The Official Plan is a general policy document that establishes a long range planning blueprint for land uses and resource management within the municipality.
Land uses are identified by designations, under which specific policy direction is given to deal with such matters as type of use, density, massing, community design, and development criteria. In addition, policies related to park systems, transportation, servicing and implementation are outlined within the Official Plan. New developments that do not conform to the plan must seek approval of an Official Plan Amendment.
Official Plan Text & Maps
The City has initiated amendments to the Official Plan.
- Official Plan 2051 (May 2024)
- Appendix 1: Conservation Authority Areas
- Map 1: Community Structure
- Map 2: Land Use Designations
- Map 3: Natural Heritage Protection Overlays
- Map 4A: Mobility Network
- Map 4B: Mobility Network
- Map 5: Right-of-Way Widths
- Map 6: Greenspace Network
- Map 7: Drinking Water System Vulnerable Areas
- Map 8: Cultural City Features
City-Initiated Official Plan Amendments
Barrie-Oro-Medonte-Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025
The City has initiated application D30-005-2026 to incorporate lands added to the City of Barrie as a result of the Barrie-Oro-Medonte-Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025, into the City of Barrie’s Official Plan. These lands support the City’s long term needs for Employment and Community Areas as established through a Joint Land Needs Analysis and Study completed in the fall of 2025. Amended land use designations for adjacent lands within the City’s current Built Up Area including 418, 428, 436, 444 and 445 Blake Street, 406 and 416 Georgian Drive, 247 and 256 Steel Street and 138 Penetanguishene Road are also proposed through this process.
The Official Plan Amendment proposes:
- adding the boundary adjustment lands to the City of Barrie Official Plan schedules and mapping;
- establishing appropriate Official Plan land use designations for the new lands and adjacent parcels identified, and
- introducing or modifying policies to guide the long‑term planning, servicing, and development of the new lands.
Consideration has been given with regard to existing uses, adjacent established neighbourhoods, natural areas and the long-term employment needs of the City.
The City hosted a drop-in open house on Wednesday, April 8 and a public meeting on Wednesday, April 15, within Affordability Committee. A public notice was issued on March 25, 2026. A staff report is targeted to be brought forward to General Committee for consideration on April 22, 2026.
Community Planning Permit System
The City has initiated an amendment to add policies to the Official Plan to designate the entire Allandale Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) as a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) area. All new development in the Allandale MTSA shall be regulated by a Community Planning Permit (CPP) by-law. Additional policies are included with the Official Plan amendment regarding the intent of the CPP by-law, and to connect specific development-related objectives of the MTSA with the City’s Official Plan “Planning a Cultural City” policies.
The City hosted an open house on February 23, 2026, and a public meeting on March 11, 2026. A public notice was issued on February 9, 2026. Supporting documents including survey findings, proposed maps, an explainer handout, proposed by-law and proposed Official Plan amendment are available at BuildingBarrie.ca/CPPS. A staff report is targeted to be brought forward to General Committee for consideration in 2026.
Provincial Planning Statement, 2024
The City initiated application D30-001-2025 to amend the Official Plan to conform to the new Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 (PPS 2024). The PPS 2024 came into effect on October 20, 2024. It replaces the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2019, which are currently referenced provincial documents in the City's Official Plan.
The Official Plan is required to be consistent with provincial planning legislation. For more details, please read the memo to City Council dated October 30, 2024.
Further to the public meetings held on February 26, 2025 and February 4, 2026, staff report DEV-006-2026 was brought forward to General Committee on March 11, 2026. The recommendation of staff, as amended by General Committee, was ratified at Council on March 25, 2026. The Notice of Decision was issued on March 26, 2026.