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Planning Our Growth to 2051

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Identifying Places to Grow and Places to Sustain in the Town of Innisfil, As Part of the County of Simcoe's Municipal Comprehensive Review

The Government of Ontario requires municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe to review their long-term growth plans to set an overall pattern of development and environmental management until the year 2051. The Town of Innisfil contributes to the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) led by the County of Simcoe, the upper-tier municipality in which we are situated. The County must plan for a future population of 555,000 by 2051. As part of this overall growth to 2051, the County's Land Needs Assessment is allocating a total population for Innisfil of about 85,000 people (growth of 40,000 from 2021-2051) and 26,000 jobs (growth of 16,000 from 2021-2051).

Long-term planning is important for the Town of Innisfil because it will lay the foundation for where housing and employment will be located in the future. Our plans for growth will be shaped by the priorities expressed by our community, the vision set out in the Town’s Our Place Official Plan, the areas designated as natural heritage systems or agricultural lands, and other government policy. By planning ahead, we can grow wisely and protect all that makes Innisfil a special place to live – from our lakes and forests, to our recreational and agricultural lands.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please scroll further below.

Update - June 2022 - County of Simcoe Finalizes Growth Allocations and Releases Draft Official Plan Amendment for Phase 1 of MCR

The County has finalized the population and employment allocations to 2051 for all lower-tier municipalities in the County (these were initially presented in draft form on March 31, 2022). The County also released the draft County Official Plan Amendment for Phase 1 of the MCR and held a Public Meeting on June 28, 2022. The OPA will be considered by County Council for approval on August 9, 2022 as outlined in this County Staff Report.

This Memorandum from the County of Simcoe summarizes the two phased process of the MCR. Phase One considers 'How Much to Grow?' and assigns population and employment growth allocations to lower-tier municipalities in the County. Phase Two will begin in early 2023 and consider 'Where to Grow?' and any settlement area boundary expansions that are needed to accommodate the growth allocated to each municipality in Phase One.


How you can get involved

  • Town of Innisfil has hosted two virtual public workshops with Council and the community. Please stay tuned for when the next workshop or opportunity for input is scheduled.

If you would like to participate in the MCR process by providing comments and/or specific information about your property to Town Staff, please fill out this form. Upon filling out this form, the Town and/or County may reach out for additional information and/or meetings as required during the MCR exercise.

  • County of Simcoe offers further background material and a mailing list you can add your name to here https://www.simcoe.ca/dpt/pln/mcr. You can read more about the process and find other documents under the Important Links on this page.


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do we need to grow? Can we simply stay in our current state?

All communities grow and change over time. By planning ahead, we make sure that the change is managed well, that growth occurs in the right place, with parks, services, and infrastructure in place when and where it is needed. Responsible growth will help limit the outward spread of urban areas and help protect and preserve our natural areas and agricultural lands.

2. How much growth is expected for the Town of Innisfil?

The Town will receive an allocation of target population and employment levels for 2051, as part of County and provincial projections for future growth. The County’s overall population is forecasted to grow by 55% more people by 2051. As part of this overall growth to 2051, the County's Draft Land Needs Assessment is allocating a total population for Innisfil of about 85,000 people (growth of 40,000 from 2021-2051) and 26,000 jobs (growth of 16,000 from 2021-2051).

3. How does this MCR exercise relate to the work completed in 2018 on the Town’s Official Plan?

The community of Innisfil underwent a multi-year process to prepare the Town’s Our Place Official Plan, which had an outlook to 2031. Our Place sets out a vision, goals and policies that continue to provide a framework for decision making to guide the Town’s future growth. The target population and employment numbers of the Official Plan, as well as any updates to the Town’s settlement boundaries and density/intensification targets, will be updated with this outlook to 2051 upon completion of the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review.

4. What criteria will the Town use to decide where growth should occur?

Criteria for decisions of growth are based on approved Town, County and Provincial policies, such as those found in the Our Place Innisfil Official Plan, County of Simcoe Official Plan and Ontario’s A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The Ontario policy requires that growth be directed to existing settlement areas with a priority to reach density and intensification targets that limit the outward spread of settlements. These land use policies identify Alcona as the Primary Settlement Area and focus for the Town’s population growth, while our employment growth will be directed to the Innisfil Heights Strategic Settlement Employment Area along Highway 400. Council also endorsed Criteria for assessing Settlement Area Boundary Expansions that will be used by Town staff when identifying potential locations for Settlement Boundary expansions in Innisfil.

5. Who has final decision on where Innisfil's growth should be located? Is it a Town or County decision?

The Town will provide local input into the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review. However, as legislated by the province, the County has ultimate responsibility for preparing the MCR and approving where growth occurs.

