Amherstburg town council has unanimously adopted a new 30-year growth plan that will guide everything from housing and jobs to environmental protection until 2051. The Official Plan passed at the July 13, 2026 regular council meeting and now heads to the County of Essex for final approval.
Developed with help from Dillon Consulting Limited, the plan lays out how the town will manage an expected population jump from 24,200 to 38,500 people. It projects a need for 4,900 new homes and aims to double local employment from 5,600 to 10,000 jobs.
A key rule in the plan requires at least 30 percent of new housing to be built within existing neighbourhoods instead of on undeveloped land. The document also sets affordability targets: 20 percent of new rentals and 10 percent of new ownership homes should be within reach for lower-income residents.
The plan is Amherstburg’s first major update since 2009. It reflects policies from the County of Essex’s own Official Plan, which received provincial approval in August 2025, and was shaped by years of public open houses, surveys, and talks with Indigenous communities and the Essex Region Conservation Authority.
Council must now send the document to the County of Essex, which has the final say on local plans. Once approved, the town will start updating its zoning rules to match the new policies.
