Perth County is in the process of creating a New Official Plan to guide future planning and development within the County. Based on community input, background reports and updated provincial policy the New Official Plan will ensure both a vision for Perth County and a comprehensive strategy for cultivating new opportunities, building community, ensuring environmental health and making intelligent and informed land use decisions.
We are currently in Phase 3; writing the draft New Official Plan. If you’re interested in participating in the New Official Plan visit the Get Involved page. The Public consultation period which is scheduled to begin in 2023.
For more information on our Proposed Natural Environment Designation, view our Natural Environment page.
Latest Update: New OP Update Presentation (February 16, 2023)
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Click the links below to quickly navigate to each section:
Planning Staff have been working diligently to advance the New Official Plan (OP). The mapping has largely been completed, in collaboration with County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Staff, and the new text is drafted for review. Whilst preparing these critical components of the New OP, Staff have also been engaging Lower-Tier partners in growth planning workshops to inform how areas of growth are selected and the key factors that affect the selections (i.e. municipal servicing). These knowledge-sharing sessions will assist the Lower-Tiers, as planning authorities, when staff recommendations are provided that identify which properties should be designated for growth in the New OP.
What is an Official Plan? |
The Official Plan is a strategic planning document that guides the long-term vision for the growth and development of the communities within Perth County including the Municipalities of North Perth, and West Perth, and the Townships of Perth East and Perth South. |
Why a New Official Plan? |
Our current Official Plan was created in the late 1990's. Since then policy direction from the Province has changed; most recently in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) 2020. The County is in need of a new visionary and policy document that is both reflective of these updates and reflective of current community concerns, priorities and values. As well the New Official Plan will act as a guidance document for municipalities across the County to facilitate movement towards more advanced land use and social policies. The New Official Plan will amalgamate the current County Official Plan with those of member municipalities into a singular plan. This will ensure consistent policy implementation across the County and an easier to navigate planning framework. |
What Will be Addressed? |
An Official Plan deals with many types of issues, such as:
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To review past reports and background information, click below.
Perth County Comprehensive Review |
A background statistical study on housing supply, employment trends and population projections in Perth County. This report helps us project the land we need for residential and industrial growth over a 25 year period. The Perth County Official Plan Update - Comprehensive Review (CR) final report was completed by Watson & Associates, and finalized in April 2020. The CR provided growth projections for housing and employment including a breakdown of housing types and the amount of land needed to accommodate the expected growth. In June 2021, Council initiated an update of the comprehensive review in light of increases at the time in building permit activity, the upcoming census results and changes in economic trends resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Growth Forecast Update Memorandum was received through Council in October 2022 and an additional Growth Allocation and Land Needs Memorandum was received in April 2023. A final report will be received in summer of 2023. |
New Official Plan Policy Directions Report |
A background report on provincial policy considerations and updates since the last Official Plan review. It also includes community feedback that was collected from public engagement sessions in 2019. The report informs the policy updates and changes for the New Official Plan. The Policy Directions report was completed by WSP and finalized in April 2020. This document provides:
View the Perth County New Official Plan Policy Directions Report |
Perth Natural Heritage Systems Study - Report |
This Study will be used to direct updated Natural Heritage policies for the New Official Plan. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) was retained to develop a local framework for this project.
View the Perth Natural Heritage Systems Study (October 2018) View the Perth Natural Heritage Systems Study Update (June 2019) |
Past Project Updates |
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