milton ontario – Page 2

Living In Milton – We Want To Hear From You

May 25, 2022May 30, 2022Mike Cluett

The Town of Milton is asking residents of Milton to take part in a discussion for “Living In Milton” policy to address important community issues from today until June 8th.

The discussion will look at the following topics – affordability and housing choices, climate change, history & culture, parks & recreation, places of worship, rural living, urban design & youth.

Here is the link for you to sign up and participate in the survey.

There are a series of videos you will find on Let’s Talk Milton that provide more detail on what we are looking for. All feedback received will be complied into a report to be presented to council for June 20, 2022.

This hasn’t been an overnight effort to get to this point. Our council has been working on this plan for the last few years, consulting with businesses & residents alike to hear what you need and want for the future of this town. We are surrounded by some amazing amenities and live a wonderful quality of life and we want to make it better.

This council and future ones need to hear from you on what the best direction forward is going to be. We’ve done a good job so far getting to this point but strong leadership is going to be needed to move forward and not get left behind. This is where your input is so valued.

In addition to finalizing our official plan, we need to ensure going forward this council continues making the investments needed in infrastructure and the delivery of services to make sure the quality of life in Milton improves.

The decisions that will be made going forward regarding future growth, economic development, the environment and the delivery of services to the residents of Milton will have a long term impact on our future prosperity and the ability to become the complete community we desire to be.

We want to hear from you!

Over the last 4 years, I along with other members of both Town and Regional council have been working through literally thousands of pages of documents on growth plans, where we are growing, how to grow, what to build, who to build for, and what we want our community to look like in the next 30 years. To say its been exhausting would be an understatement. Hundreds of hours of consultation with the public, staff, consultants and councillors has occurred over the last 3 years and we are reaching the end of our official plan review and soon be able to set the course for the future.

You’ve told me that you want walkable communities, the ability to live and work in town, better transit connectivity, and access to services provided by the town and region. Im confident that the course we are on is the best one for not only us, but for our children to provide them with a complete community where they can live, work, play, learn and raise their family in comfort and sustainability.

Please register online to Let’s Talk Milton and have your say. As always, Im available for comments via this site, my social media or simply pick up the phone and call/text/WhatsApp me.

I’ll see you at the doors.

Milton’s Future Growth Plans At Risk

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022Mike Cluett

I would just like to express my disappointment at the Mayor of Oakville’s comments in his recent email newsletter about working on a motion to limit the expansion of the urban boundary that will put at risk Milton’s ability to grow into a complete community.

Halton Region yesterday had a workshop that lasted several hours where Halton planners answered many questions brought forward by my colleagues around the table coming to the conclusion that the only option to move forward on is minimal expansion to the urban boundary.

For the last 10 plus years, Milton residents have worked on a vision they wanted for our town. There has been in person consultations, Milton’s Vision report and a lot of discussion on Lets Talk Milton about what we want Milton to be in the coming years.

Without expansion of the urban boundary, it puts at risk our long term economic development plans and bringing jobs for residents to live, work and learn in our community. A majority of Milton Town Council along with a majority of our Halton Region Councillors agree with the urban boundary expansion.

The sole Milton voice at Halton Region that opposes our vision that we have built is Councillor Best. He feels that all we need to do is “drive around town” and see that we have enough space for development out to 2051. This is a completely uninformed analysis based on anecdotal evidence. He ignores the numerous Region & Town of Milton’s studies and Land Needs Assessments that have come to the conclusion that no urban boundary expansion will work.

The next meeting of Halton Region council will be on February 16th where this and possibly other motions will be entertained to delay the submission for our official plan. If we don’t meet this deadline, there are chances where the province will step in and plan our growth without our plan.

This cannot happen. Its not about saving farmland as they might say…its simply about politics. Let Milton control its own growth and not have outside forces dictate to us what kind of community we should be. We already know what kind we want…a complete community.

Approval for Milton 13 Elementary School Announced Today

February 7, 2022February 7, 2022Mike Cluett

Happy to be in attendance this morning for the announcement for the green light Milton 13 Elementary School for the Halton District School Board. In the middle of one of the next developments in Milton, we are excited to see progress in the approval of new schools. From now until completion we are looking at at least 2 years and lots of work left to do, but this is the first step into more spaces for students as well as much needed child care spaces for our growing community.

“Young families are moving to Milton and they need child care & access to it. This is another school in Milton that will have child care spaces available for parents.”

As I mentioned today in my remarks, one of the top issues Milton is facing is schools for our young people, both elementary and secondary and the quality of their educational experience. We at the town/regional level will continue to advocate to the province for faster approvals on schools so we can begin to make a dent in the number of schools needed and reduce our dependence on portables. For example one of our high schools now has 60 portables and some students need to be bused to other areas in the region for their education. This isn’t the way it should be done.

