Addressing Growth and Housing Needs in South Simcoe

Context

The province is advancing work on a coordinated, infrastructure-led approach to planning for long-term growth in South Simcoe. This work responds to rising housing demand, significant economic development activity, and major provincial investments in transportation corridors and municipal servicing across the region. It supports the government’s objectives to attract investment, create jobs, expand housing supply, and deliver infrastructure in a fiscally responsible way. 

In Fall 2025, through Environmental Registry posting 025-0930, the province sought public input from any interested individuals. At the same time, the posting specifically invited landowners and proponents within South Simcoe to identify potential opportunities for future housing or employment within the five local municipalities (Bradford West Gwillimbury, Innisfil, New Tecumseth, Essa, and Adjala-Tosorontio). This current notice represents the next step in that process.

Growth in South Simcoe is currently being driven by external growth pressures from the Greater Golden Horseshoe and is supported by major economic investments and new provincial transportation projects. Now is the right time to plan in a coordinated way so communities can benefit from these opportunities and ensure future development aligns with servicing capacity and municipal priorities. 

Building on information received through the review and evaluation process, the province has organized the submissions received through Posting 025-0930 and is putting forward a set of proposed projects for early public and stakeholder review and feedback through this notice. No decisions have been made. 

As this work moves forward, the Office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator (PLDF) may help coordinate and facilitate agreements between municipalities, developers, and other relevant parties to secure public benefits, including potential private sector contributions toward municipal infrastructure. 

As part of this work, the province will respect provincially and locally protected lands and follow established environmental and agricultural protections and laws. Lands that contain natural heritage features such as wetlands will be reviewed in accordance with these protections.

This work aims to:

• plan for long‑term regional growth that supports housing and job opportunities
• identify opportunities for additional growth that can be supported by existing or planned infrastructure
• ensure that new housing is located and designed in a way that is compatible with nearby employment areas and sensitive land uses
• use the PLDF to help coordinate agreements that secure public benefits, including potential private sector contributions
• balance future growth with the need to manage impacts on farmland and natural environmental features

Together, these objectives guide how the province is evaluating opportunities for future growth across South Simcoe, ensuring this work is aligned with infrastructure capacity, economic opportunity, and long-term regional needs. 

How the proposed projects were identified

The submissions received through Posting 025-0930 were reviewed using a three-step process:

1. Exclusion screening
Projects were removed if they were located in the Greenbelt or in areas with major environmental constraints (for example, flooding hazards).

2. Assessment against core criteria
Remaining submissions were reviewed to determine whether they were:

• suitable for residential uses and compatible with nearby employment areas
• suitable for commercial, industrial, or manufacturing uses and separated from sensitive uses
• near existing settlement area boundaries
• supported by a willingness to contribute to required infrastructure
  along with broader servicing readiness and development potential.

3. Identification of priority projects
This posting seeks feedback on the 32 proposed projects that were identified for further review. These opportunities remain at the proposal stage, and no decisions have been made. The province is now sharing detailed information to gather public and stakeholder input that will help refine the analysis with municipalities and partners.

Of the 32 proposed projects, 10 have been identified for initial focus based on information submitted through Posting 025-0930 and the considerations applied using the criteria, including alignment with major infrastructure investments, readiness, and potential to support long term housing and employment. These projects are referred to in this posting as “priority projects.” This designation does not reflect any decision or approval.

Information about all 32 proposed projects, including their locations, is provided in the Supporting Documents section. For the 10 priority projects, additional detail on proposed land uses and potential housing and employment capacity is also available there.

Being identified as a provincial priority project means these sites will be the initial focus of provincial coordination, including work led by the PLDF, informed by feedback received through this posting. 

Priority projects were selected based on six key factors:

• alignment with major provincial infrastructure investments
• readiness indicators (e.g., proponent submissions, planning status, and servicing information), while reflecting local context and planning work underway
• potential to expand housing supply and support long‑term economic development
• opportunities for coordinated infrastructure‑led growth
• ability to catalyze additional growth or infrastructure improvements over time
• demonstrated willingness to contribute to housing and/or economic-supportive infrastructure

This targeted approach helps ensure early action leads to broader, long-term benefits across South Simcoe.

Provincial priority projects

The summaries below provide a brief overview of each proposed priority project, including location, land area, intended land uses, and the approximate scale of potential development. More detailed information for each project, including maps and supporting materials, is available in the Supporting Documents section.

A map for each priority project is provided in the Supporting Documents section to illustrate the proposed site boundaries and surrounding context.

Development potential shown here is an initial estimate only. The number of homes and jobs associated with each project will continue to be refined as planning, servicing, and design work progresses.

In addition to long‑term housing and employment potential, these projects would generate economic activity during the construction period, including work for trades, suppliers, and related industries.