Identifying Places to Grow and Places to Sustain in the Town of Innisfil, As Part of the County of Simcoe's Municipal Comprehensive Review

The Government of Ontario requires municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe to review their long-term growth plans to set an overall pattern of development and environmental management until the year 2051. The Town of Innisfil contributes to the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) led by the County of Simcoe, the upper-tier municipality in which we are situated. The County must plan for a future population of 555,000 by 2051. As part of this overall growth to 2051, the County's Land Needs Assessment is allocating a total population for Innisfil of about 85,000 people (growth of 40,000 from 2021-2051) and 26,000 jobs (growth of 16,000 from 2021-2051).

Long-term planning is important for the Town of Innisfil because it will lay the foundation for where housing and employment will be located in the future. Our plans for growth will be shaped by the priorities expressed by our community, the vision set out in the Town’s Our Place Official Plan, the areas designated as natural heritage systems or agricultural lands, and other government policy. By planning ahead, we can grow wisely and protect all that makes Innisfil a special place to live – from our lakes and forests, to our recreational and agricultural lands.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please scroll further below.

Update - June 2022 - County of Simcoe Finalizes Growth Allocations and Releases Draft Official Plan Amendment for Phase 1 of MCR

The County has finalized the population and employment allocations to 2051 for all lower-tier municipalities in the County (these were initially presented in draft form on March 31, 2022). The County also released the draft County Official Plan Amendment for Phase 1 of the MCR and held a Public Meeting on June 28, 2022. The OPA will be considered by County Council for approval on August 9, 2022 as outlined in this County Staff Report.

This Memorandum from the County of Simcoe summarizes the two phased process of the MCR. Phase One considers 'How Much to Grow?' and assigns population and employment growth allocations to lower-tier municipalities in the County. Phase Two will begin in early 2023 and consider 'Where to Grow?' and any settlement area boundary expansions that are needed to accommodate the growth allocated to each municipality in Phase One.


How you can get involved

  • Town of Innisfil has hosted two virtual public workshops with Council and the community. Please stay tuned for when the next workshop or opportunity for input is scheduled.

If you would like to participate in the MCR process by providing comments and/or specific information about your property to Town Staff, please fill out this form. Upon filling out this form, the Town and/or County may reach out for additional information and/or meetings as required during the MCR exercise.

  • County of Simcoe offers further background material and a mailing list you can add your name to here https://www.simcoe.ca/dpt/pln/mcr. You can read more about the process and find other documents under the Important Links on this page.


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do we need to grow? Can we simply stay in our current state?

All communities grow and change over time. By planning ahead, we make sure that the change is managed well, that growth occurs in the right place, with parks, services, and infrastructure in place when and where it is needed. Responsible growth will help limit the outward spread of urban areas and help protect and preserve our natural areas and agricultural lands.

2. How much growth is expected for the Town of Innisfil?

The Town will receive an allocation of target population and employment levels for 2051, as part of County and provincial projections for future growth. The County’s overall population is forecasted to grow by 55% more people by 2051. As part of this overall growth to 2051, the County's Draft Land Needs Assessment is allocating a total population for Innisfil of about 85,000 people (growth of 40,000 from 2021-2051) and 26,000 jobs (growth of 16,000 from 2021-2051).

3. How does this MCR exercise relate to the work completed in 2018 on the Town’s Official Plan?

The community of Innisfil underwent a multi-year process to prepare the Town’s Our Place Official Plan, which had an outlook to 2031. Our Place sets out a vision, goals and policies that continue to provide a framework for decision making to guide the Town’s future growth. The target population and employment numbers of the Official Plan, as well as any updates to the Town’s settlement boundaries and density/intensification targets, will be updated with this outlook to 2051 upon completion of the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review.

4. What criteria will the Town use to decide where growth should occur?

Criteria for decisions of growth are based on approved Town, County and Provincial policies, such as those found in the Our Place Innisfil Official Plan, County of Simcoe Official Plan and Ontario’s A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The Ontario policy requires that growth be directed to existing settlement areas with a priority to reach density and intensification targets that limit the outward spread of settlements. These land use policies identify Alcona as the Primary Settlement Area and focus for the Town’s population growth, while our employment growth will be directed to the Innisfil Heights Strategic Settlement Employment Area along Highway 400. Council also endorsed Criteria for assessing Settlement Area Boundary Expansions that will be used by Town staff when identifying potential locations for Settlement Boundary expansions in Innisfil.

5. Who has final decision on where Innisfil's growth should be located? Is it a Town or County decision?

The Town will provide local input into the County’s Municipal Comprehensive Review. However, as legislated by the province, the County has ultimate responsibility for preparing the MCR and approving where growth occurs.

Page last updated: 04 Aug 2022, 12:29 PM