Official plan amendment – Everything You Should Know About

An Official Plan Amendment is a formal and legal document outlining changes to the official plan. It guides the municipality’s long-term planning strategy. The major purpose of the Official Plan Amendment in Ontario is to ensure that the plan remains responsive to the social, economic, and environmental requirements of the community. 

The Planning Act of Ontario usually governs Official plan amendments. It sets out all the necessary procedures and processes for making amendments. This legal document addresses matters of the provincial interest defined by the Provincial Policy Statement under the Ontario Planning Act. 

OPA is the high-level document implemented through minor variances, zoning, local improvement strategies, and site plan control. Keep reading to know everything about the official plan amendment!

Understand the process of the Official Plan Amendment 

Navigating the whole process of the OPA in Ontario involves various important steps. Every step is designed to make sure that changes and modifications to the official plan reflect the community requirements and then comply with provincial regulations. Here are the major steps involved in the Official Plan Amendment in Ontario.

• Pre-consultation requirements

It is mandatory to pre-consult with local planning authorities before submitting an official plan amendment. This helps identify key issues and collects vital documents needed to proceed. It is also necessary to ensure the key stakeholders are engaged earlier to facilitate the smooth process. 

• Submission and review

Upon completing the pre-consultation phase, an OPA formal submission will take place. The local authorities will conduct the technical review and assessment to ensure everything is appropriate to the legal framework and aligned with regional and provincial policies. The time required to complete this process varies based on several factors. However, transparency in the OPA submission can expedite the whole review process.

• Public Participation

The foundation of the official plan amendment process is public participation. In this phase, the community’s voices are heard via feedback sessions and public meetings. Engaging with the community is vital to boosting the plan’s legitimacy and gaining valuable insights into the plan. It leads to more effective and reliable planning outcomes.

Bottom line

An official plan amendment is a formal document outlining the development objectives both short-term and long-term, and changes to official plan. The above section explains the whole process in detail. 

The duration of the OPA process will vary, ranging from several months to a year. It is all based on the amendment’s complexity and levels of stakeholder and public involvement.