Why now?

More than seven years have passed since the Province introduced the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. This period may not seem very long in the life of a 25-year plan intended to change the direction and pattern of growth and development across a major metropolitan region of more than 9 million people. However, much has changed since 2006:

  • The population of the GGH has increased by approximately 630,000 people (and by 1.3 million people since 2001).[1]
  • One census period has passed and the Canadian 2011 Census of Population has been released.
  • All single- and upper-tier municipalities in the GGH have amended their official plans to incorporate Growth Plan requirements.[2]
  • The Growth Plan has already been amended twice. The first amendment, which came into force January 2012 (and is now part of Section 6, Schedule 7 and Schedule 8 of the Plan) contains policies specific to the "Simcoe Sub-area." The second amendment, introduced in summer 2013, updates and extends the population and employment growth forecasts from 2031 to 2041 and replaces the original 2031 forecasts from Schedule 3 of the Plan.

[1] Statistics Canada, 2011 Census Profile, 2006 Community Profiles, and 2001 Community Profiles.
[2] These amendments are at various stages of approval, review, and appeal.