I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my serious concern regarding the proposed Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) for the Midtown Oakville area.

The central challenge facing the Greater Toronto Area is not simply housing supply, but housing affordability and suitability. The GTA already contains a significant number of vacant condominium units that are unaffordable to most residents and poorly aligned with local housing needs. Proposals that primarily add very tall, investor-oriented condominium towers have proven ineffective at delivering affordable, family-oriented, or complete-community housing. Exempting these developments from inclusionary zoning and community benefit requirements further undermines claims that they serve the public interest. If affordability is an objective, removing the very tools designed to secure affordable units is counterproductive.

The use of extraordinary planning powers is also not justified by urgency. The proponent’s own timelines indicate that construction would not meaningfully proceed before 2030, with build-out extending decades beyond. This does not address near-term housing pressures. Instead, the primary effect of these MZOs appears to be locking in speculative land value under outdated market assumptions, rather than delivering affordable housing.

The proposed scale of development, with multiple high-rise towers, represents an extreme level of density that far exceeds what existing and planned infrastructure was designed to support. There is no publicly available, comprehensive analysis demonstrating sufficient capacity for water supply, wastewater / solid waste treatment, stormwater management, or electricity. Nor is there evidence of adequate capacity for schools, healthcare, childcare, or emergency services. Proceeding without this information exposes the municipality and residents to environmental risk, service degradation, and long-term public costs.

High-density development of this magnitude also raises unresolved environmental concerns, including increased energy demand, urban heat island effects, stormwater runoff, and cumulative environmental impacts. These risks require transparent assessment and mitigation through proper planning processes, not exemption through MZOs.

Transportation and traffic impacts remain inadequately addressed. Although described as transit-oriented, the proposal would concentrate an unprecedented population density in an area already constrained by local road networks, the QEW, and a heavily used GO station. There is no demonstrated commitment that transit capacity, active transportation infrastructure, or road improvements will be delivered in advance of, or proportionate to, the proposed density. Without appropriate sequencing, congestion, safety risks, and spillover impacts are inevitable.

Oakville has already undertaken extensive, transparent planning through Official Plan Amendment 70, developed with public consultation, technical review, and Council approval, and aligned with provincial policy. The use of MZOs in this context represents an unnecessary override of local democratic processes. By exempting the project from zoning standards and municipal oversight, the MZOs eliminate the Town’s ability to adapt development over time in response to infrastructure limits, environmental realities, and changing housing needs.

Given the lack of municipal support, the absence of demonstrated capacity for infrastructure, schools, and healthcare, unresolved environmental concerns, and the availability of OPA 70 as a viable, approved, and deliverable alternative, I urge the Province to withdraw these proposed MZOs.