The County of Simcoe received 14 appeals to the Town of Collingwood Official Plan before the deadline of October 29, 2024. The Town received the appeal materials sent to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) by the County on November 11, 2024.

County and Town staff are working together to review the materials submitted to determine the scope of the appeals. More information on the appeals to the OLT and a status update on the new Official Plan will be posted when available. If you have questions about the nature of the appeals, please reach out to the Simcoe County Clerk at clerks@simcoe.ca.

On July 22, 2024, Town Council will receive Staff Report P2024-21, which recommends modifications to the new Collingwood Official Plan. The proposed modifications are a collaborative effort of Town of Collingwood and County of Simcoe staff, and will still require approval of the County of Simcoe, anticipated to occur in fall of 2024.

To view a tracked change version of the new Official Plan, which shows the proposed modifications, please click here.

After more than three years of intensive consultation and research, Collingwood Council adopted a new Official Plan on December 11, 2023, replacing the outdated 2004 version.

"We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed to this comprehensive process, whether through attending meetings, providing written feedback, or participating in our open houses," says Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. "The level of community engagement has been outstanding, reflecting our collective commitment to building a vibrant and sustainable future for Collingwood."

The new 2023 Official Plan is a visionary document that paves the way for sustainable growth and development. It stands at the forefront of progress, addressing housing needs and the climate crisis with a forward-thinking approach. With balanced perspectives firmly rooted in the public interest, it becomes a catalyst for positive change. This blueprint does not just envision a better future, it actively shapes it, harmonizing urban and economic vitality with environmental and fiscal responsibility. The Plan is a testament to the collective commitment to creating vibrant, resilient, complete communities where both present and future generations can not only meet their needs but thrive in Collingwood.

The new 2023 Official Plan is intended to manage and direct long-term growth and land use change in the Town of Collingwood to the year of 2051, complimenting the Community-based Strategic Plan and other Master Plans. The Plan provides a strategic and comprehensive framework to guide decisions about sustainable development and infrastructure investment with the goal of supporting a healthy and affordable community. The Plan is structured to manage change in a way that contributes to Collingwood’s reputation as a successful and desirable place to live, work, play, and invest.

The Official Plan achieves these goals by setting objectives and policies related to managing growth, improving transportation systems, facilitating economic development, enhancing housing affordability, protecting natural heritage and cultural features, recognizing the importance of a thriving downtown, promoting climate resiliency, and supporting and building on the strengths of the community. Further, the Plan contains policies that implement legislation, regulation and policies from the Provincial and County levels while addressing local priorities and the unique Collingwood context. Although this Plan presents a long-range framework, it is also a dynamic document that is designed to respond to changing circumstances over time.

Council made five modifications to the new Official Plan prior to its adoption. To view these modifications, the consultation summary and next steps, please view the full media release.

The Town of Collingwood is excited to share the final draft of the new Official Plan for consideration of adoption by Council at a Special Meeting on December 11, 2023.

We have enjoyed a tremendous level of community engagement throughout the almost four-year long project journey and the feedback we’ve received has helped refine the policies that will guide sustainable growth and development in our Town for years to come. We would like to thank everyone who participated in meetings, wrote letters, and attended open houses.

Staff Report P2023-32 provides an overview of the final draft Official Plan, an Indigenous engagement record, all comments received on Draft 2 and a comment-response matrix, as well as a tracked-change version from the Draft 2 Official Plan.

We invite you to watch the upcoming Special Meeting of Council, starting at 2:00 pm on Monday. A livestream link and the agenda is available at https://collingwood.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Id=1614

If the new Official Plan is adopted by Council, it will be forwarded to the County of Simcoe for approval. Conversations on the Plan can continue through the next steps of the approval process and interested individuals may contact the County staff directly or request a notice of decision through the County Clerk: clerks@simcoe.ca.

Where will you live, work, and play? What will your neighbourhood look like?

How will you get around? What’s your community vision?

These questions and more will be explored in the Town of Collingwood’s Official Plan Update.

Get involved! Visit this page for updates.

What is an Official Plan?

The Official Plan is the overall policy for how land is used in Collingwood and will be the vision for our community over the next 20 years. The plan is the guide for the Town’s growth and directs where, when, and how growth should occur.

Why update the Official Plan?
The Planning Act requires the Town to update our Official Plan every five years to make sure that it is in line with Provincial and County plans, such as:

A Place to Grow: the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Provincial Policy Statement

County of Simcoe Official Plan

In Ontario, the planning system is based on a ranking of plans. These plans change often and each time that a change is made, new content is added that gives new direction or changes the planning system. The Town has to make sure that our Official Plan is updated to match Provincial Plans and the County Official Plan.

The plan also needs to be updated to:

Integrate the content of other Town plans that have recently been approved or are soon to be approved with the Official Plan.

Update the Official Plan to provide Council with the tools they need to manage future growth.

