Request for a Minister’s Zoning Order for a Mixed-Use Development in the Township of Springwater

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is consulting on a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO).  An MZO, made pursuant to clause 47(1)(a) of the Planning Act, regulates the use of land and the erection, location and use of any building or structure on the land and prevails over the existing municipal zoning by-law to the extent there is any conflict.

The Minister is considering a request from Sajecki Planning on behalf of the Lonybra Developments Inc. c/o The Remington Group Inc., to make a Minister’s Zoning Order for the lands at 727 Bayfield Street North in the Township of Springwater.  The request is supported by the Mayor of the Township of Springwater.

The site is approximately 19 hectares in size and is located on the east side of Bayfield Street North, just north of the City of Barrie.  See link to location map below.

The site is currently vacant, located outside of a settlement area, on lands designated Rural in the Township of Springwater Official Plan and zoned Agricultural and Environmental Protection in the Township’s Zoning By-law No. 5000.

The requested Zoning Order seeks to facilitate a ‘senior’s continuum of care campus’ comprised of a 4-storey retirement home, 3-storey long-term care facility, 2-storey palliative care hospice, 2-storey retail building, and 99 ground-oriented residential units (single-detached and townhouse dwellings).

The requested Zoning Order would also permit a range of other non-residential uses (e.g. commercial schools, offices; restaurants, community centres, places of worship, and service stations, etc.), and is seeking site-specific exceptions to the requirements set out in the Township’s Zoning By-law (e.g. minimum lot area and frontage, minimum yard setbacks, maximum building heights, minimum floor area, size of commercial units, and landscaped open area, etc.).

 Municipal support for the MZO was reflected in its support of the Springwater-Barrie Restructuring Agreement, facilitated by the use of strong mayor powers, and resulting in the Township securing a commitment from the City of Barrie to extend water and wastewater services to the Bayfield Street North corridor (including the subject lands).

Pursuant to subsection 47(4.0.1) of the Planning Act, the requested zoning order would exempt the Provincial Planning Statement, provincial plans and official plans from applying to downstream approvals for the subject lands.

To help ensure decisions are made in a transparent manner and support government priorities, the Ministry is seeking feedback on whether this request should be considered and is seeking additional information from the public and other stakeholders that may help inform a decision. In particular, any potential environmental risks, financial impacts on the municipality or implications for other approved developments and how these can be mitigated. 

This proposal for an MZO is posted for consultation as a “regulation” notice type due to webform template formatting limitations. However, as a result of amendments to section 47 of the Planning Act by Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, which received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025, the proposed MZO, if made, will not be a regulation and will not be filed with the Registrar of Regulations.