County of Peterborough - Approval of a municipality’s official plan

Instrument type: Approval of a municipality’s official plan

ERO number
019-5908
Ministry reference number
15-OP-227956
Notice type
Instrument
Act
Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990
Posted by
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Notice stage
Decision
Decision posted
Comment period
July 10, 2025 - August 9, 2025 (30 days) Closed
Last updated

This consultation was open from:
July 10, 2025
to August 9, 2025

Decision summary

A decision was made on August 4, 2026 to approve, with modifications, the County of Peterborough Official Plan adopted by By-law 2022-47. The new official plan contains new and revised policies to guide future growth and development within the County.

Location details

Site address

Peterborough County
ON
Canada

Site location details

The new County of Peterborough Official Plan would apply to all lands within the County of Peterborough.

Site location map

The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.

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Proponent(s)

County of Peterborough
470 Water Street
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3M3
Canada

Decision details

A decision was made on August 4, 2026 to approve, with 46 modifications, the new County of Peterborough Official Plan, adopted pursuant to sections 17 and 26 of the Planning Act by By-law 2022-47. Notice of this decision was issued on August 5, 2026 to the County of Peterborough.  A decision is being withheld on portions of the official plan addressing growth management, employment areas, and the identification of a natural heritage system, until such time as additional work is undertaken by the County in accordance with the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024. 

The adopted official plan was reviewed for consistency with the PPS, 2024, conformity with applicable provincial plans, and to have regard for matters of provincial interest as outlined in section 2 of the Planning Act 

The 46 modifications to the official plan have been made to reflect provincial policy direction related to natural resource identification and protection, natural heritage resources, and revised Planning Act legislation.  

The official plan, as approved, provides a land use planning framework and land use designations that are intended to guide growth and development in the County to 2051. 

Comments received

Through the registry

36

By email

3

By mail

0
View comments submitted through the registry

Effects of consultation

As a result of public consultation for the new County of Peterborough Official Plan, the ministry received 36 comments through the Environmental Registry of Ontario and 3 additional comments through email to ministry staff. These comments reflected concerns with the identification of prime agricultural areas, requests for lands to be added to settlement areas, support for policies regarding land-assembly for conservation purposes, site-specific redesignation requests, requests for enhanced cultural heritage protection, natural heritage and consultation policies, concerns with the proposed mapping of natural heritage and natural hazards, and concerns with the official plan’s excess soils policy.  

All comments received were taken into consideration prior to a decision being made. 

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Municipal Services Office- Eastern Region
Address

8 Estate Lane
Rockwood House
Kingston, ON
K7M 9A8
Canada

Office phone number

How to Appeal

Appeals are not allowed

This instrument type cannot be appealed. Learn more about our consultation process.

Connect with us

Contact

Damien Schaefer

Phone number
Office
Municipal Services Office- Eastern Region
Address

8 Estate Lane
Rockwood House
Kingston, ON
K7M 9A8
Canada

Office phone number

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Original proposal

ERO number
019-5908
Ministry reference number
15-OP-227956
Notice type
Instrument
Act
Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990
Posted by
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Proposal posted

Comment period

July 10, 2025 - August 9, 2025 (30 days)

Proposal details

On June 29, 2022, Peterborough County adopted a new Official Plan pursuant to sections 26 and 17 of the Planning Act by By-law number 2022-47. The new County of Peterborough Official Plan is a result of Peterborough County’s review of its current plan, as required under section 26 of the Planning Act. The new Official Plan is now before the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for a decision under the Planning Act.

The new County of Peterborough Official Plan outlines a comprehensive framework of new and revised policies to guide growth and development within the County to the year 2051. The new Official Plan proposes policies addressing climate change and the protection of water resources, natural heritage and agricultural systems. The Official Plan also proposes new policies related to long-term infrastructure and employment area planning.

The new County of Peterborough Official Plan will be reviewed for conformity to applicable provincial plans; consistency with the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024; and matters of provincial interest, as expressed in the Planning Act.

On May 7, 2025, Peterborough County Council passed Resolution No. 97-2025 to endorse changes/modifications to the County of Peterborough Official Plan previously submitted to the Ministry in 2022. Furthermore, County Council requested the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing consider the proposed changes/modifications in the form as endorsed. The purpose of the proposed modifications is to align with the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 and reflect the dissolution of A Place to Grow: Growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, which occurred on October 20, 2024.

If approved, the new Official Plan would apply to the entirety of lands within Peterborough County.

Pursuant to subsections 17(36.5) and (38.1) and subsection 21(3) of the Planning Act, the decision of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding a new official plan adopted in accordance with section 26 is final and not subject to appeal.

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Municipal Services Office- Eastern Region
Address

8 Estate Lane
Rockwood House
Kingston, ON
K7M 9A8
Canada

Office phone number

Comment

Commenting is now closed.

This consultation was open from July 10, 2025
to August 9, 2025

Connect with us

Contact

Damien Schaefer

Phone number
Office
Municipal Services Office- Eastern Region
Address

8 Estate Lane
Rockwood House
Kingston, ON
K7M 9A8
Canada

Office phone number