The Municipality is undertaking a review of the current Development Plan (By-law No. 5-2016). As part of this review, we are accepting re-designation requests from any property owner that wishes to change the designation of their property. We are offering two different types of re-designation request applications:

Option 1: Regular Re-Designation Application

Cost: $2,000.00

The standard application process to change a designation of land. For example, a property can request to change their designation from Agriculture to Rural Living.

Option 2: S.W.A.P. Re-Designation Application

Cost: $1,000.00 

“Switch With Another Property” or “S.W.A.P.” requires property owners to propose a designation “switch” with another property owner. This application requires that at least two (2) properties and their owners apply together to have their properties switch designations. For example, a property can request to change their designation from Agriculture to Rural Living, if they find another property that wants to change their designation from Rural Living to Agriculture.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)

How do I apply?

Go to the Planning & Development Department page on our website and there are two subpages to apply online: 1) Regular Re-Designation Application Form and S.W.A.P. Re-Designation Application Form. Please contact the Planning Department if you wish to submit a paper application.

Is there an application deadline?

Yes, the deadline for both application types is on November 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm.

What if I need to change something in my application?

Contact the Planning Department to change your application prior to the deadline (November 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm.) They may be able to change something after the deadline, but it will be at their discretion.

Who will be reviewing my application?

The Planning Department will review all applications and prepare a report to Council for their review. The Department will also contact Provincial Departments to do a preliminary review and will include those comments as part of their report to Council. Council will decide whether to accept or reject a re-designation request before sending the final draft of the Development Plan to the Province for their review and approval.

What if I want to apply for the "SWAP" application, but cannot find another property owner to switch with?

The Planning Department will assist property owners to find and contact other property owners to apply for an application together. Please note that the Department will not contact property owners for each other, as it is the responsibility of the property owners to contact one another and complete the application.

Once I have submitted an application, when will I know if it has been approved or not?

The Planning Department will contact each Applicant to inform them if their application has been approved or not. This may take several months to a year, as both the Municipality and the Province has to review these requests before the entire draft Development Plan is approved.

Why is the cost of a "SWAP" application less than the Regular application?

The re-designation fee, for when the Municipality is not reviewing their Development Plan, is $3,000.00. The "Regular Re-designation Application" fee is reduced to $2,000.00, as the Municipality and the Province will be reviewing all applications as a group as opposed to one application at a time. These fees are put towards reviews of several Municipal and Provincial Staff, advertising costs for required public hearings, preparing reports to Council and providing information and assistance to the public.

The "SWAP Re-Designation Application" is less than the Regular Application as a way to incentivize property owners to switch designations with another property.   This alternative type of re-designation may be more likely to be approved by all levels of government as it is not increasing or decreasing specific types of land designations. 

Will there be a public hearing for the Development Plan Review?

Yes, there will be at minimum one public hearing, and potential more than one, as part of the process to amend the Development Plan.