I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) lands in Midtown Oakville, particularly as it relates to the scale of high-rise development being contemplated.

First, traffic conditions are already extremely heavy during peak commute hours, especially on Trafalgar Road and Cornwall Road. Anyone who regularly travels through this area knows that AM and PM rush hour congestion is already near capacity, with long delays, frequent bottlenecks, and limited road alternatives. Adding thousands of new residential units—especially high-rise towers—will significantly increase local vehicle trips and further strain an already overloaded corridor.

Second, I do not believe it is realistic to assume that “most residents will commute by GO Transit.” While transit use should be encouraged, the idea that a large majority of people living in these towers will rely on GO Transit as their primary mode of transportation is wishful thinking. Daily life involves far more than a single downtown commute: grocery trips, school drop-offs, medical appointments, and travel across Oakville and the region—many of which are not realistically served by transit.

In fact, if the plan truly expects most residents to rely on transit, why are these buildings still being designed with significant parking built in? The inclusion of extensive parking confirms that many residents will still own and use cars, which means the Province and local agencies must plan for the traffic reality rather than rely on optimistic assumptions that do not reflect how people actually live.

Most importantly, no such intensification should proceed until the current road infrastructure is updated to handle not only future growth, but the already heavy traffic that exists today. The transportation network in Midtown is already strained, and approving major new high-rise development before addressing these deficiencies will worsen congestion and reduce quality of life for the entire community.

At a minimum, infrastructure improvements should be completed before any major high-rise development begins, including:

An Eight Line and Chartwell Road connection over the QEW (an overpass is a must), to provide meaningful east-west relief and alternative routes.

Reopening the old Maplegrove CN rail crossing to Royal Windsor Drive, so residents living south of the Ford plant have a practical option to avoid the Trafalgar/Cornwall bottleneck and reduce pressure on already congested roads.

Ontario needs thoughtful, balanced growth, but this proposal risks overwhelming Midtown’s road system and lowering overall livability. I urge the Province to reconsider the scale and intensity of the Midtown Oakville TOC lands and ensure that major transportation infrastructure upgrades are completed in advance, not after congestion and gridlock become even worse.