An Official Plan is a policy document that guides land use decisions by a municipal government. It sets out a series of goals and objectives that make sure new development meets the needs of residents.
A Regional Official Plan includes a vision to protect land uses and make sure there is a consistent approach to land use decisions across the Region.
The provincial government approves Regional Official Plans.
Official Plans must conform to current provincial policy:
The Regional Official Plan (ROP) has policies that guide how Halton grows and develops. It includes goals and objectives for new development that reflect the vision of residents and regional council. The ROP addresses region-wide issues and provides a consistent vision for land use in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville.
The ROP sets out the Regional Structure consisting of:
The ROP focuses on four key policy areas:
View the current Regional Official Plan on the Regional Official Plan Viewer page.
A local official plan sets out a vision, goals and objectives and includes policy to guide land use decisions in cities and towns. Burlington (external link), Halton Hills (external link), Milton (external link) and Oakville (external link) have official plans to address local land use issues. Halton Region approves their official plans to ensure they conform to the Regional Official Plan.
The Regional Official Plan, by law, must be updated every ten years to:
The current Regional Official Plan Review process started in 2015 to make sure the Region can adopt the updated plan in 2020.
General Official Plan Review inquiries: ropr@halton.ca