The City of Burlington's Committee of Adjustment is an independent body, appointed by Council, to review and make decisions on applications for:
- Minor variances to the Zoning Bylaw
- Land divisions and changes to land configuration
- The enlargement or extension of a building or structure that is legally non-conforming
- Validations of title and power of sale
The committee has seven members and two alternates, who are all residents of the City of Burlington. To learn more about the committee, view the Committee of Adjustment Terms of Reference, or contact committee staff at 905-335-7629 or committeeofadjustment@burlington.ca.
Meetings
We are excited to announce that Committee of Adjustment meetings are moving to a hybrid meeting model. Starting January 22, 2025, all Committee of Adjustment meetings will be hybrid - conducted in person and online.
What does this mean for participants?
All members of the public, applicants and their agents will now have the option to participate in the public meeting process in person at City Hall in Council Chambers, or remotely via Zoom Webinar Video Conferencing Technology.
How do I participate?
To assist staff in preparing for the meeting and to ensure there will be sufficient support for both virtual and in-person participants, we ask that all applicants and those wishing to delegate on a matter before the Committee of Adjustment, please notify the Secretary Treasurer in advance as to which format they will be participating by. More details on how to participate can be found in the attached information sheet.
The full 2025 meeting schedule is available under Committee of Adjustment on the City meeting calendar.
Viewing meetings
View our City meeting calendar to watch and follow along with the Zoom meeting. We post instructions, links and phone numbers for joining one day prior to each meeting.
If you have an application before the committee, it is mandatory that either the applicant or an authorized agent of the applicant is present at the hearing, either in-person or virtually. Committee of Adjustment staff will contact the applicant/agent with a meeting date, sign posting instructions, and meeting information at the appropriate time during the application process.
Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022
Important Changes to Third Party Appeal Rights
The Government of Ontario has amended the Planning Act and has removed the rights of third parties to appeal Committee of Adjustment decisions.
As of Nov. 28, 2022, only:
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the applicant,
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the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, or
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a public body that has an interest as defined in the Planning Act
are able to appeal decisions of the Committee of Adjustment.
The Government of Ontario’s amendments to the Planning Act also removed the rights of third parties to proceed with previously submitted minor variance or consent appeals in certain circumstances. Any consents or minor variances that have been appealed but have not been scheduled by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) for a hearing as of Oct. 23, 2022, under this amended legislation, has been dismissed and will not proceed.
Submit an application for a minor variance or consent
Learn how to submit an application for a minor variance if your development proposal does not comply with the Zoning Bylaw.
On-call Zoning Examiner and Planner
Applicants are encouraged to consult with staff prior to the submission of a formal application to obtain feedback on the proposed development for applicable zoning regulations and official plan policies. This can be done through our daily on-call Zoning Examiner and Planner. We encourage you to contact us early in your development process to ensure a smooth Committee of Adjustment process.
If you would like to get more information on applicable zoning regulations for your property or applicable Official Plan policies for the evaluation of Minor Variance or Consent applications, please contact us at 905-335-7642 or planning@burlington.ca.
Submit an application for consent
You can submit an application for consent if you are looking to sever a property to:
- Create one or two new lots
- Create a lot addition
- Establish easements or right-of-ways
- Establish a Validation of Title
- Establish a lease
If you wish to be notified of a decision of the committee of adjustment for an application, please contact our Secretary-Treasurer at committeeofadjustment@burlington.ca.
Meeting schedule and agendas
View our Committee of Adjustment Meeting Schedule . Meetings take place bi-weekly on Wednesdays, alternating between 1 and 5:30 p.m.
Submitting comments
You can submit your written comments, photos or plans, etc. for an application by email to committeeofadjustment@burlington.ca with the subject line: "Comments_Your Name_Application Number_Property Address".
You can also submit comments by regular mail or drop box at City Hall's Locust Street entrance. Please make sure we get your written comments no later than noon the day before the hearing date and that they include your name, address, application number and application property address. Mail your comments to:
Committee of Adjustment Secretary-Treasurer
426 Brant St., PO Box 5013
Burlington, ON L7R 3Z6
Participating in person or virtually
You can register as a delegation to a committee meeting at committeeofadjustment@burlington.ca or 905-335-7629 no later than by noon on the day before the hearing date. We encourage you to register as soon as possible.
All requests must contain a copy of your remarks, which will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance as a backup, in case of technology issues. We provide delegates with all applicable access codes and instructions to enter the electronic hearing. Please test your audio/video before the meeting.