Section B POLICY REVIEW

The community improvement plan aligns with the following provincial and municipal policy direction:

B.1 Planning Act - Provincial Interest

Section 2 of the Planning Act outlines the specific areas that are deemed to be of Provincial interest in planning matters. It is these area that inform the Provincial Policy Statement, and that municipalities must “have regard to” when making planning decisions, including adopting a community improvement plan. This CIP will have regard to the following matters of Provincial interest:

• The conversion of features of significant architec-ture, cultural, historical, archaeological or scientific interest (Section 2(h));

• The orderly development of safe and healthy com-munities (Section 2(h));

• The adequate provision and distribution of edu-cational, health, social, cultural and recreational facilities (Section 2(i));

• The adequate provision of a full range of housing, including affordable housing (Section 2(j));

• The adequate provision of employment opportuni-ties (Section 2(k));

• The protection of public health and safety (Section 2(0);

• The appropriate location of growth and develop-ment (Section 2(p)):

• The promotion of development that is designed to be sustainable, to support public transit and to be oriented to pedestrians (Section 2(q)); and,

be sustainable, to support public transit and to be oriented to pedestrians (Section 2(q)); and,

• The promotion of built form that is well-designed, encourages a sense of place, and provides for public spaces that are of high quality, safe, accessible, attractive and vibrant (Section 2(r)).

B.2 Provincial Policy Statement

Part 2 of the Planning Act requires that, “decisions affecting planning matters shall be consistent with policy statements issued under the Act”. These policy statements are consolidated in most recent version of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020, which came into effect May 1, 2020.

The policy direction that aligns with the direction of this CIP include:

• Supporting the long-term economic prosperity by maintaining and, where possible, enhancing the vitality and viability of downtowns and mainstreets (Section 1.7.1 (d)).

• Encouraging a sense of place, by promoting well-designed built form and cultural planning, and by conserving features that help define character, including built heritage resources and cultural heri-tage landscapes (1.7.1(e));

• Promoting the redevelopment of brownfield sites (1.7.1(f));

• Providing an appropriate range and mix of housing options and densities required to meet projected requirements of current and future residents of the regional market area (Section 1.4.1);

• Promoting healthy, active communities by planning public streets, spaces and facilities to be safe, meet