Orillia is taking a giant step in preparing for its expected growth over the next quarter-century.
At a special meeting Tuesday, council approved a plan to seek 195 hectares (482 acres) from Severn and Oro-Medonte townships, while also approving a plan to intensify residential density in the city.
Boundary expansion and urban intensification are necessary to accommodate growth to 2051 and beyond, council heard at Tuesday's meeting.
Council voted to establish a minimum average density target of 47 housing units per hectare. This will allow for several types of housing including single-family homes, stacked townhomes, and apartments up to 12 storeys in certain areas.
Mayor Don McIsaac said the province requires each municipality to have a 20-year supply of land, but Orillia only has a 10-year supply, he said; that is what is forcing the city to look to its neighbours for more land.
"It's something, frankly, you don't want to do, but you have to," said McIsaac. "No sitting mayor wants to give up land, but we are in a process of consultation with our neighbouring townships, so we make sure we get their inputs and collaborate with them going forward."
About 25 people were in the audience at city hall or the meeting, including Oro-Medonte Mayor Randy Greenlaw and Severn Mayor Mike Burkett.
Greenlaw said he doesn't want to lose land but noted his municipality is being pressured for land from both Barrie and Orillia. He said he understands the province wants the cities to build more homes, but he believes it can be done without Oro-Medonte losing land.
"I think it's no different than our position with Barrie. I think a cross-border service agreement would give the same end result without changing municipal boundaries," he said.
Greenlaw said he appreciates Orillia has gone through a comprehensive municipal review over the past few years.
"They have been very professional and respectful in finding some sort of solution that the province will agree with. I think a cross-border service agreement, from the Oro-Medonte perspective, is the clearer and better path forward for all," he said.
In such an arrangement, land would remain part of Oro-Medonte and the township would get the permission to rezone it. The best uses of the land Orillia wants along Oro-Medonte Line 15 would be institutional and housing because they complement the West Orillia Sports Complex and businesses in the area, Greenlaw said.
The provincial mandate calls for the construction of 1.5 million homes by 2031. Orillia must accommodate 7,330 new housing units by 2051, according to the province.
"We need to collectively work together to help fulfil the provincial mandate," said Greenlaw. "Everyone is behind that provincial number. Rather than just the cities working on it, partnerships are needed. I think partnerships are great because they work for everyone."
Burkett said the changes are being driven by the province and its Provincial Policy Statement around growth.
"I don't want to lose any lands," Burkett said.
"In all fairness, Orillia has been great to work with. They have let us know way ahead of time before it's gone to a public meeting so they can get our input. They are our neighbours and we want to work with our neighbours.
"We understand it may be a lengthy process and it makes sense, because where do they grow?"
However, the land Orillia wants is farmland on the Severn/Orillia border, he noted.
"We can't develop because it's zoned agricultural, but development is happening around it now. It's only logical that it would grow that way," he said.
Burkett added the growth being seen in the region in the past five years is "unprecedented."
Orillia's senior planner, Jill Lewis, said parties to the Williams Treaties First Nations were notified in 2021 and members are comfortable with Orillia working with Rama First Nation on the issue. Rama will be further consulted when a map for the boundary expansion is created, she said.
A public meeting will also be held when those boundaries are established.
Coun. Jay Fallis said he was concerned about the protection of wetlands in the regions that could be annexed. Lewis responded by saying they are already identified as protected and would remain so if a change in municipal ownership was completed.
This week's meeting is one part of a lengthy process, said McIsaac.
"This is just one of the first steps in a long process, but these decisions will help ensure that future generations have the opportunity to live, work and thrive in Orillia," he said in a news release issued by the city.
The process to finalize the boundary expansion involves ongoing collaboration with neighbouring townships, the County of Simcoe, and Indigenous communities.
"The boundary expansion process is a long and complex journey,” said Katy Modaressi, the city's director of development and infrastructure planning.
"With council's direction, our next step is to prepare detailed maps identifying the best lands for expansion. These maps will undergo public consultation and further technical analysis before being finalized," she said.
"Full implementation, including the municipal restructuring process, will take several years to complete, and we remain committed to keeping our residents and neighbours informed and engaged every step of the way."
More information on the Official Plan and boundary expansion processes can be found at orillia.ca/OfficialPlan.