Updated Land Use Plans to Protect Quality of Life for Generations to Come
Ontario has released four updated land use plans that will help grow the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) in a way that protects the environment, while creating vibrant communities that are healthy and sustainable.
The changes to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan are the latest step in the government’s reform of Ontario’s land use planning system. The plans work together to:
- Build compact, complete communities with a diverse range of housing options that better connect transit to where people live and work
- Retain and attract jobs
- Support a thriving and productive agri-food sector
- Strengthen protections for our natural heritage and water resource systems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Provide public open spaces for recreation and enjoyment
- Help municipalities better prepare to minimize the negative impacts from a changing climate, such as more frequent and intense storms and flooding.
These updated plans will help ensure growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe that is sustainable by making more efficient use of land, resources and infrastructure to reduce sprawl, protect farmland, water and natural resources, and promote better-designed communities that support a high quality of life for everyone living in the region.
Building complete communities and protecting the Greenbelt is part of the government’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
Quick Facts
- The Greater Golden Horseshoe is forecasted to grow by approximately 4 million people over the next 25 years and will be home to more than 13.5 million people, working in 6.3 million jobs by 2041.
- The updated plans are the result of almost two years of consultation and study.
- The updated plans build on the Provincial Policy Statement to establish a unique land-use planning framework for the GGH that supports complete communities, a thriving economy, a clean and healthy environment and social equity.
- Other reforms to the land use planning system include releasing an updated 2014 Provincial Policy Statement, reforming the Planning Act and Development Charges Act through the Smart Growth for Our Communities Act and proposed reforms to the Ontario Municipal Board.
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