How can I get involved?
There will be many chances for public input during the Official Plan update process and we want to hear your ideas! Please watch this page and Town social media for updates on how you can be involved.

Please join us to learn more and provide your feedback on the Town's Draft Official Plan.

You can view the Notice here.

Please submit your comments on the Collingwood Official Plan Draft 2 to officialplanupdate@collingwood.ca by the deadline of October 31, 2023.

The Town is now seeking feedback on the Collingwood Official Plan - Draft 2.

Media Release: Collingwood Official Plan Draft 2 - Release for Public Consultation

Staff Report P2023-24 Official Plan Update – Release of Draft 2 for Public Consultation was approved by Council on July 31, 2023, and highlights the changes based on significant feedback received and proposed changes to the Provincial Planning framework.

Comments may be sent to officialplanupdate@collingwood.ca. Please stay tuned for more information about an upcoming Public Open House and Statutory Public Meeting in early fall 2023.

Please note that comments will not be replied to individually, but Town staff and consultants will review and consider the comments through this consultation, revise the draft Official Plan again, and intend to recommend that Council adopt a final Official Plan before year end 2023.

The Province recently announced another series of policy, legislative and regulatory changes for consultation, designed to assist with meeting its goal of constructing 1.5M houses in the next decade.

For land use planning in Collingwood, the most important proposal is a new Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), which would eliminate the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and act as a single, unified land use planning policy document for the entire Province. The proposed PPS is accompanied by implementing legislative changes and other regulatory changes related to Bill 23, and is targeted to be in place by the fall of 2023.

Given the significance of the land use planning-related changes, Planning Services staff are pivoting resources to advising Town Council on the impacts of the proposed changes.

Unfortunately, this means the release of the Draft 2 of the Town’s Official Plan will be delayed in order to provide comments on the proposed PPS, understand the impacts of the changes, and adjust the Town’s policy framework to be consistent with Provincial Policy.

Draft 2 of the Official Plan will incorporate the upcoming Provincial Policy and legislative changes and is targeted to be released early in the summer of 2023, with further public consultation targeted for early fall 2023.

Please subscribe to the Town’s Official Plan Update Engage Page for the release of Draft 2 of the Official Plan and future consultation opportunities.

The following updates were provided by Summer Valentine, Director, Planning, Building, & Economic Development, during the Development & Operations Services Standing Committee meeting held February 13, 2023:

A few matters have arisen that will impact the timing of the delivery of the next draft of the new Town of Collingwood Official Plan, now targeted for release in March or April of 2023.

First…

We are closing in on nearly 200 comment letters received from the circulation of the first draft released in August of 2022, and they continue to come in. Staff are thrilled with the community interest and engagement in this project. Stakeholder, Indigenous, agency and public input is critical to the land use planning process, and it is imperative each comment is reviewed and responded to accordingly with any necessary policy changes. The comments range from general insights to individual site matters. Addressing this feedback and providing Council with a strong rationale for the anticipated multiple changes to the draft Official Plan is underway but will take time.

While staff are extremely grateful and excited about the interest in the Official Plan Review, we do not have the resources or budget to meet with or respond to each comment individually with a letter or email. However, the next draft of the Official Plan will have a comprehensive feedback-response matrix that covers every submission.

Second…

Bills 109 and 23, passed by the Province to facilitate the construction of 1.5 million homes in the next decade have significant consequences on land use planning policies and processes as well as land economics, which are just starting to be understood. Staff want to ensure that the next draft of the Official Plan appropriately responds to the legislative requirements and limits the risks associated with unintended consequences of the Bills, where possible. This includes reviewing the County of Simcoe Official Plan (which will no longer have any effect under Bill 23) and incorporating any operative policies into the Town Plan.

Further, the Province has been consulting on policy changes as part of their housing plan. If the Provincial Policy Statement and/or Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe change significantly in the near term, as guiding documents for Official Plans in the Province, the amendments will need to be reviewed and translated into local policy.

Third…

The growth management official plan amendment that represents Phase One of the County's Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) was adopted by County Council and is under consideration for approval by the Province. Notwithstanding the lack of clarity on the County's future role in land use planning, any approved MCR updates must be incorporated into the Town's Official Plan. Additionally, the MZO for the Poplar Regional Health and Wellness Village was approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The conversion of those lands from traditional employment to mixed use will have significant impacts on residential and non-residential unit supply for the Town and needs to be considered in the next draft of the Official Plan.

Stay tuned for the release of the next draft of the Official Plan and future consultation opportunities at: https://engage.collingwood.ca/official-plan!

Substantial feedback was received through public consultation on Draft 1 of the Official Plan.

The Town is currently reviewing the detailed comments, and legislative changes at the Provincial level in preparation of Official Plan Draft 2.

Please subscribe here to be informed of future consultation opportunities on Draft 2 in early 2023.