An update on the total land supply_even more land available for homes and jobs in the ggh

In the first phase of analysis in 2013, Neptis researchers focused on estimating the extent of the “Designated Greenfield Area” (DGA).1 This was land set aside by municipalities in land budgeting exercises to accommodate the population and employment targets allocated by the Province for the period 2006–2031 in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. [...] Components of the land supply in the GGH Figure 2: Unbuilt land supply in the Inner (GTHA) and Outer Rings of the GGH as of 2016 Designated Greenfield Area The Growth Plan defines the Designated Greenfield Area (DGA) as “the area within a settlement area that is not built-up area.”5 The DGA can accommodate up to 60 percent of residential development as well as employment and other uses. [...] The policies involved two key changes: (1) The creation of two strategic settlement employment areas along Highway 400, one in Bradford West Gwillimbury and the other in Innisfil just south of Barrie, as well as the creation of two other employment districts northeast of Barrie.15 (2) The creation of seven primary settlement areas when previously there was only one growth node in the area, the Cit. [...] Photo by Michael Gil The Province’s rationale for the Simcoe exceptions was that the sub-area was “facing intense growth and development pressures” while containing “important environmental assets for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”17 The creation of the primary settlement areas did not add any new land to the urban envelope, but the creation of the strategic settlement employment areas along Highw. [...] The fourth and final amount is in the form of employment areas added to the County of Simcoe through Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan.