City of Welland Official Plan Update

For more information on the Official Plan Update or to be added to the notification list, please contact Nicolas Aiello, planning supervisor – policy, at 905-735-1700 x2132 or email officialplan@welland.ca

The City of Welland is in the process of updating its Official Plan. As Welland continues to grow and evolve, the Official Plan requires a review and update of its current policies, goals, and objectives.

The Official Plan (OP) is a document that guides both short- and long-term growth and development. Over a period of several months, the City and a team of consultants led by SGL Planning & Design Inc. have worked on updating the OP to ensure that growth in the community is appropriately accommodated in the context of the City’s unique history and character, and in a manner informed by the public and interested parties.

Specifically, the Official Plan Update will look at:

• Creating a strong vision for guiding growth in the city to 2051
• Enhancing and promoting the development of complete, vibrant, and healthy communities
• Considering measures to prevent climate change through various planning initiatives
• Addressing economic vitality in the downtown and employment areas
• Promoting and enhancing the city’s existing neighbourhoods and heritage assets
• Protecting, promoting, and enhancing natural areas and green spaces
• Collecting and providing important feedback from the community, interested parties, City staff, and public agencies
• Conforming with provincial and regional policies
• Aligning Official Plan policies with municipal objectives for providing the appropriate services that meet the needs of a growing community

Draft Official Plan

A draft Official Plan has been prepared based on the policy recommendations and feedback received in Phase 2 of the study. To view the draft OP and associated mapping and appendices, please see the documents section on this page or the City’s Official Plan web page.

Should you have any comments regarding the Draft Official Plan, you are invited to submit them in writing by August 16th, 2024 in order for the project team to consider the input and feedback in advance of scheduled Fall open house and statutory public meeting. Comments can be sent to Nicolas Aiello, planning supervisor – policy, Planning and Development Services, City of Welland, 60 East Main Street, Welland, Ontario L3B 3X4, or by email to officialplan@welland.ca

Public Engagement

In September 2021, the City and SGL hosted a virtual visioning workshop attended by residents and interested parties. Many ideas were shared on various topics, including residential and job growth, affordable housing, the environment and climate change, active transportation and transit, community services, and other important topics. The purpose of this workshop was to obtain feedback for the development of a vision statement for Welland’s Official Plan, and to shape the lens through which the OP Update will take place.

A series of background reviews (available for viewing on our Official Plan web page) have been prepared to set the framework for the next phase of the study, involving the development of policy directions and a draft amendment to the City’s Official Plan. To further inform the policy directions phase of the study, the City and SGL launched an online survey (which has since expired) and hosted two virtual public engagement sessions. These sessions focused on different topics that included policy directions for growth management and complete communities, and policy directions for agriculture, the environment, and forestry.

As the project enters its next phases, more public engagement opportunities will be available.