A public meeting is set to be held in Saugeen Shores to talk about planning for development and changes to how construction is approved in downtown Port Elgin and Southampton.
Some residents are concerned adopting a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) could allow for development they feel would alter the character of the town.
The Town’s FAQ page on the community planning permit system explains, “The community determines which areas would benefit from the process, especially areas that should have more affordable housing. Any new construction in those areas would only require a single building application, combining zoning, site plan and minor variance decisions.”
The Town has been looking at the idea since at least 2022 when consultants introduced the concept of a CPPS explaining the streamlined planning tool could be used to allow for ‘gentle density’ in the downtowns.
The process of exploring the idea has gone through several steps so far with a number of reports submitted to council. The town says the CPPS is now in its last phase before approval.
A May 2026 ‘What We Heard Report’ to council says there has been a range of feedback so far. It said, “It was noted by some participants that the CPPS represents a shift in decision-making that reduces public oversight and makes the process more accessible to developers while making it harder for the public to remain meaningfully involved. The concern was not with growth itself, but with ensuring that new development remains appropriately controlled and responsive to the character and needs of the existing community.”
The public meeting is set to be held at the Powerlink Building in Port Elgin on Wednesday, June 24th afrom 6:30p.m. to 8 p.m. (3rd Floor), 1020 Goderich St.