Community Update - May 2025

Midtown Official Plan Amendment (OPA 70): Where We Stand

On February 18, 2025, Oakville Town Council unanimously approved OPA 70, establishing a bold, responsible, high-density framework to support the development of a complete and livable community. This OPA establishes the maximum possible capacity given the significant constraints within the 65 developable hectares of Midtown. WLO fully supports OPA 70. Click here to read more information on OPA70.

To make the OPA legally enforceable, this OPA must also be approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who has 120 days to provide the required approval. We emphasize that this approval is not automatic or guaranteed. 

The Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) Proposal: Where We Stand

Meanwhile, the controversial TOC proposal introduced by Infrastructure Ontario (IO) last November remains with IO. Click here for more information on the TOC proposal. 

Since the December 12 public meeting, there have been no updates, no communications, and no indications that the community’s concerns are being addressed. This proposal is inconsistent and misaligned with OPA 70 and prioritizes developer interests over community needs.

WLO strongly opposes the TOC proposal, and agrees with Town planners that “Overall, the TOC proposal appears as a private development proposal with very little to no community benefit for either the Town or the Province.”  WLO also agrees with Town planners that the OPA meets all TOC objectives, making the TOC proposal both unacceptable and unnecessary. 

WLO has repeatedly urged Infrastructure Ontario to terminate the current TOC proposal and instead align its efforts with the Council-approved OPA 70. This unified approach would reduce duplication, streamline processes, and deliver a community-supported vision that meets provincial requirements and TOC objectives.  

We believe this is a win-win solution. Let’s make it happen.

Mayor Burton meets with Ministers Flack and Crawford

As reported in the Mayor’s April 24 Newsletter, Mayor Burton organized an initial meeting with Minister Stephen Crawford and Minister Rob Flack, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to discuss intergovernmental priorities. Minister Crawford described the meeting on his Facebook page as productive, noting that the agenda included the proposed Midtown development, the Town’s OPA, and future growth plans, and that they are working together to find balanced solutions that reflect Oakville’s needs and future growth.

While we view this meeting as a positive, encouraging and constructive step forward, we note with some concern that neither the Minister of Infrastructure nor representatives of Infrastructure Ontario were present at the meeting. This raises questions about what progress is being made toward the termination of the TOC proposed by IO. 

We are also seeking clarification on the term “balanced solutions” and whether this might imply a compromise that would continue to prioritize the interests of a developer over compliance with OPA 70, which would be unacceptable.

Advocacy in Action

Given the Province’s broad authority to override local planning decisions, it is imperative that Oakville implement a strong, strategic and coordinated advocacy program to ensure our interests and priorities are properly addressed by decision makers in Queen’s Park and not undermined by the lobbying efforts of other parties. 

Before the provincial election, both Mayor Burton and Minister Crawford publicly committed in response to letters from WLO that they would strongly advocate for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to swiftly approve and enforce the application of the OPA across all of Midtown, without any carve-outs, exceptions or exemptions.  They also committed to supporting either the abandonment of the TOC initiative for Oakville or the alignment of the TOC in all respects with this OPA to ensure there is cohesive, consistent, and comprehensive planning for Midtown. Click here to read the candidates' positions on the OPA and TOC.

WLO also expects our elected Council to exercise the necessary oversight and governance over this advocacy process.  Simply put, the Mayor must, in coordination with Minister Crawford, lead this advocacy planning and execution, and the Council, for their part, must ensure this advocacy is being planned and executed effectively.

We Love Oakville has taken the following steps to hold our leaders accountable and to ensure transparency:

• April 25 – WLO wrote to Mayor Rob Burton and Council requesting a clear update on advocacy efforts for OPA 70 and the status of the TOC. We emphasized the need for urgent action and public transparency. Click here for a copy of this letter. 

• April 28 – WLO wrote to Minister Stephen Crawford, MPP, urging him to support full approval of OPA 70 and push for the termination of the TOC process, citing its lack of transparency and misalignment with local planning. Click here for a copy of this letter. 

On May 1, Councillors Haslett-Theall and Gittings introduced a motion to Council calling for a detailed staff report on advocacy efforts to date, regular updates to Council, and Councillor participation in provincial meetings and the AMO conference if decisions remain unresolved.  This motion will be addressed by Council on XXX.  Click here for a copy of this motion. 

Next Steps – and What You Can Do

As you can see, the Saving Midtown campaign is far from over. The discussion and decision-making have now moved from Town Hall to Queen’s Park, and the outcome rests with two key ministries:

• Municipal Affairs and Housing

• Infrastructure Ontario

Putting in place a coordinated and effective advocacy program is critically important.  We urge Resident Associations and individual members to contact:

• Mayor Rob Burton mayor@oakville.ca

• Your Town Councillors council@oakville.ca

• Minister Stephen Crawford, MPP for Oakville stephen.crawfordco@pc.ola

Tell them you expect them to:

• Advocate for the full approval of OPA 70, without exception;

• Advocate for the termination of the TOC or for it to be fully aligned with OPA 70; and

• Provide regular and meaningful progress reporting to the Council and residents. 

WLO and concerned residents are ready to work with Mayor Burton, Minister Crawford, and the Town Council to secure this critical outcome for Oakville. Together, we’ve come this far. Now, let’s finish the job and deliver the result our community needs and deserves.