Norcross to employ strong mayor powers to push through OPA 5
Updated June 11, 2026
Mayor Richard Norcross will invoke Ontario's strong-mayor powers Monday night to force a council vote on the stalled Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 5, but leaves Beeton out as a "deferral" until after the October 2026 elections.
It's the route to conformity with Simcoe County's provincially approved OPA 7 which guides growth through to 2051
New Tecumseth's population and employment forecasts are approximately 80,000 people and 31,000 jobs by 2051. OPA 5 sets out how that growth will unfold, and where.
As directed by the Province, Alliston is designated the high growth area with most of the population, and employment lands. Tottenham is also pegged for growth.
One of the requirements of the strong mayor powers is to provide notice and explain why it should be approved. He needs one-third of council support to pass the bylaw. As New Tecumseth has 10 councillors, four in favour votes, including the mayor's, is the threshold.
In this case, Norcross reasons council's lack of support for different components of the plan, especially around Beeton.
"Council did not adopt the recommendations of professional planning staff for growth across the Alliston, Tottenham and Beeton Settlement Areas," according to the preamble. "Neither did Council adopt an alternative motion to restrict future growth to the Alliston Settlement Area only. There is a compromise between those that support the recommendations of professional planning staff and those who want to restrict growth to the Alliston Settlement Area only."
Norcross suggests that recent list of provincial priority projects in New Tecumseth - including Mattamy/Cappuccitti, and Previn Court in Beeton, to name a couple - will be separate from the Town's OP.
"The ERO posting by the Province related to its “Priority Projects,” is clear that any growth that may be imposed by the Province is separate and apart from any growth that is required under COPA No.7 and subsequently OPA No.5."
Norcross suggests there's "general consensus among Council that the policies (i.e. text) of OPA No.5 that manage long term growth and moves the municipality to conformity with the Provincial Policy Statement 2024 are in the best interest of the municipality and should move ahead"
"There is general consensus among Council that growth in the Alliston Settlement Area is appropriate and should move ahead. Growth in the Tottenham Settlement Area as recommended by professional planning staff represents a logical progression of the urban area and is supported by the Ward Councillor for Tottenham.
There is no consensus on the role that Beeton will play in the Town’s growth requirements and requires greater thought, study and conversation to arrive at decision that considers the thoughts of Beeton residents and the needs of the entire Town. A decision on Beeton growth should be deferred until as soon as practical after January 1, 2027."
The largest expansion is proposed in Alliston, where new residential and employment lands would be added to the community's northern and western edges. The plan also adds employment lands to support future industrial, warehousing, logistics and manufacturing uses, reflecting the town's role as one of Simcoe County's major employment centres. The amendment redesignates and expands lands around the existing urban boundary and requires future servicing, transportation and environmental studies before development can proceed.
Tottenham would also expand beyond its current urban boundary through lands identified as Special Study Area 1, creating room for future residential growth contiguous with existing neighbourhoods. Development in both communities would be phased and linked to water, wastewater, transportation and stormwater infrastructure.
If approved Monday, the bylaw would establish density targets of 55 people and jobs per developable hectare, set a 40-per-cent intensification target and provide the planning framework for managing growth in Alliston and Tottenham over the next quarter century.
Regardless, two major factors will continue to temper growth pressures in New Tecumseth. The first, is the lack of water capacity to service the OPA. A new plant under construction in Collingwood is at least three years away from completion. However, in the past few months, Honda's decision to indefinitely suspend its $15 billion expansion in Alliston, will have a negative drag on the plans.
Click to read the draft OPA 5 https://shorturl.at/IKz4S
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