"Richmond Hill Official Plan Growth Update" - Official Plan Update Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026 - 1:30 p.m. - City of Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill City Council discussed its 10-year Official Plan update, OPA 18.9, a citywide policy review intended to bring the plan into line with provincial legislation and growth forecasts to 2051. Much of the discussion focused on how the city can accommodate growth along transit corridors while preserving employment lands under tighter provincial rules. Councillors also examined a request tied to a proposed private school at 9835 Leslie Street, where provincial policy now bars “sensitive uses” such as schools from employment areas.

Topics Discussed

REZONING FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITY: Clear View Education Holdings is seeking to include 9835 Leslie Street, the Monroe House property, within the Leslie Street Institutional Area to allow a bilingual school. Founder Jane Pang told council there is local demand, saying, “15% of our 150 families we serve in North York commute daily from Richmond Hill to attend our program.” Staff said the request conflicts with recent provincial changes because “the school’s considered a sensitive use” and the province now excludes “sensitive uses from employment areas.”

EMPLOYMENT LAND RESTRICTIONS: Staff said the Official Plan update must conform with new provincial definitions that narrow what can be designated as employment land. Michael Skelly said the city’s objective is “to really best position ourselves to remain economically competitive as well as to maintain our employment lands for the long term while conforming to the new provincial legislative and policy requirements.” The update proposes a new “business commercial” designation for office and retail areas that no longer fit the provincial employment definition. The chair said protecting employment lands matters not only for jobs but for taxation, stating, “the more we draw from that property class, the lower the burden on the residential property class.”

DENSITY IN TRANSIT CORRIDORS: Staff said increased height and density are being directed to Protected Major Transit Station Areas, noting that “the areas where we have increased height and density generally correspond to the location of the PMTSA boundaries.” Councillor Shu pressed staff on how average floor space index targets translate into tower form, asking, “If the FSI in average is 3.1 but the buildings go to 40 stories how many buildings could be built there?” Staff replied that population projections are spread across corridors over time and are not expected to materialize all at once in one location.

POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS: Council discussed how the city’s long-range growth forecasts compare with current local trends. Staff said the projections shown in the plan are maximums and reflect both provincial policy and existing development pressures. In response to questions about whether all projected growth could occur in the same area, staff said, “we are anticipating growth spread out,” adding that the ultimate population number will likely exceed earlier figures because permissions are distributed across multiple corridors and sites.

PERMITTED USES IN EMPLOYMENT AREAS: Councillors questioned what uses could still be allowed outside protected employment lands and within mixed-use designations. Staff said “hotels, convention centers, banquet facilities” could potentially be located in the regional mixed-use corridor. Another councillor asked whether some uses currently permitted in employment areas could also be allowed in mixed-use corridors, reflecting concern about how the city balances flexibility with the need to preserve scarce employment land.

Motions

Passed: - Motion to receive and advance Official Plan Amendment 18.9 for the next stage of the update and public consultation. - OPA 61 was referenced as the previously adopted amendment protecting lawfully established uses in employment areas under the new provincial framework.

Attendees

• Deputy Mayor Chan
• Councillor Shu
• Councillor Davidson
• Councillor Leu
• Phoebe Chow, Manager of Policy
• Michael Skelly, Senior Planner