Employment Area Policy Review and Official Plan Amendment

Council Meeting Notice Details:

Wednesday June 17, 2026 at 10:00 am

Council Chambers, Town Hall

townofws.ca/cmlivestream

The Town has initiated an Official Plan Amendment (“Amendment”) to update the Town’s employment area policies and land use designations. The Amendment applies to the entirety of the Town, and particularly the employment areas within the communities of Stouffville, Vandorf, and Gormley.

On September 25, 2025, the Town’s Official Plan, 2025, was approved with modifications by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The Minister withheld a decision on the employment area policies and land use designations until the Town completed a review and update of these policies to implement the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024.

A Recommendation Report, including the proposed By-law 2026-055-OP and Official Plan Amendment No. 4, will be considered by Town Council for adoption on June 17th at 10:00 am. The Recommendation Report and proposed By-law, will be made available on the Council Agenda by noon on June 11, 2026.

Housekeeping Official Plan Amendment

The Town of Stouffville is proposing a Housekeeping Official Plan Amendment to the Town’s New Official Plan, which was approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on September 25, 2025. The purpose of the Amendment is to consolidate a number of Official Plan Amendments that were previously approved or have since been approved, following Council Adoption of the New Official Plan on May 15, 2024. In addition, the purpose of the Amendment is to include additional policies from the York Region Official Plan, 2022 and required changes to enable the Town to revoke the York Region Official Plan.

Through the Province’s enactment of Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, the Region of York was deemed an upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities. As per S. 70.13 (2) of the Planning Act, an official plan of an upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities that are in effect and that apply in respect of any area in a lower-tier municipality are deemed to constitute an official plan of the lower-tier municipality, and the York Region Official Plan, 2022 remains in effect until the lower-tier municipality revokes it or amends it to provide otherwise.

A Public Meeting was held on April 1, 2026. On May 6, staff is bringing forward a Council report recommending adoption of the Housekeeping Official Plan Amendment.

This Amendment applies to the entirety of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, in addition to the area and site-specific properties. The proposed changes are intended to bring the Town’s Official Plan up to date with the latest approved Amendments and are not intended to change the intent of these approved Amendments.

Any person may attend the Council Meeting in person or electronically and make written and/or verbal representation either in support of or against the proposed Official Plan Amendment. If you wish to speak, please contact the Town Clerk at clerks@townofws.ca for more information or to register before noon of the day prior to the Council Meeting to speak electronically.

Council Meetings will be recorded and made available online.

Employment Area Policy Review and Official Plan Amendment

Public Meeting, May 20, 2026 at 7:00 pm

The Town held a Public Meeting on May 20, 2026, to present the proposed Amendment pertaining to the Town’s employment area policies and land use designations, and to receive questions and comments. A Public Meeting Report, along with the draft Employment Area Discussion Paper (“Discussion Paper”), was also presented.

Refer to the Public Meeting Notice for further details.

Public Open House, April 20, 2026

The Town hosted a Public Open House on April 20, 2026, concurrently with the ReZone + ReDesign project to present a draft Employment Area Discussion Paper, and receive feedback and questions. The Discussion Paper provided background information, key considerations, and recommendations to ensure conformity with the PPS, 2024, while supporting long-term economic development. The Discussion Paper is available for review in the Document Library.

Project Overview and Workplan

The Town is undertaking an Official Plan Amendment (“Amendment”) to review and update the employment area policies and land use designations within the communities of Stouffville, Gormley and Vandorf.

In September 2025, The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the Town’s Official Plan, 2025 in part with modifications. The Minister withheld a decision on the employment area policies and land use designations, which have been deferred, until such time as the Town reviews and updates the policies to implement the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024.

Recent changes to the Planning Act and the PPS 2024, revised the definition of employment areas to more narrowly focus on manufacturing and research and development uses in connection with manufacturing, warehousing, goods movement, associated retail and office, and ancillary facilities. Furthermore, the definition specifically excludes institutional, office, and commercial and retail uses, not associated with a primary employment use. This change necessitates a comprehensive review of uses within the Town’s employment areas. The review considers whether the lands occupied by these uses should continue to be included in or removed from the Town’s protected employment areas.

The Employment Area Policy Review is being undertaken concurrently with the Town’s ReZone + ReDesign project, and includes the following phases:

Phase 1: Background Review:

The Background Review phase included a review of all existing employment uses and conditions within the Town, focusing on the areas deferred from the 2025 Official Plan Ministry Approval, in the new provincial planning context of the PPS, 2024.

