Bruce County Council is moving ahead with a new draft for the county’s Official Plan.
Council passed a motion to direct staff to circulate the new draft, as well as create a plan for public engagement, and schedule an open house and public meeting within the newly-required time frames.
Based on the requirements of the Planning Act the province requires the plan be provided to them 90 days prior to the public meeting being scheduled, and staff report documents state that there would be a council workshop held in the first quarter of 2026, with a public open house to be held in the spring.
Land Use Planning Manager Monica Morrison presented the draft plan during Thursday’s council meeting.
“We want to be clear that in providing this direction today, council is not taking a position on the plan, or the draft plan, or that the draft plan would be closed to changes. We expect that there may be changes from council direction regarding outstanding matters from municipalities and the public, and new matters may yet arise.”
Morrison, along with WSP consultant Robert Rappolt, shared details of changes to the new draft plan.
They told council that important consultation had been undertaken continuously through draft process between the county’s project team and municipal staff, adding that it has been an important exercise to ensure that that 90-day review period that will be undertaken by the province is as streamlined as possible.
Rappolt also explained, “The Province has offered detailed feedback regarding certain matters regarding growth management, the natural environment, and mapping the agricultural system. Staff have reviewed this feedback carefully, and have implemented certain changes while acknowledging local interest on these matters, some of those that have been shared by this council, local staff, as well as the community. It should also be acknowledged that the province has signaled an intent to simplify and standardize the content of municipal Official Plans across the province for all municipalities. This will result, in the province’s view, a more consistent Official Plan framework across the province. Part of the proposed changes include a required standard structure for Official Plans, one of which is to include direction on Indigenous engagement consultation and interest earlier in these documents.”
According to the staff report, Saugeen Ojibway Nation provided comments and suggestions in the form of a ‘tracked changes’ copy of the plan in August 2024.
Planning & Development staff have worked with staff from the Saugeen Ojibway Environment Office to address SON interests in the updated draft official plan.
The Draft Official Plan will also be sent to the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) for review.
Warden Luke Charbonneau added his input to wrap up discussions, thanking staff for all of the work that had gone into the most recent Draft Official Plan.
“We’ll work through that process, get to some decisions, and get a new OP in place. I think it’s really critical we do that, so [I’m] glad to see it moving forward.”
Charbonneau had said in his inaugural speech earlier in the day that it was imperative that the council commit to a new Official Plan before the end of their term in October 2026.