Please find attached…

Please find attached comments on behalf of the Town of Newmarket regarding ERO ​025-1099 -
Consultation on simplifying and standardizing Official Plans.

In addition to the comments provided in the attachment, please see an excerpt from a Staff Report which will be before our Committee of the Whole on December 1, 2025:

​Implications for Newmarket’s Official Plan Update

​The Town is nearing completion of its Official Plan update (Phase 4 – Draft Official Plan). Depending on the transition provisions, adjustments may be required to align with the proposed framework, including:

​-Reorganizing the draft Official Plan to match standardized chapter structure. The Town's current approach already contemplates Strategic Growth Areas and Indigenous Engagement sections, aligning with the Province’s direction.

​-Relocating development standards (e.g., building heights, densities) in Official Plans to the zoning by-law if restricted in official plans

-​Assessing the use of secondary plans (e.g. the Urban Centres Secondary Plan), which may be limited or prohibited under the new framework, and determining whether the Urban Centres Secondary Plan and any site-specific policies will need to be consolidated or restructured

​-Updating land use designations to reflect standardized, prescribed categories (e.g., Residential I & II, Mixed Use I & II), which may require changes to the land use schedule and associated policies. The Council endorsed Policy Directions Report for the Official Plan Review already proposes a refreshed land use framework aligned with Town structure

​-Auditing content to meet length restrictions

-​Preparing for digital submission, including mapping compatibility with the Province’s requirements

​Challenges and Additional Requirements:

-​Standardized schedules, overlays, and data requirements may strain smaller municipalities like Newmarket or those without upper-tier planning support or larger budgets

​-Potential need for market-based housing needs studies, distinct from the Town’s existing Housing Needs Assessment (HNA)

-​Risk of a one-size-fits-all approach that does not reflect local context

-​Removing development standards from Official Plans may reduce clarity for the public, Council, and developers

​-These considerations may require targeted revisions to the draft Official Plan or a phased implementation strategy (e.g. through future Official Plan updates) to ensure compliance with the final regulatory framework.

​Staff have also prepared a comprehensive response to the Official Plan Review consultation (see Attachment).