Northern Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Sault Ste. Marie is hosting a public open house today (Jan. 21) as it moves forward with proposed amendments to its Official Plan, the document that guides long-term land use, infrastructure, housing and development across the community.
The drop-in open house runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Northern Community Centre, Common Space (Atrium), 556 Goulais Ave. City planning staff will be on hand to answer questions, explain the proposed changes and gather feedback. Display panels and background materials will be available.
The proposed Official Plan amendments include several policy updates with implications for construction and future growth. Among them is the introduction of a structured evaluation framework for rural estate residential subdivisions, aimed at providing clearer criteria for reviewing development proposals outside the urban area.
The city is also proposing to identify Locally Significant Agricultural Areas and update consent, or lot creation, policies to minimize fragmentation of agricultural lands.
To protect materials needed for future construction and infrastructure projects, the amendments would map secondary mineral and aggregate resource areas, along with new consent policies and subdivision restrictions to safeguard long-term access to those resources.
In addition, the proposed changes include an expansion of the urban settlement area boundary to help accommodate future population growth and development.
Following this round of public engagement, staff anticipate bringing forward an application to amend the Official Plan for council’s consideration at its Feb. 23, 2026 meeting.
More information and online feedback options are available at shapethesault.ca/openhouse. Questions or comments can be directed to city planner Jonathan Kircal at j.******@********on.ca or 705-759-6227.