Peel Region Official Plan Review

Potential Focus Areas for Official Plan Review Discussion

a. Managing Growth:

This area of discussion stems largely from the requirements of Places to Grow. Some of the key components of this initiative include, among other key items:

• Establishment of targets for intensification and density
• Determine policies to encourage intensification , especially in urban growth centres and intensification corridors, and their contributions to the regional structure
• Designation of “designated greenfield areas”
• Policies pertaining to expansion of settlement area boundaries
• Incorporation of the built boundary into the ROP
• Support UGCs and delineate their boundaries
• How the Region and local area municipalities will accommodate and allocate the population and employment growth targets contained in Places to Grow;
• An examination of how the Region will meet the requirement that by 2015, 40 % of all new residential development will be occurring within the built boundary;
• The Minister of Public Infrastructure and Renewal, in consultation with municipalities that have urban growth centres, will determine the approximate size and location of urban growth centres.
• How a minimum density of 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare will be achieved across the entire Greenfield area in the region.

b. Transportation

• The transportation requirements and policies found in Places to Grow and the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 will require revisions to the Region’s Long Range Transportation Plan, and transportation-related Regional Official Plan policies and schedules including goods movement and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) policies as well as Schedule D – Regional Structure, Schedule E – Major Road Network, Schedule F – Regional Right-of-Way Requirement and Schedule G – Major Transit Corridors. To update these policies and maps as well as enhance the protection of key transportation corridors, the Region needs to consider or expand its various studies on goods movement, transportation demand management, active transportation, boundary area transportation issues and Pearson Airport area transportation issues. The Region must also implement policies that will support major transit station areas and intensification corridors and designate them in the ROP.

c. Natural Heritage

The Region’s Natural Heritage policies must be updated to reflect the revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 and the Greenbelt Plan, 2005. The Regional mapping of the natural heritage systems should also be reviewed to ensure that it is up-to-date. Regional staff will need to monitor the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal and Ministry of Natural Resources identification of the Greater Golden Horseshoe natural system in Peel and related provincial and conservation authority initiatives (Natural Spaces, Toronto Region Conservation Authority Terrestrial Natural Heritage System Strategy, Credit Valley Conservation Terrestrial Ecosystem Enhancement Model and Natural Areas Inventory) and consider how these initiatives could translate to policy for the ROP. 

d. Greenbelt Conformity

The ROP will require an amendment to include a Protected Countryside land designation and other geographic specific policies related to the Greenbelt Plan. An implementation process, similar to Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan conformity exercise, will also be required.

e. Water Resources

The Region must review the ROP policies in relation to implementation requirements set out in watershed plans. It is also a requirement that the Region implement the Oak Ridges Moraine watershed plan recommendations. Policy 3.4 of the Regional Official Plan (Water Resources), which outlines the goals and objectives of the interrelated water systems found in the Region will be reviewed and updated to reflect new policies in the Provincial Policy Statement and Places to Grow Growth Plan. One of the policies found in Places to Grow, which will need to be addressed, is that of water conservation.

The Plan’s water resources policies will be reviewed and updated to consider recommendations contained in watershed plans, as appropriate and new provisions and guidance contained in provincial legislation (e.g., the Clean Water Act and Water Taking and Transfer Regulation). In addition, the Region will need to update Schedule D2 and Figure 13 (related to aquifer vulnerability) or create new ROP mapping. The Region should also consider whether the implementation requirements set out in recent watershed plans require any related ROP revisions.

f. Agriculture

The Region of Peel must review its agriculture policies so that they conform to the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 and the Greenbelt Plan, 2005. Implementation of the GTA Agricultural Action Plan may also necessitate updates to the Regional Official Plan. Also, Peel’s agricultural systems and policies need to be examined within the broader GTA agricultural context.

g. Energy

Section 4.2.4 of Places to Grow, entitled "A Culture of Conservation", is the main driver related to changes to the ROP regarding energy, more specifically, energy conservation. Some of the major items that require attention are the opportunities for alternative energy generation and distribution; energy demand management; and energy-efficient buildings and land-use patterns.

h. Regional Housing Strategy

The Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 and Places to Grow, 2006 both contain policies requiring that the full range of housing needs of the regional market areas to be addressed. The PPS references the need to establish and implement minimum targets for the provision of housing which is affordable to low and moderate income households. The PPS also states that new housing will be located where infrastructure and public services are or will be available to service the needs of current and future residents. The Growth Plan has a specific reference that requires upper tier municipalities to develop a Housing Strategy in consultation with lower tier municipalities, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and other appropriate stakeholders.  This Housing strategy must set out a plan for meeting the full range of housing needs, including policy implications for the ROP. The Region will work closely with area municipal staff and a range of stakeholders to ensure the strategy addresses the need of current and future residents and that any appropriate policy changes are implemented through the ROP. 

i. Employment Land Policies

The Provincial Policy Statement and Places to Grow provide policies aimed at the protection of employment lands. As the Region grows it is crucial to ensure that employment lands are available to allow for expected employment growth and to provide live/work opportunities in Peel.

Through the ROP review the Region, in consultation with the Area Municipalities, will be considering several employment related topics, including: a strategy to protect the vacant and occupied employment land supply; ensuring the full economic potential for the Lester B Pearson International Airport (LBPIA); the planning for additional employment land designations; a strategy to address road congestion and goods movement; a strategy to address road congestion and goods movement. 

j. Integrated Waste Management

Places to Grow requires municipalities to implement integrated waste management through: enhanced waste reduction, composting, and recycling initiatives and the identification of new opportunities for source reduction, reuse and diversion; a comprehensive plan with integrated approaches to waste management; the promotion of reuse and recycling of construction materials; and the consideration of waste management initiatives within the context of long term regional planning, and in collaboration with neighbouring municipalities. Peel Public Works staff has commenced a review of the Region’s Waste Management Strategy. The results of this review will be applied to the context of this Regional Official Plan Review and may result in amendments to the plan’s existing waste management policies.

k. Air Quality

Places to Grow sets out requirements related to air quality in section 4.2.4 - A Culture of Conservation. This section discusses air quality protection, including the reduction of emissions from municipal and residential sources. The Region’s Clean Air initiative will be examined to determine if the Regional Official Plan’s existing air quality policies should be reviewed.

l. Monitoring Policies

The Region must revisit and update the monitoring policies found in the ROP as well as those listed in Places to Grow. These policies will assist in the determination of the success of the fulfillment of the goals and objectives of the Official Plan.

m. Tools and Other Policy Updates

The Planning and Conservation Land Statute Law Amendment Act, 2006 outlines new tools for planning in Ontario, such as: community improvement plans; addition of sustainability goals and principles; PPS consistency and whether related ROP revisions are required, specifically the revision of s. 7.9.2.8 of the ROP to reflect the comprehensive review policies of the PPS and settlement boundary expansion policies of the growth plan.

Furthermore, TAC members may address other areas in Places to Grow, such as cultural heritage conservation, that contribute to the overall conformity exercise.

Revised: Wednesday February 04 2009

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