Whitby Official Plan Review

The Town of Whitby has now completed its five-year Official Plan Review to set policies that manage how Whitby should grow between now and 2051.

Project Updates

The following Official Plan Amendments (OPA) were adopted by Whitby Council on March 09, 2026:

*OPA #146 - Part I General Policy Updates (File: OPA-2023-W/02)

Notice of Adoption OPA #146

By-law 8272-26 to Adopt OPA #146

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8272-26 OPA #146

OPA #146 provides policy (text) and schedule (map) updates to Part I of the Official Plan. *OPA #146 requires review and approval from Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in accordance with the Planning Act. Please contact the Ministry if you would like notice of the final decision at Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto, ON M7A 2J3 Tel: 416-585-7041

OPA #147 - Part II Secondary Plans Technical Update (File: OPA-2023-W/02)

Notice of Adoption OPA #147

By-law 8273-26 to Adopt OPA #147

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8273-26 OPA #147

OPA #147 provides technical updates to relevant Part II Secondary Plans to implement Amendment #146 and does not take effect until OPA #146 is approved by the Ministry.

OPA #148 - Brooklin Urban Expansion Area to 2051 (File: OPA -2024-W/06)

Notice of Adoption OPA #148

By-law 8274-26 to Adopt OPA #148

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8274-26 OPA #148

OPA #148 updates to the Brooklin Community Secondary Plan to introduce urban land use designations for the new 2051 Brooklin urban expansion areas west and east of the existing Brooklin community. OPA #148 does not take effect until OPA #146 is approved by the Ministry.

The following Official Plan Amendments (OPA) adopted by Council on February 3, 2025 have received approval from the Province and take effect March 16, 2026. Ministry decisions are final and binding:

OPA #138 - Whitby GO Protected Major Transition Station Area (approved with modifications)

Notice of Decision OPA #138

Decision OPA #138

Notice of Adoption OPA #138

OPA #139 Strategic Growth Areas Nodes and Corridors (approved without modification)

Notice of Decision OPA #139

Decision OPA #139

Notice of Adoption OPA #139

A consolidated version of the Whitby Official Plan including OPA #138 and #139 will be available at a later date.

Learn More

To learn more about the Official Plan Review and its Key Focus Areas, visit our Interactive Story Map and read the information provided below and in the FAQ section of this page.

Public Meeting and Community Open House materials, Staff Reports, Draft Proposed and Final Recommended OPAs, Background Reports and other information can all be found under the "Documents" sections of this page.

What is an Official Plan?

The Town's Official Plan guides where and how land in our municipality should be used. More specifically, the Official Plan sets out:

  • where different types of development like housing, offices, shops, and roads will be located
  • where community uses like parks, trails, and schools will be needed, and
  • what should be protected, such as the natural environment, historic properties, and other special places, like Whitby’s waterfront and downtowns.

Land use planning in Ontario occurs in a “policy-led” system. Whitby's Official Plan is informed by the Ontario Planning Act, the Ontario Provincial Planning Statement and former Regional plans like Envision Durham.

Why review the Whitby Official Plan?

Whitby's population is forecasted to grow to approximately 240,000 by 2051. By 2031 alone, the Province of Ontario has mandated the Town to support the construction of 18,000 new homes in Whitby. This growth needs to be planned in a sustainable manner for today and future generations. Fortunately, Whitby already has a comprehensive Official Plan that was updated last in 2018.

This review focused on updating key areas to plan for more housing and jobs, while also updating the existing Official Plan to align with recent changes made by both the Province of Ontario and the Region of Durham. On January 01, 2025, land use planning authority was removed from the Region of Durham. Through this change, Whitby has inherited Envision Durham, the former Regional Official Plan, and has now incorporated its relevant policies into the Whitby Official through the Official Plan Review.

The Town of Whitby has now completed its five-year Official Plan Review to set policies that manage how Whitby should grow between now and 2051.

