County meets the challenge: A local solution

By Miriam King
The County of Simcoe has met the challenge set by the Province of Ontario in 2006.
Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan, and then-Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, John Gerretsen told the County to work with its 16 member municipalities and the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia, to come up with a local solution for growth management, within the new limits set by the province in its Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Although the City of Barrie declined to be a partner in the talks, the County, through public forums, municipal consultations, and the work of subcommittees, guided by Hemson Consulting Ltd., has now come up with a draft Growth Management plan. “A local solution was in the best interest of everyone who lives, works and plays in Simcoe County,” said County Warden Tony Guergis, introducing the document at a public Open House, April 29 at the Nottawasaga Inn & Resort.
The Province identified a target population of 667,000 living in the Simcoe County area by 2031, and a total of 254,000 jobs. To accommodate and allocate that growth, in keeping with new Provincial Policy, - was a challenge, acknowledged Antony Lorius, Sr. Consultant at Hemson Consulting, especially since there is ongoing pressure to accommodate development beyond what is currently approved in municipal Official Plans.
The development community has proposals that would, if approved, increase the population to almost 1 million people by 2031, and add another 83,000 jobs. To bring the proposed growth in line with the Provincial limits, and a “deliberate policy choice by the Province to not accelerate growth in this location”, required some “massive changes,” Lorius said. The current trend of “more development, more sprawl, more ticky-tacky housing” is being halted. “This is not a business-as-usual plan… The County really recognized that it was decision time.”
Under the County proposal, Barrie would receive 51,500 new residents, bringing its population to 185,000 by 2031 – in line with provincial estimates. Innisfil would get another 32,600 residents, for a total population of 65,000 – far less than its Official Plan Amendments had requested. Bradford West Gwillimbury would grow by an additional 24,700 to bring the population to 49,700 – in keeping with its Official Plan projection; and New Tecumseth, by 20,200, for a population of 49,000. Other municipalities would also grow, in keeping with their approved Official Plans – which, Lorius noted, have legal status.
Lorius has had complaints that the numbers are too low. “That’s set by the province,” he said, “and I can assure you that there are a number of stakeholders that are not happy with this part of the plan… The Province, not the County, made a specific policy decision to not accelerate growth in Simcoe County.”
Once existing Official Plans are taken into consideration, only 80,000 in new population remains, to the year 2031 – which the County plan allocates to Barrie, New Tecumseth, BWG and Innisfil, and to the Georgian Triangle area (Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and Clearview) “where the growth pressures are,” reflecting market demand.
The allocation of employment lands matches the population growth – with 25,700 new jobs going to Barrie, 7,400 jobs to Innisfil, 8,200 to BWG, 6,500 to New Tecumseth. The Strategy identifies the Highway 400 corridor as important for economic development, and recommends “major employment nodes” in both Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil, following the recommendation of the Employment Land Subcommittee. However, the Hemson study also suggests that “the new Provincial Policy environment makes the justification of new employment land very difficult”, creating a need for further discussions with the Province.
The County Growth Management strategy not only allocates growth and employment lands, it determines what that growth will look like: a more compact urban form, greater protection of agricultural and source water resources, new limits on seasonal housing that will ensure a real recreational focus.
The province has called for a housing density of 50 units per hectare on greenfield lands, and 40% intensification in existing, older settlement areas through re-development, by 2015. At present greenfield densities average 35 to 40 units, and intensification is no more than 20%. The County is proposing that the higher targets should apply only to the “six larger and older urban areas” in the County – New Tecumseth, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Innisfil, Collingwood, Penetanguishene and Midland; other more rural areas would have lower percentages, in keeping with their current patterns of development.
Lorius said that the County has been flooded with questions from developers, wanting to know the impact on applications in progress, Environmental Assessments and servicing. “We understand exactly what it means,” he said. “We’re tightening things up. Yes, of course there are going to be consequences – which is why it’s important for the Province to be a partner.”
In addition to the Growth allocations, the County has produced a Transportation Master Plan, and a preliminary study of the County’s Natural Heritage Policy – an update of its 1999 “Greenlands” Designation. All three studies will form the basis of the County’s updated Official Plan, to be prepared by June 2009 – and with which Municipal OPs will have to conform.
Bradford West Gwillimbury resident and former Councillor Duncan Page asked if the new Growth Management Strategy, with its limits on additional population, and insistence that growth be restricted to settlement areas, finally means the end of a Geranium Corp. proposal for a city of 70,000 new residents between Bond Head and Bradford. “Can we assume that the 70,000 people they want to put there is done? Can we put the sword to it?” Page asked.
“I’m afraid not,” said Lorius. “It doesn’t seem as if there is going to be a need for more residential lands” – but the Provincial Places to Grow Plan forecasts are to be reviewed every 5 years, and things may change by 2011. It will depend on the Province’s growth, he said, “and the vigour with which the developers pursue their application, which they are free to do.”
Anyone wishing to comment on the Growth Plan should contact the County as soon as possible; the draft returns to the Steering Committee on May 6.

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