The Public is invited to participate in a Public Meeting before City Council to consider proposed Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, and a Draft Plan of Subdivision for the area known as the Central Avenue Development Lands on: Monday, September 15, at 6:30 p.m.

How to participate:

Submit written comments, by emailing Planning Services, no later than September 11th. Please quote the file number, PROJ-01-2026, in your submission. 

Participate online using Microsoft Teams. Online participants must register by the end of the day on September 11th. Please email Planning Services to register.

Attend in person, by visiting Council Chambers on the 3rd Floor of City Hall (500 Donald St. E.).

Watch live from home by visiting thunderbay.ca/watchcouncil or tuning in to Shaw Spotlight Channel 10, BlueCurve Channel 105 or TBayTel TV Channel 110.

Lands subject to the applications

The subject lands make up the project area for the Central Avenue Development Lands. The project area includes land between Central Avenue, Golf Links Road and Balmoral Street, as shown on this key map.

The subject lands are not subject to any other application under the Planning Act at this time.

Purpose and effect of the applications

The purpose of the City-initiated Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, and Draft Plan of Subdivision is to establish the planning framework for the future development of a complete urban neighbourhood on the subject lands.

The proposed amendments would redesignate and rezone land within the project area to permit a mix of residential, neighbourhood commercial, community, recreation, park, open space, and stormwater management uses.

The proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision would update the existing City owned lot and road layout to create new public roads and pedestrian connections, blocks for municipal parkland, open space, trails, and stormwater management facilities, and development blocks for future residential and neighbourhood commercial development.

If approved, the effect of the applications would be to establish:

  • new public street allowances
  • new public parkland, open space, and stormwater management blocks zoned CM – Community Zone
  • City-owned residential development blocks zoned UL – Urban Low-rise Zone, UM – Urban Mid-rise Zone, and UMSP118 – Urban Mid-rise Zone with site-specific provision 118 (increased height to 35 metres)
  • City-owned neighbourhood commercial development blocks zoned NCSP117 – Neighbourhood Commercial Zone with site-specific provision 117 (increased height to 25 metres)
  • Establish new land use designations and zoning for existing privately owned land within the project area
  • Establish holding provisions required to support development

The plan would also support the extension of full urban municipal services into the area, including sanitary and storm sewers, watermains, roads, curbs, sidewalks, trails, street lighting, and boulevard improvements including street trees.

Most privately owned parcels are proposed to be zoned for low-rise residential development, while two privately owned parcels are proposed to be designated and zoned for neighbourhood commercial uses.

View the proposed Official Plan Map, Zoning Map, Draft Plan of Subdivision, and a summary list of the changes made to the proposed amendments since the previous Notice of Application.

Additional information

Additional information and material about this application is currently available on the City’s Get Involved website and upon request by emailing Planning Services.

The report and proposed amendments that will be considered at the public meeting will be made available for viewing on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 on the online Council Agenda.

If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Thunder Bay City Council on the proposed Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment and Plan of Subdivision, you must submit a written request to Planning Services.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this notice or require accessible accommodations or materials, please contact Planning Services.

Right to appeal

Please note that the rights of third parties to appeal decisions to the Ontario Land Tribunal have been restricted under the Planning Act. Only the applicant, the Minister, specified persons, public bodies, and registered owners of lands to which the by-law, official plan amendment, or draft plan of subdivision apply and who make oral submissions at the public meeting or written submissions to the City before the by-law is passed, official plan amendment is adopted, or draft plan of subdivision is approved, will be able to appeal the decision of the City of Thunder Bay to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the City of Thunder Bay to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Thunder Bay before the by-law is passed, official plan amendment is adopted, or draft plan of subdivision is approved, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the City of Thunder Bay before the by-law is passed, official plan amendment is adopted, or draft plan of subdivision is approved, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

Notice of Collection

Copies of all comments will be forwarded to City Council. The City of Thunder Bay collects personal information for the purpose of administering consultation process for planning applications. This collection is authorized under the Planning Act, 1990, s. 17(15), 34, 45, 51 and 53. The information provided will be used to evaluate for planning applications. Information collected, including your submission will form part of the public record. For more information about this collection of personal information, including access and collection, please contact Development Services at 111 Syndicate Ave S., 2nd Floor Civic Centre, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7C 5K4, Telephone: 807-62-BUILD (28453).