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New Tec supports provincial growth study

BY Maija Hoggett, Staff June 29, 2009 16:06

New Tecumseth council is supporting Ontario's recently released growth strategy for Simcoe County, but council members have concerns with the intensification targets.

Earlier this month the province released Simcoe Area: A Strategic Vision for Growth, which targets Alliston as one of the urban areas for growth, along with Bradford, Orillia and Collingwood. The urban anchor for growth is Barrie.

The provincial report also calls for a 40 per cent intensification target for all of Simcoe County. That means all residential growth must occur within the built boundaries of settlement areas starting in 2015.

At Monday night's committee of the whole meeting Coun. Dennis Egan suggested the town should start rezoning land in the urban and rural areas to be proactive in dealing with the intensification targets in the provincial report.

Mayor Mike MacEachern said that issue has already been raised and staff is working to be proactive in dealing with it.

While the Ontario report calls for 40 per cent intensification, it isn't known how that number will affect the town, said Manager of Planning Eric Chandler. He said the number has been provided to the county as a whole and that the 40 per cent may be given to county council to allocate to the lower tiered municipalities.

Chandler also pointed out that the report is still a draft and that the 40 per cent target can change.

The town will be sending a letter to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to state that New Tecumseth supports the general principles, population and employment targets of the plan but has concerns with how the intensification targets will apply to New Tecumseth.

Along with the strategic vision for Simcoe County, the government has also introduced legislation that could see Barrie's municipal boundary extending by about 2,293 hectares, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

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