The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) has dismissed an appeal from a developer seeking to build a residential subdivision at 3852 Ganaraska Road near Garden Hill.
Following a three-day hearing in September 2024, the Tribunal issued its decision on April 14, 2025, with a corrected version released 10 days later. Snow Owl Woods Holdings Inc., also known as Mistral Land Development Inc., had applied for a zoning by-law amendment and a draft plan of subdivision for the proposed development.
The OLT ruled that it did not have enough evidence to determine whether the proposal would negatively affect a significant natural feature within the Ganaraska Forest’s Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). The decision also found that the applications were not consistent with the 2024 Provincial Policy Statement, which guides land use planning in Ontario.
As a result, the Tribunal dismissed the appeal, halting the proposal for now.
The developer has since filed a Notice of Motion for Leave to Appeal with the Ontario Divisional Court. Under new 2024 Rules of Civil Procedure, such motions are considered in writing by a panel of judges rather than through an in-person hearing. A date for this written review has not yet been scheduled.
The Municipality of Port Hope said it continues to work with its legal team in preparation for the court motion. Updates will be posted to the municipal website as they become available.
Local residents have raised longstanding concerns about the development’s potential impact on aquifers, wetlands, and habitat for species such as the endangered Blanding’s turtle.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
