staff person are to be made, reviewed, and resolved. The OLT also has dedicated channels for inquiries regarding accessibility and French Language Services.

Internal Communications

The OLT keeps employees connected and informed through executive memos, in-person and virtual town hall meetings, workshops, and quarterly newsletters. OLT also maintains a SharePoint intranet site where it houses staff resources, including organizational charts, training manuals, health and safety information, legislative update summaries, and other key reference materials. The SharePoint site also provides extended space to host working files, so that staff can work collaboratively on different projects.

There are ongoing initiatives to deliver information and learning sessions where staff and OIC members have opportunities to collaborate in a hybrid environment. A comprehensive electronic library supports professional development across the OLT. New content is developed on an ongoing basis to assist adjudicators and staff in their work and to address legislative and policy changes.

Public Satisfaction Survey

In the 2024–25 Annual Report, the OLT shared the results of a public satisfaction survey piloted in 2024 to gather input on how to improve the Tribunal’s services. The survey was designed to measure overall satisfaction with OLT services and assesses whether the appeal process is easy to understand, the hearing process is efficient and easy to navigate, and written decisions are issued in a timely manner. The Tribunal is refining the survey design and distribution methods to increase response rates and ensure reliable, useful, and representative results. Once updated, the survey will be reposted on the website and promoted through appropriate channels.

Section 9: Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility

The OLT is dedicated to creating a respectful, diverse, inclusive, accessible, and equitable workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination, and supportive of the well-being of all employees. By working together and sharing accountability, OLT will continue building a culture of belonging where every staff member upholds the values of equity and inclusion. This commitment ensures the OLT reflects the communities it serves and deliver barrier-free access to OLT’s services.

Employee Engagement and Experience

In 2025, OLT achieved a 90% participation rate in the OPS Employee Experience Pulse Survey. To act on feedback and the results from the survey, the OLT has established a new Employee Experience Forum. This forum will bring together a team of volunteers across the organization to review the findings, identify priorities and high impact areas, and propose ideas and actions for implementation.

In line with the Ontario Public Service Anti-Racism Policy, the OLT continues to:

• Build Anti-Racism Competency and Awareness by ensuring OLT managers and staff complete OPS training on equity, diversity and inclusion, including:
• the Anti-Racism Competency and Capacity training (ARCC module 1)
• Indigenous Cultural Competency training
• Vicarious Trauma Awareness Training
• Respectful Workplace Policy and the WDHP Program:
• Workplace Violence Prevention
• Adopt best practices for inclusive recruitment, onboarding and retention to support employee’s growth and development.
• Strengthen employee engagement by using feedback from the employee experience survey to identify areas of opportunity for improvement and concrete actions that support and foster a healthy, inclusive workplace.
• Invest in staff learning and professional development that is in line with their development goals and plans while continuing to promote organization-wide learning opportunities through weekly email communications.
• Identify and build on existing initiatives that support a positive employee experience such as the activities led by the OLT Social Committee and the OLT newsletter.

As part of OLT’s strategic planning for talent management, succession planning, and progress tracking on our commitment to building a diverse talent pool, the Tribunal will ensure leaders follow best practices for inclusive recruitment including:

• Using the Inclusive Recruitment Practical Tool for Leaders
• Submitting the Inclusive Recruitment Checklist at the end of each formal recruitment process

Adjudicator Training

The OLT has a comprehensive onboarding program for new adjudicators, featuring training sessions led by OLT’s Chair, Vice-Chairs, Members, Registrar and Legal Counsel, along with expert presenters. The program includes online modules, self-directed learning, and job shadowing, and is updated regularly to reflect emerging trends and developments in administrative law, provincial legislation, and tribunal practices.

To supplement internal training, OLT partners with external providers that specialize in administrative justice education specifically tailored to the Ontario tribunal system. This two-pronged approach to training ensures that OLT adjudicators:

• Are competent and knowledgeable in the principles of administrative justice;
• Adhere to standards for fair and consistent dispute resolution for all parties appearing before the OLT; and
• Deliver decisions that are clear, concise and well-reasoned.

Accessibility Plan

The OLT believes in integration and equal opportunity and is committed to delivering services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all individuals and enables full and effective participation in OLT processes. In the workplace, the OLT endeavors to create an inclusive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute to the organization’s success.

The OLT strives to meet the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner by identifying, preventing, and removing barriers to accessibility, and aligning its practices with all applicable requirements in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA), 2001, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, and the OPS Digital Accessibility Standard (ODAS).

The Tribunal’s commitment to accessibility includes:

• Ensuring that all public-facing services, documents and communications are available in accessible formats, and in alternate formats upon request.
• Providing accessible hearing environments, both in-person and virtual, that accommodate a range of needs.
• Considering requests for in-person or hybrid events on a case-by-case basis to ensure flexibility, particularly for complex matters where these formats support effective and efficient dispute resolution.
• Maintaining a public-facing website and web content that is available in both English and French and conforms to WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards.
• Maintaining facilities that meet or exceed provincial accessibility standards.
• Offering ongoing training for managers, staff and adjudicators on accessibility standards, legal requirements, and best practices.
• Implementing inclusive, barrier-free recruitment practices that promote diversity and equal opportunity.
• Providing reasonable workplace accommodations to support employees with disabilities in performing their roles effectively.
• Ensuring accessibility in all procurements by complying with ODA and AODA standards and consulting with MAG’s Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Office.

To strengthen its accessibility practices, the OLT has developed a multi-year Accessibility Plan that will guide the organization’s efforts in delivering barrier-free services and fostering an inclusive workplace.

