Official Plan

The Official Plan is Council’s contract to our City’s residents, containing the goals, objectives and policies intended to guide land use development and growth in the City over a 20-year time horizon. The Official Plan contains goals, objectives and policies to manage and direct physical development within the context of social, economic, built and natural environmental matters in the City.  

The Official Plan is an important tool to support the City’s vision as a vibrant and thriving community that offers high quality amenities surrounded by unique natural heritage features. This process is an exciting opportunity for all members of the community to participate in the development of a key tool used to guide future decision-making in Owen Sound.  Please explore this website for more information regarding public participation opportunities, background studies and research and the draft Official Plan as it is developed.   

A copy of Owen Sound’s Official Plan can be viewed online or at the Planning and Heritage Department at City Hall (808 2nd Avenue East) between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Questions about the Official Plan process can be directed to:
Sabine Robart
Manager of Planning & Heritage, City of Owen Sound
519-376-4440 ext. 1236
osplanning@owensound.ca

Thank you to everyone who completed our short survey and let us know what matters to you and how you would like Owen Sound to evolve over the next 20 years.

A Special Meeting of Council will be held on March 15, 2021 in order to consider the Official Plan Amendment (OPA 10). This meeting begins at 1:00 p.m.

The agenda will be available on the Council and Committees webpage by end of day on Friday, March 12.

Public attendance at Council meetings continues to be restricted at this time. If you would like to watch the livestream of this Special Meeting, you can do so on the Council and Committees webpage.

If you are unable to livestream the meeting, a video recording will be posted in the same location following the meeting.

March 2, 2020 - Community Engagement Session #1
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Bayshore Community Centre - Christie/Hare Room (1900 3rd Avenue East, Owen Sound) 

TBD - Community Engagement Session #2 (did not occur due to COVID-19 restrictions)

January 20, 2021 - Open House
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Electronic Participation

February 8, 2021 - Public Meeting
7:00 pm - Electronic Participation

March 15, 2021 - Special Meeting
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm - City Hall - Council Chambers (808 2nd Avenue East, Owen Sound) - Pre-registration required

If you wish to provide comments or feedback, please email osplanning@owensound.ca with your full name, email, and address, including your postal code.  You can also submit comments via the following form on our website: https://forms.owensound.ca/Official-Plan-Update-Comment-Form.  Please note all submissions will form part of the public record and will be presented to Council with the Recommendation Report in March 2021.

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Planning Act and the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, as amended. The information collected will be used to complete the Official Plan Amendment process, and will form part of the public record. Questions about this collection should be addressed to:

Briana Bloomfield, City Clerk

808 2nd Avenue East, Owen Sound, ON N4K 2H4
Phone: 519-376-4440 ext. 1247
Email: bbloomfield@owensound.ca

In 2006, the City of Owen Sound adopted a new Official Plan, which was approved by the County of Grey on August 10, 2006. In accordance with the Planning Act, the Official Plan was updated in 2012 as part of a five-year review.

The Planning Act requires that municipalities conduct a review of their Official Plan every 10 years, and the City of Owen Sound has initiated the current review in order to meet this requirement. City Council approved the Official Plan review through its 2019 budgetary review.

The Official Plan is a long-range planning policy document that manages land use, growth and development over a 20-year time horizon.

The Official Plan contains goals, objectives and policies to manage and direct physical development within the context of social, economic, built and natural environmental matters in the City.

The Official Plan establishes the policies for implementing provincial policies and interests and sets out the framework for City decisions associated with land use designations and policies.  All municipal decisions, including public works projects and by-laws passed, must conform with the Official Plan.

Since the adoption of the existing Official Plan, there have been a number of significant studies, strategies and planning documents prepared or initiated by the City that will provide direction for future growth and land use planning. These documents include the Recreation, Parks and Facilities Master Plan and the Commercial Policy Update.

The Official Plan review process will also address changes to Provincial and County policies, while also assessing challenges and opportunities associated with housing choice, environmental sustainability and climate change, transportation, and land use and design. The City is required to update their Official Plan to ensure conformity with all applicable planning legislation.

Courtesy Notice for Proposed Final Official Plan - June 9, 2021

January 15, 2020 - Introductory Report to Community Services Committee

January 27, 2020 - Council Visioning Session

March 2, 2020 - Community Engagement Session #1

TBD - Community Engagement Session #2 (did not occur due to COVID-19 restrictions)

November 17, 2020 - Report to Community Services Committee with preliminary consultation findings

January 20, 2021 - Open House - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (electronic participation) 

February 8, 2021 - Public Meeting - 7:00 pm (electronic participation) 

Mach 15, 2021 - Special Meeting - 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm (pre-registration required)

June 16, 2021 - Report to Community Services Committee Re: Proposed Final Official Plan

June 28, 2021 - Presentation to Council Re: Proposed Final Official Plan

Discussion Paper One: Sustainability & Climate Change

Discussion Paper Two: Housing & Affordability

Discussion Paper Three: Transportation & Infrastructure

Discussion Paper Four: Land Use & Design

If you would like to provide comments/feedback on the Discussion Papers, you can do so through the following link: https://forms.owensound.ca/Official-Plan-Update-Comment-Form.

Official Plan First Draft - December 24, 2020

If you would like to provide comments/feedback on the first draft of the Official Plan, you can do so through the following link: https://forms.owensound.ca/Official-Plan-Update-Comment-Form.

Contact Us

808 2nd Avenue East,
Owen Sound, ON
N4K 2H4
Phone: 519-376-1440
Email us

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