Trails Master Plan Update

With a focus on off-road, multi-use trails, our Trails Master Plan provides a framework for creating a dynamic, integrated trail system and establishes a priority plan for trail location and development.

On this page

Online survey now open

Fill out our online survey to share your thoughts on Haldimand trails and help shape the Trails Master Plan update. The survey is open until August 31, 2025. 

Take the survey today!

Overview of the Trails Master Plan update

Haldimand County is updating the 2009 Trails Plan and Partnership Guide (PDF), in its commitment to continued improvement and expansion of the multi-use trails network within Haldimand and surrounding areas. The project aims to:

  • Adapt to and plan for the considerable changes to how residents and visitors of Haldimand County experience and explore trails. 
  • Respond to community growth/development by providing enhanced trails as a leading asset that supports a high degree of quality of life and community connectivity.
  • Providing more robust opportunities for recreation and exercise, as well as a means of getting to and from one’s destination.
  • Providing an updated blueprint for trail planning, design and improvement for Haldimand and its partners for the next 10+ years. 
  • To establish a trail system that reflects modern needs, best practices, and community values while also setting the municipality up for future coordination and collaboration.

Existing trail systems

Explore our interactive map of Haldimand's existing trail systems. 

View the trails map

To provide a comment or concern regarding current trails within Haldimand County, please contact trails@haldimandcounty.ca.

Timeline and status

Haldimand County has retained Lees+Associates and a supporting consulting team to assist staff in a comprehensive review and update of the document. The project was initiated in June 2025 and is anticipated to be completed by the beginning of 2026. 

Timeline: June to the end of July 2025

Phase purpose:

  • Review existing policies and plans, and review best practices
  • Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  • Identify the master plan vision and principles

Timeline: August to October 2025

Phase purpose:

  • Identify and confirm the proposed trail network
  • Recommend trail classifications and design solutions
  • Identify implementation phasing, costing, and timelines
  • Prepare trail planning strategies

Timeline: November 2025 to January 2026

Phase purpose:

  • Prepare the master plan report
  • Present to Council for adoption

Engagement opportunities

Community pop-ups

Find us at community events to learn more about the project, and provide feedback and ideas to help better Haldimand's trail systems

. We will be at the following locations: 

Look out for additional dates during Phase 2 in October 2025. 

Online survey

Your input will help us better understand how trails are currently used and ideas for making them even better. The survey will be open until August 31, 2025.

Take the survey

Trails Advisory Committee meetings

  • July 14, 2025, at 4 p.m., Haldimand County Administrative Building
  • September 10, 2025, at p.m., Haldimand County Administrative Building

Frequently asked questions

A Trails Master Plan is a long-term planning document that is adopted by Haldimand to guide how trails are planned, design, constructed and maintained. It is developed to reflect the current state of trails in Haldimand County while also considering what the future could look like with new trail connections, programs and partnerships.

The Trails Master Plan Update is being developed for the whole of Haldimand County, including rural, semi-urban, suburban and growing areas. It will consider connections into surrounding areas and municipalities, as well as links to the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Trails are unique in that they typically accommodate various types of recreational and day-to-day travel uses. Within the context of this plan, the primary focus is on accessibility, pedestrian and cycling uses. Consideration will also be given to other recreational opportunities, including but not limited to waterway connections, ATVs, snowmobiles, equestrian, with a focus on how to best manage users in a safe, comfortable and enjoyable manner.

The Plan is not intended to be a commitment to construction but a blueprint to guide opportunities that could be constructed in the future. Once adopted, the Plan will be implemented through the typical municipal capital and operational planning processes, with opportunities to explore on a year-by-year basis, depending on annual budgets and capacity.

Contact information

For any questions or additional comments regarding this project, please contact one of the project representatives noted below. 

Haldimand County Contact

Shannon VanDalen
Manager, Planning & Development
905-318-5923 ext. 6339
svandalen@haldimandcounty.ca

Consultant Contact

Amanda Gebhardt
Practice Lead, Lees+Associates
548-279-2932
agebhardt@elac.ca 

Not all project documents may be accessible to all users. If you require any special accommodation to access the project information or online material, please email accessibility@haldimandcounty.on.ca and we will work together to best share the information with you.

Contact Us

Haldimand County
53 Thorburn Street South
Cayuga, Ontario
Canada, N0A 1E0

Phone: 905-318-5932

After hours (Road, Sewer, Water or Park & Public Facilities Emergencies): 1-888-849-7345

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