Official Plan Housing Policies

The Town is updating its Official Plan to provide new and revised housing policies. Updating the Official Plan to include housing policies is an action item identified in the Town’s Housing Strategy and Action Plan. 

A staff report and draft Official Plan policies were presented to Planning and Development Council on September 8, 2025. The draft policies consider and respond to provincial and regional planning documents, and are informed by the Town’s Housing Strategy and Action Plan, and completed Housing Needs Assessment.

Help shape the draft housing policies! See the community engagement opportunities below. 

Background

The Livable Oakville Plan does not currently have a dedicated housing policy section. Historically, housing policies have been maintained in the Halton Region Official Plan. However, as of July 1, 2024, the Halton Region Official Plan is no longer a regional plan and is now a local Official Plan. As part of the broader Official Plan Review, it is the intent to merge the Halton Region Official Plan with the Livable Oakville Plan under one plan. Providing new and updated housing policies will assist in merging the two plans. 

About the Policies

Draft Official Plan Housing Policies

The primary policy change is a new policy section specific to housing in Part C, Section 7 - Housing, in the Livable Oakville Plan. Part C policies apply town-wide and provide the general objectives and policies to direct growth and development decisions in the town.  

The new Section 7 – Housing, includes updated and new housing objectives, as well as policies that respond to the housing objectives under the following headings:

• Supporting Housing Supply and Growth Management
• Developing Livable Complete Communities
• Enhancing Housing Choice
• Encouraging and Protecting Rental Housing
• Supporting Affordability
• Enabling Process Improvements
• Engagement and Collaboration 

The draft policies also make changes to land use policies in Part D, Section 11 – Residential, and Section 12 – Mixed Use. These changes are being made to: 

• Ensure the policies are coordinated with the new Section 7 – Housing 
• Provide technical wording changes to reflect Provincial regulations
• Update land use permissions regarding lodging houses and additional needs housing
• Minor wording updates

Policies in Section 11 Residential that are intended  to protect and enhance the character of existing Residential Areas are maintained in full. 

New and revised definitions are also proposed to be added to the Livable Oakville Plan to be consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement 2024.