The Stouffville GO Station connects the community to the wider region. Planning more homes and jobs near the station allows more people to benefit from this existing investment.

Growth near transit can:

• provide more housing choices for young people, families and older adults;
• support local shops, restaurants and services by bringing more customers within walking distance;
• make transit more convenient and well-used;
• reduce the need to drive for every trip;
• create opportunities for improved streets, parks, trails and public spaces; and
• direct growth to an appropriate location while protecting rural and environmentally sensitive lands.

Planning ahead also gives the Town and community a stronger role in shaping growth instead of considering each development proposal separately.

A Block Plan is a long-term planning and design framework for an area made up of multiple properties. It looks beyond individual sites to show how the entire area can work together.

The Stouffville GO MTSA Block Plan will examine opportunities and constraints across the MTSA, and provide direction for:

• land uses, including housing, commercial and employment uses;
• building locations, heights and forms;
• transitions to existing neighbourhoods and the historic Main Street;
• streets, pedestrian routes and cycling connections;
• access to the GO station;
• parks, trails and other public spaces;
• floodplain and environmental features, including the Stouffville Creek;
• infrastructure needs;
• the future of larger public and institutional properties; and
• how development may take place in phases over time.

The Block Plan will guide future planning decisions and landowner initiated development applications. It will not approve a specific development or mean that construction will begin immediately.

The Block Plan will be coordinated with related Town initiatives, including the Downtown Heritage Conservation District Study, the Comprehensive Zoning By-law and Town-wide Urban Design Guideline Update, the Downtown Revitalization project and the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan.

The Stouffville GO MTSA is planned to achieve a minimum density of 150 people and jobs per hectare, as directed by provincial policy.

This is a combined measure of the number of residents and jobs across the entire MTSA. It does not mean that every property will have the same density or type of development. Some areas may accommodate more growth, while others may require a more sensitive approach because of heritage, environmental conditions, existing neighbourhoods or infrastructure.

The Block Plan will explore how this target can be achieved through an appropriate mix of housing, employment and other uses.

Phase 1: Understanding the Area

The project team will review existing conditions, previous studies, current policies and infrastructure information. Discussions will also be held with Town staff, agencies, and other stakeholders.

Phase 2: Building a Shared Vision

The Town will ask the community what matters most as the area grows. Residents, businesses and stakeholders will be invited to share their priorities for housing, mobility, heritage, public spaces and the future of the Stouffville GO Station area.

Phase 3: Exploring the Options

The project team will prepare different Block Plan options. Maps, diagrams and three-dimensional images will help show what each option could look like and explain its benefits and trade-offs.

Phase 4: Choosing a Direction

The community will be invited to review and comment on the Block Plan options through an open house and online survey. This feedback, together with technical analysis and agency input, will help identify the preferred Block Plan direction.

Phase 5: Completing the Block Plan

The preferred Block Plan will be prepared and refined based on public, stakeholder, agency and Council feedback. The Final Block Plan will be presented to Council for consideration, which is anticipated in June 2027.