Quick Facts
Who: Town of Collingwood
What: Public Meeting
Where: Collingwood Council Chambers/ Zoom webinar
When: August 10, 2026
Why: To receive feedback on a proposed Town-Initiated Zoning By-law Amendment for Industrial Zone Modifications
Take Notice that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Collingwood will hold a public meeting on Monday, August 10, 2026, on or about 2:00 p.m.
Any members of the public may attend in person (Council Chambers, 97 Hurontario Street, Collingwood) or virtually by Zoom webinar to consider the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act. Written submissions can also be submitted to the Town’s contact noted below.
The public meeting will take place during the regular Council meeting. For those attending virtually, a link to the webinar will be included on the August 10, 2026 Council/Committee of the Whole agenda. Council and Committee of the Whole meeting agendas are located at: www.collingwood.ca/agendas-minutes.
Location: This amendment would apply Town-wide to all lands zoned for industrial uses in the Town of Collingwood.
Purpose and Effect of the Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment:
The purpose of the Zoning By-law Amendment is to update Industrial zone permissions to remove uses that are no longer permitted under the Town's Official Plan and provincial planning legislation, specifically the Provincial Planning Statement (2024) and the Planning Act. These zones implement the designated Employment Areas in the Town’s Official Plan and are intended to be reserved for industrial and employment-related uses. View the Draft Zoning By-law Amendment.
The effect of the Zoning By-law Amendment is to:
- Prohibit new stand-alone commercial, institutional, recreational, office, and similar uses, while allowing some small-scale accessory uses, in the following industrial zones:
- Light Industrial (M1)
- General Industrial (M2)
- Business Park Industrial (M4)
- Industrial Park (M5)
- Amend the Public Uses provisions to prohibit stand-alone public service facility uses within Industrial zones that are designated as Employment Areas.
- Include transition provisions such that:
- Complete Site Plan Control applications already in progress can continue under the existing zoning permissions, provided that the application proposes uses that would no longer by permitted by this By-law, and
- Established legal non-conforming uses may continue to exist, and may be reconstructed, extended, and re-leased as permitted by Town planning instruments.
Why is this amendment being proposed?
Recent changes to provincial planning legislation require municipalities to protect Employment Areas for industrial activities and employment-related uses.
- On June 8, 2023, the operative amendments to the Planning Act came into effect.
- On October 20, 2024, the Provincial Planning Statement (2024) came into effect to align with the Planning Act amendments.
Together, these changes prohibit stand-alone commercial, recreational, institutional, office, public facility, and similar uses within designated Employment Areas. These areas are intended to support employment-generating uses such as manufacturing, research and development, warehousing, and goods movement. Accessory uses, such as small offices or retail spaces that support a permitted industrial business, are still permitted.
The Town of Collingwood Official Plan, approved on September 24, 2024, reflects these provincial requirements. While portions of the Official Plan remain under site-specific appeal, the pertinent policies have been deemed by the Ontario Land Tribunal to be in force and effect for general application.
Due to appeal-related delays in the comprehensive Zoning By-law Update Project, this municipally initiated Zoning By-law Amendment is being advanced separately in order to cease the further erosion of designated Employment Areas through the establishment of uses more suited to mixed-use corridors or commercial areas, particularly in recognition of the Employment Land deficit facing the Town of Collingwood over the long-term.
Any person may attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment.
If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the Council of the Town of Collingwood to the Ontario Land Tribunal, but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Collingwood before the Zoning By-law Amendment is passed or refused, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.
If a person or a public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the Town of Collingwood before the Zoning By-law Amendment is passed or refused, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.
Please note that the rights of third parties to appeal Zoning By-law Amendment decisions to the Ontario Land Tribunal have been restricted under the Planning Act.
If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Council of the Town of Collingwood on the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment, you must make a written request to Planning Services, Town of Collingwood, P.O. Box 157, Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 3Z5 or via email at nwukasch@collingwood.ca.
For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, contact:
Nathan Wukasch, Senior Planner
nwukasch@collingwood.ca or 705-445-1030 Ext. 3275
Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Additional information and materials regarding the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment are available to the public for inspection: https://www.collingwood.ca/development-growth-economy/growth-planning-development-management-0/proposed-major-developments-4
Note about information you may submit to the Town:
Under the authority of Ontario’s Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), all information including oral and written comments, provided for, or at a public meeting; public consultation; or other public process are considered part of the public record and may be posted on the Town’s website and/or made available to the public including names, addresses, phone numbers, emails or other personal information voluntarily disclosed.
File Number PLZAMA2026243