NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF BARRIE
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The City of Barrie will hold an in-person town hall on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. in the council chamber about the Official Plan and the recent modifications from the provincial government.
The meeting will include a presentation by planning staff and an opportunity for members of the public to address council. The Official Plan is a general policy document that establishes a long-range planning blueprint for land uses and resource management within the municipality.
“As we navigate the path towards shaping the future of our city, community engagement remains at the heart of our decision making,” said Mayor Alex Nuttall. “Your voice matters, and I look forward to a constructive dialogue that will contribute to the ongoing growth and development of our city through the Official Plan.”
Registration for the town hall is not required, but is preferred for those wishing to speak by emailing [email protected].
The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the City of Barrie’s Official Plan, with 73 modifications, on April 11, 2023. The 73 modifications to the Official Plan policies and maps were made to address provincial policy direction related to land use compatibility, source water protection, and government priorities related to housing and streamlining the development process, among other matters, including site-specific changes.
On Oct. 23, the new minister of municipal affairs and housing, Paul Calandra, announced that he would be reviewing the changes to official plans made by the previous minister. The minister provided impacted municipalities 45 days to submit changes and updates to those plans to the ministry. The public can also submit feedback in writing by emailing [email protected] by Thursday, Nov. 23 at 4:30 p.m. Mayor Nuttall will gather all public feedback as well as comments from councillors and submit them in a letter to Minister Calandra by Dec. 7, 2023.
To learn more and to download the current Official Plan, visit www.barrie.ca/OfficialPlan.
To see the minister’s approval document, visit ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-5530.
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