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Regional Official Plan Review (ROPR)

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About the Regional Official Plan Review

The Regional Official Plan (ROP) is a land use policy document created by Halton Region to shape the Region's future growth and development.

The Planning Act requires that the ROP be reviewed every 5 years to:

  • reflect changes in our communities and the vision for the Region
  • ensure that the Official Plan remains aligned with Provincial policies

To view the current Regional Official Plan, please visit the Regional Official Plan Viewer page.

Regional Official Plan Amendment 49 (ROPA 49)

On November 4, 2022, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 49 (ROPA 49) with forty-five modifications as part of the Municipal Comprehensive Review. This amendment is made under Section 26 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990.

ROPA 49 helps define how and where Halton will grow by implementing the Integrated Growth Management Strategy (IGMS). It is the second Amendment to be considered by Regional Council as part of the Regional Official Plan Review and builds on the Regional Urban Structure defined by ROPA 48.

To learn more about ROPA 49, review the summary page below.

ROPA 49

Policy Directions Report

A Policy Directions Report provides direction for policy changes to the Halton Regional Official Plan related to Climate Change, the Rural and Agricultural System, the Natural Heritage System, Indigenous Peoples, the North Aldershot Planning Area and General Plan Implementation. These policy changes ensure conformity to Provincial Plans and the Provincial Policy Statement while addressing the feedback received from the community. The Policy Directions Report is comprehensive as it also describes key directions related to the Integrated Growth Management Strategy that have already been, or will be, satisfied through ROPA 48 and ROPA 49.

On June 15, 2022, Regional Council endorsed the Policy Directions Report (May 25, 2022), with the exception of Policy Directions RAS-1 and NH-6 to allow for further public consultation with a report back to Council in the second quarter of 2023. Policy directions RAS-1 and NH-6 update the Regional Official Plan maps to show the following areas as mutually exclusive land-use designations:

  • Prime Agricultural Areas
  • Rural Lands
  • Natural Heritage Key Features*

*Outside of settlement areas, the Natural Heritage System will overlap with Natural Heritage Key Features and portions of Prime Agricultural Areas.

Information about future public consultations for the Regional Official Plan Review will be posted on this page when available.

Read the Policy Directions Report (PDF file).

ROPR Mapping Viewer

 

The ROPR Mapping Viewer is an online interactive mapping tool developed to display proposed mapping presented in the Discussion Papers. Use the interactive map to explore proposed Natural Heritage System refinements, proposed Rural Lands and Prime Agricultural Area refinements, and proposed Major Transit Station Areas as they relate to existing mapping for your community or your property.

For best performance, please access the viewer on a computer or laptop with latest version of a current internet browser (such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox).

Launch ROPR Mapping Viewer

Due to the high volume of requests, wait times for mapping inquiries are longer than normal. Staff are working to respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

ROPR Phases and Key Documents

The current Regional Official Plan Review (ROPR) process started in 2014 and has 3 phases:

 

Phase 1: Directions

Status: Completed October 2016

Key outcomes: 

  • Directions report
  • ROPR workplan
 

Phase 2: Discussion Papers

Status: Completed 2021

Key outcomes:

The development of discussion papers and public engagement on the policy areas under review:

  • Climate Change
  • Integrated Growth Management Strategy 
  • Natural Heritage
  • North Aldershot
  • Rural and Agricultural System

Growth Concepts will also be reviewed, setting out options for how and where Halton could grow to meet Provincial growth targets.

 

Phase 3: Policy Directions

Status: Underway 2021 - 2023

Key outcomes:

  • Preferred Growth Concept
  • Policy Directions
  • Draft Regional Official Plan Amendments
  • Comprehensive update of the ROP

October 5, 2016

The Directions Report (LPS110-16) (PDF file) reviews the direction for Phase 1 of the ROPR.

  • The process requires that the ROP remain consistent with Provincial plans and policies.
  • The review supports interests in the urban, rural and natural spaces.
  • It includes planning for the Region’s future population and employment growth.
  • Changes to land-use trends will focus on complete communities through compact growth and intensification.
  • It will ensure the protection of agricultural land within rural areas, while also supporting secondary on-farm uses and agri-tourism.
  • This includes protecting the Natural Heritage System (NHS).
  • The document outlines policy matters which will undergo further study in Phase 2 of the ROPR.

April 9, 2014

Through the Commencement of the Five-Year Review of the Region's Official Plan Report (LPS28-14), Halton Regional Council approved the beginning of the ROPR. The Region’s last approval was in December 2009.

  • The ROPR will update policies to meet the evolving needs of the Region.
  • The ROP is required to conform to Provincial plans and policies changes affecting the growth, development, and protection of lands.
  • For the review, staff will create a workplan – creating the goals, objectives and policy for the ROPR.
  • There will be opportunities for feedback from residents and stakeholders on the proposed changes.
  • The review will build on the previous ROPRs: 
    • Guiding development into settlement areas
    • Ensuring rural areas support agricultural uses
    • Protecting the NHS

November 11, 2021

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 48 with a limited number of changes.

View the ROPA 48 summary webpage to read the Provincial Notice of Decision and Regional staff report.


