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Patrick Harrington

Partner Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 2005
People > Patrick Harrington

Patrick has a patient and engaging approach to municipal and land use planning matters. He excels at narrowing issues through research and consensus and devising comprehensive solutions acceptable to all parties within the legal and political framework. A strong written and oral advocate with a background in Theatre Arts, Patrick is outstanding at crafting his clients’ positions into compelling and persuasive cases.

Patrick is a member of A&B’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. He frequently appears before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Ontario Municipal Board), seeking or opposing development approvals for a broad range of clients. Patrick regularly advises municipalities, private businesses, landowners, property managers and ratepayer groups on a broad range of regulatory matters, including zoning and Building Code infractions, by-law interpretation, sign regulation, property standards, development charges and minor variances. Patrick also represents private/public housing landlords and tenants on a variety of matters before the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Patrick advocates for both public and private sector clients on motions, actions, applications and appeals before the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Municipal Law
  • Recipient of the Bereskin & Parr Award in Industrial and Intellectual Property as well as the Law Society of Upper Canada Prize
  • Graduated from the University of Western Ontario with distinction, placing on the Dean's Honour List his last two years

Professional Involvement

Professional Activities

  • Patrick maintains A&B’s Municipal and Land Use Planning Twitter feed (@ABMunicipal). 
  • He is also the editor of A&B’s Municipal and Land Use Planning Newsletter. 
  • Patrick is a frequent contributor and speaker at professional, industry and continuing legal education seminars, has authored a number of published articles and contributed to various texts. 

Memberships

  • Canadian/Ontario Bar Association (Municipal Law, Administrative Law, and Civil Litigation Sections)
  • Urban Land Institute
  • BILD GTA

Selected Publications

Ontario Planning Legislation & Commentary, 2019 Edition, co-author with Patricia A. Foran, LexisNexis Canada, December 2018.

"Ontario's New Land Use Planning Appeals Regime: An Overview of What Has Changed," Public Sector Digest, Summer 2018.

"Bill 73 Amendments to the Planning Act," Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, December 2015.

"Smoke in the Air," CondoBusiness, August 2007

"Complete Planning Applications: How the Rules Have Changed," Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal & Planning Law Newsletter, June 2007

"Conflict in the Air," Canadian Property Management, May/June 2007

"Neighbourhood Gadabouts - The Problem of Short Term Rentals and How to Solve It," 2 Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d), July 2006

"Annotation: Rexlington Heights Ltd. v. R., (2006)," 15 M.P.L.R. (4th) 117, co-author with John Mascarin

Contributor, Annotated Ontario Building Code Act, 2006, Markham: LexisNexis Canada Inc., 2005

“Signs – Regulation, Taxation and Enforcement”, presentation by Christopher J. Williams and Patrick J. Harrington, presented at the 2011 OBA Institute, Municipal Law Section.

The Lawyer’s Weekly, “Toronto Growth Plan Conformity Amendment Refused”, Sept. 2010

“Employment Land Conversions - A Review of Ontario Municipal Board Decisions Dealing with the Conversion of Employment Lands”, by Steven A. Zakem and Patrick J. Harrington, presented at The Six-Minute Municipal Lawyer 2010, May 12, 2010

FRPO, “It’s Good Enough - Relying on the Discretionary Power of the Property Standard Committee”, November 9, 2009

 “Pandemic Planning for Landlords”, Federation of Rental Housing Providers, September 18, 2009

“Growth Plan Conversion Conundrum - Knowledge is Power – Essential Information for Municipalities”, September 18, 2009

“Dealing with the Past – Issues of Grandfathering and Legal Non-Confirmity under Section 45 of the Planning Act”, presentation by Patricia A. Foran and Patrick J. Harrington, OACA, September 25, 2009

“Standard of Review and the Test for Leave to Appeal - Is It Time To Modify The Latter To Include The Former?”, By Robert G. Doumani & Patrick J. Harrington, May 2009 

“Conversion Clarity - OMB Answers a Threshold Question under the Growth Plan”, March 2009

Insights

Publications Article Sep 06, 2019 Welcome (Back) to the (New) Planning Act
Publications Article Dec 12, 2017 Bill 139 Receives Royal Assent
Publications Article Oct 30, 2017 Bill 139: Third Reading and Royal Assent Expected November 2017

Education

  • LLB (with Distinction), University of Western Ontario, 2004
  • BA (Hons), Theatre, Dalhousie University, 2001

Expertise