Phase 2: Discussion Paper:

This phase integrated findings from the Background Review, best practice research as well as analysis and policy options into the Discussion Paper. The research, analysis, and policy options presented in the Discussion Paper, will support developing and updating the employment area designations and policies in the 2025 Official Plan.

Phase 3: Public and Stakeholder Consultation:

The Town held public consultation on April 20, 2026 to receive feedback and questions on the draft Discussion Paper. The Town also engaged with landowners and business owners in the impacted employment areas through stakeholder meetings.

Phase 4: Statutory Public Meeting:

The Town held a Statutory Public Meeting on May 20, 2026 to receive comments on the proposed Amendment. An updated Discussion Paper and draft Amendment was presented based on feedback from the public and stakeholders, as well as refinements to options and recommendations. The updated Discussion Paper and draft amendment was made available for public and stakeholder review.

Phase 5: Council Adoption:

The Town will bring forward the proposed Official Plan Amendment to Council for adoption on June 17, 2026.

Ways to Get Involved:

There are a number of ways you can engage, receive updates and provide your input:

• Subscribe to our eNewsletter for updates (right hand column)
• Submit comments to opreview@townofws.ca
  
  

Approved: Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Official Plan, 2025

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued a Notice of Decision to approve in part with modifications, the Town’s New Official Plan on September 25, 2025. The New Official Plan repeals and replaces, in part, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Official Plan, 2004, including all amendments thereto, and pursuant to By-law 2024-057-OP. The decision of the Minister is final and not subject to appeal.

The Town’s Approved New Official Plan, September 2025, is available here:

• Text – Approved September 25, 2025
• Schedules – Approved September 25, 2025

The approved Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Official Plan outlines a comprehensive land use policy framework to guide growth and development within the Town to the year 2051, including policies that establish growth management; establish protected major transit station areas; provide for a wide range of housing options and transportation options; plans for infrastructure and servicing; protect the natural heritage system and water resources; protect the agricultural system, and other matters.

Employment Areas - Decision Deferred

The Minister withheld a decision on the following matters with respect to Employment Area policies and land use designations, until such time as the Town amends the New Official Plan to conform to and implement the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024:

1. Section 3.8 Economic Development and Attracting Employment in its entirety.
2. Section 6.4.18 Community of Stouffville Business Park Area in its entirety.
3. Section 6.5.2 Community of Gormley Business Park Area in its entirety.
4. Section 6.5.3 Community of Gormley Industrial Area in its entirety.
5. Section 6.5.4 Community of Gormley General Commercial Area in its entirety.
6. Section 6.8.4 Community of Vandorf Industrial Area in its entirety.
7. The definition of Employment Area in Section 8 in its entirety
8. Schedule D Stouffville Land Use Designations, but only as it relates to the lands designated Business Park Area.
9. Schedule D-1 Western Approach Land Use Designations, but only as it relates to the lands designated Business Park Area.
10. Schedule G Vandorf Land Use Designations in its entirety.
11. Schedule H Gormley Land Use Designations in its entirety.

These Employment Area policies and land use designations have been identified as “deferred” in the New Official Plan. It is anticipated that the Town will undertake an Official Plan Amendment to review and update the Employment Area policies and land use designations in the near future. Until such time, the applicable policies of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Official Plan, 2004 continue to apply.

Ballantrae and Musselman’s Lake

The Town’s New Official Plan does not include land use designation and servicing policies for the communities of Ballantrae and Musselman’s Lake which were approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal on January 31, 2025, through Official Plan Amendment 136, as modified.

As such, the policies which were not repealed through By-law 2024-057-OP, have been updated in the Town’s Official Plan, 2004 (April 2025 Office Consolidation), and continue to apply. It is anticipated that the Town will update and consolidate the policies in the New Official Plan at a later date.

York Region Official Plan

The York Region Official Plan was approved as modified by the Province on November 4, 2022. On July 1, 2024, the Region of York was deemed an upper tier without planning responsibilities (Bill 185). As per S. 70.13 (2) of the Planning Act, an official plan of an upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities that are in effect are deemed to constitute an official plan of the lower-tier municipality, and the York Region Official Plan remains in effect until the lower-tier municipality revokes or amends it to provide otherwise. As such, the policies of the York Region Official Plan continue to apply at this time and are administered by the Town, as they relate to planning matters.

In the case of a conflict between the policies of the Town’s Official Plan and the York Region Official Plan, the policies of the York Region Official Plan will prevail until the Town amends or revokes all or applicable conflicting parts of the York Region Official Plan. It is anticipated that the Town will revoke the York Region Official Plan, once the Town’s Official Plan has been updated, as required.