Northeast Pickering Secondary Plan

What’s the issue?

The City of Pickering is utilizing a procedural bypass to fast-track the proposed 4,356-acre (1,763 ha) urban expansion in the Northeast Pickering (NEP) Secondary Plan. Advancing this proposal prior to completing required studies and planning measures is inconsistent with the Planning Act, the Provincial Planning Statement (2024), and the Durham Regional Official Plan (DROP). The NFU-O is particularly concerned with how this plan threatens the protection of

prime agricultural land and the local environment, introduces significant concerns for flood risk and environmental compliance, presents a significant fiscal risk to Pickering residents, fails to meet regional Official Plan preconditions, and fails to provide for meaningful Indigenous consultation.

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“The lands proposed for this urban expansion consist of Class 1 soil, the highest-quality farmland in the country. Under the Planning Act, prime agricultural lands may only be converted where no reasonable alternatives exist. The Region’s Scenario 4 Growth Management study displays that housing targets can be met through intensification and the build-out of Seaton, confirming that the destruction of this Class 1 soil is not a planning necessity. The city must not approve this expansion without a thorough evaluation of alternative expansion locations that avoid prime agricultural areas and, where avoidance is not possible, consider reasonable alternatives on lower priority agricultural lands in prime agricultural areas, in adherence with the provisions laid out in PPS 2024 Section 2.3.2.1(d).”

Letter to the City of Pickering: National Farmers Union – Ontario requests that you vote NO to the Northeast Pickering Secondary Plan

“Adrian Stocking, president of the National Farmers Union Local 345, said advancing this proposal before completing required studies and planning measures is inconsistent with Ontario’s Planning Act, the Provincial Policy Statement and Durham Region’s official plan . . . He noted the plan preferred by Durham Region staff shows housing targets can be met through intensification and the buildout of Seaton and a thorough evaluation of alternative expansion areas that avoid Prime 1 farmlands is necessary. He said destroying farmland would basically create a population without a means to feed itself and protecting this soil should be “of the highest importance” to council.”

Council pauses decision on plans for new community in northeast Pickering

Our Goals

Our hope is that Pickering city council votes no on the NEP secondary plan to protect Ontario’s finite prime agricultural land, prioritize planning to reduce floods risk impacts, mitigate financial 

impacts on residents, demonstrate efficient use of existing urban lands, and undertake meaningful Indigenous consultation.

Our Actions

• March 2026: Letter is sent to the City Council before the March 30th special council meeting. A previous letter was sent in November of 2025 with the request that the city defer the decision until essential assessment processes were completed. 
• March 2026: Leadership meets with CBC for an interview.
• March 30th 2026: Leadership attends council meeting as delegate
• April 2026: Leadership & staff coordinate with Stop Sprawl Durham to organize next steps, including a conversation about the strategy with Missisaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN)

Updates

• May 2026: Pickering Council approves NEP secondary plan