The Corporation of the City of Waterloo - Approval to amend a municipality’s official plan

On January 24, 2025, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing received for a decision the City of Waterloo's Official Plan Amendment 58 (OPA 58), which was adopted by City Council on December 9, 2024, by By-law 2024-097. 

The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) made changes that removed statutory powers under the Planning Act from seven upper-tier municipalities identified in the legislation. The effective date for the Region of Waterloo was January 1, 2025. As such, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is now the approval authority for official plans and official plan amendments for lower-tier municipalities in the Region of Waterloo. 

The Ministry will review the matter for consistency with applicable provincial land use policies and will consider all feedback received before recommendations are provided to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for a decision in accordance with Sections 17, 21 and 26 of the Planning Act. 

The adopted OPA 58 represents the City of Waterloo’s first phase of the 5-year Official Plan review and proposes to update the current Official Plan, which came into effect in 2012. The purpose of the proposed amendment is to update and revise development policies, land use schedules and growth forecasts to the 2051 planning horizon, including housekeeping amendments. The policies in the amendment also reflect the direction in the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024. 

The Official Plan Amendment applies to all lands within the City of Waterloo. The decision of the Minister on this official plan amendment is final and is not subject to appeal.