Can I appeal if a municipality refuses to approve my site plan in Ontario?

Yes, generally. If a municipality refuses to approve site plan drawings, or fails to make a decision within the applicable timeframe, an applicant generally has a right to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which can then review the matter and make its own decision on the site plan, including approving it, approving it with modified conditions, or upholding the refusal. This gives an applicant a path forward beyond simply reapplying to the same municipal process if a genuine disagreement exists about what site plan control can properly require.

Because site plan control deals with detailed design elements rather than the fundamental question of whether a use is permitted, disputes often centre on specific conditions the municipality wants to impose, such as particular landscaping, servicing, or access requirements, rather than a wholesale refusal of the development concept itself. Before pursuing an appeal, it's often worth exploring whether the specific points of disagreement can be resolved directly with municipal planning staff, since a negotiated resolution is typically faster than a formal Tribunal process. Where genuine disagreement remains, getting legal advice on the merits and process of an appeal is a sensible next step.