Project Updates

The following Official Plan Amendments (OPA) were adopted by Whitby Council on March 09, 2026:

*OPA #146 - Part I General Policy Updates (File: OPA-2023-W/02)

Notice of Adoption OPA #146

By-law 8272-26 to Adopt OPA #146

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8272-26 OPA #146

OPA #146 provides policy (text) and schedule (map) updates to Part I of the Official Plan. *OPA #146 requires review and approval from Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in accordance with the Planning Act. Please contact the Ministry if you would like notice of the final decision at Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto, ON M7A 2J3 Tel: 416-585-7041

OPA #147 - Part II Secondary Plans Technical Update (File: OPA-2023-W/02)

Notice of Adoption OPA #147

By-law 8273-26 to Adopt OPA #147

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8273-26 OPA #147

OPA #147 provides technical updates to relevant Part II Secondary Plans to implement Amendment #146 and does not take effect until OPA #146 is approved by the Ministry.

OPA #148 - Brooklin Urban Expansion Area to 2051 (File: OPA -2024-W/06)

Notice of Adoption OPA #148

By-law 8274-26 to Adopt OPA #148

Schedule and Exhibits to By-law 8274-26 OPA #148

OPA #148 updates to the Brooklin Community Secondary Plan to introduce urban land use designations for the new 2051 Brooklin urban expansion areas west and east of the existing Brooklin community. OPA #148 does not take effect until OPA #146 is approved by the Ministry.

The following Official Plan Amendments (OPA) adopted by Council on February 3, 2025 have received approval from the Province and take effect March 16, 2026. Ministry decisions are final and binding:

OPA #138 - Whitby GO Protected Major Transition Station Area (approved with modifications)

Notice of Decision OPA #138

Decision OPA #138

Notice of Adoption OPA #138

OPA #139 Strategic Growth Areas Nodes and Corridors (approved without modification)

Notice of Decision OPA #139

Decision OPA #139

Notice of Adoption OPA #139

A consolidated version of the Whitby Official Plan including OPA #138 and #139 will be available at a later date.

Learn More

To learn more about the Official Plan Review and its Key Focus Areas, visit our Interactive Story Map and read the information provided below and in the FAQ section of this page.

Public Meeting and Community Open House materials, Staff Reports, Draft Proposed and Final Recommended OPAs, Background Reports and other information can all be found under the "Documents" sections of this page.

What is an Official Plan?

The Town's Official Plan guides where and how land in our municipality should be used. More specifically, the Official Plan sets out:

  • where different types of development like housing, offices, shops, and roads will be located
  • where community uses like parks, trails, and schools will be needed, and
  • what should be protected, such as the natural environment, historic properties, and other special places, like Whitby’s waterfront and downtowns.

Land use planning in Ontario occurs in a “policy-led” system. Whitby's Official Plan is informed by the Ontario Planning Act, the Ontario Provincial Planning Statement and former Regional plans like Envision Durham.

Why review the Whitby Official Plan?

Whitby's population is forecasted to grow to approximately 240,000 by 2051. By 2031 alone, the Province of Ontario has mandated the Town to support the construction of 18,000 new homes in Whitby. This growth needs to be planned in a sustainable manner for today and future generations. Fortunately, Whitby already has a comprehensive Official Plan that was updated last in 2018.

This review focused on updating key areas to plan for more housing and jobs, while also updating the existing Official Plan to align with recent changes made by both the Province of Ontario and the Region of Durham. On January 01, 2025, land use planning authority was removed from the Region of Durham. Through this change, Whitby has inherited Envision Durham, the former Regional Official Plan, and has now incorporated its relevant policies into the Whitby Official through the Official Plan Review.

  • CLOSED: This survey has now concluded. Next engagement survey coming soon!

    Poll #1: Whitby Today and Tomorrow: What Matters to You?

    Welcome! This quick poll is designed for you to share your perspectives on what you think are the key priorities for Whitby in planning for growth and development over the next 30 years, as part of the Official Plan Review update. The poll will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Poll #2: Planning for Growth in Key Areas of Whitby

    Whitby's population is expected to grow from about 150,000 to 190,000 by 2031, and the Town has committed to a provincial housing target of building 18,000 new homes by 2031. The Town's population is then forecasted to grow to 244,000 by 2051 (as noted in Envision Durham – Regional Official Plan).

    Community engagement is an important part of how we plan for this future growth. Have your say on growth in Whitby in three identified areas. Survey closes September 13, 2024.

Page last updated: 24 Mar 2026, 12:53 PM