I respectfully urge the…

I respectfully urge the Province to decline the requested Minister's Zoning Order for the remaining Millcroft Greens lands.

Minister's Zoning Orders are an extraordinary planning tool intended for situations where there is a clear and compelling provincial interest that justifies bypassing the normal municipal planning process. In this case, I do not believe that threshold has been met.

The proposal would permanently transform one of Burlington's largest remaining urban green spaces into a residential subdivision. Once this land is developed, it can never be returned to its current function. This decision should therefore be evaluated not only on today's housing needs, but on its implications for the community over the next 50 to 100 years.

Urban green spaces provide important public benefits beyond recreation. They contribute to stormwater management, reduce urban heat, support biodiversity, improve air quality, preserve mature tree canopy, and enhance the health and well-being of residents. As climate change increases the frequency of extreme rainfall and heat events, these natural assets become increasingly valuable infrastructure rather than simply vacant land awaiting development.

I recognize that Ontario faces a housing shortage and that additional housing is needed. However, the use of a Minister's Zoning Order should be reserved for projects that deliver an exceptional public benefit. The proposed development appears to consist primarily of market-priced homes in one of Burlington's highest-value neighbourhoods. While every new home increases housing supply, homes at this price point are unlikely to significantly improve housing affordability or accessibility for the families most affected by Ontario's housing crisis. In my view, this limited public benefit does not justify bypassing Burlington's planning process through an MZO.

It is also significant that Burlington City Council has unanimously opposed this MZO request. Local municipalities are responsible for long-term planning, infrastructure, parks, stormwater systems and community services. Their Official Plans are developed through years of technical analysis, environmental studies and public consultation. While the Province has the authority to intervene when necessary, that authority should be exercised cautiously and only when there is a compelling provincial interest that clearly outweighs local planning objectives.

This decision will also establish an important precedent. If established urban green spaces that provide environmental resilience, flood mitigation and community benefits can be rezoned through an MZO for conventional market housing, other municipalities across Ontario may face similar pressures. The cumulative effect could be the gradual erosion of green infrastructure that future generations will depend upon.

Ontario certainly needs more housing, but it also needs thoughtful, sustainable planning. Housing and environmental stewardship should not be viewed as competing priorities. The greatest long-term public benefit comes from directing growth to locations and developments that can both increase housing supply and preserve the natural infrastructure that makes communities resilient.

I respectfully ask that the Province allow this proposal, if it is to proceed, to move through the normal municipal planning and public consultation process rather than through an extraordinary Minister's Zoning Order. Decisions with permanent consequences for communities should be made through a transparent process that fully evaluates environmental, engineering, financial and community impacts.

Thank you for considering these comments and for carefully balancing Ontario's need for housing with the long-term interests of Burlington residents and future generations.

I would make one additional point that I think could be particularly compelling:

An MZO should not be used simply because a developer has been unsuccessful through the normal planning process. Extraordinary provincial powers should be reserved for projects that provide an exceptional public benefit—not as a means of avoiding the ordinary municipal planning framework. That distinction is important because it helps preserve public confidence in Ontario's planning system.