In a disappointing result at Halton Region council today, ROPA49 passed 17-7. This vote is in direct contrast to previous Region staff reports as well as a majority of Halton’s municipalities initial recommendations.
Politics took over the planning process and Milton now faces huge challenges in economic development in the coming years. Milton residents have been working on our vision for the last ten years & this decision puts at risk our vision for a complete community.
Despite the fact Halton Hills council unanimously supported the previous version of the Region staff report & Milton council had a majority of support, our local voices have not been heard.
Disappointed isn’t a strong enough of a word.
With this new updated ROPA49 plan, Milton will lose roughly 17,000 jobs. Jobs that the people of this town are counting on as we continue to grow. By adding a 10 year delay also puts at risk the financial health of not only Milton, but Halton Region as well.
Over the last ten years, Milton residents have been consulted and provided input in our official plan review through many face to face and virtual consultations. They have stated quite clearly the community they want to build.
They want local job opportunities to match the needs of our highly educated population. They don’t want to spend hours commuting on highways to get to work. They want to live, work, learn and play in their hometown. Milton has so much to provide when it comes to amenities like parks and green spaces and a variety of housing options to meet the needs of our growing community. They want access to post secondary education via the Milton Education Village and the Laurier / Conestoga College campuses that are going to be constructed. They want a place where entrepreneurs can grow, be innovative in new technologies and planetary health. They want walkable neighbourhoods with a focus on active transportation and less of a reliance on the vehicle.
This is the balanced plan the Town of Milton presented to Halton Region, supported by the majority of Milton Council. This was the plan Halton Region was going to move forward with.
Then politics took over. Special interest groups decided that advancement of a complete community the residents support wasn’t what they wanted so, things began to change under the guise of “saving farmland”. Misinformation and strong lobbying as we approach the next municipal election took over.
So after Region staff presented a plan to council that had been accepted by the halton municipalities, a last minute motion supported by Oakville and a majority of Burlington councillors, added a 10 year delay for any expansion to the urban boundary. Did the plan affect their municipalities? No. The majority of not all the growth was to happen north of the 407 in Halton Hills and Milton. Both of our municipalities approved of the changes and made plans for balanced growth and economic development.
Enter the politics and special interest groups talking about saving the farmland, most of which is protected and won’t be developed. The areas of urban boundary expansion are not farmed for food on our tables. The land is already owned by developers with secondary plans in place and isn’t farmed for food on our tables.
The narrative delivered by the many delegates, most of which do not reside in Halton Region and have lobbied other areas for the same unfounded reasons, took over. It’s an election year … don’t think I need to say more.
This official plan which has been a couple of years in the making to bring Miltons vision to a reality was sidetracked and now puts both the town and indeed Halton Regions finances and future at risk.
A lot needs to be done at Halton Region going forward. The growth plans moved by both Milton and Halton Hills has been ignored by our colleagues to the south … all based on the fact they hold more votes. So instead of supporting each other’s local autonomy, special interests and self interests took over.
Then today the Region entertained a number potential changes to include in the official plan, including a last minute resolution backed by Oakville – piecemeal development … different only because it been fitted Oakville as we enter the election campaign. One Oakville councillor who had concerns with it, asked our staff if there was away he could show he was against the resolution but still support the overall changes that would impede Halton Hills and Milton. Ya, no politics there at all.
Even a minor change to the urban boundary here in the industrial park of Milton came under fire from special interests and some opposition from Oakville councillors even though Region staff had given its approval.
The fight for Milton isn’t over. There are other avenues and options to look at to ensure Milton’s and Halton Hills voices are heard. Piecemeal planning based on politics is never a good thing. Good planning makes better communities and we’ll keep working to ensure a Milton’s vision becomes a reality as we move forward in building a complete community.