Dufferin County Council adopts new Official Plan to guide local growth
Dufferin County Council has adopted the County’s new Official Plan following the approval of the third and final Official Plan amendment, concluding the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) process, pending approval from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
The third and final Official Plan amendment relates to:
- Complete communities based on densities and a mix of land uses policies;
- Settlement area and boundary expansion policies;
- Additional Residential Units general policies;
- Sustainability and infrastructure management; and
- Policy implementation and administration processes.
Together with the previously approved Official Plan amendments, related to matters like housing options, climate change, implementation and interpretation and Employment Lands, this final approved Official Plan amendment will guide the County as it works to meet the changing needs of Dufferin residents and businesses.
About the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review
Dufferin County is currently home to 67,000 people and is planning to exceed 100,000 people and 40,000 jobs by 2051. To address this planned increase in population, the County began phased work on its MCR in 2022. The MCR consisted of a series of studies that influenced Dufferin’s adopted Official Plan and will shape the growth of Dufferin County for the next 30 years.
Multiple amendments have been made to the existing County Official Plan that will establish where and how growth is to occur in Dufferin County. It has been prepared in association with the County’s MCR to bring the County Official Plan into conformity with the Province of Ontario’s A Place to Grow: Growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Throughout its MCR process, the County engaged and consulted with relevant stakeholders at more than 70 events, including meetings with member municipalities, provincial agencies, public information sessions, online presentations, online surveys and Council meetings. Feedback received was essential in developing the adopted Official Plan amendment.
To learn more about the MCR, visit Join In Dufferin.
Additional Residential Units engagement
In the coming months, the County will be engaging the community so that residents, local municipalities and other partners can learn more about County Additional Residential Unit policies. Stay tuned for more information in the near future!
