Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

The Province of Ontario has taken a leadership role in developing stronger communities by establishing policy to manage growth in municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“GGH”). The Provincial Growth Plan provides a general framework for addressing issues affecting municipalities across the GGH including urban structure, intensification, infrastructure development and natural environment resources. The objective is to reverse recent patterns of development in the GGH that have resulted in urban sprawl with negative environmental consequences. GPA staff were retained by the Province to develop a strategy for addressing growth issues across the GGH municipalities, while upholding the main objectives of the Growth Plan. Our study examined how the Provinces Growth Plan could be implemented on a sub-area basis. The Growth Plan has been enacted and is in full force. It places limits on urban expansion and introduces targests for intensification by regional and local municipalities within the GGH. It was awarded the Daniel Burnham Award by the American Planning Association in 2007.