The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 21, 2006 - 7 Provincial plan will increase Oakville's population density By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The devil is in the details, but details are slow in coming when it comes to exactly where Oakville will accommodate mushrooming growth coming to the GTA and beyond. And it may be that while the Province is hailed for saving green space, it will be local councils that will end up playing devil's advocate when residents oppose intensification of their neighbourhoods. Any which way it happens, it will happen over the next 25 years as the GTA and beyond grows by four million more people and scrambles to create housing and some 1.8 million jobs that won't come at the cost of GTA land or environment. Though Downtown Oakville was initially identified as the place where Oakville was to intensify most in the province's original draft plan last year, it was quickly changed to the MidTown Core after Ontario's growth plan -- Places to Grow -- was first unveiled. The Mid-Town Core, which is said to follow the GO rail route through town, was confirmed Friday as the place where Oakville will most intensify over the next 25 years. Ontario Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan formalized Places to Grow -- A Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Friday in Mississauga at a Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) luncheon hosted by former Toronto Toronto mayor and CUI chair David Crombie. Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, who co-chaired Places to Grow along with Burlington Mayor Rob MacIsaac, called it the Province's first Official Plan. McCallion lamented that if a provincial vision had existed previously it may have helped avoid some of Mississauga's mistakes. Places to Grow is a high-level plan that sets out where growth should occur -- it's the counterpart of the Greenbelt which sets out where growth can't occur -- over the next 25 years in the GGH. Established areas will be given intensification targets -- and if those areas are already meeting or surpassing the minimum target, the higher number will be considered the minimum target. Intensification will occur in general with specific areas named urban growth centres -- such as the Mid-Town Core where density will be 200 residents and jobs combined per hectare. The plan also establishes an BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER NEW FOCUS: Ontario's Places to Grow plan aims to curb urban sprawl and encourage new growth within the existing boundaries of municipalities in the Golden Horseshoe area. inner and outer geographic ring from those concerned about the in the GGH. Oakville, along with environment, it's expected intenthe rest of Halton, Hamilton, sification of existing neighbourToronto, Durham, Peel and York hoods will meet tough opposiare considered the inner ring. tion from residents. "The devil is in the details," The outer ring includes Barrie, Brantford, Guelph, said Mayor Ann Mulvale who Kawartha Lakes, Orillia, attended Friday's luncheon. Mulvale said she's pushing Peterborough, Brant, Duffering, Haldiman, Northumberland, for a Memorandum of with the Simcoe, Wellington, Niagara and Understanding Province to nail down some of Waterloo. Crombie joined McCallion in the details in relation to calling the plan "historic." He Oakville. Much of the Mid-Town Core said it marked the day when the GGH was added to the growing is already in provincial hands, as list of city/regions around the the Province owns GO and its associated lands as well as world. He was also excited the Ontario Realty Corporation province was putting up the cash (ORC) lands. The Town would also like to to make the plan unfold. Caplan said the growth plan see some leeway from the pays heed to advice received province in allowing the intenfrom every sector -- from busi- sification to follow a corridor ness and community leaders to north on Trafalgar Road where environmentalists -- and has officials hope to establish a already been supported by tran- new hospital around Dundas Street. sit funding announcements. If it were allowed, it could "I assure you there will be much more in future," said bring intensification and growth Caplan, promising the "bold and on stream in the short term as it ambitious" GGH growth plan could be a catalyst for growth will "quickly become a model for and employment locally. "We need to look at the urban regions across Canada." The plan aims to build com- details," said Mulvale, noting munities that offer choice -- she's pleased the Province liscommunities in which residents tened to local objections and can work, shop and play as well changed the local urban centre designation -- a place where as live. That in turn should save land intensive growth is earmarked from urban sprawl and should to occur -- from downtown to save people from commuting to the mid-town core. Similar large scale intensifijobs from suburban homes and cation is to occur in thereby save the environment. Oakville is in step with the Mississauga's City Centre as well plans in its vision for north as the downtown areas of both Oakville to accommodate more Burlington and Hamilton. While environmentalists people in less space -- higher density population and more reacted positively to the gains compact development. The plans for land and environmental developers also also offer more jobs than quality, Oakville has had in the past to expressed hope that a clear promote live/work arrangements vision from the province will that should get people off the help streamline the development process. highways and out of cars. Caplan said the next step is to However, while the vision for greenfield development in north get local municipalities on board Oakville met stiff opposition to discuss land supply and suggested the mapping of the growth plan in greater detail would happen over the next year. "This plan is all about choice," said Caplan, noting the post-war suburban dream of a home, yard and garage is not dead, but complemented. "There will be greater choices. It's not about a 50-storey condo or a 50-ft. lot," said Caplan, noting municipalities will have three years to get their Official Plans into conformity and that the plan won't be retroactive to development applications already in the works. The minister said the influx of jobs and a greater choice of housing will "bring stability to existing neighbourhoods" by making them places to work and play as well as live. Intensification has been vehemently opposed in south Oakville where highrise condo developments like that at the former Sharkey's Dockside Café and former Shell House property have headed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) with residents taking part as parties. Places To Grow aims to create complete communities, with a greater mix of businesses, services, housing and parks to make them more livable. The growth plan will: · concentrate growth along transit corridors · encourage intense development in designated areas (such as the Mid-Town Core) · reduce the amount of agricultural land that will be lost as growth occurs · double the amount of infill development in 25 established communities including Oakville · match designated growth areas with specific infrastructure funding to support it · preserve designated greenbelt areas like Oak Ridges Moraine. · stimulate economic prosperity · revitalize downtowns · encourage compact communities with services, shops and businesses close to home. -- Angela Blackburn can be reached at angela@oakvillebeaver.com. 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