Brant residents can learn about the county’s final draft of the new Official Plan later this month.
A Simply Grand Plan outlines how County of Brant communities will grow over the next 30 years while facing the challenges of adhering to the province’s More Homes More Choice Act, transportation, mobility, and housing affordability.
“The final draft of the new Official Plan is complete, and we are looking forward to sharing it with the community before it is adopted by council at the end of May, then submitted to the Province of Ontario for approval,” said Jennifer Boyer, manager of policy planning. “We look forward to speaking with (the public) about how the county intends to manage residential and employment growth and protecting what we value in a responsible manner over the next 30 years.”
County staff have engaged with the public and stakeholders over the past 3.5 years to develop what Boyer describes as a “robust long-term plan.”
Residents can attend an information session at the Paris District High School gymnasium on Thursday, April 20, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm, to speak with staff and learn about the plan.
A virtual meeting will also be held Monday, April 24, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm with a Zoom link available by visiting www.engagebrant.ca/officialplan.
The virtual presentation will include topics such as growth management; transportation and mobility; economic development and prosperity; planning for infrastructure; protecting what we value; building healthy and complete communities; and how we green.
Designated by the province as A Place to Grow, the County of Brant is expected to be home to 59,000 residents and have 26,000 jobs over the next 30 years.
“With growth comes more infrastructure, traffic, services, and impacts on the environment to name a few,” said director of communications Melissa Connor. “These factors need to be carefully managed and addressed while we also protect what we value such as the environment, agriculture, culture and heritage.”
While a strategic plan identifies council’s vision, mission, values and strategic focus over a four-year period, the Official Plan is a policy document guiding long- and short-term community development, land use tools, and helps manage growth over the next 30 years.