David Ransohoff - New - Approval to amend a municipality’s official plan – when subject to appeal

On May 28, 2025, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing received for decision the Township of Johnson’s adopted site-specific Official Plan Amendment 1 (OPA 1), which was adopted by municipal council on March 19th, 2025, by By-law No. B2025-1135.

The purpose of OPA 1 is to permit the establishment of a new private road and the creation of up to three new lots fronting on the road; to identify the new private road on Schedule A to the official plan; and to include additional criteria by which a future consent application for three new lots for resource-based recreational use will be evaluated. 

The current Official Plan policies limit the creation of new private roads to condominium development, limits development on existing private roads to infill on lots of record and requires that new development front on an improved public road maintained year-round, with exceptions only for approved condominium developments or infill on existing lots of record.

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 and 21 of the Planning Act.

The proposed OPA will be reviewed for consistency with the Provincial Policy Statement (2024), the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, and matters of provincial interest under Section 2 of the Planning Act. Matters of provincial interest include the protection of ecological systems, conservation and management of natural resources, efficient land use and infrastructure, and other planning considerations.