1) Tribute Communities
Location: New Tecumseth – Tottenham
• Land Size: 153 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities, employment
• Development Potential: Approximately 1,874 homes and 270 jobs
• Additional Information: The Tottenham Eastern Expansion proposal seeks to expand Tottenham's settlement boundary eastward within New Tecumseth. The proponent states the lands would support a mix of housing types alongside community amenities including an elementary school, neighbourhood parks, and land for other community facilities. Over half of the lands were previously recommended for inclusion in Tottenham's settlement boundary through the Town's Official Plan Amendment 5, and that all of the lands fall within the Focus Study Area identified through the Town's Growth Management Study. According to the submission, one portion of the site could be serviced immediately, while the remainder would be contingent on planned water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades. The proponent has indicated a willingness to front-end fund their share of the servicing costs required to facilitate development.

2) Orca Communities Inc.
Location: New Tecumseth – Tottenham
• Land Size: 433 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities
• Development Potential: Approximately 3,700 homes
• Additional Information: The Tottenham Northwest Expansion proposal seeks to expand Tottenham's settlement boundary northwestward within New Tecumseth. The proponent states the lands, located on the west side of Tottenham Road north of 5th Line, would support a mix of housing types alongside community amenities including schools, neighbourhood parks, a community hub, an emergency medical services site, and neighbourhood-serving commercial areas. The proponent notes that a portion of the subject lands has already been included in the Town's draft Official Plan Amendment 5, reflecting municipal recognition of these lands for future growth. The submission proposes a phased approach, with Phases 1 and 2 requested for inclusion within the expanded Settlement Area Boundary, and Phase 3 identified as a longer-term extension. The proponent has indicated a willingness to build a north-south bypass as part of the project as well as to front-end fund their share of the servicing costs required to facilitate development, noting the lands' proximity to existing water and wastewater infrastructure as a key advantage. For clarity, the lands proposed are adjacent to, but not located in, the Greenbelt Area.

3) Previn Court Homes
Location: New Tecumseth – Beeton
• Land Size: 251.7 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities, employment
• Development Potential: Approximately 10,700 homes and 500 jobs
• Additional Information: The Beeton West Expansion Lands proposal seeks to expand Beeton's settlement boundary westward within the Town of New Tecumseth. The proponent proposes delivery of approximately 10,700 residential units and 500 jobs across the broader Beeton West Expansion Lands area, with a phased build-out beginning on the southernmost parcels given their proximity to existing infrastructure originating from 9th Line, including planned water, sanitary sewer, and ongoing road improvements associated with the adjacent lands. The proponent has indicated a willingness to front-ending critical infrastructure costs — including watermain upgrades, sanitary sewer improvements, and road urbanization — to reduce municipal fiscal risk and accelerate housing delivery. The proponent has stated an intent to construct a Beeton by-pass road as part of the upfront delivery of infrastructure.

4) Harvest (New Tecumseth Community Builders Inc.)
Location: New Tecumseth – Alliston
• Land Size: 1,955 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities, employment
• Development Potential: Approximately 12,700 homes
• Additional Information: The South Alliston "Harvest" proposal seeks to expand Alliston's settlement boundary southward within the Town of New Tecumseth. The proponent, the New Tecumseth Community Builders Inc. (NTCBI) collectively own lands within the proposed settlement area boundary expansion, totalling approximately 1,955 hectares immediately south of Alliston's existing urban boundary. The proponent envisions approximately 12,700 residential units and 8,000 jobs, with phased development proceeding in alignment with the sequential delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure. The above noted jobs estimate is inclusive of those that would be provided through the development of the Strategic Employment lands located north of Harvest. 

The Harvest lands are physically separated from the existing and proposed employment lands to the north by the Nottawasaga River valley, providing a natural buffer between residential and industrial uses while maintaining proximity to major employers including the Honda Canada Manufacturing plant. The proponent has indicated a willingness to front-end funding toward critical infrastructure projects, as well as providing further community benefits – notably, land in support of a future community centre and financial commitment to the community share of the cost of the planned expansion of the Stevenson Memorial Hospital. 

Once housing starts within the priority lands have reached a critical scale, Mattamy homes, a landowner in the Harvest project proposal, would assess the feasibility of establishing a modular assembly manufacturing facility in New Tecumseth. This initiative aims to serve as a catalyst for introducing modern methods of construction within the County, supporting innovation and efficiency as the community grows creating employment opportunities for up to 300 people.

