Land Tribunal dismisses appeal against Official Plan amendment

The Ontario Land Tribunal has dismissed the appeal against a recent amendment to the City of St. Catharines Official Plan, upholding the plan’s targeted goals of protecting employment lands and accommodating future residential growth.

The Tribunal issued its Decision and Order on April 7, dismissing an appeal filed by a numbered Ontario company against Official Plan Amendment (OPA) No. 26.

In late 2020, Council approved OPA No. 26, redesignating 60 hectares of Employment Land to Mixed Use Land, providing for a variety of housing and employment opportunities. This included the properties at 282 to 285 Ontario and lands west and south of the Niagara Health St. Catharines site on Fourth Avenue.

At the same time the amendment maintained the employment land designation for about 22.5 hectares of land east of the Welland Canal and south of Lakeshore Road, a portion of which is owned by the appellant. Given adjacent industrial uses to the north of Lakeshore Road; proximity to Heddle Shipyards and the Welland Canal; and the area’s relative isolation from other residential areas the site is identified as a logical location for future industrial growth.

“The ruling places OPA No. 26 in effect, which means as a City we can better guide growth in a way that is responsible, protecting neighbourhoods; revitalizing brownfield properties to accommodate population growth; and providing appropriate space for commercial and industrial development that are critical to our community’s economic future. The amendment changes the City’s development landscape, providing significant new residential and mixed-use development opportunities within the urban area boundary of the municipality,” said Director of Planning and Building Services Tami Kitay.

Changes to the City’s Official Plan were triggered by direction to study the potential redevelopment of industrial land located on Ontario Street to allow for mixed-use purposes. This change required an amendment to the Official Plan, and as such a comprehensive city-wide Land Needs Assessment was completed by the City’s Planning and Building Services department in November 2020.

“The OLT decision clearly validates the hard work undertaken by staff and supported by both City and Regional Councils regarding the complexities of employment land protections and conversions in our city,” said Mayor Walter Sendzik. “The decision couldn’t come soon enough as it unlocks opportunities at the former GM site on Ontario Street and in west St. Catharines for residential and long-term developments.”