Official Plan overview
Changes to Peel Region's Role in Land Use Planning
On July 1, 2024, under the Planning Act, Peel Region was designated an "upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities." Consequently, the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the Town of Caledon are the land use planning authorities responsible for local and regional official plans and development applications. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority for certain official plan reviews and amendments.
Keeping the Official Plan current
The Planning Act requires municipalities to update their official plans every 5 years. This ensures that a municipality's official plan:
- Corresponds with provincial plans.
- Reflects what's also important to the Province.
- Is consistent with policy statements issued under the Act.
Regional Council adopted the Region of Peel Official Plan (RPOP) on April 28, 2022. It was approved by the Province with modifications and replaced the Region of Peel Official Plan (2021 office consolidation) originally adopted in 1996.
Bill 23/185 Implications on the Region of Peel Official Plan
Bill 185, the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024, received Royal Assent on June 6, 2024. Included in this omnibus bill are Planning Act changes first introduced through Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, which remove planning policy and approval responsibilities from several upper-tier municipalities, including Peel Region, as of July 1, 2024. On this date, the Region of Peel Official Plan (RPOP) will become a plan of the local municipalities, and they will be required to implement and ensure applications conform to the RPOP. Where Peel Region was previously required to be the approval authority for certain Official Plan reviews and amendments under the Planning Act, the Province will now become the approval authority where required.
For more information, refer to the staff report on Bill 185 and the staff report on Bill 23.
Region of Peel Official Plan (RPOP), April 2022
The adopted April 2022 RPOP should be reviewed alongside the modifications maintained through Bill 150 and Bill 162. The current version of the Official Plan (Link to Download the Official Plan - Peel Region) reflects these modifications.
An Official Plan:
- Is a comprehensive document which contains goals, objectives, policies, schedules, and figures.
- Is a long-term policy framework for land use decision-making.
- Sets the context for detailed planning and providing municipal services.
- Provides direction for future planning activities and for public and private initiatives aimed at improving the existing physical environment.
Official Plan elements and functions
Goals
Goals outline the priorities of the Region, such as ensuring that future growth of population and employment in Peel is anticipated and planned for, and that existing and future finances and services are provided in an effective and efficient manner.
Objectives
Objectives support the goals for the future of the Region, such as identifying, protecting, and supporting the expansion and restoration of the Greenlands System in Peel.
Policies
Policies within the Official Plan:
- Are specific guidelines that must be followed when planning for Peel.
- Guide Regional Council in its decision-making.
- Cover a range of topics, from resource protection to the built environment and human services.
- Can only be changed by Regional Council through an Official Plan Amendment.
Schedules
Schedules are maps that show the current and future uses of land within Peel, such as the Prime Agricultural Areas and the High Order Transit Network.
Changes to the Schedules also require an Official Plan Amendment.
Figures
Figures show factual or conceptual information (or both). Figures are included in the Official Plan for illustrative purposes.
The information shown on Figures may be changed or updated by Regional Council without requiring an amendment to the Official Plan.
The Regional Official Plan Performance Measurement Program was developed to:
- Provide direction to review and update performance indicators on a regular basis.
- Report on the progress in meeting the goals and objectives found in the Region of Peel Official Plan.
Peel employees continue to measure and monitor policies to meet Provincial and regional priorities and objectives.