The Planning Act (Government of Ontario 1990a) is the legislation that establishes the "ground rules" for land use planning in Ontario. It enables municipalities to control land use and provides for the mechanisms through which this control is exercised. The Act also sets out the framework for the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), by which the province sets overall policy directions. However, the Act gives a great deal of autonomy to municipal councils when it comes to making decisions affecting land use.