July 7, 2021

Regional Council adopts Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 48 (ROPA 48) as revised following review of the submissions received. ROPA 48 is the first Amendment adopted as part of Halton’s Regional Official Plan Review. This Amendment helps define and provide direction on urban structure, such as Urban Growth Centres, Major Transit Station Area, Regional Nodes and employment areas.

Regional Council approves LPS51-21 – “Regional Official Plan Review Work Plan Update and overview of Key Principles as the foundation for a draft Preferred Growth Concept.”


June 16, 2021

Regional Council holds a statutory public meeting in connection with Draft ROPA 48 to permit the public an opportunity to make verbal delegations.


May to June 2021

Halton Region hosts virtual Public Information Centres (PICs) about the Growth Concepts. PICs were held over Zoom and attendees could join online or by phone:


April 21, 2021

Regional Council approves LPS45-21 - “Additional Information relating to Growth Concepts associated with the Integrated Growth Management Strategy – Regional Official Plan Review.” The report directs staff to prepare an additional Growth Concept which examines the opportunity to accommodate all residential and employment growth within the existing settlement boundary area and to prepare additional information on the relative impact of greenhouse gas emissions expected to be associated with each Concept.

Read the Growth Concepts summary page to learn more about Growth Concept 3B and Growth Concepts greenhouse gas emission analysis.


February 17, 2021

Regional Council approves the Growth Concepts Discussion Paper and a public consultation period including an online questionnaire and virtual Public Information Centres.

Regional Council approves draft Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 48 – “An Amendment to Define a Regional Urban Structure” for public consultation. The draft Amendment fulfils direction provided to staff through LPS84-20 – “Advancing Key Planning Priorities of the Halton Municipalities through the Regional Official Plan Review,” endorsed September 16, 2020.

Regional Council receives the “2020 Initial Consultation Summary” which provides an overview of the comments staff received on the July-November 2020 series of ROPR Discussion Papers from the public, industry, agencies, other stakeholders, Indigenous Communities and Local Municipal partners.


November 18, 2020

Special Meeting of Council held pursuant to s. 26(3) of the Planning Act. Meeting provides public with an opportunity to discuss revisions that may be required to the Regional Official Plan.


October 21, 2020

Regional Council approves the Downtown Burlington Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) and Urban Growth Centre (UGC) Discussion Paper and a public consultation period on the new discussion paper to December 22, 2020 through an online questionnaire and virtual Public Information Centre.


September 16, 2020

Advancing Key Planning Priorities of the Halton Municipalities through the Regional Official Plan Review (LPS84-20) (PDF file) provides direction to staff to continue Phase 2 Discussion Paper engagement through October 30, 2020 and to prepare an initial Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) which may address:

  • Removal of the Major Transit Station Area designation in Downtown Burlington and adjustments to Burlington’s Urban Growth Centre boundaries.
  • Other strategic opportunities related to urban structure.

September to November 2020

Halton Region hosts virtual Public Information Centres (PICs) about the five theme areas under review. PICs were held over Zoom and attendees could join online or by phone:


July 15, 2020

The Phase 2 Theme Area Discussion Papers explore issues and options that represent a range of choices in considering how the Regional Official Plan can achieve conformity with the Provincial policies and continue to meet the needs of our community today and in the years ahead.

February 16, 2022

At its February 16, 2022 meeting, Regional Council adopted a Motion supporting a Modified Preferred Growth Concept. The motion directs staff to prepare a Regional Official Plan Amendment that advances a Modified Preferred Growth Concept in two phases:

  • Population and employment growth before 2041 will be directed to the existing approved urban boundary.
  • A clear framework will be provided for when and how planned growth between 2041 and 2051 should be distributed. This framework will be based on principles of minimizing land consumption, making the most efficient use of land and infrastructure, and achieving other principles of the Growth Plan.
    • The findings of the Affordable Housing Task Force, Natural Heritage and Water Resources Impact Assessment and Agricultural Impact Assessment will be considered in the preparation of the policy framework for growth post-2041.
    • The specific distribution of growth post-2041 will be defined in a Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) prior to or in parallel with the next statutory 5-year OP review.

The Motion also directs staff to:

  • schedule a Statutory Public Meeting and Open House to obtain comments on an updated draft ROPA 49 no later than April 30, 2022; and
  • prepare its recommendation report and bring it forward to Regional Council, so ROPA 49 could be adopted and forwarded to the Province for approval to meet the July 1, 2022 conformity deadline, subject to being directed by the Minister to meet an alternative date, as requested by the Region and other municipalities.

Learn more about the adopted Motion:

February 9, 2022

On February 9, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., staff attended a Regional Council Workshop to present updated information and respond to questions regarding the Preferred Growth Concept, which outlines a proposal for how and where Halton could grow over the next 30 years. This information builds on the November 17, 2021 Regional Council Workshop on a Draft Preferred Growth Concept.

To learn more about the Preferred Growth Concept and draft recommendations, you can read the information submitted as part of the Regional Council information package:

Preferred Growth Concept Documents

Policy Directions Documents

Additional Information

November 17, 2021

Regional Council received information on the draft Preferred Growth Concept as part of its November 17, 2021 Workshop.

We welcome your feedback through the Regional Official Plan Review process. If you have any questions or comments, please email ropr@halton.ca.

 

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