Simcoe County will continue to work closely with the province to show why its Growth Plan will work, county officials say.

Hours after county councillors approved a 25-year growth plan – which creates a new employment zone along Highway 400 in Innisfil and Bradford West Gwillimbury, and which directs population growth to those municipalities as well as Wasaga Beach and Stayner – the county received a letter from two provincial deputy ministers, Larry Clay in Municipal Affairs and Brad Graham in Public Infrastructure Renewal.

In it, they ask for supporting documentation and rationale for the decisions, as well as for the county’s density targets, of 40 people and jobs per hectare, as opposed to the province’s Places to Grow target of 50.

“It is important for the county to provide an appropriate justification for such alternative targets,” they said. “We would be happy to meet with you further to discuss the proposed alternative targets and the appropriate basis on which these may be considered.”

In a letter dated May 26 but not faxed to the county until late afternoon on May 27, the two senior policymakers asked the county for rationale and a land budget to support proposed populations throughout the area. Places to Grow orders growth be directed to existing settlement areas, to protect agricultural land and natural resources, to make better use of existing municipal services, and to create “complete” communities where people can live, work and play.

The county’s corporate services general manager Rick Newlove said county staff been working closely with the province, both during the growth-management process and since county council approved the growth plan May 27.

The county’s plan will direct how the region will grow and change and directs how the county will upgrade the roads and transportation network as well as encourage economic development in the region.

“We’ve had a number of meetings with the province. There is some documentation they’re requesting, to give the justification behind some of the decisions and issues,” Newlove said.

“Staff have met with the province since council approved the growth plan. We will continue to work with the province at the staff level. More or less, they’re asking us to justify the numbers. I don’t think they’re objecting to what we’re doing and they may modify or change some things.”

The province also took issue with population projections, and the province reserved the right to shift any portion of 40,000 “unallocated” people, as outlined in a January letter to the county, Barrie and Orillia.

County Warden Tony Guergis said he interpreted the letter as good news.

“In three spots, it makes statements they’re looking forward to working with us. There were no statements of us stopping. It was ‘carry on’,” he said.

The letter commended the county for its “efforts to integrate and address the policies of the Growth Plan (for the Greater Golden Horseshoe: Places to Grow), the Greenbelt Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement.”

The bureaucrats also commended the county and its lower-tier municipalities for their hard work, and acknowledged that growth and urban development pose challenges in Simcoe County.

“The province appreciates the challenges that urban development and growth present in Simcoe County, and the importance of balancing these needs with the priority of protecting and preserving environmentally sensitive areas, natural heritage features, water quality and agriculture.”