Nethery Planning

05/22/2026

You know it’s going to be a great project when the kickoff meeting starts with local donuts. 🍩

The Nethery Planning team is officially partnering with the City of London on ReThink Zoning—a major refresh of London's Zoning By-law No. Z-1. The City staff very wisely set the tone for our first in-person session with some incredible treats from Boxcar Donuts (https://boxcardonuts.ca/).

Zoning by-laws are the unsung heroes of municipal development. Most people never read them, yet everyone interacts with them constantly. From backyard garden suites to major infill projects, absolutely everything runs through them. Getting it right matters, and we are thrilled to be digging into the weeds alongside London’s fantastic team.

The Nethery squad on this one: Joe Nethery, Michelle Diplock, RPP, Raida Chowdhury, Diana Vasu, and Olga Bea Kwak—partnering with Chris Hardwicke of Agent Urban, who is leading the charge on validation and urban design.

There is plenty more to come as the project ramps up! Follow along for future updates at http://www.getinvolved.london.ca/rethink-zoning.

05/15/2026

Big news at Nethery—our team just got two people strong.

Welcome, Jennifer Freckleton!

Jennifer joins us as a Planning Technician, fresh out of Mohawk College’s planning
program. She brings strong skills in GIS, CAD, and Adobe Creative Suite, along with a
thoughtful analytical approach that will support our growing technical and graphic design needs. We’re excited to see her contributions take shape across a range of projects.

Welcome, Bryn McConvey!

Our newest Planning Assistant, Bryn joins us with valuable experience from placements in Ottawa and with Halton Region. As a co-op student from Waterloo, he’ll be providing support across the firm this semester and is already hitting the ground running.

Welcome aboard, Jennifer and Bryn—we're lucky to have you both helping us build better communities.

Please note our office will be closed on Monday for the statutory holiday. Wishing everyone a happy, restful long weekend, and we’ll be back to work Tuesday.

05/08/2026

Pretty cool to see our work with with the Township of Wilmot and Township of Wellesley featured in this week's Novae Res Urbis GTHA edition!

Both Townships are out ahead of the curve with new draft Official Plans—their first in over 20 years for Wilmot, and the first since 2015 for Wellesley. The big idea? Future-proofing. We worked to align both plans with the standardization Bill 98 is bringing, so these smaller municipalities aren't stuck redoing expensive plans every few years. As Michelle Diplock, RPP put it, the downloading of regional planning authority is a real opportunity to build something "Made for Wilmot."

Huge shoutout to Michelle and Emily Stanley, RPP MCIP! Emily's background work in Wellesley made the case for settlement boundary expansions to support both employment and housing growth, and Michelle's been driving the broader policy approach across both projects.

These are 25-year plans. Protecting farmland and natural systems while planning for real community growth is a tough balance. It's the kind of work we love being part of. 🤝

View the full article here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458579351542915072

Posted with permission of the publisher of NRU Publishing Inc. Original article first appeared in Novae Res Urbis GTHA, Vol. 29, No. 18, Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

05/01/2026

Quickly on the heels of our recent team changes, Nethery Planning is expanding once again. Please join us in giving a very warm welcome to our newest team member and celebrating an extension with a familiar face!

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, Diana Vasu!

Diana joins us as our newest 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫. With a deep passion for using planning policies and legislation to build strong, resilient communities, she is a fantastic addition to our firm. Diana is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph, building on an impressive academic foundation with both a Bachelor and Master of Arts in English from Brock University. We can’t wait to see the fresh perspectives she brings to our projects.

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤, Asad Tauseef!

We are also incredibly happy to share that Asad is returning to us for another semester! As he continues to grow with the firm, his role has evolved to better reflect his contributions and skills. We’re excited to announce that Asad has transitioned into his new title of 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭 (formerly Data Support).

Welcome to the team, Diana, and welcome back, Asad! We are so proud to have you both with us as we continue to shape vibrant communities.

04/24/2026

A week of celebrating the Nethery team.

April 22 was Administrative Professionals Day, and we want to shout out 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭, our Manager of Business Operations! She's the reason Joe's calendar and inbox haven't fully imploded, and the person quietly building the systems that keep our remote team on track. We'd be lost without her.

Also worth marking — gala season:
Bea Kwak at the WE HBA Gala Awards
Joe Nethery, Michelle Diplock, RPP, and Emily Stanley, RPP MCIP at the GH HBA President's Dinner & Awards Gala

Cheers to the home building community and to the people behind the scenes making it all run.

04/17/2026

Change is in the air this spring! We are saying a few bittersweet goodbyes to some valued members of our team.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐨, Joe’s very first hire here at Nethery Planning, is wrapping up his time with the firm and heading off to a new role with the Township of West Lincoln. We’ll miss him, full stop—but we wish him the happiest of trails in his future at the Township.

If you aren’t already reading Marcus's Substack, 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐎𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨, consider this your nudge to subscribe: https://urbanismontario.substack.com/

We are also bidding a fond farewell to our fantastic planning assistants, 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐠 and 𝐗𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚, as they finish their placements. But good news! Xavier will still be working with us as a freelancer throughout the summer. Before Jenna jumps into their next chapter, they are heading off for a well-deserved summer holiday in Europe! ✈️

• 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 will be joining the team at the 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐚𝐤𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 upon their return. We’re so proud of the work they contributed during their time with us.
• 𝐗𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 is contemplating his next adventures, which include heading back to school in the fall.

Thank you, Marcus, Jenna, and Xavier, for your hard work and dedication.

We’re better for having had you on our team.

