Back to SearchThe first-ever West Wasaga Secondary Plan will be a dedicated blueprint for development in the Town’s west end, and help create a more walkable, complete community for future generations
“For the first time in twenty years, the Town is embarking on a journey with our citizens to reimagine the future of our community – and this Council is making it a priority to include the west end,” said Mayor Brian Smith. “The West Wasaga Secondary Plan will be an important part of our Town’s new Official Plan, and act as a blueprint to create a more walkable, complete community for future generations. We want all our residents to participate in this process – to bring their forward-thinking ideas, creativity and concerns to staff – so that we end up with a solid plan that will guide this Council, and all future Council’s, on a clear path to build a more vibrant, thriving, inclusive and sustainable community – that includes the west end.”
Wasaga Beach – The Town of Wasaga Beach is calling on residents to provide input and ideas, and weigh in on a vision for the community’s west end.
The Town’s West Wasaga Secondary Plan, the first of its kind in the history of Wasaga Beach, will act as a blueprint for achieving the kind of integrated, thriving and sustainable west end that the citizens of Wasaga Beach envision over the next two decades. It will also act as a practical tool that will guide all future development to ensure this vision becomes a reality.
The first-ever West Wasaga Secondary Plan will become a strategic part of the Town’s new Official Plan.
To kick off this round of public engagement, the Town will host a 4-day charrette workshop from June 10, 2024 to June 13, 2024 at the RecPlex, which will be led by Toole Design Group.
Members of the public are invited and encouraged to participate:
June 10, 2024 - Opening Public Meeting at the RecPlex, in Auditorium Hall
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- What to expect: Introduction to the project, visioning exercise, discussion and question-and-answer period
June 11, 2024 - Open Design Studio at the RecPlex, in the Oakview Room
- Time: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- What to expect: No formal agenda or presentations; drop in at any time between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to look over the planners’ shoulders, see what’s going on, ask questions and share your thoughts on the future of the west end
June 13, 2024 - Closing Public Meeting at the RecPlex, in Auditorium Hall
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to - 9:00 p.m
- What to expect: Presentation of what we heard, presentations of findings, plans, and recommendations; review next steps, discussion and question-and-answer period
Residents who wish to receive notices of future public engagement opportunities and updates on decisions regarding the new Town of Wasaga Beach West Wasaga Secondary Plan are encouraged to subscribe to the West End Wasaga Secondary Plan page on the Town’s public engagement portal, EngageWasaga.ca.
QUICK FACTS
- For the first time in the history of Wasaga Beach, the Town’s Official Plan will now have a Secondary Plan devoted to the unique needs and opportunities of the Town’s rapidly growing west end.
- The Town of Wasaga Beach is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada.
- According to the last federal census, the Town’s population is 25,000. It is expected to double over the next 30 years.
BACKGROUND
The Town’s Official Plan is a visionary document that paves the way for inclusive, forward-thinking, sustainable growth and development – it is also a practical document that will guide decisions by all future Councils to turn the community’s long-term vision for our Town, into reality. Once passed by Council, all future Zoning Bylaws passed and all Public Works undertaken by the Town must conform to the Official Plan.
The West Wasaga Secondary Plan will be a specific section of the new Official Plan, which is devoted to the design and future development of the Town’s west end.
The Town’s current Official Plan was adopted by Council on September 9, 2003 and approved by the County of Simcoe on June 22, 2004. It does not include any reference to development in the Town’s west end. Since then, the Town has experienced significant population growth and changing demographics. Since 2004, the Town’s population has grown over 65%. Other significant changes since 2004 include, but are not limited to:
- An increased need for more affordable and diverse housing options;
- An aging population with a corresponding need for age-friendly development and higher quality urban design in general;
- Recognition of the importance of sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation;
- Shifts in the local and regional economic landscape;
- Evolution of communications technology and planning best practices; and
- Extensive changes have also been made to the Provincial legislation that impacts how development applications are evaluated and the content that must be included in an Official Plan.
These changes mean that the current Official Plan requires an overhaul to ensure that Wasaga Beach is effectively planned for the future. Council has identified the west end as a priority area to be addressed in the Town’s new Official Plan.
The new Official Plan process started in 2017 with a series of consultation initiatives and the preparation of topic-specific Discussion Papers. A Community Engagement & Consultation Summary Report, Growth Management Discussion Paper and Commercial, Retail and Tourism Discussion Paper are also available on the Official Plan review page on Engage Wasaga. Town staff have reviewed and considered all feedback received to date in the preparation of the first draft of the Town’s new Official Plan. This has set the stage for staff preparing the first draft, which is now open for further public input and ideas.
About the Town of Wasaga Beach
The Town of Wasaga Beach aims to be a place where people come to create memories that will last a lifetime. The work that staff are doing to create a new Official Plan supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to create opportunities to diversify the economy, create jobs and build a complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation and fun – a place with thriving businesses; safe, inclusive and complete neighbourhoods where we celebrate our rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
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Media contact:
Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
For general inquiries:
Mark Bryan
Manager, Planning
Development Services Business Unit
T: 705-429-3847 x2283
Matt Ellis
Senior Planner
Development Services Business Unit
T: 705-429-3847 x2273
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