Land, and how it may be used, is complex. Whether understanding a landowner’s current rights and obligations associated with their property or considering changes to how land might be used, it is essential to understand and navigate legislation and policies at the municipal, provincial, and even federal levels.
For more than 24 years, Ursula has helped landowners, municipalities, and stakeholder groups understand and navigate Ontario’s ever-evolving land use and development framework.
Ursula is a Partner in the Municipal, Land Development & Expropriation Group. She advises and represents a broad range of clients, including individual landowners, businesses, developers, municipalities, and home builder associations.
Interestingly, becoming a lawyer was never part of Ursula’s original plan. After completing undergraduate degrees in Political Science (Science Politique) and French at the University of Ottawa, she enrolled in law school because she wasn’t sure what to pursue next. Even during law school, she envisioned a career in research or government rather than private practice. That changed when she accepted an articling position at Soloway Wright, beginning her legal career with the firm in July 2000.
Looking back 26 years later, Ursula recognizes that becoming a lawyer was exactly where she was meant to be. She has always enjoyed reading, solving problems, conducting research, and working with people all qualities that naturally lend themselves to the practice of law. Today, she applies those skills every day in her multidisciplinary practice.
A significant part of Ursula’s practice involves helping landowners understand their rights and obligations relating to their own property or neighbouring lands. Whether a client wants to build a multi-use building, a high-density tower, create additional residential units, obtain subdivision or site plan approval or where to locate a business, understanding what is permitted is essential. While landowners have important rights, those rights are often shaped and limited by legislation and regulations at all levels of government.
Ursula also advises clients whether landowners, developers, municipalities, or industry groups on every aspect of land development. Her work ranges from obtaining site-specific development approvals to advancing broad policy initiatives, including comprehensive revisions of official plans and zoning by-laws, as well as providing comments on proposed provincial legislation and policy changes.
She has extensive experience with development approvals, including strata severances, subdivisions, and high-rise developments. Her practice also includes development charges, development agreements, parkland dedications and other levies, cost-sharing agreements, and landowner development groups.
On occasion, Ursula has even been retained to propose amendments to, and rewrite, legislation. Her personal goal? To rewrite the Planning Act to make it more user-friendly and easier to navigate through its many subsections and then tackle the Development Charges Act. Maybe someday.
Another key area of Ursula’s practice is expropriation law. Expropriation is the compulsory taking of land by an authorized public body, such as a municipality, government entity, or other approved expropriating authority. It is one of the most significant powers an expropriating authority can exercise. Individuals whose interests are affected, whether they are landowners, mortgage holders, or tenants, may be entitled to compensation, with the amount depending on the nature and extent of the interest impacted.
Determining appropriate compensation when land is compulsory taken requires much more than understanding the applicable legislation. Every expropriation project and every property is unique, requiring careful analysis and a tailored approach. One of the most underestimated aspects of expropriation law is the emotional, and sometimes physical, toll it can have on those affected. While this work is challenging, Ursula finds it deeply rewarding to help clients navigate the process during what is often a very difficult time.
Ursula is also an experienced litigator who regularly appears before municipal committees, the Ontario Land Tribunal, and various levels of the Provincial Courts on behalf of her clients.
Owning and developing land is rarely straightforward. Understanding which legislation and policies apply is only the first step; experience is essential to interpreting those rules and determining the best path forward. Ursula’s extensive knowledge of land use planning, development, and expropriation law enables her to guide clients through Ontario’s complex land use landscape with confidence.
About Ursula
Ursula K. Melinz is a Partner in Soloway Wright’s Municipal, Land Development & Expropriation Group. With more than two decades of experience, she advises landowners, municipalities, developers, businesses, and industry associations on land use planning, development approvals, expropriation, municipal law, and related litigation. Known for her practical, strategic approach, Ursula regularly represents clients before municipal committees, the Ontario Land Tribunal, and the courts, helping them navigate complex regulatory and development matters.
Outside of work she attempts to remain active whether hiking, cycling, Nordic skiing or snowshoeing. On occasion, she still coaches Nordic skiing, because being outside in the winter is fantastic.
