Township of Baldwin - Approval of a municipality’s official plan

Decision on instrument

The new Official Plan for the Township of Baldwin, adopted by By-law 2020-P-001 on January 13, 2020 was approved as modified on May 28, 2020. The modifications were required to ensure that the Official Plan has regard for Provincial Interests as set out in Section 2 of the Planning Act, to ensure consistency with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (PPS).

Major themes for the 17 modifications include:

• maintaining the existing settlement area boundaries, in order to ensure efficient development patterns, effective use of infrastructure, and appropriate servicing of development (PPS 1.1.1, 1.6.1 and 1.6.6.4); establishing a 25-year planning horizon, in order to manage change and ensure sufficient land is available to meet projected needs (PPS 1.1.2);
• ensuring the adequate provision of a full range of housing, including affordable housing (PPS 1.4.3); clarifying requirements for the development of potentially contaminated lands, in order to protect public health and the environment (PPS 3.2.2);
• ensuring that the long-term impacts of individual water and sewage services are assessed and are provided in a manner that can be sustained by the water resources upon which they rely (PPS 1.6.6.4); restricting development on lakes that have reached their biological capacity, in order to protect sensitive surface water features and their hydrologic functions (PPS 2.2.1);
• ensuring adequate separation between incompatible uses, in order to protect public health and safety and protect the agricultural and mineral resources of the Province (PPS 1.1.5.8 and 1.2.6.1); and ensuring the conservation of significant archaeological resources, in order to protect the Province’s cultural heritage (2.6.2).

Other information

Pursuant to subsection 17(36.5) of the Planning Act, the Minister’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.