An official plan is a policy document that guides decision-making on land use, development and resource management.
An official plan blends local community interests with Provincial policy direction. It is developed through planning analysis, research and collaboration with the community and interested parties to:
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ensure all new development contributes to the City's long-term vision;
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guide development within certain parameters, allowing for private sector flexibility while maintaining the public interest; and
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describe when and how changes to the Official Plan are considered.
Official Plans of the City of Burlington
On Nov. 30, 2020, the City’s new Official Plan (Burlington Official Plan, 2020) was approved by Halton Region. However, parts of the plan have been appealed and will not come into effect until they are approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal. While these appeals are being resolved, parts of the City’s old Official Plan (Burlington Official Plan, 1997) will stay in effect.
On July 1, 2024, through changes to the Planning Act, the Province identified the Region of Halton as an “upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities". As a result, the Regional Official Plan is no longer an official plan for the Regional Municipality of Halton. Instead, it has been deemed an official plan of each of the lower-tier municipalities in Halton (City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Milton, and Town of Oakville), until it is revoked or amended by the respective municipality.
This means that there are now three Official Plans which apply to the City of Burlington- parts of the Halton Regional Official Plan, 1995, parts of the Burlington Official Plan, 1997, and parts of the Burlington Official Plan, 2020. To streamline its suite of land use planning policies, and to ensure alignment with the updated Provincial policy framework, the City is undertaking a realignment exercise for the Burlington Official Plan, 2020. For more information, visit the project page on Get Involved Burlington.
Halton Region Official Plan, 1995 |
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The Halton Region Official Plan, 1995, was approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, with modifications, on Nov. 27, 1995. This Office Consolidation incorporates all subsequent modifications and amendments to the Plan up to and including May 16, 2024. For details on the legal status and applicability of the Halton Region Official Plan, 1995 (as amended) refer to the “Explanatory Notes” at the beginning of the Official Plan document. In addition, to help implement the policies of the Halton Regional Official Plan, a series of guideline documents were developed by the Region. To view the Regional Official Plan Guidelines, visit halton.ca View the full Halton Region Official Plan (May 2024 Office Consolidation) or the individual sections below: Loading Document Feed...
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Burlington Official Plan, 1997 |
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The Burlington Official Plan, 1997, was approved by Halton Region, with modifications, on Mar. 5, 1997. This Office Consolidation incorporates all subsequent modifications and amendments to the Plan up to and including July 30, 2024. For details on the legal status and applicability of the Burlington Official Plan, 1997 (as amended) refer to the “Explanatory Notes” at the beginning of the Official Plan document. View the full Burlington Official Plan, 1997 (July 2024 Office Consolidation) or the individual sections below: Loading Document Feed...
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Burlington Official Plan, 2020 |
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The Burlington Official Plan, 2020, was approved by Halton Region, with modifications, on Nov. 30, 2020. This Office Consolidation incorporates all subsequent modifications and amendments to the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 up to and including July 2, 2024. For details on the legal status and applicability of the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 (as amended) refer to the “Explanatory Notes” at the beginning of the Official Plan document. View the full Burlington Official Plan, 2020 (July 2024 Office Consolidation) or the individual sections below: Loading Document Feed...
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Background Information
Burlington Official Plan, 2020 appeals process |
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View the timeline below for a history of key dates for the new Official Plan appeals process, as well as Regional and Provincial changes affecting the process. For more information or additional documents, contact Community Planning using the information on this page.
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Burlington Official Plan, 2020 project history |
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View the timeline below for a history of key dates for the new Official Plan project. For more information or additional documents, contact Community Planning using the information on this page.
