What is a consent?

The Planning Act stipulates that consent must be granted before a parcel of land can be divided to create an additional lot/s. This process is referred to as land severance and the type of consent given in this instance is a severance. Controlling the division of land through "severance" gives the Municipality a mechanism for ensuring that the creation of lots is consistent with the planning policies of the municipality as set out in its Official Plan

When is a consent required?

• to divide land (or sever it) for the purpose of sale;
• to register a mortgage or discharge a mortgage over part of a parcel of land;
• to register a lease over part of a parcel of land when the term of the lease is 21 years or more (inclusive of renewal options);
• to register easements for rights-of-way; and
• to adjust boundaries of existing land parcels to enlarge or decrease the size of a property.

How to sever property?

Property owners who wish to divide their property for the purpose of selling it, registering or discharging a mortgage, or leasing it for a period over 21 years, must apply for a severance. In municipal legislative terms, it means obtaining "consent to sever".