New Official Plan Project

On Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, at 1 p.m. (reconvened at 6:30 p.m.), discussion about the re-examination of the downtown policies in the adopted Official Plan continued at a meeting of Burlington City Council’s Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee meeting.

At the meeting, City staff presented a single recommended land use vision and concept for the future built form of downtown Burlington [Report PL-02-20). The recommendation is based on the evaluation of two preliminary concepts presented for public feedback in fall 2019, which was informed by several inputs including public feedback, technical studies, and an understanding of existing and approved development in the downtown.

View a copy of report PL-02-20, containing the recommendation

Details about the preliminary preferred concept, including maps and diagrams, can be found in Appendix A of the report.

A feedback report documenting what was heard during the October to December public engagement is contained in Appendix E

As part of the project, the following technical studies have been completed to date:

Archaeological Assessment

Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment

Market Analysis

Illustrative Economic Analysis Memo

Traffic Overview

Environmental Impact Study

Flood Study Report

Flood Study Drawings

Area Servicing Plan

Please note: Further review of these studies is anticipated by other agencies, such as Halton Region and Conservation Halton. The completed studies will be shared with City Council in Spring 2020 as part of the final report.

In the falll of 2019, more public engagement opportunities were held to gather the public's input on two concepts of what the downtown could look like, including:

• Actions Labs held on Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.
• A walking tour of downtown Burlington on Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m.
• Drop-in sessions at City Hall to review the concepts, on Nov. 8, 12 and 15
• An online survey, open from Nov. 1 to 19
• A presentation at the Dec. 5 Planning and Development Committee meeting, with delegations from the public. View report PB-89-19

A report explaining how the vision, precincts, and two concepts were created was also released in the fall.

• Two Action Labs held on Aug. 22, where participants worked in small groups to discuss and identify what is most important to them about downtown Burlington. The feedback gathered was used to inform the creation of two concepts of what the downtown could look like in the future.
• An online survey and pop-up events across the city were also held to gather public input.

A community engagement plan was also shared in August.

View the feedback report summarizing what was heard through the August and September engagement.

On Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at 10 a.m. a Committee of the Whole workshop was held to assist in the creation of a community engagement plan for the re-examination of the adopted Official Plan. This educational workshop for Council was open to the public, however no delegations were heard.

With the area of downtown policies identified, City staff presented report PB-47-19, Work Plan for the Scoped Re-examination of the Adopted Official Plan, to Burlington City Council at the May 21 meeting of the Planning and Development Committee. The report identified details of the work and timing that needs to take place to bring modified policies back to Burlington City Council for approval by March 2020.

Report PB-47-19 was approved by Burlington City Council at its meeting on May 27, 2019.

On Monday, March 18, 2019, City staff and members of Burlington City Council discussed the scope of the work for further study at a Committee of the Whole workshop. 

Through the discussion, it was identified that while Council supports many of the policies in the adopted Official Plan, an area that requires targeted reconsideration is the Downtown Precinct Plan.

View the webcast

On Feb. 7, 2019, Burlington City Council voted to re-examine the policies in Burlington's Official Plan, adopted in April 2018.

View a copy of the adopted Official Plan

The motion, approved by Council, directs Burlington’s Director of City Building to immediately commence a process to re-examine the policies of the Official Plan adopted April 26, 2018 in their entirety related to matters of height and intensity and conformity with provincial density targets.

Read the media release

View the approved motion

Dec. 4, 2018

On Dec. 4, 2018, the City of Burlington received notice from Halton Region regarding the city’s Official Plan. The notice advised that the city’s adopted Official Plan does not conform with the Regional Official Plan in a number of respects related to policies and mapping, and among others, in the areas of:

• proposed employment land conversions and permitted uses within the employment areas and lands;
• the identification of and permitted uses within agricultural lands;
• the identification of and permitted uses within the Natural Heritage System; and
• transportation matters, including road classifications.

Ongoing work will continue between the city and Region which will result in a draft notice of decision containing modifications to the city’s Official Plan. These modifications will be shared with the city and brought forward to City Council for consideration.

View cover letter from Halton Region

View notice from Halton Region

Read the media release: Update on the Region of Halton's review of the city's Official Plan, Dec. 7, 2018

Development applications that are submitted before Regional approval will continue to be processed under the current in force and effect Official Plan (1994, as amended), but during the review of the application, the new Official Plan will inform land-use decisions, and staff will encourage applicants to consider the objectives and policies of the adopted new Official Plan.

Once the plan is approved by Halton Region it may be appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Revisions to policies in the new Official Plan, as directed by Council at the Planning and Development Committee meeting on April 24, 25 and 26, were incorporated into the Official Plan that was sent to Halton Region for approval.

