In 2024, the Town of Caledon approved zoning for roughly 35,000 new homes on 12 parcels, a decision widely described as the rezoning of about 5,000 acres. Two years on, with a new mayor-elect and a busy pipeline of secondary plans, landowners and builders are asking a simple question: what did the rezoning actually do, and what still has to happen before homes are built? This article sets out the public record.
Why Caledon moved
The Town’s own explanation starts with geography and targets. According to the Town of Caledon, about 80 per cent of the municipality is protected by the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine and Niagara Escarpment plans. The Town says it is forecast to need 67,000 new homes by 2051, and it has a provincial Housing Pledge of 13,000 units by 2031.
What was approved and when
On March 26, 2024, Mayor Annette Groves used Strong Mayor powers to direct staff to process the applications. On June 25, 2024, Council approved 11 of the 12 rezoning applications, which together allow for nearly 35,000 units. The twelfth, at 12522 and 12580 Torbram Road (file A7), was approved on July 23, 2024 (Town of Caledon).
The Town lists the files as follows (Town of Caledon):
- A1: RZ 2024-0008
- A2: RZ 2024-0013
- A3: RZ 2023-010
- A4: RZ 2024-0015
- A5: RZ 2024-0009
- A6: RZ 2024-0012
- A7: RZ 2024-0007 (12522 and 12580 Torbram Road)
- A8: RZ 2024-0006
- A9: RZ 2024-0004
- A10: RZ 2024-0014
- A11: RZ 2024-0009
- A12: RZ 2024-0011
Note that the Town’s page lists the same file number for A5 and A11; confirm the correct number with the Town before relying on it.
The Town has also stated that the development charge revenue tied to these lands is estimated at $1.06 billion over 10 years (Town of Caledon).
Rezoning is not the last step
The most common misunderstanding is that rezoned land is ready to build. The Town is explicit that the rest of the planning process still applies, including secondary plans and plans of subdivision (Town of Caledon). Several files were noted as listed as being “in the PARC process”, and the zoning includes holding provisions that require a Council vote to remove (Town of Caledon).
Holding provisions are a standard tool. Under Ontario’s rules, a holding by-law lets a municipality zone land for its ultimate use but delay development until conditions such as servicing are met; the “h” is removed by a further by-law (Ontario.ca). Practically, the zoning sets the destination, but secondary plans, draft plans of subdivision, conditions and servicing determine the timing.
The secondary plan pipeline
Much of the follow-on work is happening through secondary plans for large landowner groups in south Caledon. A few examples from the Town’s application pages:
- Alloa (POPA 2024-0004). About 725 hectares (1,800 acres) bounded by the Highway 413 protection corridor, Chinguacousy Road and Mayfield Road. Council approved it on July 8, 2025; revised community-wide studies and tertiary plan material are under review (Town of Caledon).
- Wildfield Village (POPA 2024-0010). About 355 hectares (877 acres), proposed for approximately 7,600 units and 24,500 people. Approved by Council July 8, 2025, and listed as under appeal (Town of Caledon).
- Healey Gore (POPA 2026-0002). About 40 hectares intended to permit approximately 835 dwellings. Council approved the secondary plan on June 23, 2026; the associated draft plan of subdivision is under review (Town of Caledon).
- Bolton North (POPA 2022-0001). About 178 hectares near Highway 50 and Emil Kolb Parkway. A third submission was received March 3, 2026 and is under review (Town of Caledon).
These secondary plans are not all the same parcels as the 12 rezonings; they show that the broader growth framework is moving through ordinary approvals, with appeal risk in some cases.
A new council
Caledon’s October 2026 municipal election adds a political variable. As reported by The Pointer, Mayor-elect Christina Early won with 8,828 votes (59.9 per cent). She opposed the rezoning of about 5,000 acres for 35,000 homes, but told the publication that the Town could not “simply reverse” approvals for the 12 parcels, and said: “I’m not anti-development.”
The same report says she opposed what she called premature development in Bolton’s North Hill, citing a proposal for 29-storey towers at 12599 and 12563 Highway 50 in the Bolton Major Transit Station Area, and that her first 100 days will focus on the Town’s finances, including the cost of regional roads being transferred to the Town, which she estimated at $30 million to $50 million (The Pointer).
What it means for landowners and builders
- Zoning in place is not a building permit. Expect secondary plans, draft plans, conditions and hold removals.
- Council discretion still matters. Removing holds requires a Council vote, so the composition and priorities of the new council are relevant to timing.
- Appeals can extend timelines, as the Wildfield Village listing shows.
- Infrastructure and finances are central. Development charge revenue and road costs are front of mind for the Town.
- Check the file, not the headline. Use the Town’s file numbers and pages to confirm each parcel’s current status.
The bottom line
The 2024 rezoning set the land-use direction for a significant share of Caledon’s future housing, and the mayor-elect has indicated, per The Pointer, that those approvals cannot simply be reversed. But zoning is one step in a longer process. For anyone holding or considering Caledon development land, the practical questions are where a parcel sits in that sequence and what conditions stand between it and registration.
This article is general information only and is not legal, planning or financial advice. Confirm the status of any property with the municipality and qualified professionals.