Niagara Region's new OP and…

Niagara Region's new OP and Growth Plan have committed to Urban boundary expansions which will provide much needed new housing options in Niagara. However the natural heritage system policies that the Region has adopted (Option 3c) goes well beyond the Provincial requirements and is creating a new system that doesn't exist, and is not based on the appropriate science. Provincial NHS policies must be used to insure that expanded boundary areas can accommodate the projected growth, and so that further boundary expansions will not be required sooner than needed.

Also, the refinement of natural heritage systems (including features and buffers) must be allowed as more detailed planning and implementation occurs for particular parcels. In addition, local municipalities must not be able to be more restrictive than the Regional OP with regard to Natural Heritage systems, as the Regional OP NHS polices are already overly restrictive.

As the Regional OP is implemented through the development process, refinement to environmental features and buffers based on actual site conditions and science must be permitted, and the process for doing this must be appropriate and streamlined so as not to impede the Region's growth plan.