Official Plan Review 2024-2026
Bayham Official Plan Review - Shaping Our Future
The Municipality of Bayham is undertaking an Official Plan Review to update the Bayham Official Plan.
The Municipality of Bayham Council adopted a new Official Plan on April 2, 2026. A copy of the Adopted Official Plan and Adopted Schedules/Appendices are available for review.
The Official Plan reflects a community vision for future change and development and outlines in a broad manner the land use and development guidelines and policies for Bayham. Generally, the Municipality of Bayham Official Plan guides growth and development within the urban limits of the hamlet areas.
The current Municipality of Bayham Official Plan was approved in February of 2019. Municipalities are required under Section 26 of the Planning Act to conduct an Official Plan Review every five (5) years to ensure that the Official Plan:
• Is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement 2024;
• Has regard to the matters of provincial interest, and;
• Conforms with the County of Elgin Official Plan.
The purpose of an Official Plan Review is to ensure that policies of the Official Plan are in conformity with provincial and County plans and policies and continue to meet the community’s vision for future change and development.
What does the new Official Plan include?
The Province of Ontario has made significant planning policy and land use changes over the recent years that must be incorporated into Official Plans at the county and municipal level. Further, the County of Elgin received formal approval from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) and came into full force and effect September 3, 2025; to which the new Municipality of Bayham Official Plan must now conform. Therefore, the scope of Bayham’s Official Plan Review process consisted of both a conformity exercise and a revision exercise, which updated the current Official Plan policies by:
• Bringing the new Bayham Official Plan into conformity with the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS 2024).
• Bringing the new Bayham Official Plan into conformity with the new County of Elgin Official Plan (2024)
• Making any additional amendments to the goals and objectives, land use designation policies, mapping, etc. that are in the current Bayham Official Plan, as appropriate.
This Official Plan Review is a municipal-wide initiative and affects all lands within the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Bayham.
How can I get involved and stay informed?
As the new Official Plan has been adopted by the Municipality of Bayham Council, consultation on the Official Plan Review is now closed. Public consultation was undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act. The municipality received written and oral submissions on the Official Plan review. All submissions were given full consideration.
The County of Elgin as the approval authority will review the new Official Plan adopted by the Municipality of Bayham Council and make a final decision.
To receive notice of the decision of the County, any person or public body may make a written request to:
County of Elgin
Attention: Manager of Planning
County of Elgin Administration Building
450 Sunset Drive
St. Thomas ON N5R 5V1
Meetings
A Special Council Meeting was held on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 6:00 PM in the Municipal Council Chambers, 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville to formally initiate the Official Plan Review project, whereby Staff and the consultant team provided an overview of the process, estimated timelines, and future opportunities for participation. See Notice of Special Council Meeting. If you missed the Special Council Meeting, you can watch the recording on Bayham's YouTube Channel and find a copy of the consultant team's PowerPoint Presentation here.
An in-person Open House #1 was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Straffordville Community Centre, 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville to provide an opportunity for the public to suggest revisions to the new Official Plan and offer comments regarding any issues or matters that should be considered during the Official Plan Review process. See Notice of Open House. Please note than an online-virtual option was not available for this Open House, however, please see a copy of the consultant team’s PowerPoint presentation and material presented here. If you did not attend the Open House, you are still encouraged to provide any comments, questions or feedback with respect to the project at any time.
A Special Council Meeting was held on Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 6:00 PM in the Municipal Council Chambers, 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville to provide Council a ‘Progress Report’ with respect to the status of the Official Plan Review project. If you missed the Special Council Meeting, you can watch the recording on Bayham's YouTube Channel and find a copy of the consultant team's Progress Report #1 and PowerPoint Presentation from the consultant team.
A Regular Council Meeting was held on October 17, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Council Chambers, 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville. Following the August 29th Special Council Meeting intended to provide Council a ‘Progress Report’ on the Official Plan Review project, the consultant team prepared a ‘Memo’ in response to the questions and comments received following the Special Council Meeting. If you missed the Regular Council Meeting, you can watch the recording on the Bayham’s YouTube channel and find a copy of the consultant team's Memo here.
A virtual Open House #2 was held on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM via Zoom. See the Notice of Open House. The purpose of the Open House was to provide the public an overview of the First Draft Official Plan, most notably the key changes and/or revisions relative to the current Bayham Official Plan, as well as the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) 2024 and adopted County of Elgin Official Plan. The consultant team provided a presentation, followed by a Discussion Period whereby attendees had the opportunity to ask questions verbally or provide written questions in the Zoom Q & A function. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation can be found here. If you could not attend the Open House, you may watch the recording on Bayham's YouTube Channel
A Statutory Public Meeting was held on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 6:00pm in the Municipal Council Chambers, 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville to present the January 2026 Final Draft Official Plan. If you missed the Special Council Meeting, you can watch the recording on Bayham's YouTube Channel and find a copy of the consultant teams' PowerPoint Presentation.
The public is still encouraged to provide any comments, questions or feedback with respect to the project at any time throughout the process.
Project Milestones
The following provides the project phases to complete the Official Plan Review project:
Phase One – Project Initiation (May 2024) - COMPLETED
The Official Plan Review project is formally initiated by Bayham Council. Staff and the consultant team will provide an overview of the process, estimated timelines, and future opportunities for participation.
Phase Two - Consultation and Policy Review/Analysis - COMPLETED
The Municipality and consultant team will host an in-person Open House for the public, stakeholders, and agencies to provide an initial opportunity for comments on topics or issues that should be considered through the Official Plan Review process. The consultant team will also be available in-person and virtually to consult one-on-one.
Phase Three – First Draft of Official Plan - COMPLETED
The first Draft Official Plan was prepared based on the comments received during consultation, as well as the policy review completed in Phase Two. The Draft Official Plan was presented at an Open House and posted online for additional public, stakeholder, and agency commenting. The consultant team is also available in-person and virtually to consult one-on-one.
Phase Four - Final Draft and Adoption of Official Plan - COMPLETED
Following the commenting period on the first Draft Official Plan, changes to the draft document have been incorporated into the document.
The January 2026 Final Draft Official Plan also incorporated changes and modifications to the County of Elgin Official Plan that affect the Municipality of Bayham.
A Statutory Public Meeting was held on Thursday, March 5, 2026 to present the January 2026 Final Draft Official Plan. The public, stakeholders and agencies were able to provide comment.
The March 2026 Final Draft Official Plan was presented to the Municipality of Bayham Council for adoption on April 2, 2026.
Phase Five - Approval of Official Plan - CURRENT PHASE
Following the adoption of the new Official Plan by the Municipality of Bayham Council, the adopted Official Plan will be sent to the County of Elgin for approval. The County of Elgin, being an upper-tier municipality, is the approval authority for the lower-tier municipality (Bayham) Official Plan.
Appeals
- If a specified person, public body, or registered owner of any land to which the plan would apply would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the County of Elgin 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 Municipality of Bayham before the proposed Bayham Official Plan is adopted, the specified person, public body, or registered owner of any land to which the plan would apply is not entitled to appeal the decision.
- If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Municipality of Bayham before the proposed official plan is adopted, 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 add the person or public body as a party.
Additional Resources
Current Municipality of Bayham Official Plan
County of Elgin Official Plan Review