We have been retained by…

Please see attached PDF for full letter and attachments.

We have been retained by Oakville Green Developments Inc. (hereinafter “OGDI”) to review the proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan for the property bounded by Dundas Street West to the south, Third Line to the west, William Halton Parkway to the north and the Sixteen Mile Creek Tributary to the east in the Town of Oakville (“the OGDI Lands”).

OGDI has active Planning Act application for 1 Million square feet of an integrated Health Sciences and Technology District, representing the first phase of an overall Innovation Hub on the OGDI Lands in the Town. This district is intended to function as a unique employment accelerator focused around the New Oakville Hospital that will provide for an innovative employment community consisting of development that supports the health sciences, engineering and technology sectors, resulting in good paying professional jobs for Ontarians. Figure 1 on the following page provides an overview of the lands subject this application and the overall OGDI Lands. This proposal includes:

• 100,000 square feet of seniors living
• 220,000 square feet of medical centre/office
• 150,000 square feet of hotel and conference centre
• 530,000 square feet of employment hub/innovation building

At full build-out, the District is intended to provide5 Million square feet of space accommodating innovation, incubator, research and technology, professional office, prototyping, long-term care facilities, and hotel and conference centre uses in combination with high density residential uses. This mix of uses ensures the Innovation Hub provides a desirable live-work environment that is compact, complete, and one that will leave a lasting legacy of innovation for future generations and set the framework for future development of the Client’s lands.

To become better informed and exchange comments on the Proposed Amendment 1 (hereinafter “Amendment”) to the Growth Plan, MHBC has attended a number of Regional Workshops hosted by the Province.

Based on our review of the Amendment, it is understood that the Province has introduced policy which permits the consideration of conversion of employment lands to permit non-employment uses such as residential under Policy 2.2.5.10. It is also understood that the definition of Innovation Hubs has been proposed to be deleted.

The OGDI Lands are currently designated employment in the Town of Oakville and Region of Halton Official Plans. This designation restricts the full potential and critical element of a functional innovation hub for the balance of the OGDI Lands, being the complementary residential component. The concern over the interpretation that the addition of residential would constitute a conversion of employment lands to non-employment uses has restricted OGDI’s ability to move forward on the rest of the OGDI Lands.

We are in full support for the new language as provided in Policy 2.2.5.10 and request that it be maintained as part of the final Amendment.

With respect the definition of Innovation Hubs, we recognize that innovation is something we want to archive universally across the province, and we acknowledge that this thrust is being placed in the changes as proposed in the Amendment. Having said this, we see a benefit to maintaining this definition, simply to recognize unique situations like this that can result in employment accelerators that provide good paying jobs to Ontarians. This definition and cluster of employment would also be a strong rationale for conversion outside of a municipal comprehensive review.

We request that the definition for Employment Hubs not be deleted. Further to this, we would also request that as part of Policy 2.2.5.10, the following additional language be added:

Notwithstanding policy 2.2.5.9, until the next municipal comprehensive review, lands within existing employment areas may be converted to a designation that permits non-employment uses or Innovation Hubs provided the conversion would:

a. satisfy the requirements of policy 2.2.5.9 a), d) and e); and
b. maintain a significant number of jobs on those lands.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and hope that our support proposed policy and requested amendments relative to is undertaken.