The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 (the Plan) is a regional growth management policy for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) area of southern Ontario, Canada. Introduced under the Places to Grow Act in 2005, the Plan was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and enacted on June 16, 2006. Administered by the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI), the plan identifies density and intensification targets, urban growth centres, strategic employment areas, and settlement area restrictions designed to mitigate negative environmental, economic, and human health impacts associated with sprawling, uncoordinated growth in the region.
History
The Government of Ontario first asserted its role in municipal land use planning through enactment of the City and Suburban Plan Act in 1912. In the Post-World War II period, considerable urban and suburban growth pressures demanded increased provincial intervention in municipal planning through official plan and zoning by-law requirements, and specialized administrative bodies. The Ontario Municipal Board, an independent administrative board, acts as an adjudicative tribunal on all applications and appeals regarding municipal and planning disputes in the province. A legislative structure consisting of provincial statutes and policies, municipal official plans, and land use control instruments (e.g., subdivision control, zoning by-laws) exists in the province today.
While Dalton McGuinty’s majority Liberal government introduced the Growth Plan in 2006, the origin of related smart growth policy goals in Ontario can be traced to the Common Sense Revolution of the Mike Harris government in the late 1990s. This period was initially characterized by governance reforms aimed at reducing provincial involvement in land use planning and funding of urban infrastructure such as public transit in Ontario. A combination of business and municipal concerns over the negative economic impacts of traffic congestion, rising costs of suburban infrastructure maintenance, and increased citizen opposition to development on the Oak Ridges Moraine pushed the Harris government to re-engage in land use planning. In particular, the unexpected activism of exurban homeowners and urban environmentalists protesting applications for development on the Oak Ridges Moraine "challenged urban sprawl…and introduced the notion of integrated regional planning that would simultaneously preserve nature and control development."
To address these concerns, the Harris government articulated a "smart growth" vision for development in the GGH region and established multi-stakeholder regional smart growth panels in April 2001. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, 2001 introduced significant land use and development restrictions in designated areas throughout the Oak Ridges Moraine. While this partially addressed the smart growth goal of ecological preservation, it failed to enact any controls on urban expansion in others areas throughout the GGH or address concerns over preservation of prime agricultural lands outside the Moraine.
This lack of commitment did not go unnoticed during campaigns for the 2003 provincial election. The Strong Communities platform of the Liberal Party of Ontario was formulated in "direct response to both public and expert pressures to combat the economic, social, and environmental problems associated with suburban expansion." (Eidelman 2010, p. 1214) It promised the introduction of policies and legislation that would: create a 600,000 acre Greenbelt in the GGH; direct infrastructure investments to support compact growth in existing city centres and urban nodes; and articulate a long-term growth management strategy for the GGH taking into account population and employment projections while protecting areas of agriculture, ecological, and recreational significance. The Liberal Party won the 2003 provincial election and Eidelman argues this may be due in large part to their addressing growing anti-sprawl sentiment among critical suburban voters at the time.
Post-election the Government of Ontario enacted a series of policies and policy reforms that carried through on commitments made in the Smart Communities platform. Revisions were made to the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 (PPS)-overarching planning legislation with which all planning decisions in the province must be consistent-to better reflect the smart growth planning goals of the province. Subsequent enactment of the Greenbelt Act, 2005 and the Places to Grow Act, 2005 (PTGA) set the stage for the Greenbelt Plan, 2005 and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 respectively.
The Growth Plan introduced a variety of mechanisms for managing growth in the GGH region, including population and employment intensification targets, settlement area restrictions, and designated urban growth centres. The complementary Greenbelt Plan restricts development in more than 700,000 hectares of "protected countryside" surrounding the "inner ring" of built up area in the GGH. It includes areas previously covered in the Niagara Escarpment Plan, 2005 and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, 2002, as well as prime agricultural areas, natural heritage areas, and rural countryside areas, each with varying degrees of permissions for non-urban uses. The two plans work together—the former restricting areas where development can occur, and the latter dictating where and how growth shall occur in the GGH region.
Growth Plan policies and objectives This section presents a summary of key policies and objectives of the Growth Plan, following a sub-structure similar to the plan itself.
