While a boundary expansion for Orillia looms on the horizon, officials will soon make major decisions on how land already within city boundaries will be used moving forward.
On Feb. 4, a special meeting of council will be held to discuss density targets for the city’s built-up areas, as well as key directions for the city's new Official Plan — such as maximum building heights, protecting natural heritage, improving transportation and mobility, and more.
Since 2021, the city has been reviewing land use and growth needs to plan for local growth through 2051, which has included a technical land evaluation to find suitable areas for growth and a land needs assessment to determine how much land will be needed under different density scenarios.
Similarly, the city has also been working on a new Official Plan over the past two years to help guide development over the coming decades, with the city projected to grow to 50,000 people by 2051.
The city currently only has enough land to accommodate 10 more years of growth, while the provincial government requires municipalities to have enough land for 20 to 30 years of growth, the city noted in a news release.
In 2023, a preliminary plan identified 280 hectares of land in Oro-Medonte and Severn, with township mayors pushing for intensification within Orillia ahead of annexing township land.
“This is a sensitive issue, so we need to go forward. We need to understand each other’s needs and figure out what the best solution is for everybody,” Mayor Don McIsaac told OrilliaMatters.
Finding a balance between intensification, maintaining the city’s character, and working with neighbouring townships will require a “balanced” approach, the mayor said.
“You need to be pragmatic. Obviously, intensification is important. I think it really could do more in terms of intensification. There’s various scenarios we’re looking at that will have significant intensification, or just a little bit of intensification, so we need to pick the right balance,” he said.
“We need to figure out what’s right for Orillians, and then what works for our neighbours as well," said the mayor, calling it a "pivotal moment: for Orillia.
“These choices — on where and how we grow — will have lasting impacts on housing, land use, and the character of our city," noted the mayor in a media release.
"Council will carefully weigh all perspectives to determine how best to manage growth within our boundaries, plan for future expansion, and set the policies that will guide Orillia’s development for years to come.”
The meeting will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. in the council chamber at the Orillia City Centre on Feb. 4, and residents who wish to address council at the meeting will need to register for its open public forum no later than 8 a.m. that day.
After council decides on minimum density targets for residential growth and the size of boundary expansion land, a final map will be released for public review.
Once council provides policy direction for the new Official Plan, a city consultant will begin drafting the new plan, which is targeted for adoption by the end of 2026.