Best of luck to you all. Onward! 🤝

04/10/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 🏛️✨

The landscape of Ontario planning is shifting. With the proposed Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026, the mandate is clear: Official Plans (OPs) need to be shorter, easier to navigate, and more permissive to get homes built faster.

At 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, we aren't waiting for the legislation to pass—we’re already doing the work.

Our approach to the 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 and the 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 are prime examples of how we are bridging the gap between old complexities and new standards:

• 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: We are currently merging the Township of Wellesley OP and the former Regional OP into a single, comprehensive roadmap to 2051. No more jumping between documents to find a policy.
• 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭: Planning shouldn’t be a puzzle. We focus on "punchy" summaries and clear mapping that residents and developers can actually understand.
• 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: Our work on Background Studies—from commercial needs to residential growth—focuses on creating "complete communities" that align with the new 2024 Provincial Planning Statement.
• 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Long before a formal "Special Meeting," we’ve been on the ground in Wellesley with one-on-one conversations and interactive mapping to ensure community trust is the foundation of the plan.

The "new approach" isn't just about changing the rules; it’s about changing the experience. We make planning accessible, transparent, and—dare we say—a little bit fun.

If you've seen the ERO letter, you know there are major changes coming to official plan formats. We are pleased to see that much of what is embedded into our plans will now be the new standard.

You can see our work in action in the just released draft OPs for Wellesley and Wilmot:

https://www.engagewr.ca/official-plan

https://www.engagewr.ca/new-wilmot-official-plan

04/08/2026

In case you missed it, we’re hosting a special FREE lunch-and-learn webinar on the new Build Canada Homes federal initiative on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 12 PM (ET). There’s still time to sign up and attend!

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 🏠

Join us on Thursday, April 9 at 12 PM ET for a special 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 lunch-and-learn webinar on the new 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 federal initiative.

The B*H initiative presents a significant opportunity for municipalities and development partners—but navigating the application process requires a clear understanding of expectations, requirements, and timing.

In this session, we’ll walk through how Nethery Planning can support you in assessing eligibility and preparing a strong, submission-ready proposal.

What you’ll learn:

✅ How to assess whether your project aligns with B*H criteria

✅ What a strong submission looks like

✅ How Nethery Planning can support your submission from start to finish

Register Here 👉 https://www.netheryplanning.ca/webinars/build-canada-homes?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=socials&utm_campaign=B*H_webinar1&utm_id=B*H0426

04/02/2026

Today we’re shining a spotlight on the recent great community-focused work happening on the private side of our development practice.

🛟𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞

Just this week, we submitted an emergency planning application to help a client avoid a $𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

We went from initial meeting ➡️ project discussion ➡️ application submission—all within 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.

A true team effort:

Jen Chandler (PJR and sustainability brief), Costa (urban design brief), Emily Stanley (confirmed fees at the counter at 8:30 AM, helping avoid a significant cost increase), Bea Kwak (coordinated application materials), with strategic input from Joe Nethery and Denise Landry.

🤝 Huge thanks to everyone involved.

📍 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

We supported this project through site plan approval for new on‑farm experiences, including overnight stays, wedding ceremony spaces, and outdoor farm‑to‑table dining—all designed to complement and strengthen the existing agricultural operations.

📍𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐃𝐔

This project involved a lot line adjustment and minor variances to enable an 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭 in Haldimand County.

The result supports ❇️gentle❇️ intensification, helping bring family closer together while creating opportunities for aging in place.

📍 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐰𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥 (𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐞 (𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥)

In Mildmay, we secured a zoning by-law amendment to allow the expansion of an existing sawmill operation onto a newly acquired property—now approved.

In Glen Erie, we obtained site plan approval for a fourth bunkhouse on an active farm property, supporting seasonal workers needed for expanded agricultural operation—also approved.

We love getting wins for our clients—and helping move great projects forward.

Wishing you and your teams a happy long weekend. Our office will be closed Friday, April 3, and we’ll be back Monday morning to connect on your next project.

04/02/2026

The Township of Wilmot’s Draft Official Plan is now available for review.

Delivering an Official Plan in today’s rapidly evolving legislative environment is no small feat. This work reflects a thoughtful, collaborative approach to shaping growth to 2051.

We’re proud to be part of projects that help communities plan with confidence for the future.

Take a look and get involved in the upcoming engagement sessions.

Our draft Official Plan is now available for review!

Developed with your input, this plan will guide growth in to the year 2051.

Share your feedback on the draft plan at the following events:
💬 Community Meeting, April 15
💬 Open House, April 28
💬 Public Meeting, May 21

You can also register for a one-on-one call on April 15 to discuss how the Official Plan relates to your property. Email [email protected] for more information.

Review the plan and find event details: https://www.engagewr.ca/new-wilmot-official-plan

03/27/2026

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 🏠

Join us on Thursday, April 9 at 12 PM ET for a special 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 lunch-and-learn webinar on the new 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 federal initiative.

The B*H initiative presents a significant opportunity for municipalities and development partners—but navigating the application process requires a clear understanding of expectations, requirements, and timing.

In this session, we’ll walk through how Nethery Planning can support you in assessing eligibility and preparing a strong, submission-ready proposal.

What you’ll learn:

✅ How to assess whether your project aligns with B*H criteria

✅ What a strong submission looks like

✅ How Nethery Planning can support your submission from start to finish

Register Here 👉 https://www.netheryplanning.ca/webinars/build-canada-homes?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=socials&utm_campaign=B*H_webinar1&utm_id=B*H0426