Context and vision
This section speaks to the Plan's interests in promoting economic prosperity, creating a cleaner environment for investment decisions, and helping to secure the future prosperity of the GGH region. The Plan is based on a 25-year planning horizon, from when it was introduced to 2031. The plan sets out a vision for the GGH to be a great place to live in 2031, have a clean and healthy environment, strong economy and social equity, and easy travel through an integrated transportation network. The GGH will function as Canada's principal international gateway and will have a high standard of living and exceptional quality of life. Building compact and complete communities, promoting collaboration among all sectors, and providing for different approaches to manage growth are some of the principles which will provide the basis for guiding decisions on how land is developed, resources are managed and public dollars invested.
The general authority of the Plan is derived from the PTGA, 2005 and applies to the GGH lands designated by Ontario Regulation 416/05 and shown in Schedule 1 of the Plan. While certain policies have specific target dates, the goals and policies of the Plan are intended to be achieved by 2031. The Plan is meant to work with municipal official plans, not replace them. As such, the Plan should be read in conjunction with the applicable PPS and relevant provincial plans, including the Greenbelt Plan, Niagara Escarpment Plan, and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
The plan prevails where there is a conflict between it and the PPS, unless there is a conflict between policies relating to the natural environment or human health, where the plan that provides the most protection prevails. Detailed conflict provisions are set out in the PTGA. Each section of the Plan contains specific policies as well as requirements for coordination between the Minister of Infrastructure (MOI), other Ministers of the Crown (CM), municipalities and other relevant stakeholders.
Where and how to grow
Context The GGH is one of the fastest growing regions in North America, thus the Plan focuses growth toward intensification areas-including urban growth centres, intensification corridors, major transit station areas, brownfield and greyfield sites-to increase intensification of the existing built-up area. The Plan stresses the importance of building Complete Communities, whether urban or rural, which offer housing and services to meet the needs of people at all stages of life.
General information This section of the plan includes policies for population and employment growth forecasts, managing growth, general intensification, urban growth centres, major transit station areas and intensification corridors, employment lands, designated Greenfield areas, settlement areas and boundary expansion, and rural areas. The policies establish intensification and density targets for areas throughout the GGH, and expectations for conformity to the Plan and accommodation of growth forecasts.
Schedules See Schedule 3 for population and employment growth forecasts for all upper- and single-tier municipalities in the GGH. See Schedule 4 for identification of urban growth centres for the GGH. An interactive map of urban growth centres and their boundaries is available on the Places to Grow website.
Example policies Focusing intensification in already built-up areas, including urban growth centres, major transit station areas, and intensification corridors By the year 2015 and for each year thereafter a minimum of 40% of all annual residential development in each upper- and single-tier municipality will be within the 2006 built-up area Minimum density targets of between 150 and 400 residents and jobs combined per hectare for each urban growth centre must be met by 2031. Each upper- and single-tier municipality must achieve a minimum density target of 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare in designated green field areas by 2031.
Infrastructure to support growth
Context The Plan provides the framework for infrastructure investments in the GGH, so that existing infrastructure and future investments are optimized to serve growth to 2031 and beyond. The focus is on intensification, compact urban form, transportation infrastructure, investment in water and waste water systems, and community infrastructure. An overarching goal is efficient capital investment in compact urban form to reduce capital costs.
General information This section includes policies on infrastructure planning, general transportation, moving people, moving goods, water and waste systems, and community infrastructure.
Schedules See Schedule 5 for a map of proposed future transit infrastructure investments. See Schedule 6 for a map of proposed future goods movement infrastructure investments.
Protecting what is valuable
Context The Plan builds on existing initiatives for the wise use and management of all resources, natural heritage, agriculture and mineral aggregates in the Ontario Heritage Act, 1990 the PPS, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, and the Niagara Escarpment Plan.
General information The sections on "Natural Systems", "Prime Agricultural Areas", and "Mineral Aggregate Resources" all include policies for coordination between the MOI and other CM, municipalities and other relevant stakeholders. These sections also include policies for carrying over provincial plan policies, and other policies relevant to each respective section. Section 4.2.4. "A Culture of Conservation" includes policies for the development and implementation of water and energy conservation, air quality and waste management objectives in municipal official plans.
Implementation and interpretation
Context The coordination and collaboration of all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and citizens will be required for the success of the Plan. An index is under development to help monitor the Plan's progress. The PTGA provides the legislative framework for the Plan, and includes the requirement that the MOI review the Plan at least every 10 years after it came into effect.
General information