Northumberland Next: Official Plan Update

We are updating the Northumberland County Official Plan to guide growth and development in Northumberland over the next 30 years. These updates align with Provincial legislation that requires municipalities to review and update their Official Plan every few years.

Current Provincial forecasts indicate that the population for Northumberland County will grow to 122,000 people and 44,000 jobs by the year 2051. As part of the Official Plan update, we will be reviewing the maps and policies in the current Official Plan, and will undertake a series of amendments to update the Plan to ensure that the County and its member municipalities are prepared for the forecasted growth.

About Northumberland Next

Our vision: To manage growth for a complete and thriving Northumberland over the next 30 years.

The public engagement objectives for Northumberland Next are to:

1. Inform residents of the process for updating the Northumberland County Official Plan
2. Gather public input on land use planning priorities for Northumberland County as we plan for future growth and development
3. Gather resident and stakeholder feedback about topics for review in the County's Official Plan

Consultation launched in the fall of 2018 with public meetings about the first amendment planned as part of this process: the Natural Heritage System amendment. On October 28, 2020, the County hosted a virtual public meeting to provide an overview of the overall Northumberland Next process.

Topics under review

(Complete)(In Progress)(In Progress)

Consultations

The updated Official Plan is being developed in consultation with the local area municipalities and community partners, and through consultation with the public, including public meetings and online input through Join In Northumberland. Opportunities for public engagement are ongoing.

Projects in progress

• Growth Management
  • The project team will present the first of two amendments for consideration by the Economic Development, Tourism and Land Use Planning Committee on March 5, 2025. For more information about these amendments, visit our Growth Management page.
• Agricultural mapping
  • We hosted open houses in summer 2022 to review the proposed mapping and policy updates and to gather input from the community. This amendment is still in progress. For more information, visit our Agricultural Mapping page.

Stay in the loop

• Join our email distribution list for updates about the project and opportunities to provide your feedback. Click 'subscribe' under the 'Stay Informed' box.
• Attend our upcoming consultations for more information and to provide your feedback on the topics for review.