We’re currently in the process of approving our master plans for development both at the local and regional levels and we must adapt to the Provincial Growth Plan which is saying we need to be able to accommodate 1.1 million people and 500,000 jobs, not to mentioned growth in others areas of the GTA.

That alone is a tough challenge but it won’t be possible without more schools to be built. While todays announcement is another good first step, we need to have a commitment from the Province of Ontario to accelerate approving much needed infrastructure for Milton, like schools and increased transit funding, so we can meet those growth targets and not have students left behind with a sub standard educational experience and a never ending parade of portables.

(Photos courtesy of YourTV Halton News / FM101 Milton)

With Minister Lecce, MPP Parm Gill, Trustee Heather Gerrits, Mayor Krantz, Trustee Donna Danielli & yours truly.

Milton Council Endorses Halton Growth Plan

January 21, 2022January 21, 2022Mike Cluett

I, along with a number of my council colleagues from Milton and Oakville received an email from a resident who was confused about what might happen should Halton Region council not move forward with a growth plan strategy that staff at many levels has said is NOT compliant with the Provincial Growth Plan.

If you have concerns about potentially allowing Queens Park to direct Milton and Halton’s future growth to 2051, please let me know and email mike.cluett@milton.ca

Mayors and Councillors of Halton Region:

After listening to Milton’s town council meeting and Oakville’s town council meeting on January 18, 2022, I was left confused on some issues and would appreciate a definitive answer.

It is my understanding that even if the majority of the regional councillors on February 9, 2022 reject this proposal, the provincial government has the authority to take the decision into their own hands. If this is true I assume that this could give them the authority to:

– approve this proposal as is regardless of the regions decision OR Could there possibly be a worse scenario where they take control over our planning of our region and they decide where and how our future development will occur to meet their provincial targets?

If this second scenario is possible, are we willing to take that risk?

Again, if my understanding of this process is correct, the province has given the region targets that must be met so whether we like it or not, Milton is going to grow! I would much rather see it grow under the Region’s and Municipalities’ control and planning than that of the Provincial government!

Here is my response:

Thanks for your email. The answer to your question is yes. The province is requiring all municipalities in Ontario during this process to submit plans that will comply with the provincial Growth Plan.

We have been told many times and despite a unanimous motion from Halton Region Council earlier last year asking for a time extension, the province which is ultimately the approving body has said the time limit will not be extended in no uncertain terms.

Do we like that we have to plan out until 2051? Not at all. We’d prefer to keep the timeframe shorter because things change with technology and innovation etc but we simply don’t have that option available to us.

Milton Council presented what we call the balanced approach where we are setting aside enough land to accommodate development as the provincial growth plan has said over 1.1 million people are set to come to Halton. We need to make sure we’re planning properly to deal with that amount of people and more importantly the jobs they will require.

What we don’t want is to have that many people here and not be able to have enough economic development and jobs to avoid the problem we have now, gridlock on roads from people travelling daily over an hour to get to work.

In Milton we are building a world class education facility and village with Laurie University and Conestoga College. Business follows education as do people. If we don’t have a wide variety of inventory of housing available along with the jobs we’re going to be adding to climate change in a negative way.

Halton Hills unanimously approved their plan along with Milton with a very strong majority of support. All the growth in this plan will be in Halton Hills and Milton with minimal expansion in Oakville and relatively none in Burlington.

Halton wants a Halton solution made. Milton and Halton Hills want a made in Halton plan and not one written by Queens Park. This will happen if we don’t comply with the growth plan. Our staff many times has said that the land we have available will NOT accommodate growth last 2031.

There are concerns about sprawl and that will happen if we try to piece in intensification in our current boundary. This means more traffic in neighbourhoods, the loss of park space and the loss of opportunities for community centres and less walkable neighbourhoods with super high towers. Sprawl happens when here is bad planning. For example Milton is planning on building more housing options to provide people with the choices they need for more affordable housing. We’re planning smart and not trying to cram the round peg through the square hole.

We need a variety of housing options like single family homes, townhouses, stacked townhouses, mid rise and high rise -condo and rental – to give people options based on the market and family sizes.

I hope all regional councillors will see the benefit of the balanced growth plan see this is a way to comply with the provincial growth plan and help Halton Hills and Milton grow the way that we want. Milton for example has worked with our citizens for well over 10 years plus on a vision for our community – a complete community.

If this plan doesn’t get approved it will out that vision at risk and just simply add to the sprawl that isn’t wanted and head us on a course of being a bedroom and unsustainable community.

Again, if this plan is sent to the province and it doesn’t comply with the provincial growth plan, it will be rejected and either sent back and costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars to Re do or fight legally or simply the province will say, ok here’s OUR plan with no flexibility and a loss of opportunities, jobs and the loss of us making a community that the people want.

