Bruce County council has held a mandatory public meeting regarding the proposed new official plan.
Council heard a presentation from Rob Rappolt, Manager at WSP, the firm that did the consulting on the new plan, and Monica Morrison, the county’s Land Use Planning Manager.
“This process to get here today has literally been years in the making,” said Rappolt. “It’s been a process of listening and reflecting on all of the important feedback that we’ve received from council, key stakeholders, from Indigenous communities and the Bruce County community at large. Certainly, the project team and staff have been working very carefully and closely with all of their partners throughout this process.”
The current official plan that is being used by the county was established in 1997, and was last reviewed in 2010.
Due to population growth and provincial policy changes, it means that Bruce County is overdue for a new official plan with which to guide growth and development.
“The new plan features updated policies that address evolving community needs, establishing a new vision for growth and change until 2046,” said Morrison.
On Thursday, county council was reminded of the original eight guiding principles for the new draft plan: good growth, homes, agriculture, business, connecting, communities, heritage, and natural legacy. Later, a ninth principle was added – Indigenous engagement and reconciliation. The first phase of the draft plan was establishing those principles.
In the second phase, Morrison explained, “We took the opportunity to advance the official plan project and implement immediate policy change on specific topic areas, including additional residential units in 2021, agriculture in 2021, community improvement plans in 2022, and a growth management plan in 2022, and implementation policies in 2024.”
Phase three brought forward the draft official plan, four open houses held throughout the region since September 2025, and Thursday’s public meeting in council chambers.
“The draft has adapted to address provincial engagement, and the release of a new provincial planning statement, and various legislative changes. In September 2024, county council directed staff to proceed to public engagement on the first draft of the county official plan,” Morrison said.
The public meeting was required under the Planning Act.
Once the proposed official plan has made its way through regulatory benchmarks, it will be presented for adoption at a later council meeting.
After the finalized official plan is adopted by council, it will be authorized by the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs, Rob Flack. Once it is authorized, it cannot be appealed.
If anyone from the public wants to receive a notice of the council’s decision to adopt the plan, they can send an email to planthebruce@brucecounty.on.ca.