Notice of Adoption – Township of Laird Adopts Joint Official Plan

Township of Laird. Official Plan Notice of Adoption. Dated October 29, 2026.

This Notice of Adoption of the new Official Plan for the geographic Townships of Johnson, Tarbutt, Laird, and Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional (“Official Plan”) is issued pursuant to Section 17 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.13 (“Planning Act”).

On October 15, 2026, the Township of Laird adopted the Official Plan by By-law 2097-26, in accordance with Section 17 of the Planning Act. The Official Plan was prepared to comprehensively apply provincial land use and planning policies while also addressing local priorities and to repeal and consolidate the Official Plans for the geographic townships of Johnson, Tarbutt, Laird, and Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional into a single Official Plan for the Desbarats to Echo Bay Planning Area (“Planning Area”).

Pursuant to Section 17 of the Planning Act, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the approval authority for the Official Plan adopted by the Township of Laird. Once the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approves the Official Plan, it will come into force and effect and will replace the existing Official Plan for the Township of Laird.

Purpose and Effect

The purpose and effect of the adopted Official Plan is to establish a comprehensive policy framework to guide land use planning, growth, and development within the Desbarats to Echo Bay Planning Area to the year 2051. The Official Plan expresses Council and the Planning Board’s long-term vision and objectives for building complete, sustainable, and resilient communities while providing direction for future land use, infrastructure, and community development.

The Official Plan provides policy direction for matters including growth management, economic development, infrastructure and servicing, sustainability, environmental protection, shoreline preservation, natural resource development, housing supply and affordability, protection of the agricultural land base, and cultural heritage conservation. The Official Plan applies to all lands within the Planning Area, which includes the Township of Laird.

More Information

The Official Plan is available online at: https://tarbutt.ca/planning-board/

Information about the Official Plan is available at the Township of Laird Office, located at 3 Pumpkin Point Road, Echo Bay or by contacting Jennifer Errington, Clerk of the Township of Laird, at 705-248-2395 or clerk@lairdtownship.ca.

Written and Oral Submissions

All statutory written and oral submissions regarding the Official Plan have been considered, and where appropriate, their recommendations have been incorporated into the Plan. Additional information on the public engagement process is available at the following link: Comment Response Matrix – Provincial and Local Comments (PDF, on tarbutt.ca)

Right to Appeal

The decision of the Council of the Township of Laird to adopt the Official Plan is not subject to appeal.

Approval Authority Decision

In accordance with Section 17 of the Planning Act, the Official Plan adopted by the Township of Laird will be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the approval authority, for review and decision.

Any individual or public body wishing to receive notice of the approval authority’s decision must submit a written request including the name, mailing address, and either an email address or telephone number of the person or public body requesting notification and be directed to: