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OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 1, 2009 · 14 Connection www.halton.ca Sustainable Halton Update: Planning for Our Future by Regional Chair Gary Carr Sustainable Halton is Halton Region's response to provincial growth management legislation including the Places to Grow Plan. This plan requires Greater Golden Horseshoe communities, including Halton Region, to reach specific population and employment levels by 2031. To meet this provincial target, we are planning for an additional 134,000 people and 54,000 jobs in the 2021-2031 time period. Sustainable Halton outlines how we can plan complete, healthy and sustainable communities where our children can afford to live, where there is clean air and water, where there is an abundance of parks and trees, and where farmland is protected. Stream Two, Conformity to Places to Grow Plan, includes preparing an amendment to Halton Region's Official Plan ­ called a ROPA. This amendment, ROPA 37, "An Amendment to Incorporate the Basic Requirements of the Provincial Places to Grow Plan", is expected to be adopted on June 3, 2009. Stream Three is the Five-year Official Plan Review. A special report, "Directions Report: Towards Sustainability" is central to this planning review process. This directions report will be used to create ROPA 38, "An Amendment to Incorporate the Results of a Comprehensive Review of the Regional Official Plan". The draft ROPA 38 will be released in September 2009. Public consultation will happen soon after, in early fall 2009. And in December 2009, Regional Council is expected to consider and adopt ROPA 38. Phase Four, Implementation, will begin once ROPA 38 is adopted by Regional Council, expected December 2009. Quick Facts: Population and Employment Population Growth Targets 800000 700000 600000 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0 2006 2016 Halton Region Sustainable Halton Timeline and Process Sustainable Halton is divided into four phases: Phase One ­ Research, Phase Two ­ Analysis and Plan Development, Phase Three ­ Strategy Development, and Phase Four ­ Implementation. Phase One, launched in May 2006, included 22 technical research reports covering: aggregates, agriculture, archaeology, climate change, energy, health, housing, land supply, Natural Heritage System (natural environment), population and employment growth, sustainability, transportation, water and wastewater, and waste management. After this research was complete, the Region held two public consultation sessions and one symposium to collect public comment on the results. The goal of these sessions was to inform residents, businesses and other key stakeholders about the province's growth management requirements and the research results. This work was completed in late 2007. Phase Two focused on identifying potential growth management concepts. It ran from January to September 2008. In that time, the Evaluation Framework for Sustainable Halton was released along with preliminary growth concepts. Public consultation was held in January and September 2008. Phase Three began in September 2008. Its focus is to develop the strategy for implementing Sustainable Halton, specifically to identify the best growth management concept and land use option. To meet the province's timeline requirements, Halton Region staff broke Phase Three into three separate streams. Stream One, Sustainable Halton Growth Management Strategy, continues the work of identifying a land use plan for Halton. Oakville Burlington Milton Halton Hills 2031 In Closing Sustainable Halton is a comprehensive process involving technical research, public consultation, internal staff reviews, and Regional council and committee reviews. I think it is an example of a process where input from every stakeholder has produced a better, more refined idea of the future and how Halton can be an even better place to live, work, raise a family and retire. To learn more about the Sustainable Halton process, to read the research reports, or to understand more about Halton Region's Official Plan Amendment process: go to www.halton.ca/sustainablehalton or, email Sustainable@Halton.ca or, call: 905-825-6000, ext. 7455 or 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-422-5866). Employment Growth Targets 400000 350000 300000 250000 200000 Halton Region Opportunities for Public Feedback 150000 100000 50000 0 2006 2016 Oakville Burlington Milton Halton Hills 2031 May Meetings at Halton Region Headquarters May 6, 9:30 a.m. May 13, 9:30 a.m. May 18, 9:30 a.m. May 26, 9:30 a.m. May 27, 9:30 a.m. May 27, 1:30 p.m. We welcome your feedback. Contact Access Halton at accesshalton@halton.ca