5) Tribute Communities
Location: New Tecumseth – Alliston
• Land Size: 78 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities, employment
• Development Potential: Approximately 1,231 homes and 210 jobs
• Additional Information: The Alliston Southeast Expansion proposal seeks to expand Alliston's settlement boundary southeastward within the Town of New Tecumseth. The proponent, Tribute Communities, is requesting inclusion of approximately 78 hectares of land located at the northeast corner of 10th Sideroad and 13th Line within the Alliston Settlement Area, noting that the subject lands fall entirely within the East of Alliston Focus Study Area previously identified by Town staff in Staff Report #PD-2024-02 as a candidate area for future settlement area boundary expansion. The proponent envisions residential units consisting of low- and medium-density housing, alongside community amenities including an elementary school, parks, and a community centre. The subject lands are in close proximity to the Honda Canada Manufacturing plant and are well-positioned to house employees drawn by existing and anticipated employment growth in the area. 

Development is contingent on the completion of the Collingwood Water Treatment Plant Phase 1 expansion and the Brendan Holly Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion, with the proponent committing to front-fund their proportionate share of all required servicing costs — including a new booster pumping station and reservoir, sanitary pump station and forcemain, and a share of the Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. The proponent would be encouraged to work with the proponents of the Harvest proposal to collectively plan and co-ordinate delivery of infrastructure and community benefits and/or amenities.

6) Cable Bridge Enterprises
Location: Essa
• Land Size: ~78 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential
• Development Potential: Approximately 1.140 homes
• Additional Information: The Alliston North expansion proposal seeks to expand the Alliston Settlement Area boundary northward into the adjacent Township of Essa. The proponent, Cable Bridge Enterprises, is requesting inclusion of approximately 74 hectares of land directly adjacent to the existing Belterra Estates Secondary Plan settlement area, with frontage on Highway 89, 6th Line, and County Road 56. The subject lands are physically separated from employment uses and are well-positioned to accommodate residential growth in proximity to the Honda Canada Manufacturing plant, located approximately 6 kilometres away — a key employer anticipated to expand in the near future. The proponent's preliminary yield analysis estimates approximately 1,140 - 3,420 residential units depending on the density target applied to the 57 hectares of net developable land, with a low-density scenario yielding approximately 1,140 units. Given that the subject lands are located within the Township of Essa, realization of this proposal would require the extension of water, sanitary, and stormwater infrastructure from the Alliston system. The proponent has indicated a willingness to contribute upfront to infrastructure costs.

7) Everett Community Partners Inc.
Location: Adjala-Tosorontio – Everett
• Land Size: ~152 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, community amenities
• Development Potential: Approximately 5,300 homes
• Additional Information: The Everett Expansion proposal seeks to expand the settlement boundary of Everett within the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio. The proponents collectively own approximately 152 hectares of developable land contiguous to the existing Everett Settlement Area boundary, primarily on the west side of the settlement. The proposal builds upon the Township's Council-adopted Official Plan Amendment 15 (OPA 15) from 2013, which envisioned expansion of Everett into a fully serviced complete community but was subsequently modified to remove the boundary expansion component pending the County's Municipal Comprehensive Review. Full build-out consistent with OPA 15 would yield approximately 5,300 new homes with an ultimate population of up to 16,800 people, supported by a mix of housing types, two elementary schools, a community centre, a fire hall, parks, trails, and small-scale commercial uses anchored around an enhanced Main Street. The proponent proposes to leverage a provincial funding commitment of $35 million to fund a new wastewater treatment plant in Everett with additional frontend financing of over $30 million to expand plant capacity to support the full OPA 15 build-out. Further technical studies may be required before the proposal can advance.

8) Cable Bridge Enterprises
Location: Essa – Baxter
• Land Size: ~98 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential
• Development Potential: Approximately 1,470 homes
• Additional Information: The Baxter Expansion proposal seeks to expand the Baxter Settlement Area boundary within the Township of Essa. The proponent is requesting inclusion of approximately 98 hectares of vacant land in the vicinity of the existing Baxter Settlement Area, with frontage on both Murphy Road (County Road 21) and County Road 10. Notably, the subject lands are situated approximately 212 metres from the existing Baxter settlement boundary and are therefore not currently contiguous with it, meaning that realization of this proposal may require the participation of intervening landowners or a coordinated boundary expansion that bridges the gap between the subject lands and the existing settlement edge. The subject lands are positioned approximately 12 kilometres from the Honda Canada Manufacturing plant in Alliston, with an approximate 12-minute commute, making them well-suited to accommodate workforce housing in support of anticipated employment growth in the region. The proponent's preliminary yield analysis estimates between approximately 1,470 and 4,410 residential units depending on the density target applied to the 73.5 hectares of net developable land, with a low-density scenario yielding approximately 1,470 units. Regarding servicing, the Baxter Booster Station — commissioned in December 2023 and connected to the Raymond A. Barker Ultrafiltration Plant in Collingwood — already supplies water to the Baxter community, and preliminary engineering work has confirmed that the lands can be serviced with water, sanitary, and stormwater management infrastructure. The proponent has indicated a willingness to contribute upfront to infrastructure costs, and further engagement would need to take place to advance the details of this proposal.

