Mapping Updates to “Size and Location of Urban Growth Centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe” (2008)

ERO number
019-4647
Notice type
Policy
Act
Places to Grow Act, 2005
Posted by
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Notice stage
Exception
Exception posted
Last updated

This notice is about a decision that was not subject to the normal consultation process. Learn more about the types of notices on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

Exception summary

The Minister has updated mapping for the Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre, the Downtown Milton Urban Growth Centre, and Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre contained in the 2008 policy document “Size and Location of Urban Growth Centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe”. This notice is related to ERO #019-4071.

Why consultation isn't required

Proposed changes to the Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre, Downtown Milton Urban Growth Centre, and Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre were included in consultation on Regional Official Plan Amendment 48 for Halton Region, posted for consultation on the Environmental Registry in August 2021 for 30 days (ERO #019-4071).

The ministry is posting this notice of exception pursuant to subsection 30(1) of the Environmental Bill of Rights as the environmentally significant aspects of the proposal have already been considered in a process of public participation under the Environmental Bill of Rights.

Exception details

A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2019 (A Place to Grow) defines urban growth centres as “existing or emerging downtown areas” shown on Schedule 4 of A Place to Grow and as further identified by the Minister in 2008, in the policy document “Size and Location of Urban Growth Centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe”.

A Place to Grow policy 5.2.2.1 b) provides for the Minister to identify, establish or update the size and location of urban growth centres.

Halton Regional Official Plan Amendment 48 proposed the following changes to the Region’s urban growth centres:

  • to change the location of the Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre to align with the lands in proximity to the Burlington GO Station on Fairview Street, and reduce the total area by approximately 19 hectares;
  • to remove approximately 27 hectares from the Downtown Milton Urban Growth Centre associated with the Sixteen Mile Creek flood plain and a portion of the historic downtown character area; and
  • to remove approximately 14 hectares from the Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre associated with the Sixteen Mile Creek floodplain and a Queen Elizabeth Way right-of-way.

The relocation of the Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre supports the government’s priority to build transit-oriented communities, ensuring people live closer to transit and spend less time commuting. While Burlington’s historic downtown is located in an area along the lakefront centered around Brant Street, the City and Region foresee an emerging downtown area centred around the Burlington GO Station. Given the scale of Schedule 4 of A Place to Grow, this emerging area does not reflect a departure from the location identified in Schedule 4.

Boundary adjustments of the Downtown Milton Urban Growth Centre and Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre remove flood plains and undevelopable lands on the periphery of the urban growth centre boundary that will not contribute to achieving the minimum density target of urban growth centres.

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