The City of Sault Ste. Marie is providing notice that the Rural Estate Subdivision Intake Window will open on June 1, 2026.
In April 2026, City Council adopted Official Plan Amendment 259, which replaced the longstanding prohibition on rural estate residential subdivisions with a managed framework permitting limited rural estate subdivisions on a controlled, quota-based system. The Intake Window is the entry point to that framework.
Stage 1: Intake Window
The Intake Window opens on June 1, 2026 and closes on September 1, 2026. During this period, prospective applicants may submit concept proposals to the Planning Division.
Concept proposals are not required to include detailed engineering or technical studies. They should, however, contain enough information for staff to evaluate the proposal against the published must-pass criteria and scoring criteria, including the proposed location, lot and road layout, relationship to surrounding land uses, and identification of natural features, hazards, and constraints.
Key parameters for the 2026/2027 cycle:
- Annual lot quota: 40 lots.
- Per-application cap (where two or more eligible proposals are received): 40% of the annual quota.
- Locations excluded: Primary Aggregate Resource Areas, Precambrian Uplands Area, and other areas under existing planning studies.
Pre-consultation with Planning Division staff is strongly recommended before submission.
After the Intake Window closes, staff will review and score concept proposals against the Intake Window Scoring Criteria. Applicants will be notified of the outcome in writing in about one month’s time from when the Intake Window closes.
Stage 2: Invitation to Submit a Draft Plan of Subdivision
Concept proposals that rank highest and are within the available annual quota will receive an invitation to submit a formal Draft Plan of Subdivision application under the Planning Act.
Invited applicants have 12 months from the date of invitation to file a complete Draft Plan of Subdivision application. Limited extensions may be granted where legitimate reasons are demonstrated. If a complete application is not filed within the invitation period and no extension is granted, the invitation expires and the applicant must reapply through a future Intake Window.
Submissions and Inquiries
Questions and concept submissions can be sent to Jonathan Kircal (j.kircal@cityssm.on.ca, 705-759-6227).
Intake Window Scoring Criteria
General Scoring Criteria | ||
Criteria Stream | Evaluation Considerations | Scoring |
Land Use Compatibility | Adequate separation from incompatible or potentially noxious land uses, such as industrial uses, aggregate operations, livestock facilities, railways, and other major facilities. | 0 to 5 |
Natural Heritage | Avoids or on a preliminary basis can minimize impacts to natural heritage features and adjacent lands, including wetlands, fish habitat, significant wildlife habitat, woodlands, and related ecological functions. | 0 to 5 |
Natural Hazards | Outside of, or on a preliminary basis can appropriately address, natural and built hazards such as floodplains, steep slopes, unstable land, mining hazards, and other physical constraints. | 0 to 5 |
Subdivision Layout | The subdivision is laid out in an efficient manner that maximizes the overall parcel fabric and minimizes excess linear infrastructure (i.e. roads). | 0 to 5 |
Overall Policy Alignment | Supports orderly rural development, avoids fragmented strip development, and does not undermine the City’s broader urban-first growth strategy.
Demonstrates consistency with the Provincial Planning Statement, conformity with the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, and the Official Plan. | 0 to 5 |
Scoring Legend | ||
Score | Description | |
0 | Unacceptable. Proposal does not advance. | |
1 | Major revisions or additional studies required. | |
2 | Significant mitigation required. | |
3 | Meets minimum expectations. | |
4 | Strong. | |
5 | Excellent. | |