Re: Proposed MZOs for…

Re: Proposed MZOs for Midtown Oakville

I am an Oakville resident and I strongly oppose the proposed Minister’s Zoning Orders for Midtown Oakville. These MZOs would unnecessarily override Oakville’s democratically approved planning framework, despite the Town’s full compliance with provincial housing policy and its proven record of delivering growth. Oakville’s Official Plan Amendment 70 (OPA 70) was developed transparently with public input and Council approval, and already permits very high densities by North American standards. There is no justification for imposing a provincial order that disregards this community-supported plan.

The scale and density proposed under these MZOs are excessive and unsupported by infrastructure. Concentrating up to 14,000 residents and 11 high-rise towers on approximately 5 hectares would overwhelm local roads, transit, and services, including the GO station and surrounding arterial routes. The MZOs would also remove affordable housing and community benefit requirements, undermining livability while shifting long-term risk and cost to the public. This proposal prioritizes zoning certainty and land value for the developer, not the public interest.

There is no urgency to justify the use of MZOs. By the proponent’s own timeline, no homes will be delivered before 2031, with full build-out taking decades. This directly contradicts the Province’s stated goal of building homes faster. OPA 70 is a superior alternative: it exceeds provincial density targets, supports transit-oriented growth, can proceed sooner, and allows the Town to adapt to changing market and infrastructure realities.

For these reasons, I strongly oppose the proposed MZOs for Midtown Oakville and urge the Province to withdraw them and proceed with OPA 70 as the responsible, community-supported plan for Midtown’s development. I vote NO to the proposed MZOs!