I strongly oppose the…

I strongly oppose the proposed rezoning and request that this development be rejected.
This proposal is fundamentally unfair to Burlington residents. It seeks to use a Minister's Zoning Order (MZO) to override the unanimous position of Burlington City Council and bypass the normal planning process, public consultation, environmental scrutiny, and appeal rights. Residents who will live with the consequences are being denied a meaningful voice in the decision.
The land in question is not ordinary vacant land. It is recognized as part of the community's stormwater and flood management system, and provincial records identify it as containing regulatory floodplains, wetlands, and erosion hazards. Building housing on engineered floodplain lands increases risk for existing and future residents while placing additional pressure on an already vulnerable watershed.
The justification of a housing crisis is not supported by the facts. The proposed homes are market-rate luxury housing, with no affordable housing commitment. Burlington already has tens of thousands of housing units in its development pipeline and has exceeded provincial housing targets. This proposal does not address housing affordability; it primarily advances private development interests.
Most concerning is the process itself. The developer is asking the Province to override local democracy through an extraordinary, appeal-proof mechanism after not obtaining approval for these lands through normal planning channels. Residents, taxpayers, and future homeowners would bear the long-term risks, while losing the right to challenge the decision.
Rejecting this proposal is about fairness, transparency, flood-risk management, environmental protection, and respect for local decision-making. The Province should reject ERO 026-0551 and support the City's request to permanently protect these lands as open space.
The public interest must come before private development interests.