9) AURA Developments Inc.
Location: Innisfil
• Land Size: ~20 hectares
• Potential Land Use: commercial / industrial employment
• Development Potential: employment uses, approximately 1,008 jobs
• Additional Information: The Innisfil Heights Employment Expansion proposal seeks to include approximately 20 hectares of land within the urban boundary of the Innisfil Heights Strategic Settlement Employment Area in the Town of Innisfil. The proponent, AURA Developments Inc., is requesting designation of the subject lands — situated immediately outside the existing Innisfil Heights employment boundary adjacent to Highway 400 — for employment uses, consistent with the Strategic Settlement Employment Area and Economic Employment District designations that apply to the surrounding lands. The proponent envisions a range of commercial and employment uses that complement major nearby economic anchors. The proponent notes that the Town of Innisfil's Economic Development Strategic Plan prioritizes growth in the Innisfil Heights Employment Area, and that investor interest has already been secured contingent on the lands being brought into the settlement boundary. The proponent has indicated a willingness to contribute upfront to infrastructure investment and has engaged in pre-consultation with the Town of Innisfil regarding a privately initiated Official Plan Amendment to advance this project.

10) 1662786 Ontario Inc.
Location: Innisfil – Stroud
• Land Size: ~31 hectares
• Potential Land Use: residential, mixed-use, community amenities, commercial
• Development Potential: Approximately 1,114 homes and 58 jobs
• Additional Information: The north Stroud proposal seeks to expand the Stroud settlement boundary northward within the Town of Innisfil. The proponent states the lands would support a mixed-use development including low- and medium-density residential uses, commercial blocks fronting Yonge Street, a central park block, and stormwater management facilities. The site is located between the City of Barrie to the north and the existing Stroud settlement area to the south, and is approximately 1.5 kilometres from the Barrie South GO Station. The proposal is anticipated to yield between 543 and 1,114 dwelling units and a minimum of 58 new jobs. The subject site has already been confirmed by Town Staff as meeting all mandatory threshold criteria under Innisfil's SABE evaluation framework and is currently undergoing further detailed review as part of the Town's Official Plan Review. Development would be contingent on planned short-term municipal water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades to Stroud, which are already identified as priority projects in the Town's Master Servicing Plan. The proponent has indicated a willingness to contribute funding toward the necessary infrastructure investments required to facilitate development.

Remaining proposed projects

In addition to the initial set of priority projects, a broader group of remaining proposed projects were also identified through submissions to Posting 025-0930. These sites vary in size, location, and proposed land use.

A map showing the remaining proposed projects is included in the Supporting Documents section. The map illustrates the distribution of these sites and provides additional detail about the proposed land uses and surrounding context. The PLDF will work closely with impacted communities, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and local utilities to assess electricity capacity and local distribution infrastructure necessary to support future employment and housing opportunities.  

These remaining proposed projects may be considered in a variety of ways as work continues, including through ongoing municipal planning efforts, future phases of provincial analysis, or other planning processes as appropriate.

Municipal planning work already underway

Municipalities across South Simcoe have ongoing planning work underway to accommodate long-term growth and guide future development. This provincial work is intended to complement and align with these municipal efforts, supporting coordinated and infrastructure-informed planning across the region.

Requested feedback 

The province welcomes feedback on all proposed projects included in this posting. At this stage, feedback on the priority projects will be particularly helpful as the province begins early review and coordination work. 

Input on local context, considerations to be aware of, and how the proposed projects may relate to surrounding communities will help inform ongoing provincial planning work.

Please note: the province is not seeking new proposals from landowners at this time.

Next steps

The province will complete a more detailed review of the proposed projects to better understand potential scale, phasing, and implementation considerations. This includes assessing servicing needs, infrastructure capacity, transportation requirements, and any natural or agricultural considerations that may require attention. The review will also examine financial implications and the servicing and funding frameworks needed to support housing and employment opportunities in a responsible and sustainable way.

This work will be undertaken in close collaboration with local municipalities, ensuring that local knowledge, planned infrastructure investments and municipal priorities are fully reflected in the analysis. Municipal engagement will continue to play an important role as the province advances this work.

The province will also identify opportunities for private sector contributions toward municipal infrastructure and may establish appropriate cost sharing arrangements. Where appropriate, the PLDF may help facilitate agreements among parties to support coordinated outcomes consistent with provincial policy, financial interests, and environmental objectives.

This work supports the province’s focus on building a more competitive, resilient, and self-reliant economy by supporting the delivery of housing and infrastructure in partnership with municipalities. The analysis will help refine the list of candidate sites, identify options for timing and sequencing, and outline any additional studies or planning work that may be required before future decisions are considered. All proposed projects will continue to be reviewed as this work progresses.