FAQs

The Official Plan is a strategic planning document that establishes a policy framework to guide the development of the Town. It is a document that: 

• Implements goals, objectives, and land use policies to serve the town’s communities;
• Directs housing, protection of environmental features, cultural heritage preservation and more; and
• Guides growth and development to implement the vision for the town’s long-term evolution. 

It is time to update the Town’s Official Plan through the Official Plan Conformity and 10-Year Review to address the current and future changes in provincial policy and legislation, to guide future growth and development, and address emerging opportunities and issues in the Town.

The updated Official Plan will will synthesize a range of recent and ongoing inputs into a new planning vision and guidance tool for the Town and will integrate and align ongoing and completed master plans and policies where appropriate.

Land use planning is the management of land and resources, and in Ontario it is a shared responsibility between the Province, Niagara Region and the Town of Fort Erie. 

The Province sets the vision and framework for land use planning in Ontario through legislation and policy documents such as the Planning Act and provincial policy documents and legislation. The Town will engage with community members to implement the applicable planning policy documents and provide detailed planning direction for the Town through the Official Plan. 

The Official Plan will be responsive to the needs of current and future residents, businesses and other stakeholders, and incorporate community feedback where appropriate. 

Join the conversation! Feedback, opinions and thoughts matter and will be recorded throughout the Project.

The Town is committed to reporting back on what was heard from the community on a regular basis. Feedback summaries will be released after each phase of the Official Plan Review. These summaries will be grouped and analysed. An explanation how the feedback influenced the work completed to date will be provided.

Join the conversation! Subscribe to our project mailing list to stay informed on the Official Plan Review and be the first to hear about opportunities to get involved. 

It is expected that the Official Plan Review will be completed in late-2024; however, this schedule is subject to change.