I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the request by Millcroft Greens Corporation for a Minister’s Zoning Order to permit residential development on the remaining Millcroft Golf Course open space lands.

These lands are not simply vacant private land. They are designated primarily as Major Parks and Open Space, with portions identified as Natural Heritage System and Key Natural Features in Burlington’s Official Plan. They are also zoned Open Space. The requested MZO would override local planning decisions and convert important green infrastructure into private residential development.

This area provides environmental, stormwater, wildlife, and climate resilience functions for the surrounding community. Burlington has already identified concerns related to significant wildlife habitat, significant woodlands, fish habitat, wetlands, regulatory flood plains, and erosion hazards. Replacing this green space with roads, housing, grading, servicing, and stormwater infrastructure creates avoidable risk in an established neighbourhood that was planned around this open space system.

The Millcroft lands also form part of the local stormwater and drainage pattern. Development that changes grading, removes trees, alters watercourses, or increases hard surfaces may worsen flooding, erosion, runoff, and downstream impacts, especially as extreme rainfall events become more common. These risks should not be bypassed through an MZO.

I am also concerned that this proposal does not represent the type of housing need that justifies overriding municipal planning. The proposal appears to facilitate low density and private road development in a sensitive open space area. Burlington has other, more appropriate locations for housing growth, including intensification corridors and lands already planned for residential use.

The City of Burlington has consistently opposed further development of the remaining Millcroft open space and has asked the Province to preserve the current open space zoning. Local planning decisions, environmental protections, and community interests should be respected.

I urge the Minister not to issue the requested MZO. The Province should instead support preservation of the remaining Millcroft lands as open space, natural heritage, and stormwater green infrastructure for the long term benefit of Burlington residents.