Port Colborne, Ontario, is giving residents another chance to weigh in on a major planning document that will shape how the city grows over the next 30 years. The city has launched a second round of public engagement for its New Official Plan, the blueprint that guides everything from where new homes can be built to how the environment is protected.
Residents can drop by two open houses on July 16 and July 22, 2026, at the Vale Health & Wellness Centre at 550 Elizabeth Street. The sessions build on feedback gathered during the first round of input in February 2026.
The New Official Plan will set a long-term vision for managing land use, community growth, infrastructure, and environmental protection through 2056. It replaces the old plan, which was approved in 2013 and last updated in 2017. Under Ontario rules, municipalities must review their official plans at least every 10 years, so the update is overdue.
Chief Planner Erik Acs said the city wants to hear directly from the people who live here. “As we move into this next phase of engagement, we’re looking forward to hearing more from the community,” Acs said. “Resident input helps us shape a plan that reflects what matters most to our community.”
The new plan is also needed because of big changes at the provincial level. Through Bill 23 and the 2024 Provincial Planning Statement, planning authority has shifted from the Niagara Region straight to cities like Port Colborne. That means the city now has to pull together a single, local framework for all future development decisions.
A final version of the plan is set to be finished in August 2026, with a formal public meeting planned for later in July. City council will then review and vote on the document.
Anyone who wants more information or cannot make the open houses can visit the city’s official plan engagement page.