View a copy of the adopted Official Plan

A copy of Burlington's Official Plan, adopted on April 26, 2018, can be downloaded here. (Please note: this version contains the most recent revisions requested by Burlington City Council at the adoption meeting on April 26, 2018)

• Individual chapters of the proposed new Official Plan (April 2018) are available for download here.

A summary of the motions passed by Council related to the Official Plan recommended for adoption can be downloaded here:

• Table 1: OP-Related Councillor-Initiated Council Motions
• Table 2: OP-Related Staff-initiated Council Motions
• Table 3: Non-OP Related Council Motions

Please visit the Staff Reports and Studies pages for more background on the new Official Plan.

A fourth version of the proposed new Official Plan, Burlington's Official Plan (April 2018) was released on March 28, 2018, for adoption.

View a copy here.

• Individual chapters of the proposed new Official Plan (April 2018), can be downloaded here.

A document that compares the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018) and Burlington's Official Plan (April 2018) in tracked changes can be downloaded here:

• Tracked Changes [10 MB] 

Please visit the Staff Reports and Studies pages for more background on the new Official Plan.

On July 1, 2017, the Province of Ontario approved a revised Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), which outlines policies for planning and managing growth in the GGH to the year 2041, and includes the City of Burlington.

The revised Growth Plan policies recognize the importance of both a Natural Heritage System and an Agricultural System to the GGH. The protection of these resources is vitally important to the Growth Plan's long-term vision for the GGH.

Natural Heritage System
The revised Growth Plan states the Province will map a Natural Heritage System for the GGH to support a comprehensive, integrated, and long-term approach to planning for the protection of the GGH's natural heritage and biodiversity. Municipalities are required to incorporate the Natural Heritage System as an overlay in their Official Plans. They are also required to apply appropriate policies to maintain, restore, or enhance the diversity and connectivity of the system and the long-term ecological or hydrologic functions of these features and areas.

Agricultural System
The revised Growth Plan also states the Province will identify an Agricultural System for the GGH. Prime agricultural areas, including specialty crop areas, are to be designated in official plans in accordance with mapping identified by the Province and these areas must be protected for long-term use for agriculture in municipal Official Plans.

Feb. 9, 2018
On February 9, 2018, the Province announced the release of the final mapping for both the Natural Heritage System and the Agricultural System for the GGH to support the Growth Plan. It is now in full force and effect, as of the date of its release. It therefore applies in the consideration of all planning matters, including development applications, within municipalities in the GGH, including the City of Burlington.

The City of Burlington has incorporated the Provincial Natural Heritage System and Agricultural System mapping as released by the Province into the mapping of the new Official Plan as adopted by Council, in order to conform to the Provincial Growth Plan. The mapping does not impact the Urban Area of Burlington.

Refinements to the provincial mapping
In implementing the Natural Heritage System and Agricultural System, the Province permits municipalities to refine provincial mapping with greater precision in a manner that is consistent with the Growth Plan. However, this is only permitted as part of a "municipal comprehensive review," which is a new official plan or an official plan amendment initiated by the upper-tier or single-tier municipality, in this case Halton Region, that comprehensively applies the policies and Schedules of the Growth Plan.

The refinement of the Natural Heritage System and Agricultural System mapping will be undertaken on a Regional basis as part of Halton Region's next Regional Official Plan Review. The city cannot make refinements to the mapping in the Burlington Official Plan until the Region completes its municipal comprehensive review through its Official Plan Review process.

A third version of the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018) was released on Feb. 7, 2018. It contained  revisions that were made as a result of feedback the city received at the Nov. 30, 2017 statutory public meeting, the Jan. 23 and 24, 2018 public meeting, and through written submissions.

View a copy of the Official Plan (February 2018) [31 MB]

• Individual chapters of the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018) are available for download here.

A document that summarizes feedback received on the draft new Official Plan, and staff's response to that feedback can be downloaded here:

• Agency, Public and Stakeholder Feedback [890 KB]

A document that compares the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017) and the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018) in tracked changes can be downloaded here:

Tracked Changes [9.2 MB]

A second version of Burlington's proposed new Official Plan (November 2017) was released on Nov. 9, 2017. It contained revisions to the draft new Official Plan that was released in April 2017. Feedback received from agencies, stakeholders and the public was considered in undertaking revisions to the draft new Official Plan.

View a copy of the Official Plan (November 2017) [31 MB]

• Individual chapters of the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017) are available for download here.

Tables have been prepared that summarize all feedback received on the draft new Official Plan, and staff's response to that feedback. The tables can be downloaded here:

• Agency Feedback [1.6 MB]
• Public Feedback [590 KB]
• Stakeholder Feedback [3 MB]

A document that compares the draft new Official Plan (April 2017) and the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017) in tracked changes can be downloaded here:

Through the engagement and consultation process, the city received over 1,000 surveys, over 100 written submissions and collected information at a variety of different events. A summary of public consultation and engagement can be found in staff report PB-47-17.

