Planning

Schedule A - Settlement Patterns

Schedule B - Port Severn Land Use Designation

Schedule C - MacTier Land Use Designation

Schedule D - Honey Harbour Area

Schedule E - Go Home Bay Coastal Waterfront Community

Schedule F - Six Mile Lake Inland Waterfront Community

Schedule F-1 - Six Mile Lake Inland Waterfront Community: Natural Constraints

Schedule G - Cognashene Coastal Waterfront: Special Policy Areas

Schedule G-1 - Cognashene Coastal Waterfront: Environmental Features

Schedule H - Wah Wah Taysee Coastal Waterfront Community

Schedule I - Palisade Bay/East Bone Island Coastal Waterfront Community

Schedule J - Transportation

Schedule J-1 - Transportation Port Severn/Honey Harbour

Appendix 1 - Species At Risk Screen Checklist

Appendix 2 - Terms of Reference for Water Quality Impact Assessment

Appendix 3 - Projected Population, Households and Employment

Appendix 4 - Provincially Significant Wetlands

Appendix 4 - Part 2

Appendix 4 - Part 3

Appendix 5 - Muskoka Heritage Areas

Appendix 6 - Other Wetlands

Appendix 7 - Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest

Appendix 8 - Fish Habitat

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 1)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 2)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 3)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 4)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 5)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 6)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 7)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 8)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 9)

Appendix 9 - Colonial Bird Nesting Habitat (Map 10)

Appendix 10 - Mineral Aggregate Resources

Each distinct community has a Master Plan with Design Guidelines. Viewed together, these plans act as strategic blueprints for community growth and help us assess development applications and proposals.

• Honey Harbour Master Plan and Design Guidelines
• MacTier Master Plan and Design Guidelines
• Port Severn Master Plan and Design Guidelines

• Schedule A - Key Map
• Schedule A - Maps 1-50
• Schedule A - Maps 51-100
• Schedule A - Maps 101-154
• Schedule B - Port Severn and MacTier Maps
• Schedule C - Trent Severn Waterway Map
• Schedule D - Zoning Diagrams

• Appendix A - Lands Potentially Subject to 178.9 Minimum Opening Elevation (Maps 1 to 4)
• Appendix B - Highly Sensitive and Over Threshold Lakes
• Appendix C - By-law 2007-88
• Appendix D - By-law 2008-49
• Appendix E - By-law 2009-80
• Appendix F - By-law 2014-15
• Appendix G - By-law 2006-74

Prior to applying for a building permit or submitting a Planning Act application (i.e., minor variance), you are encouraged to take part in the Township’s Pre-Application Consultation process.

Through this process, Planning Staff will review your development proposal for compliance with the Zoning By-law and conformity with the District of Muskoka and Township Official Plans. Staff may involve representatives from various Township departments and/or external agencies. The purpose of this process is to provide applicants with a detailed memo identifying issues of non-compliance, applicable provisions and policies, required Planning Act application(s) and/or approvals, and to confirm the supporting materials (i.e., site plan, environmental impact study, etc.) that must be submitted with an application for it to be deemed complete. For more complex development proposals, an in-person or virtual meeting will be arranged prior to staff providing a written memo. Pre-Application Consultation Requests are reviewed in order of receipt. The comments generated from the Pre-Application Consultation process do not constitute an approval nor reflect the position of the Township regarding a development proposal.

Pre-Application Consultation Form

Consent is one of the methods in Ontario to divide land. The Consent process shall generally be used where four or fewer lots are being created. This process may also be used to grant other interests in land such as: boundary adjustments and easements. For more information, refer to the Consent Information Guide.

A Deeming By-law deems areas of land to no longer be part of a registered plan of subdivision. This type of by-law allows certain lots, or parts of lots, on a plan of subdivision to merge. View our Deeming By-law Application for details and fees.

The Minor Variance Application process is a means to seek relief through the Committee of Adjustment when a building or structure cannot conform exactly to the requirements of the Zoning By-law. This process may also be used to rectify an existing non-compliant situation. For more information, refer to the Minor Variance Information Guide.

If your development plans do not conform with the Township's Official Plan, you will need to apply for an Official Plan Amendment.

You are encouraged to take part in our Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) process prior to submitting a Site Plan Approval Application. Site plan control is a tool under section 41 of the Planning Act which enables a municipality to exercise site-specific controls over development. Refer to section I.5 of the Township's Official Plan for details.

Site Plan Control By-law 2025-045

A Zoning By-law Amendment (or a Rezoning) is a public planning process utilized by those who want to use or develop their property in a way that is not permitted by the Zoning By-law and may not qualify for a Minor Variance. For more information, refer to the Zoning By-law Amendment Information Guide.

Applicable fees are identified on the corresponding application form(s) and in Appendix "J" of the Township's Fees and Charges By-law 2025-010.

Payment can be made one of the following ways:

1. In-person via cheque, debit, or credit card
2. Online: https://forms.gbtownship.ca/Payment-Processing-Form
3. E-transfer

There is a 2.5% service charge when making payment with a credit card.

To make an e-transfer:

1. Send to payment@gbtownship.ca
2. A security question is required, and all answers need to be sent in a separate email to payment@gbtownship.ca which shall include the following details:

• Application type
• Applicant name
• Property address and roll number

A minimum deposit of $2,000 is required for most Planning Act applications. This deposit is refunded to the applicant once the application is closed—that is, when all fees have been paid and no invoices remain outstanding.

If you choose to withdraw your application, a refund may be issued depending on the stage of the application process, as outlined below: 

• Application created but not yet reviewed by Planner - 75% of Application Fee 
• Reviewed but withdrawn prior to circulation distribution - 50% of Application Fee 
• Withdrawn prior to preparation of Staff Report or Agreement - 25% of Application Fee 

Note: Any application which has been withdrawn, or inactive (no material progress as determined by staff) for more than 12 months, shall be considered abandoned. A full application fee at the current rate shall be required to re-activate a withdrawn or abandoned application as a new application.