Eastern anchor
Planning & development in Durham Region

NRU
Jan. 17, 2018
Miriam Bart

Provincial planning reforms remain the biggest planning challenge in Durham Region. With over 80 per cent of its land base in the Greenbelt, Durham faces unique development constraints among regional municipalities in the GTHA.

Just 37 km from downtown Toronto, Durham Region planning commissioner Brian Bridgeman told NRU that with a thriving agricultural industry, the presence of several educational institutions, the third most expensive infrastructure project in Canada and two nuclear power stations Durham is the eastern anchor of the GTA.

“[Durham] is the largest of the GTA regions... It contains eight lower-tier area municipalities—five Lakeshore municipalities and then three northern townships. We’re a rapidly growing region right now. The population is around 670,000 and by 2041 we are expected to nearly double given our growth plan target of 1.2-million [people]. We are transitioning into a more urban context and urban community. Even our northern municipalities, such as Port Parry, Sunderland, and Uxbridge, are all experiencing growth pressures as well. We have active urban centres, small towns, quaint rural hamlets, and a wide range of recreational amenities. We offer a great quality of life for residents and businesses.”

Last year was a year of major accomplishments. Regional council approved a five-year economic development strategy and action plan and staff initiated a broadband strategy intended to provide reliable, high-speed and low-cost internet coverage across the region. Additionally, staff completed a transportation master plan, which included an update of the region’s cycling plan.

However, the region is still trying to adjust to all of the changes the province has made to the planning framework. It is still trying to navigate all of the implications of the updated Growth Plan and Greenbelt Plan, and OMB reform all the while awaiting further guidance from the province with respect to employment lands, climate change, and mapping of agricultural lands.

“Going forward [the greatest challenge] will be bringing our plans into conformity with the new provincial plans. The whole emphasis on greater intensification and stronger connection between land use planning and transportation planning... In the northern communities, there are servicing constraints on the sewer and water side which continue to be something that is being studied and examined to see where growth opportunities are for northern municipalities. In the south, the lands are fairly readily serviceable. We’re blessed by a geography that is gently sloping from north to south. There’s a number of water and wastewater plants along lakeshore that can be expanded as needed to accommodate growth. In the north, they don’t have the same lake-based servicing. And so the sanitary sewer servicing is more of a challenge. It places more constraints on growth.”

The growth constraints are particularly difficult for communities in the north end of Durham that want growth and development but are restricted by the provision in the updated Greenbelt Plan that limits growth in the northern rural municipalities to 10 ha, of which a maximum of five can be residential.

Bridgeman told NRU that the region has several planning priorities for 2018, including the future of the Pickering airport, which continues to be a high priority for Durham.

“[The airport has] been something that our regional chair has been talking about for years and in 2018 we will be aiming to work closer with the federal government to advance the project,” he says. “[Additionally] we’ll need consulting help on [the municipal comprehensive review]. We’re also in the middle of what we call the Carruthers Creek Watershed update. It’s a four-year study. We’ve hired TRCA on a consulting basis to do that. We’re [also] going to bring in new development tracking software. That’s a big project— $1.2-million or so. We’ve got the proposals out now and hope to have a consultant working on that right now... And of course finishing off the broadband strategy.”

Bridgeman says that he is really excited for 2018. In addition, region staff are focusing on where Durham where it sees itself in 2041.

“People [will realize that they] don’t have to commute into Toronto as is the case [now]. There are options to live and work close by. It is an exciting time from a growth and change standpoint.”

TOP-10 RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS BY DURHAM REGION AREA MUNICIPALITY

1. Seaton Community (North Pickering)—The Seaton lands were set aside by the province in the 1970s for a new planned community. Currently, 21 plans of subdivision are either draft approved or close to draft approved providing about 16,000 units. The provincial Central Pickering Development Plan calls for a community of 70,000 people and 35,000 jobs at full build-out.

2. West Whitby—12 plans of subdivision have been draft approved with about 4,500 residential units, and 400 acres of employment lands; site servicing is underway. Site servicing is underway and construction will start in 2018.

3. Kedron (north Oshawa)—The proposed plans of subdivision for this area provide for about 6,000 dwelling units with a planned population of 22,000 people.

4. Universal City at 1470 and 1474 Bayly Street (Pickering)—Proposed mixed-use high-density residential development with 1,725 residential units in five buildings ranging in height from 17 to 40 storeys and about 4,500 to 6,500 m2 of commercial space.

5. 1475 Durham Hwy 2, Courtice (Clarington)—Approved development with 464 units in three 9 and 10 storey buildings and townhomes has been appealed to the OMB.

6. 51-55 Clarington Boulevard, Bowmanville (Clarington)—Proposed two 12-storey residential development with 434 apartment units near the future Bowmanville GO Station.

7. SW corner of Church Street North and Hurst Drive (Ajax)—Proposed five-storey mixed-use building with 78 units and 1,608 m2 of ground floor commercial.

8. East side of Simcoe Street, at King Street, Port Perry (Scugog)–Approval of Gateway Regeneration Area. Four four-storey residential buildings with 248 units, part of a mixed-use project with 16,800 m2 of commercial and office space.

9. South of Maplewood Avenue, between Cedar Beach and Nine Mile roads, Beaverton (Brock)—Proposal for 103 single-detached lots and three new public streets is under review.

10. Cemetery Rd., north of Hwy 47 (Uxbridge)—Proposed condo project with 56 townhouses and a 12-unit apartment building.

TOP-10 NON-RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS BY DURHAM REGION AREA MUNICIPALITY

1. SE corner of Harwood Avenue North and Rossland Road East (Ajax)–Approved 11,112 m2 commercial mixed-use development with multiple buildings, including a supermarket.

2. 575 Harwood Avenue North (Ajax)—Proposed six-storey, 120-room hotel, with a 2,930 m2 convention centre and a 3,221 m2 light industrial building.

3. 1050 Lambs Road, Bowmanville (Clarington)—Proposed 13,940 m2 Toyota parts distribution centre for eastern Canada.

4. 205 Baseline Rd., Bowmanville (Clarington)—Proposed 25,360 m2 outlet mall under review.

5. Various locations (Clarington)—Elements of four proposed new and/or expanding medical marijuana production facilities totalling 25,944 m2 are approved and under construction.

6. 2460 and 2470 Brock Road (Pickering)—Proposed 12,500 m2 retail commercial development in three two and three-storey buildings.

7. Pickering Town Centre, 1355 Kingston Road (Pickering)—Approved 6,000 m2 movie theatre, with additional retail and a new one-storey restaurant is currently under construction.

8. 900 Farewell Street (Oshawa)—Proposed 2,418 m2 four-unit industrial building is under review.

9. Hwy 7A, Port Perry (Scugog)—Proposed new 1,808 m2 car dealership is under review.

10. 2465 Bridle Road, 2200 Bridle Road, 800 Greenhill Road (Oshawa)—Three new elementary schools are proposed.