Bruce County council received a report outlining the proposed changes and refinements to the county’s draft official plan.
Staff presented the report during Thursday’s meeting, and marks another step in the process of coming up with an official plan for the county that will help guild development over the next 20 years.
Manager of Land Use Planning Jack Van Dorp shared the projected changes for council to consider.
“When we presented the draft plan to you in December 2025, we understood that although we worked with municipalities to address a number of specific issues that had been raised, some time was needed for municipal review and comments on the full draft,” Van Dorp explained. “We’ve undertaken a process with municipal staff, for review of the plan, a workshop with staff, and follow-ups by phone and through smaller meetings.”
He also shared that through the process, county staff was able to identify areas where they see potential or provisional recommendations.
“These are areas where staff agree there should be a change to the draft plan. There is still a little space for refinement. There are also areas where there are different perspectives around whether to make a change to the plan, and if so, how that would look,” he added.
Finalizing a new official plan was listed as a top priority of Warden Luke Charbonneau, and was outlined in his inaugural speech when he was named as Bruce County Warden for the second consecutive year.
Charbonneau had also mentioned that he was the fifth person named as warden since it was decided that the county would be establishing a new official plan.
The report delivered to council was for information only, and is the intermediary step between discussions and an official draft for council’s consideration.
Van Dorp explained, “When county council gives direction around any of these changes to the plan, these aren’t to be taken as decisions on the overall plan. Council could make further refinements, give further direction through the statutory public process prior to making a decision, and the province may also make amendments through its review and approval of the plan.”
Once county council approves a new official plan, it would then be sent to the Province for approval.