Perth County Celebrates Provincial Approval of the New Official Plan
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PERTH COUNTY, ON – Perth County is pleased to celebrate Provincial approval of its New Official Plan. In a Notice of Decision from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) received on September 12, Perth County was notified that the New Official Plan is now approved and in full effect.
The New Official Plan was adopted by County Council and submitted to the Province for final approval in the Fall of 2024. From there, MMAH took time to thoroughly review and make any necessary adjustments to the document to ensure compliance with the Planning Act, Provincial Planning Statement, 2024, regulatory requirements, and other current legislation.
The Minister made a total of 79 modifications to the Official Plan to address legislative and policy direction regarding housing supply, land use compatibility, agricultural land uses and lot creation, natural features and areas, non-agricultural uses, mineral aggregate resources and operations, cultural heritage resources, stormwater management, utilities, definitions and schedule mapping.
The New Official Plan document is now considered to be in full effect and will be available on the County’s website in the coming weeks. The Planning Team will work with all applicants to ensure any current and prospective applications will comply with this new document.
Quotes:
“I am excited to receive news of the approval of our New Official Plan by the Province. The update is long overdue and this document will provide us with modern policies to pave the way for a bright future in Perth County. County Council is grateful to all Staff who have contributed a significant effort to bring this new document to fruition.”
- Doug Kellum, Warden of Perth County
“I am delighted at the news of this approval. This is a significant milestone for Perth County. Staff listened to the needs of the community throughout the project, and the result is a New Official Plan with updated policies that will better meet the needs of the community. Thank you to members of County Council for their support throughout the development process and to all Staff who have played a role in this project.”
- Lori Wolfe, Chief Administrative Officer
“The New Official Plan modernizes planning policy in Perth County to better meet the needs of our residents and businesses today and into the future. It allows our Planning Team to continue to ensure responsible growth in the County and work with applicants to bring their visions to life. Thank you to all Staff, both past and present who have contributed to the development of this final document.”
- Andrea Hächler, Director of Planning
About the New Official Plan
- The County’s previous Official Plan was over 25 years old (created in the late 1990's). Since then, policy direction from the Province has changed; most recently in the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024. A more modern Official plan will allow the County to meet the needs of our community in present day.
- The updated Official Plan will bring the County's policies in line with current planning practices. This will reduce red tape as fewer development applications will require Official Plan Amendments (OPAs).
- The updated document will be available on the County’s website in the coming weeks. Visit www.perthcounty.ca/OfficialPlan for more information.
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Perth County is a vibrant upper-tier municipality located in Southwestern Ontario and is home to a regional population of 81,565 residents. This rural region is comprised of 4 lower-tier municipalities. To find out more information about our services, visit www.perthcounty.ca or follow us on social media.
Media Contact:
Sarah Franklin, Communications Officer
Email: sfranklin@perthcounty.ca (preferred)
Phone: 519-271-0531 ext 151
2025-09-16 - NEWS RELEASE - Perth County Celebrates Provincial Approval of the New Official Plan - FINAL 
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