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7 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,July 15,2021 insidehalton.com Meet the nicest neighbours V for Vistamere Nestled in a quiet, residential neighbourhood in south Oakville you'll find Vistamere Retirement Residence. You'll also find a group of very nice, active seniors who live here. They selected us for the location, comfort and price. Come see for yourself. BOOK A TOUR TODAY 380 Sherin Drive Oakville, Ontario L6L 4J3 905.847.1413 vistamere.ca Like us on Every five years our lo- cal governments have the responsibility to review land use policies to help shape future growth and de- velopment. The process is intended to reflect forecasted in- creases to our population and jobs coming to our com- munity. The most recent growth projections have been up- dated in a document called Greater Golden Horseshoe: Growth Forecasts to 2051. Here, in Halton we need to plan for 1.1 million people and 500,000 jobs by the year 2051. The Oakville Chamber believes that planning for future growth is essential for a sustainable and eco- nomically viable communi- ty. Roads, transit, schools and hospitals are some ex- amples of what communi- ties need to plan for, as well as the future development of employment and com- mercial lands. The opportunity for Oakville businesses to pros- per while providing resi- dents with choices on where to live and work and how to travel within the town are important factors that determine their quality of life. This is why planning for the growth that is on the way is crucial for their suc- cess. Investment in infra- structure like roads and transit is fundamental to ensure an economically di- verse and resilient commu- nity. Similar to our neigh- bouring municipalities, Oakville has reached its ca- pacity on expanding out- ward. There is simply no more land. Moving forward we need to increase our density stra- tegically. This means plan- ning for people and jobs where it makes the most sense, while allowing for appropriate intensification. Take for example, mid- town (around the GO sta- tion), which has been iden- tified as an urban growth centre by the province, is on an established transit corri- dor already. In fact, the mid- town GO station (Lake Shore West GO line) is the second busiest station in the entire GO network next to the Union Station. This creates the perfect environment for a mixed- use development, enabling people to live, work, shop and access services. It's a win-win for people and business. Town planners and poli- ticians must prioritize transportation infrastruc- ture for the movement of goods and services and peo- ple to support and encour- age a thriving local econo- my. Current transportation studies show that Oakville residents choose driving a car over 90 percent of the time. We also have an aging de- mographic. A report con- ducted by Community De- velopment Halton revealed that over one in six people were 65 years and over and over three-quarters (77 per cent) of Halton's seniors re- side in Burlington and Oak- ville. Providing this aging de- mographic with mobility choices, coupled with the movement of goods and ser- vices, underscores the need for a transportation infra- structure that meets all these demands. Finally, housing and the policies developed to help home affordability is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Chamber mem- bers struggle to recruit and retain talent. Members highlight housing supply, housing choice and com- muting challenges as barri- ers to their success. Town council needs to show leadership when it comes to planning for our future and finding a solu- tion to our current housing crisis. We need to support opportunities for our future residents to call Oakville home. The Oakville Chamber will continue to encourage Town Council to support de- velopment proposals that will meet our future popula- tion and economic growth demands while enhancing Oakville's unique charac- ter. Faye Lyons is the vice- president of government relations and advocacy for the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at faye@oakvil- lechamber.com. OPINION SMART GROWTH PLANNING VITAL FOR TOWN'S FUTURE FAYE LYONS Column I totally agree with Ger- ry Pielsticker regarding the proposed boardwalk at 16 Mile Creek. Unlike Mr. Pielsticker, I do not kayak on the creek, but only observe it from a distance; usually from the Rebecca Street bridge or off Dunn Street. I, too, have seen some amazing wildlife. Do we have to invade ev- ery nook and claim it as ours? The reason this Creek is so special is be- cause it lacks human foot- prints. Let's leave it that way! ABBE OSICKA OAKVILLE LEAVE 16 MILE CREEK AS IT IS SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM 905.847.1522 www.AyAOKVILLE.COM AyA KItchEns Of OAKVILLE 1195 North service rD. W