The Town of Milton supports…

The Town of Milton supports the Minister’s November 2022 decision regarding ROPA 49 – Halton Region Official Plan, which included an Urban Boundary Expansion. Milton has consistently supported a responsible, sustainable and balanced plan for growth in the long-term to the 2051 planning horizon, in conformity with Provincial policy and guidance.

Milton is one of Ontario’s fastest growing municipalities with a desire is to be a progressive, vibrant and thriving complete community while continuing to protect the over 71 per cent of Milton’s community that consists of the Greenbelt, Natural Heritage Systems and farmland.

Our growth strategy is deliberate by design, and is driven by sound, planning principles with a clear vision to 2051. The growth of our community is a shared vision among our Council, staff, partners, businesses and citizens.

As per the provincial policy and mandates, Milton is committed to intensification and densification of our existing urban structure. To better serve our citizens and to align with A Place to Grow – The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Milton is building complete communities and A Place of Possibility. We are intensifying, developing, and creating 15-minute walkable, accessible, integrated neighbourhoods with jobs, schools, transportation, community services, parks and recreation facilities and a variety of homes that are easily accessed with multi-modal – walking, cycling, bus and GO Transit rail – connections.

Halton Region municipalities are maturing at different stages. Milton is at a different stage of development from both Burlington and Oakville. Both of these municipalities were granted urban boundary expansions over a decade ago and as a result, have already developed to their outer edge. Milton requires the same opportunity and consideration to grow in the right places, with the right uses. We have a strategic growth plan capable of responding to a variety of residential and employment market demands including and especially transit-oriented development.

November 2022 ROPA 49 Minister’s Decision:

The Town has submitted a letter to Chair Carr, Regional Chair, Halton Region, on Nov. 6, 2023, reinforcing the Town’s position that the ROPA 49 November 2022 decision is critical to Milton achieving its strategic growth strategy and meeting our provincial housing targets (Attachment 1).

Milton’s strategic growth plan, endorsed by Milton Council, including critical secondary plan areas, underwent significant public consultation in addition to ROPA 49 consultation, and was developed using sound planning principles and aligned with provincial growth principles that will result in well-planned, transit-oriented communities supported by sustainable local infrastructure.

The November 2022 ROPA 49 Minister’s decision:

• Adheres to the intent of Ontario Government’s Bill 23, that focuses responsibility for land use policies and approvals in the local, lower-tier municipality
• Enables Milton to achieve housing targets set forth by the Province
• Supports the original ‘Preferred Growth Concept” (PCG) recommended by Halton Region staff that was diligently prepared and supported by extensive consultation and in-depth research
• Respects Milton Council’s endorsement of the original recommended PCG to meet Milton’s local planning requirements, as passed at its January 17, 2022 meeting;
• Aligns and supports Milton’s technical planning recommendations that were put forth to Halton Regional Council in February 2022;
• Enables Milton to conform to the Province’s Growth Plan which requires that all land must be identified now in order to accommodate population and employment projections to 2051;
• Closes the 10-year gap that the Region’s Growth Concept restricted in our available employment lands as our current supply would have been at capacity by 2031;
o That is, supports Milton Council’s request for the inclusion of the concurrent delivery of existing designated greenfield areas (Agerton/Trafalgar/Britannia/Milton Education Village) to pre-2031 that ensures Milton has shovel-ready land for innovation/knowledge based job creation in complete community areas, as Milton’s main planned employment area (Derry Green) will be built out by 2031
• Addresses phasing of new designated greenfield areas to ensure a continuous supply of market-based housing beyond 2031; and,
• Achieves the appropriate balance between residential intensification and new greenfield development to 2051.

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe provides that the applicable time horizon for land use planning is 2051, including settlement boundary expansions and the land designated as employment areas.

The November 2022 Minister approved ROPA 49 plans for the quantity of land required to accommodate forecasted growth to 2051, and thereby ensures the availability of sufficient land, in appropriate locations, for a variety of employment to accommodate forecasted employment growth.

The forecasted population and employment growth through 2051 cannot be reasonably accommodated within the existing settlement area boundary. The urban boundary expansion within ROPA 49 ensures Milton’s ability to strategically manage population and employment growth and accommodate sufficient housing supply that reflects market demand and what is needed in the local community. Milton has continually put forth a vision that enables building in the right place at the right time to manage growth effectively. Reversal of such designations risks urban sprawl (conflicting land uses), a planning outcome that Milton does not support.

If changes are introduced to the approved ROPA 49 that revert Milton’s land-use designations or phasing, ROPA 49 will jeopardize Milton’s long-term residential and employment growth.

In the opinion of Milton Staff, ROPA 49 as approved by Halton Region (pre Minister approval) was fundamentally flawed for the following reasons:

The Growth Plan for the GGH provides that the applicable time horizon for land use planning is 2051, including settlement boundary expansions and the land designated as employment areas. Halton Region’s approval of ROPA 49 failed to plan for the quantity of land required to accommodate forecasted growth to the 2051 time horizon; and it failed to ensure the availability of sufficient land, in appropriate locations, for a variety of employment to accommodate forecasted employment growth to the 2051 time horizon.

The “Halton Balanced” Growth Concept approved by Milton Council as set out in Milton Staff Report DS-055-21 (Attachment 2) is consistent with the Minister’s approval of ROPA 49. This report presented the “Halton Balanced” Growth Concept as input into Halton Region’s Official Plan Review. It was supported by a Land Needs Assessment (LNA) undertaken by Malone Given Parsons that conforms to the Provincial Growth Plan and would ensure a balanced ratio of residents to jobs in Milton.

The only discrepancy regarding the Minister’s ROPA 49 decision relates to an area identified as “UA 63 – deferred”. This land is not whitebelt. It is within the Niagara Escarpment Commission area. We understand the owner of the property is attempting to have their lands removed from the NEC. That said, Milton has never contemplated development here and has not undertaken any technical analysis regarding this property. This land is not required for Milton’s 2051 growth.

We trust the above and attached communicates the Town of Milton’s support of the Minister’s November 2022 approval of ROPA 49. Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact:
Jill Hogan, Commissioner, Development Services
Town of Milton
Jill.hogan@milton.ca