Most development projects will require an approved Site Plan Control Application. A site plan outlines the technical high-level design elements of a development project.

The County of Simcoe undertook the MCR to bring its Official Plan into conformity with provincial growth planning requirements.

The review considered several areas, including:

• Growth management: Forecasting future population and employment growth and identifying land needs to 2051.
• Natural heritage: Reviewing and refining the natural heritage system to protect important environmental features.
• Agricultural lands: Reviewing and refining the agricultural system to protect farmland and support the agricultural sector.
• Employment: Planning for future employment opportunities and economic growth.
• Climate change and watershed management: Considering climate resilience, environmental protection, and watershed health.
• Settlement areas: Establishing policies to guide future growth, including density targets and potential settlement area boundary expansions.

The County's Official Plan provides the overarching policy framework that guides how local municipalities manage growth and development.

The County of Simcoe's Official Plan Amendment (OPA) No. 7, which addresses Phase 1 of the Municipal Comprehensive Review (Growth Management), was approved by the Province in April 2026, with modifications.

The amendment establishes updated policies to guide long-term growth and development across Simcoe County, including:

• Population and employment growth forecasts to 2051
• Settlement area hierarchies
• Density and intensification targets
• Identification of Major Transit Station Areas
• Policy frameworks for managing new growth areas and future settlement area boundary expansions

The amendment plans for a future County population of 555,000 and 198,000 jobs by 2051.

The County's MCR established population and employment growth allocations for Innisfil to 2051 and a framework to guide where that growth should be accommodated.

Under this framework, Alcona is identified as Innisfil's Primary Settlement Area and the focus for population growth, while Innisfil Heights, along Highway 400, is identified as a Strategic Settlement Employment Area to support future employment growth.

The framework also informs decisions about future settlement area boundary expansions, including where additional lands may be needed to accommodate projected growth. These decisions consider factors such as infrastructure, agricultural lands, and natural heritage features.

Who decides where growth will occur?

The County of Simcoe is responsible for preparing the MCR and approving the County Official Plan and its policies, including the broader framework for where growth will occur. The Town provides local input throughout this process and is responsible for applying the approved framework through its own Official Plan and local planning decisions.