Ministry of Housing approves 54 changes to the Official Plan

By Gazette Staff

October 17^th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH)  has approved changes to the City’s Official Plan.

That document is also being litigated at the Ontario Land Tribunal.

Date of Decision: October 10, 2025

Date of Notice: October 10, 2025

NOTICE OF DECISION

With respect to an Official Plan, Subsection 17(34) of the Planning Act

A decision was made on the date noted above to approve, with modifications, the City of Burlington’s Official Plan Amendment 2, as adopted by By-law 45-2024.

Referred to as a “living” document” – it is revised frequently. And appealed to the OLT just as often.

Purpose and Effect of the Official Plan

Official Plan Amendment 2 includes policy and schedule updates to the Burlington Official Plan 2020 to direct future development within three Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) in Burlington: Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre/ Burlington GO, the Aldershot GO, and the Appleby GO station areas. Official Plan Amendment 2 also enables the City of Burlington to implement a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) within the three PMTSAs.

Fifty-four (54) modifications have been made to ensure Official Plan Amendment 2 is consistent with the policies of the Provincial Planning Statement and complies with applicable legislation, such as changes related to upper-tier planning authority, affordable housing, density target ratios, employment areas, land use compatibility of existing major facilities, and CPPS enabling policies.

Official Plan Amendment 2 applies to lands within the three PMTSAs, as aforementioned.

Decision

Under the Planning Act, the Minister’s decisions on policies identified in subsection 17(36.1.4), including those related to subsection 16(15) regarding the use of land and density of buildings within the PMTSAs, are not appealable to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). However, the Minister’s decisions on other official plan policies in Official Plan Amendment 2 (e.g., general direction related to planning for employment areas, transportation networks, and infrastructure, etc.) would be appealable to the OLT by the municipality, landowners, public bodies and certain third parties. The CPPS enabling policies, including any modifications to these policies made through the Minister’s decision on the amendment, are also appealable to the OLT.

Certain elements of the Ministry’s decision, as described above, are not subject to appeal to the OLT; the balance of the decision may be appealed by eligible persons and entities within 20 days of the Ministry giving notice of the decision. Accordingly, if not appealed, the new City of Burlington Official Plan Amendment 2 comes into effect on October 31, 2025.

The document setting out the changes is 25  pages long.  We will review that document and provide a link to the full contents at a later date.