Notice of Public Meeting for Town Initiated Employment Area Official Plan Amendment

File Number: OPA26.004

Date: May 20, 2026
Time: 7PM
Location: Council Chambers, Town Hall
townofws.ca/cmlivestream

Overview

The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville (“the Town”) is initiating an Official Plan Amendment (“Amendment”) to update the Town’s Official Plan 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, with modifications, but withheld a decision on policies and schedules related to Employment Areas, directing the Town to review and update these policies to be consistent with the new Provincial Planning Statement (“PPS”), 2024.

Employment Areas are clusters of lands supporting business and economic activities which are designated by the Town and protected from development for non-employment uses. Through the PPS, 2024, and the Planning Act, the Province has narrowed permitted employment uses to manufacturing, warehousing/goods movement, and various related or ancillary uses. Institutional, office, and commercial and retail uses not associated with a primary employment use are now specifically prohibited in Employment Areas.

The proposed Amendment applies to the entirety of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, but has particular focus on the existing designated Employment Areas within the communities of Stouffville, Gormley and Vandorf. In conjunction with the ReZone + ReDesign: Zoning By-law and Urban Design Guideline Update, a Draft Discussion Paper was developed to inform the policy direction and recommendations for the proposed Amendment. The Draft Discussion Paper is available for review on the ReZone + ReDesign and the OPR project webpages. If you wish to provide comments on the proposed Amendment, please submit to: opreview@townofws.ca

The Public Meeting Report, including a draft of the proposed Amendment and Draft Discussion Paper will be available on the Council Agenda by noon on May 14, 2026. For more information please visit: townofws.ca/opr

This is a way for you to offer input and to get involved!

Any person may attend the Public Meeting in person or electronically and make written and/or verbal representation either in support of or against the proposed Amendment and By-law.

If you wish to speak at the Public Meeting, please contact the Town Clerk at clerks@townofws.ca for more information or to register before noon of the day prior to the Public Meeting to speak electronically.

Public Meetings will be recorded and made available online.

Appeal Procedure

The Minister, applicant, or a specified person, public body, or registered owner of any land to which the proposed Amendment and By-law will apply, who made oral submissions at a Public Meeting or written submissions to Town Council prior to the passage of the By-law, may appeal the By-law to the Ontario Land Tribunal (“Tribunal”). Third-party appeals are no longer permitted – meaning neighbours, individuals, companies, and ratepayer groups can no longer appeal applications.

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the Town to the Tribunal, but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at the public meeting or make written submissions to the Town before the By-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Town.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town before the By-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Therefore, if this proposed Amendment or By-law is appealed to the Tribunal and you would like to participate in the appeal, in some form, you must make an oral submission at a public meeting, or submit written comments to the Town Clerk, before the proposed Amendment is adopted or the By-law is passed by Town Council.

In the event of an appeal to the Tribunal, your written submissions and contact information will be provided to the Tribunal. If you do not wish your contact information to be released to the Tribunal by the Town, please advise the Town accordingly in writing.

Additional Information

Additional information on the proposed Amendment and By-law including information about appeal rights, is available by contacting Andrea Torok, Planner I, Policy Planning via email at opreview@townofws.ca or via phone at (905) 640-1900, extension 2234.

For more information please visit: townofws.ca/opr

Notice of Decision

If you wish to be notified of the decision of Council on the proposed Amendment and By-law, you must make a written request to the Town staff, as noted above.