Official Plan Review

map showing location of Middlesex Centre

Municipalities are required to update their Official Plan at least every five years, in accordance with Section 26 of the Planning Act.

What's New

Fall 2023 - Middlesex County Council's decision to approve the Official Plan Amendment No. 59 has been appealed and is currently under review by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). For further information regarding the appeal, please see the OLT case information webpage.
On September 26, 2023, Middlesex County Council approved Amendment No. 59 to the Official Plan for the Municipality of Middlesex Centre. The official Notice of Decision can be found at the bottom of this page, and supporting documents can be found on the County website (agenda item 9.c.6). Additional Information about the application is available for public inspection. The Middlesex County Administration Building is open to the public by appointment. Alternative forms of accessing additional information about the application are also available. Please contact the Director of Planning and Development dvanderwerff@middlesex.ca or 519-434-7321 extension 2262 to make arrangements.
At their meeting on October 12, 2022, Council received an update on the Official Plan Review. In the spring, Middlesex Centre Council adopted Official Plan Amendment No. 59 after a comprehensive review. This plan was forwarded to the County of Middlesex for review and final adoption as the overseeing body. The County received noticed that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) has suspended the timeline that is mandated for the planning review process. As a result, approval of the Middlesex Centre is on-hold until further notification is received from MMAH.
At their meeting on May 18, 2022, Council received the final updates and approved the associated Official Plan Amendment by-law. The plan will now be submitted to the County of Middlesex for approval. The updated documents can be found at the bottom of this page OR on the council meeting agenda. The Notice of Adoption is posted under Public Notices.
Documents - The most recent version of the recommended Official Plan (redline version) can be found at the bottom of this page under "Attachments," as can the associated schedules (A to E), the proposed amending by-law and the planning rationale.

What is an Official Plan?

An Official Plan is a legal document containing goals, objectives and policies to guide land use, development and growth in a municipality.

The Official Plan guides and directs changes to the physical nature of the municipality. The plan has a large impact our social, economic, cultural and natural environment, as it sets out:

where we'll put new housing, industry, offices, commercial shopping areas, etc., and what those developments might look like (housing density, for example)
where roads and traffic will go where services and amenities like schools, recreation centres, and parks are needed, and where they should be located
how we'll protect areas for agriculture, green space, etc., and
other considerations for municipal growth and development

Current Official Plan (until the new version is approved)

Why are we reviewing the Official Plan?

We review our Official Plan to ensure that it conforms with the latest provincial policies and the County of Middlesex Official Plan. The review will consider planning studies and reports completed by the municipality and county since the current Official Plan was approved.

Official Plan Review Timeline

Project Phase	Anticipated Timing	Opportunities for Public Involvement
Phase 1: Project Initiation	Summer 2020	Special Meeting of Council - Section 26 (Aug 12, 2020) Public call for Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) Members Vision Survey
Phase 2: Background Reports and Studies	Summer 2020 – Winter 2020	Vision Survey (continued) Vision Workshop (Oct 6, 2020)
Phase 3: Directions and Recommendations Report	Winter 2020 – Summer 2021	Public Open House (May 6, 2021)
Phase 4: Official Plan Amendment(s)	Summer 2021 – to completion	Public Open Houses (Oct. 19 & 20, 2021) Statutory Public Meeting (Nov. 17, 2021) Statutory Public Meeting (Mar. 16, 2022) Consideration for Adoption by Council (Apr. 20, 2022)

Where are we in the Review Process?

On September 26, 2023, Middlesex County Council approved Amendment No. 59 to the Official Plan for the Municipality of Middlesex Centre. The official Notice of Decision can be found at the bottom of this page, and supporting documents can be found on the County website (agenda item 9.c.6).

Middlesex County Council's decision to approve the Official Plan Amendment No. 59 has since been appealed and is currently under review by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). For further information regarding the appeal, please see the OLT case information webpage.

Official Plan (Redline Version)

A redline version of the Official Plan showing the changes can be found at the bottom of this page. Text that is deleted or added is shown in red.

Also below are the schedules to the Official Plan:

Schedule A - Settlement Areas / Land Use Plan
Schedule B - Greenlands System
Schedule C - Natural Hazard Lands
Schedule D - Transportation and Utilities Plan
Schedule E - Proposed Trail Routes

If you are looking for older versions of documents or require a different format, please contact Middlesex Centre Planning Services.

Public Involvement

Opportunities for members of the public to share their thoughts on the Official Plan Review included the following:

Survey - Thank you to everyone that took the time to complete our "Looking Ahead" survey, which looked to capture your thoughts on the Strategic Plan, Official Plan Review and the 2021 Budget. The survey ran from July 13 to August 24, 2020, and the results are posted on the Strategic Plan webpage. If you missed the survey, you are welcome to email your thoughts on the Official Plan review.

Special Meeting of Council - On August 12, 2020, Middlesex Centre Council held a special meeting to discuss possible revisions to the Official Plan. Members of the public were welcome and encouraged to provide written comment or speak at the meeting. This is the first meeting of the Official Plan Review process.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee - The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is a group of 12 to 15 representatives with various voices and interests within the Municipality. This includes residents, community group members, youth representatives, land owners, business owners and other interested stakeholders. The SAC provides a sounding board for the Project Team and provide insights into key issues and draft policy.
Vision Workshop - On October 6, 2020, we held a meeting with members of the public as we begin to set the vision for our updated Official Plan. Details from this meeting can be found in the background report attached below.
Public Open House - On May 6, 2021, we held a public open house to gather input about the draft policy recommendations for the updated Official Plan. Topics discussed included growth management, infrastructure, economic diversification, and natural heritage & hazards.
- You can find discussion papers on key topics and the draft policy recommendations at the bottom of this page.
- You can view the meeting via YouTube.
Public Open Houses - On October 19 and 20, 2021, we hosted two public open houses to present the final Official Plan revisions before they go to Council for their consideration.
- You can find the presentation from this meeting at the bottom of this page.
Statutory Public Meeting - On November 17, 2021, we hosted a statutory public meeting to present the Official Plan revisions to Council and the public. Comments received in writing and at the public meeting are now being incorporated into final version for Council's consideration.
- You can find the presentations from this meeting at the bottom of this page.
- You can view the meeting via YouTube.
Statutory Public Meeting - On March 16, 2022, we hosted a statutory public meeting to present the final Official Plan revisions to Council and the public.

Background Material