There is a lot of rhetoric out there from some councillors and special interest groups that can and will be dispelled by the facts. I hope in our meeting on February 9th the facts will be seen and we can move forward in Halton’s growth in building sustainable communities in all four municipalities.

Please let me know if you have any questions and I’d be happy to speak with you more.

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.

Be safe and take care.

Mike

Outdoor Skating in Milton

January 10, 2022January 10, 2022Mike Cluett

I had a chance to read a letter to the editor from a resident talking about how Milton needs a “real outdoor skating rink.” I happen to agree.

Here’s a link to the letter from Inside Halton – Milton Canadian Champion

EMMA:63194067 — *Image of Rotary Park courtesy of Milton Canadian Champion*

Preparations are now underway – in a matter of days from what I’ve been told by our staff – where Rotary Park and Campbellville Old Park outdoor rinks will be ready to go. Of course these are no refrigerated rinks and will rely entirely on the weather being cold enough to operate.

In the past, Milton has had these rinks in operation but pre-COVID, they weren’t utilized a lot due to warmer than normal winters we have experienced. Of course, during last winter, the temperatures were cold enough, but in a previous budget council had voted to close them. During the winters of 16/17 and 17/18, the rinks were in use for a total of seven days which made the decision to discontinue the service in 2019 easier.

Due to residents calls to action last year, our staff had put together some options for council to consider back in July and the decision was made to bring back the operations of Rotary and Campbellville Old Park as staff works on some numbers for council to consider moving forward.

There are other municipalities like Brampton & Mississauga who have over the years made the investments in outdoor skating rinks that are refrigerated and built into their budgets. Milton however hasn’t considered these investments in the past and now if we are to move ahead in providing these services, will be required to make some “significant financial investments” in these rinks.

I’ll give you some examples from that staff report for you wrap your heads around.

There are a number of options for outdoor rinks.

Run by the town & non refrigerated
Community Volunteer Program – run by local neighbourhood groups within town parks
Run by the town – Synthetic
Run by the town – Refrigerated

What we are currently providing with the two rinks costs us (taxpayers) roughly $16,000 for 2021/22 and $33,000 in 2022/23 in staffing, supplies and ongoing maintenance of the rinks. These costs will increase with the introduction of more rinks in town parks.

The next option of a community volunteer program is REALLY interesting and it would allow individual neighbourhoods in approved park settings to assist in the construction and maintenance of local rinks around the community. This is one of the options our staff are developing for council review and will be brought to us later this year for discussion. Costs will be dependent obviously on how many rinks will be approved, the uptake from the community to volunteer assistance as well as risk management (ie insurance) and screening processes.

The synthetic ice option is not something we would recommend at this point and would require a substantial capital and operating investment which in essence prices us out the market, but still can remain a long term goal for operations. There are synthetic rinks in Burlington and Brampton for those interested in seeing what its like.

Finally the town run refrigerated rinks which seems to be many peoples favourites as it guarantees a longer time of operation and less dependent on weather patterns. Notice its not entirely free of weather dependency but still can be used by the public longer than non refrigerated rinks.

The initial capital costs of this rinks are roughly $2-3 million each and approximately $300-400,000 in operational costs as you have to ensure each location has a changing facility and washroom structure and staff room available in where these are located.

As I mentioned, we will be getting an update as a part of our community services master plan process as we continue to grow. One of those areas is part of our Downtown Civic Square Study which should be updated later this year.

I hope this post helps in providing you some information about the outdoor rinks, where we stand now, why we made the decisions as a council in the past and what we’re doing about it moving forward.

The other hope I have is that you understand we are following this process to ensure we’re making the best decisions possible and not spending money on band aid solutions, but working on a plan that will service residents properly as we continue to grow.

The next steps are for council to review these options when they come to us later this year and to make the decisions about the capital and operating investments that will have to be made. As I mentioned, the refrigerated rinks comes with a price tag – a cost that will have to be paid by taxpayers (i.e. property taxes) and our council will have to decide if there is enough political will to make these investments in our community. We are going to grow in size over the next 10-20-30 years and in my opinion if we are to be a “complete community” our council will have to make these investments now. Waiting for a “want to become a need” as some around our table have described it is simply shortsighted knowing full well how large we are going to be growing.

We have to realize on the vision we have for Milton. Its all good to talk about it – we need to start doing it.

COVID 19 Vaccination Clinic Info

January 10, 2022January 10, 2022Mike Cluett

In collaboration with the Town of Milton and with the support of our surrounding Family Health Teams, Prime Care FHT will be hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Milton Sports Centre beginning January 11, 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: MUST BE AGE 18 OR OLDER; pediatric doses not available at this time 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses available For booster dose, must be 84 days after second dose Ages 18 to 29 will receive Pfizer Ages 30+, will receive Moderna Available to members of ALL COMMUNITIES

BOOK NOW