Development and planning
How Planning Works
Learn how the Planning Department guides land use planning, development applications, and approvals in the Town.
How Planning Works
In Ontario, land use planning responsibility is led by the Province and implemented by municipalities.
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Planning in Ontario
The Planning Act (the Act) is the cornerstone Provincial legislation that sets out the rules, requirements, and processes for the land use planning sphere in Ontario. The Planning Act is responsible for:
Establishing the approval process for land development.
Outlining the requirements for public consultation.
Providing parties with the ability to appeal planning decisions through the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
Some examples include:
• Alerting people who are hearing impaired to sounds
• Pulling wheelchairs or carrying and picking up things for persons with limited mobility
• Assisting persons with limited mobility with balance
• Detecting and alerting people to oncoming seizures
• Providing comfort and emotional support
The Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024 is a key part of Ontario’s land use planning framework. It consolidates the province’s policies and provides direction on major planning matters that shape communities, such as:
- building more housing where it’s needed
- making land available for development
- creating opportunities for economic development and job creation
- planning for the appropriate transportation, water, sewer and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate current and future needs
- protecting the environment and important resources including farmland, water, archaeology, cultural heritage, mineral aggregates and petroleum
- engaging with Indigenous communities to facilitate knowledge-sharing, inform decision-making in land use planning and protect Aboriginal and treaty rights
- protecting people, property and community resources by directing development away from natural or human-made hazards, such as flood prone areas.
The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan is an ecologically based Plan that provides land use and resource management direction for the 190,000 hectares of land and water within the Moraine. The vision for the Oak Ridges Moraine is to maintain a continuous band of green, rolling hills that gives form and structure to south‑central Ontario, while protecting the ecological and hydrological features and functions that support the health and well‑being of the region’s residents and ecosystems.
Portions of the Town fall within the Oak Ridges Moraine, which means your property may be subject to the policies of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. All applications for development and site alteration on lands within the Oak Ridges Moraine Plan Area will only be considered where it can be demonstrated that they comply with the provisions of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the relevant Official Plan policies. Specific planning, design, and development restrictions and requirements must be met before any development or site alteration can occur, in order to protect the integrity of the Moraine’s key natural, hydrological, and landform features.
Planning in the Town of New Tecumseth
New Tecumseth operates within a two-tier system of municipal government, where the County of Simcoe serves as the upper tier municipality and the Town functions as the lower tier. The County of Simcoe Official Plan (SCOP) is a comprehensive, long-range planning document that guides land use, development, and infrastructure growth across its 16 member municipalities. Its overarching goal is to protect, conserve, and enhance the County through responsible and efficient growth management.
Similar to the County’s Official Plan, the Town of New Tecumseth’s Official Plan (OP) is a long-term planning document that is used to guide land use and development within our municipal jurisdiction. It sets out a vision for how land should be developed, used, and managed over time, including housing, commercial areas, employment areas, natural areas, community services, and streets. The OP is a key tool for municipal governments to guide growth, protect resources, and ensure that development is sustainable and aligned with broader provincial policies.
The Town of New Tecumseth’s Zoning By-law establishes the uses and regulations for the uses for different zones within our municipality. The Zoning By-law regulates permitted uses, the location of structures on a lot, the amount of density permitted on a lot, lot size requirements, parking requirements, and more. There are very few parts of a structure on a lot that are not regulated by a Zoning By-law. If you have questions about the zoning on your property, please refer to the What’s my Zoning page.
The Urban Design Guidelines (UDGs) is an illustrated document used by the development community, Town departments and the public to ensure that all future private and public development respects and responds to the local context and character of the Town and provides a positive contribution to New Tecumseth. The UDGs incorporate innovative ideas and best practices into a set of recommendations that address a range of built environments including neighbourhood design, homes, commercial and retail properties, landscaped spaces, streetscapes and more. Terms of Reference for Urban Design Reports