Official Plan Update

The Town of Pelham new Official Plan (OP) was adopted by Council on May 21, 2025, following a three-phase approach that included:

Phase 1 – Conformity Review (2023)
• Review of the existing OP to identify required updates to meet provincial and regional policy requirements.

Phase 2 – Draft Plan & Consultation (2024–Early 2025)
• Release of the draft OP and public, stakeholder, and agency consultation to inform revisions.

Phase 3 – Statutory Meeting & Adoption (2025)
• Statutory public meeting held and final OP brought forward for Council adoption and provincial approval.

You are invited to attend a Public Open House concerning an update of the Official Plan for the Town of Pelham based on Provincial Comments.

Date:​​ April 28, 2026

Location:​ Kinsmen Room, ​​Meridian Community Centre, 100 Meridian Way, Fonthill, Ontario

Time:​​ 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Background

The Town of Pelham Official Plan was adopted by Council on May 21, 2025, following a comprehensive three-phase process that included a Conformity Review (2023), Draft Plan and Public Consultation (2024), and a Statutory Public Meeting and Adoption (2025).

Bill 23 (“More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022”) removed key upper-tier planning responsibilities from the Regional Municipality of Niagara, including authority over official plans, official plan amendments, subdivision approvals, and appeal functions. As a result, the approval authority for the Town of Pelham’s new Official Plan shifted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.  This change occurred on March 31, 2025.

The Town of Pelham submitted its adopted Official Plan to the Province in early June 2025, and it was deemed complete on June 26, 2025.

Comments were received on February 2, 2026, from the Province requiring revisions to the Plan to ensure full conformity with applicable provincial plans. The Town has been advised by the Province that a further review under Section 26 of the Planning Act is required. This process is being undertaken to address the required modifications and to comply with provincial direction.

Key highlights of the provincial changes include:

• Revised Mineral Aggregate policies, ensuring compliance with the Provincial Planning Statement and Greenbelt Plan;
• Redesignation of industrial lands along Webber Road/Airport to Prime Agriculture in keeping with the Niagara Official Plan and Provincial policy (map will be included in notice for affected properties);
• Improved language for Rural Lands policies (Prime Agricultural and Specialty Crop Lands);
• Inclusion of polices for wildland fires and human-made hazards;
• Removal of Secondary Plans from the principal Official Plan document;
• Inclusion of gas well mapping and wildland fire mapping as appendices;
• Changes to complete application policies and required studies based on new Provincial legislation; and
• A number of minor wording changes in various sections to provide greater clarity and to bring policies into better conformity with various Provincial plans and legislation.

The April 28, 2026 Official Plan Open House will include a short presentation at 5:00pm followed by a Questions & Answers/ Comments period.

Information on this process, including timelines and next steps, can be found on the Town’s Official Plan Webpage: www.pelham.ca/officialplanupdate

Comments may be provided verbally and/or as a written submission. Written comments should be submitted prior to Monday, May 4, by regular mail or e-mail to the:

Policy Planner, Town of Pelham, 

20 Pelham Town Square, P.O. Box 400, Fonthill, Ontario L0S 1E0,

or by email to lrichardson@pelham.ca

A statutory Public Meeting under the Planning Act is to be held on May 13, 2026,to present further information and receive public comments. Notice of the statutory Public Meeting will be provided separately.