The top highlights of the new Official Plan included:

1. Updates the community vision and guiding principles to align with the 2016 Strategic Plan;
2. Reaffirms the commitment to maintain a firm urban boundary;
3. Introduces a new Urban Structure and Growth Framework to direct growth to the right parts of the city, and to prioritize growth around our Mobility Hubs. Mobility Hubs include the downtown and the lands within a short walking distance of our three GO Stations;
4. Protects established residential neighbourhoods by directing growth to other areas of the city;
5. Highlights the importance of employment by supporting the retention of employment lands, supporting innovation and supporting employment intensification;
6. Improves integration of land use and transportation planning, and introduces Frequent Transit Corridors to service Burlington's growth areas;
7. Updates policies and land use designations to better support mixed use development in our intensification areas;
8. Puts a strong emphasis on design excellence and great public spaces;
9. Includes direction to protect and strengthen our rural area, by supporting the viability of farming through an agriculture system, and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment;
10. Introduces a city-wide Natural Heritage System, and improved policies to support environmental sustainability;
11. Emphasizes the important role of public participation, and includes updates to other implementation matters; and
12. Includes new policies for the Downtown.

View a copy of the Official Plan (April 2017) [32MB]

• Individual chapters of the draft new Official Plan (April 2017) are available for download here.

What is an Official Plan?

An Official Plan is a statutory document required by the province that describes a city's land-use strategy to 2031, and beyond. It addresses the location and form of new housing, industry, offices and shops as well as anticipated needs for infrastructure. Streets, parks, transit, schools, community amenities, and other elements of a growing city are all considered in the Official Plan.

Ontario's Planning Act requires every city to update its Official Plan at least once every five years, or every 10 years after the approval of a new Official Plan.

Burlington's current Official Plan was approved by Halton Region in 2008.

As the city continues to change and grow, a review of the Official Plan helps ensure we are realizing the city's collective vision and responding to our community's needs, as identified in Burlington's Strategic Plan 2015-2040, approved by Council in 2016.

What are the key differences between the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018) and Burlington's Official Plan (April 2018) recommended for adoption?

The proposed new Official Plan recommended for adoption now includes:

1. New natural heritage and agricultural systems mapping that was released by The Province of Ontario on Feb. 9, 2018 as part of its Places to Grow program;
2. A revised urban structure and employment policies to conform to Halton Region's Area of Employment;
3. Modifications to the Downtown Precinct Plan including changes to: the Upper Brant Precinct; site specific policies within the Brant Main Street and Downtown Core precincts;  the Downtown urban design section and other various minor technical modifications;
4. Revisions throughout the plan to improve clarity, to address Council motions and to address conformity to provincial and regional plans.

Staff report PB-04-18 provides more detail on the updates included in the proposed new Official Plan (April 2018).

Please see the tracked changes version of the Official Plan to view the policy changes that occurred between the February 2018 and April 2018 versions. It can be downloaded here:

• Tracked Changes [10 MB]

What are the key difference between the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017) and the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018)?

The edits made to this version of the plan include changes to respond to public feedback and Council motions, to address conformity, improve clarity, correct editorial issues and address technical concerns. Staff report PB-14-18 (available by Feb. 16) provides more detail on the updates included in the proposed new Official Plan (February 2018).

Please see the tracked changes version of the Official Plan to view the policy changes that occurred between the November 2017 and February 2018 versions. It can be downloaded here:

What are the key differences between the draft new Official Plan (April 2017) and the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017)?

The proposed new Official Plan now includes:

1. The proposed new Downtown Precinct Plan and associated policies resulting from the Downtown Mobility Hub Area-Specific Planning process;
2. A new approach to design policies including direction on the public realm, and urban design and built form;
3. Updated process requirements for development applications, including a revised Growth Framework and development criteria;
4. Revised rural policies to further protect and strengthen the rural community;
5. A guide to reading the plan; and
6. Modifications throughout the plan to clarify the intent of policies.

Staff report PB-50-17 provides more detail on the updates included in the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017).

Where can I get more information on the Downtown policies?

The downtown is considered an Urban Centre and is identified as a mobility hub in the new Official Plan that was adopted by Council. This area was reviewed through the Downtown Mobility Hub Area-Specific Plan, and as a result the new Official Plan contains the new Downtown Precinct Plan and associated Official Plan level policies resulting from this study.

Does the proposed new Official Plan include updates to address North Aldershot?

How can I participate in the approval of the new Official Plan?

What are the sustainable building and development guidelines?

The Sustainable Building and Development Guidelines were approved by Council on April 26, alongside the adoption of the new Official Plan. While the guidelines have been approved, the enabling Sustainable Design policies in the new Official Plan are subject to the review and approval of Halton Region. Until the approval of the Official Plan, applicants will be encouraged to consider the Sustainable Design policies and the Sustainable Building and Development Guidelines.