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Related Projects
| Burlington Official Plan, 2020 Realignment Exercise |
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The Realignment Exercise will advance the policies of the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 by identifying where changes may be required to ensure that that the Plan:
For more information, visit Get Involved Burlington – Burlington Official Plan, 2020 Targeted Realignment Exercise. |
| New Zoning By-law Project |
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This project will create a new Zoning Bylaw to provide an updated set of rules for land use planning and development across Burlington, and will implement the Burlington Official Plan, 2020. For more information, visit Get Involved Burlington - New Zoning Bylaw Project. |
| Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) |
| The City is undertaking area-specific planning for the Aldershot GO, Burlington GO and Appleby GO Major Transit Station Areas. For more information, visit Get Involved Burlington - Major Transit Station Areas. |
| Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP) |
| The Integrated Mobility Plan guides how people and goods move in and through Burlington, focusing on providing people of all ages and abilities with more travel choices. For more information, visit Get Involved Burlington - Integrated Mobility Plan. |
| Housing Strategy |
| The Housing Strategy builds on and supports Halton Region’s Housing Strategy and sets out key actions to provide more housing options for current and future residents. For more information, visit Get Involved Burlington - Housing Strategy. |
| Interim Control By-law Land Use Study (ICBL) |
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On Mar. 5, 2019, the City of Burlington implemented an Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL), which temporarily restricts development on certain lands while a land use study is undertaken. The ICBL Land Use Study area included the [former] Downtown Urban Growth Centre and lands around the Burlington GO Station. The purpose of the study was to:
On Jan. 30 2020, Burlington City Council approved the final recommendations of the ICBL Land Use Study, including proposed Official Plan Amendment 119 to the Burlington Official Plan, 1997 and proposed Zoning By-law Amendment 2020.418- as brought forward through staff report PL-01-20 on Jan. 14, 2020 and revised through the memo received by Council on Jan. 30, 2020. A number of appeals were filed regarding both Official Plan Amendment 119 and Zoning Bylaw Amendment 2020.418, keeping the ICBL development restrictions in place until appeals are resolved by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). On Oct. 15, 2021, the OLT granted the City’s motion to lift the development restrictions on all lands subject to the ICBL except for those impacted by Zoning Bylaw Amendment 2020.418, located around the Burlington GO station. This means that the City can issue building permits for development in the Downtown that complies with the zoning that was in effect before the ICBL, and Community Planning staff can bring forward recommendations for Council decisions on Planning Act applications in the area. On May 29, 2022, the OLT issued a decision regarding the settlement of site-specific appeals relating to a portion of the remaining lands impacted by the ICBL, at 2243 and 2269 Fairview Street and 846 Drury Lane (“Fairview LP lands”). By operation of s. 38(6.1) of the Planning Act, the OLT ordered that the Fairview LP lands be released from Interim Control By-law No. 2019-10. A map of the remaining lands subject to development restrictions under the ICBL is available here. You can view the status of the OLT case by visiting the Ontario Land Tribunal's webpage for case no. OLT-22-002483: “OPA 119, ICBL land use study”. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the City need an Official Plan? |
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An Official Plan is a legal document, required by the Province of Ontario, that describes a municipality's long-term land-use strategy. It is prepared with input from the public and helps to ensure that future planning and development meets the specific needs of the community. The Official Plan sets out a clear vision and establishes strategic priorities for:
The Official Plan gives clear direction on land use planning but is also flexible because it is a long-term document. The Plan is designed to anticipate and manage change. For example, it has criteria to evaluate proposals for a change in land use, for new growth in an area that is already developed, and for mapping changes based on updated technical information. The Official Plan changes regularly to:
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How are changes made to the Official Plan? |
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The Official Plan can change through “amendments” to maps and/or policies. These amendments follow a process set out by the Planning Act and can be initiated by an applicant or the municipality. For more information on initiating an amendment, or to learn how to book a pre-consultation meeting for your project, visit our Official Plan Amendments page. The Official Plan can also change through an "Official Plan Review". As a municipality, the City of Burlington must do this regularly to make sure the Plan is up to date with provincial policies and legislation. The City completed its last Official Plan Review in 2020. For more information on this review, see "Burlington Official Plan, 2020 project history". |
How do I know which Official Plan policies apply to me? |
| Each of the City’s three Official Plans contain “Explanatory Notes” at the beginning of the document, which describe the legal status and applicability of the Plan. For more information on which policies may apply to your situation, contact Community Planning using the information on this page. |
How does the Zoning Bylaw relate to the Official Plan? |
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The Zoning Bylaw carries out the Official Plan’s higher-level directions on:
Among other things, the Zoning Bylaw sets out specific requirements for:
Since the Zoning Bylaw accounts for more detailed differences in conditions on-the-ground, a specific zone may not permit all the uses listed in the applicable land use designation(s) of the Official Plan. When a policy change is approved in the Official Plan, the City must create new zoning regulations to be able to apply the change. So, until the Zoning Bylaw is amended to reflect the Official Plan change, the existing regulations stay in effect. |
How can I keep up to date on changes? |
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You can stay involved and keep up to date with Official Plan matters by:
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