THUNDER BAY — Changes to the official plan and zoning by-law governing land use in unorganized townships near Thunder Bay are raising eyebrows among some rural property owners.
The Lakehead Rural Planning Board oversees development in Gorham Township, Ware Township and Dawson Road Lots 1 to 20, east of the Kaministiquia River.
In the 25 years between 1997 and 2022, a total of 200 new lots were created in those areas.
But under the draft of a new official plan, between now and 2048 only 40 new lots would be permitted.
"This is an area of 120,000 acres or more. It's kind of ridiculous to give only that amount of severances. I would say it's crazy," said Gorham resident Steve Josephson.
He was one of about 100 residents who attended an open house held by the LRPB at Gorham and Ware Public School on June 5.
"All the busing is in place, the hydro is in place, the road infrastructure is in place, and people would put in their own septic systems and everything, so that's not an issue. So I don't understand why they're doing that."
David Wellwood, senior planner with JL Richards – a company hired by the planning board to prepare the new guidelines – said it was done with consideration of background information provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, other provincial ministries, the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, Fort William First Nation, and the LRPB.
He told Newswatch the 40-lot cap on severances is based on a review of available population and demographic statistics, and the Ministry of Finance's population projections for the Thunder Bay district as a whole.
The population of Gorham, Ware and Dawson Road Lots is projected to increase from an estimated 2,077 in 2021 to 2,468 in 2048, while the number of households is expected to grow by 166, reaching a total of 1,011.
Since there are already 128 vacant residential parcels in the planning area, the draft plan proposes that a maximum of 40 new lots will be required through severance.
Josephson, however, feels this approach is unfair, and that it will raise costs.
He said that while the province is "kind of dictating" development restrictions, it also talks about the need for affordable housing.
"Basically this is gonna be a supply and demand thing. The fewer lots there are, of course the property is going to go up in value. They're going to ask for more money."
Josephson said he's heard from other residents who would like to sever some of their property "for their kids, either to give it to them or give it at a discounted price to them, or to give their grandchildren a break."
Kerri Reid, secretary-treasurer of the LRPB, said the severance allocation was the main focus of residents who attended the recent public meeting.
She said the board is obligated to abide by the objectives set out in the Provincial Planning Statement issued in 2024.
"We're not actually supposed to allow severances in unincorporated or unorganized areas. So we're proposing 40 new lots over 25 years...Obviously that's our consultants trying to come up with a best-case scenario where the government then reviews it, and could say 'no' completely, but we are trying to justify at least 40 lots with the study that we did."
Reid suggested the provincial guidelines are largely based on the diminishing land supply in southern Ontario.
"They're trying to build 'up' rather than 'out,' she said. "It's sort of misrepresented for our area in those policy documents because we do have the room to grow. But we don't have the services, so they don't like that there are no service expansions planned, and they want to really drive development to the areas that already can support it."
The draft plan also provides for the continuation and expansion of the 29 existing gravel pits and rock quarries in Gorham and Ware, and for the introduction of new ones.
"The Planning Board shall have regard for the importance of the aggregate industry in Gorham and Ware Townships. The planning area represents an important source of aggregate, being the prime source of construction aggregate for the City of Thunder Bay, and for public road work throughout the area," it states.