Inquiries regarding accessibility and accessibility requests can be made through the OLT’s Accessibility Coordinator.

French Language Services

The OLT is committed to offering French language services in accordance with the French Language Services Act (FLSA) and has established a French Language Services Policy to comply with the provisions of the FLSA in guaranteeing all persons and corporate entities the right to receive services in French.

Inquiries regarding French language services and French language services requests can also be made by email through the OLT Coordinator (olt.coordinator@ontario.ca).

Section 10: Financial Plan

The OLT is committed to continuous review and refinement of its business systems and processes, looking for efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities at every stage of the business planning and implementation process, and providing the highest quality of service to Ontarians.

The OLT will continue to monitor and ensure that it has the capacity and appropriate resources in place to effectively fulfill its mandate and meet current and future business needs. Over the next three years, the OLT will work towards achieving its strategic objectives within its funding allocation through:

• Capacity building initiatives (e.g., supporting ongoing learning and development and cross-training opportunities for staff and members).
• Using digital resources to disseminate and collect information (e.g., to/from stakeholders).
• Using videoconferencing technology to facilitate adjudication, mediation, training/professional development, and stakeholder engagement activities in place of in-person meetings/events where possible and appropriate (to reduce travel costs, increase accessibility, etc.).
• Seeking out strategic partnerships/collaborations (e.g., with other ministry program areas and agencies) to reduce costs on mutually beneficial projects/initiatives.
• Optimizing internal systems and processes to eliminate waste and duplication of work efforts.
• Prioritizing initiatives, conducting value for money assessments, and using a business-critical and risk lens to assess all expenditure plans/requests.

The table below outlines the OLT’s budget and forecast for the 2025-26 fiscal year, covering the period of April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. It also includes OLT’s anticipated budget for the next three fiscal years, covering the period of April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029. Revenue from filing fees, which are paid into the Government of Ontario’s Consolidated Revenue Fund, is expected to remain consistent for the next three fiscal years.

¹ The OLT received an additional $1,065,200 in funding in FY 2025-26 and out-years for across-the-board salary/wage increases related to Bill 124.

² Forecast as of December 31, 2025.

Section 11: Update on 2024 Performance Audit

The OLT has made significant progress in responding to the recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario’s (OAGO) 2024 Performance Audit of the OLT. As of December 31, 2025, 5 of the 12 recommendations directed at the OLT have been fully or substantially implemented and meaningful progress is being on remaining recommendations, with full implementation targeted for mid 2027.

Some of the key audit-related initiatives completed to date include:

• Developing a Competency Matrix to guide the selection of OLT adjudicators.
• Strengthening performance review procedures for OLT adjudicators.
• Building new case management reports to enhance performance monitoring and oversight.
• Creating new Quality Assurance (QA) Reports for OLT’s case management system, OLTIS, to identify data integrity issues and inform remediation steps.
• Implementing an Administrative Closure Protocol to define, capture, and report on inactive OLT cases.

In addition, the OLT has worked collaboratively with the Ministry of the Attorney General to support the implementation of the six recommendations that fall under the ministry’s purview.

The Tribunal remains committed to addressing the remaining recommendations, with a continued focus on improving access to justice, strengthening the adjudicator appointments process, and enhancing the efficiency of its operations.

Key initiatives planned and/or currently in progress to address the outstanding recommendations include:

• Finalizing and implementing a plan to modernize and expand OLT’s mediation program.
• Developing new case lifecycle KPIs and expanding performance monitoring to include new measures.
• Completing an assessment of best practices (from other adjudicative tribunals) for hearing and decision quality review to inform changes to OLT’s processes.
• Consulting with OLT adjudicators, ministry partners, and other stakeholders to evaluate and determine where written guidance can be developed to enhance the general consistency and transparency of OLT’s decision-making process.
• Identifying additional processes and reporting tools to assist adjudicators in issuing decisions more promptly.

Section 12: Performance Measures and Targets

Tracking Key Performance Indicators

In 2021-22, the OLT implemented a case management system for the integrated tribunal and developed reporting tools that allowed it to establish two public-facing performance measures. In 2024-25, the OLT added a third performance measure related to intake. In its 2025-28 Business Plan the OLT adjusted its performance measures which can be viewed below. The OLT is developing new internal KPIs and will continue to review its performance measures to drive accountability and increase efficiency. The OLT currently has three public performance measures:

• Time from receipt of an initial appeal/application until the issuance of the acknowledgement letter
• Time from receipt of a case until the first hearing event
• Time from the end of a hearing until the issuance of a decision

In late 2025, the OLT was directed to fulfill two new priorities set out in the Attorney General’s Letter of Direction:

• Reduce average “time to first hearing” to 90 days by March 2026.
• Reduce average “time for decision issuance” to 45 days by June 2026.

The performance measures are designed to drive the OLT’s core business of resolving disputes in an accessible, fair, timely and efficient manner.

The OLT has experienced a shift in its caseload in recent years due to the enactment of Bills 23 and 185, which removed less complex third-party appeals. As a result, the OLT caseload now comprises more complex cases, and this is reflected in the targets for decision-writing. The OLT is continuing to refine its processes, including eliminating unnecessary steps to help expedite time to hearings. The launch of the e-file digital submission platform in 2024 is also expected to expedite the receipt of case documents and enable more timely management of cases. In addition, the establishment of a Decisions Unit, improvements to monitoring, and the development of tools for adjudicators is expected to result in improvements to decision issuance. Moving forward, the OLT will continue to monitor results and refine its performance measures and implement changes where necessary.