You will recall, In a surprise move, Infrastructure Ontario notified the Town of Oakville and the Region of Halton that Midtown Oakville had been identified as a prospective site for the province's Transit-Oriented Community Program (TOC)

In 2020, the Government of Ontario introduced a program called Transit Oriented Communities (TOC), which it described as being designed to build vibrant, mixed-use communities that will bring more housing (including affordable housing options), jobs, retail, public amenities and entertainment within a short distance of transit stations. These transit-oriented communities, and other transit development opportunities, will be located along the province’s four subway projects, GO Transit and Light Rail Transit (LRT) projects.

Here's the Problem

While the concept of a TOC may sound like a good one, the actual process being used by the Ontario Government is seriously flawed. Why?

• the province immediately slaps a gag-order on both Regional and Oakville Council, thereby preventing them to share details or hold discussions in public regarding the TOC.

• the province spearheads the selection, negotiations and all business relations with a developer of its choice to be the 'developer partner' in the TOC.

• the province undertakes all studies and public engagement. It makes all decisions. Oakville's council (and its residents) have no power or authority to make decisions.

• other municipalities who have opposed the provincial TOC plans have been over-ridden by the use of an Enhanced Minister's Zoning Order, which can not be appealed.

• the developer identified as being the 'partner' in the Midtown Oakville TOC is the same developer that has filed applications to construct 11 towers in Midtown that would result in approximately 6,300 units on 5 hectares of land. That's about 12,600 people living in these buildings and a density of 2,520 per hectare. These applications would produce a level of density that is 12.6 times greater than the minimum provincial density target!

A blistering Toronto Star article last month exposed the Provincial Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program as yet another flawed process full of favours to developers, secret deals, gag orders on municipal Councils and heavy-handed tactics. In many ways this process mirrors the Greenbelt Scandal.

Excerpts from the article included the following:

“It has also resurrected some of the same concerns that surrounded the Greenbelt scandal, where decisions disproportionately favouring certain developers were sprung on local communities, leaving them questioning whose needs were being prioritized.”

“The government has made a series of moves to make it easier for the developers’ work to proceed, overriding opposition from local governments who said they don’t have the infrastructure to support the proposed 64 new condo towers”.

“The terms of those deals, however, are secret — and are even being withheld from the … municipal governments most affected by the decisions”

“With the TOC designation, the developers proposed to build about 18,000 additional condo units than they would’ve been able to before the province stepped in.”

“… the province sealed the fate of the two TOCs by wielding another of its developer-friendly tools.”

We have provided a Backgrounder copy of the TorStar article. Please make time to read it.

• How we build Midtown will define the scale, intensity and liveability, or lack thereof, for an entire community at the heart of Oakville.

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• A Midtown built with hyperdensity will need services and Infrastructure that will not be entirely covered by development charges. The shortfall will be significant. It will fall on ALL Oakville taxpayers.

• The already heavily congested areas along Trafalgar Rd, Cornwall and Speers, will turn into gridlock - and not just during rush hour times. Exiting the QEW at Trafalgar will be a challenge.

• A significant percentage of Midtown’s housing units will be too small for families or couples. Midtown will be a ‘way station’ with a high turnover of occupants who move to more appropriate housing as soon as they possibly can. That means less sense of accountability and care for surroundings, a loss of the feeling of community and less ability to create a sense of neighbourhoods.

Our vision for Midtown Oakville is a high-density, mid-rise neighbourhood with a family focus. A complete community that’s a desirable place to live, work and play; a destination with jobs, schools, shopping, restaurants, parks, and cultural amenities. 

The TOC approach lacks transparency and puts the success of Midtown as a livable community at risk with extreme density.

Coronation Park Residents Association has joined with other residents associations across Oakville under the banner of SAVE MIDTOWN. We are part of the We Love Oakville group and we'll be reaching out to residents in all areas of Oakville, because this is an ALL Oakville Issue.

This is a critical time. A huge show of public determination to put Oakville in charge of its own future could force the Province to change direction. In Minster Calandra’s own words “We’re not going to micromanage and dictate a one size-fits-all approach across the province. Municipalities know their communities best – they know where it makes sense to build homes”. 

Let’s hold him to his word. We have created a letter to the Premier and His Ministers. You can Read it Here. We have established an ONLINE LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN which will send a copy of the letter to Premier Ford, Housing Minister Paul Calandra and Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma to halt the imposed Midtown Oakville TOC program and let Oakville use its expertise, knowledge and insight to plan MIdtown’s future.

Please stand up with us and show your determination to put Oakville in charge of its own future.

Last but not least, is the importance of ensuring that people receive dependable, factual information.

The We Love Oakville web site is full of important details, background information, the latest news on Midtown, video clips and more.

Learn More About Midtown and Our Actions to Help Ensure its Future as a Liveable Community We Would All Be Proud to Call Home.

Coronation Park Residents Association | pknight@cogeco.ca

www.coronationparkresidents.com