Frequently Asked Questions

An Official Plan helps guide the growth and development of Bracebridge. The Province of Ontario requires that each municipality has an Official Plan to:

• Make the public aware of the municipality’s land use planning policies, 
• Make sure that growth is coordinated and meets the community’s needs, 
• Ensure that the community understands how their land may be used, 
• Provides a framework for establishing zoning bylaws, and, 
• Ensure that the municipality’s land use policies conform to the District and provincial policy.

Bracebridge’s current Official Plan was adopted on April 17, 2013.  The Province states that an approved official plan can be reviewed at any time, but each local council is required to update its official plan not less than 10 years from the date the plan came into effect in the case of a new comprehensive official plan.

The Official Plan Review will be conducted from July 2023 to the fall of 2024 in four phases:

• Phase 1: Background Review 
• Phase 2: Issue Identification, Visioning and Consultation
• Phase 3: Draft Official Plan
• Phase 4: Final Official Plan

Yes. The community will have several opportunities to provide input and feedback along the way to help guide the process. Subscribe to this project to be notified of updates.