I strongly oppose ERO 026…

I strongly oppose ERO 026-0551, the request by Millcroft Greens Corporation for a Minister’s Zoning Order to permit residential development on the remaining Millcroft Golf Course lands at 2155 Country Club Drive and 4274 Dundas Street in Burlington.

I am not opposed to responsible housing development. However, I strongly oppose using an MZO to override Burlington’s local planning process, Open Space zoning, environmental review, Conservation Halton review, and meaningful public accountability for this site.

These lands are not simply unused private land. They form part of the open-space character, stormwater system, flood-mitigation function, tree canopy, and natural heritage of the Millcroft community. Many homes in this neighbourhood are directly affected by drainage, flooding, construction activity, tree loss, traffic, emergency access, and long-term infrastructure impacts.

The remaining Millcroft Golf Course lands are currently zoned Open Space for a reason. A Minister’s Zoning Order should not be used to fast-track private residential development on lands with stormwater, floodplain, environmental, and community functions.

Before any further approval is considered, the Province should require full independent review of stormwater and flood risk, downstream drainage impacts, tree and natural heritage impacts, municipal infrastructure capacity, emergency access, construction impacts, and long-term financial liability for the City and residents.

Burlington already has more appropriate locations for housing growth, including major transit station areas, intensification corridors, underused commercial lands, and sites already planned for growth. The Province should not override local Open Space protections for this established neighbourhood when better growth locations are available.

This proposal appears to benefit a private developer while transferring environmental, flooding, infrastructure, and quality-of-life risks to residents and the municipality. That is not good planning.

I respectfully ask the Province to reject the developer’s MZO request under ERO 026-0551.