FAQs
parts of the Halton Regional Official Plan, 1995, now called the Burlington Regional Official Plan, 1995,
parts of the Burlington Official Plan, 1997
and the Burlington Official Plan, 2020.
make sure that the plan obeys and does not conflict with provincial plans,
respects provincial interests and
is consistent with provincial policy statements.
local studies,
technical work and
intensive public engagement
What is an Official Plan?
An Official Plan is a policy document used by many municipalities. In Burlington, it will guide our decision-making on land use, development and resource management. An Official Plan blends local community interests with Provincial policy direction.
Why does the City currently have three Official Plans?
The City of Burlington has three Official Plans:
These plans are all in effect because of appeals and changes to the Ontario Planning Act.
Official Plan, 2020
On Nov. 30, 2020, the Burlington Official Plan, 2020 was approved by Halton Region. There are large parts of this plan that have been appealed so they will not come into effect until they are rules on by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). While these appeals are being resolved, parts of the City’s 1997 Official Plan will stay in effect.
As of July 1, 2024, through changes to Planning Act, the Province identified the Region of Halton as an “upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities”. This means that the Regional Official Plan is no longer an official plan for the Regional Municipality of Halton, and instead it has been deemed an official plan of each of the lower-tier municipalities of Halton (including Burlington), until it is revoked or amended by each of the respective municipalities.
The goal of 2027 Official Plan Review is to consolidate into one Official Plan that will replace all three above mentioned plans.
What is an Official Plan Review?
An Official Plan Review is the review and updating of a municipality’s Official Plan to:
Section 26 of the Planning Act states that the municipalities must review their Official Plan every five to 10 years.
Even though Burlington is not required to have an Official Plan Review yet, there have been many changes to the Ontario Planning Act. The City is also launching it’s updated strategic plan for the next 25 years. This is a good time to align our Official Plan with provincial mandates and the City’s updated strategic plan.
How can I give feedback?
Check this page for updates and opportunities to let us know what you think. We will give updates, information and feedback on how public input guided our recommendations and Council’s decisions.
Will there be parts of this project that have their own engagement plan?
Yes.
The 2027 Official Plan Review is a project with many parts that will take time. Each part may be different sizes and complexity and may have:
For larger parts that are more complicated, they may need a separate engagement plan.
Other parts will rely on provincial requirements so there may not be as many opportunities for engagement.
For more information, please read the Engagement Approach