Request for a Minister’s Zoning Order to facilitate the adaptive reuse of an existing industrial building into an indoor recreational facility in the Town of Milton.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is consulting on a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO).  An MZO, made pursuant to clause 47(1)(a) of the Planning Act, regulates the use of land and the erection, location and use of any building or structure on the land and prevails over the existing municipal zoning by-law to the extent there is any conflict.

The Minister is considering a request from Sussex Strategy Corp Inc. on behalf of 1517579 Ontario Limited to make a Minister’s Zoning Order for the lands at 901 Steeles Avenue East in the Town of Milton.  The site is approximately 3.4 hectares in size and is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Steeles Avenue East and Highway 401.  See link to location map below.

The site is currently occupied by a vacant industrial building and parking lot.  The subject lands are currently designated Employment Area in the Town’s Official Plan and zoned Business Park (M1*49) Zone Special in Zoning By-law 016-2014.

The requested MZO seeks to permit the adaptive reuse of an existing industrial building into a community-serving indoor recreation facility featuring pickleball, padel, yoga and Pilates, together with a complementary restaurant, commercial and retail uses and other non-residential uses associated with the proposed facility.

As well, the requested MZO sets out that Sections 3 (Definitions), 4 (General Provisions), and 5 (Parking and Loading Provisions) of the Zoning By-law would apply and specifically, how lot lines abutting urban reserves are interpreted.

To help ensure decisions are made in a transparent manner and support government priorities, the Ministry is seeking feedback on whether this request should be considered and is seeking additional information from the public and other stakeholders that may help inform a decision. In particular, any potential environmental risks, financial impacts on the municipality or implications for other approved developments and how these can be mitigated.  The site was previously developed and at this time, the Ministry is not aware of any environmental impacts associated with this request. 

This proposal for an MZO is posted for consultation as a “regulation” notice type due to webform template formatting limitations. However, as a result of amendments to section 47 of the Planning Act by Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, which received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025, the proposed MZO, if made, will not be a regulation and will not be filed with the Registrar of Regulations.