Halton Regional Official Plan Review
4/12/2022
Regional Chair Carr, Councillors, Staff and fellow citizens
My name is Daintry Klein and I represent the not-for-profit group Millcroft Greenspace Alliance which advocates for liveable, sustainable communities and responsible development.
We appreciate this opportunity to interact again during this Regional Official Plan process. It is almost a year now since we attended the first PIC and then submitted our written thoughts on the importance of the inclusion of Sustainable Development Goals in the Official Plan Process. This was submitted through our informal neighbourhood association, We Love Millcroft.
The Region of Halton and the City of Burlington have declared Climate Emergencies. Fortunately, the most recent statutory meeting highlighted how taxpayers and voters feel about the importance of climate. Yet in our view more needs to be done. Suffice to say, residents are expecting land use planning by the Region and the underlying municipalities to implement their Climate Emergency and Tree policies throughout all municipal services rather than acting as if this department is exempt.
It should be obvious to everyone that current plans and practices for development are having a severe negative impact on climate, not just because of GHGs generated by transportation, but also due to the degradation of greenspace and tree coverage. Construction is the 4th largest contributor to GHGs. The production of glass, steel and cement are highlighted in the most recent UN report as climate unfriendly. Yet here we are, discussing how we can not only increase new development but also treat relatively new buildings as ‘disposable’ so they can be redeveloped long before the end of their useful lives. More development, and hardening of the surfaces which results in less greenspace including within City boundaries puts us on the wrong trajectory.
We believe everyone is aware of the dysfunctional housing market. Yet despite what our Premier, BILD and Real Estate people try to convince us, supply is not the main issue. Let’s look at the facts:
1) Housing vacancy is a growing issue. Over the past 5 years, the number of housing units not occupied by their usual residents living in their usual place of residence – rose by 40% in the City of Toronto. The proximity to Toronto and similar real estate performance would suggest the data is also relevant here in Halton. Census data proves this out by subtracting total number of housing units occupied by usual residents from the total number of housing units. Homes that are vacant, short-term rentals (Airbnbs) and homes that are temporarily occupied by foreigners or Canadians with a primary residence elsewhere are included in this calculation. The fact that we would each know of non-residents owning properties here as well as additional vacant housing makes this real. Let’s look to all governments to fill these homes before we build additional excessive supply. Financialization of housing should not be allowed at the expense of the environment.
2 ) The Globe and Mail dated February 9, 2022 reports the number of homes in Toronto has increased at a faster pace than the City’s population. This is over the past five years, according to new census data that provide a fresh look at the mismatch between housing supply and demand in the city. To quote Douglas Porter, chief economist with Bank of Montreal, “The fact that the number of dwellings has risen strongly, and even faster than the overall population in both the past five and 10 years, suggests that a big supply response is not going to magically solve this issue all by itself. Policy makers will also need to address the demand side.” Apparently, the policy makers have heeded the call. The recently tabled Federal Budget and the Province of Ontario’s recent proposed non-resident surtax on housing suggest they understand the issues and concur with Douglas Porter.
3) Statistics Canada has released a new report as of January 25, 2022 titled Accounting for Ecosystem Change, which shows that cities are becoming greyer not greener. Milton was highlighted as a big loser going from 75% to 50% resulting mainly from urbanization. Burlington is also becoming greyer according to the March report from our forestry department. Greenspace reduces urban heat islands – bubbles of high temperature around cities. Trees reduce air conditioning and heating requirements for the urban buildings and provide for stormwater management. The carbon sinks also known as the greenbelt, our natural heritage system, major parks, open space, right down to lot coverage and setbacks are most effective when located in the vicinity of GHGs. All planning documents from the Provincial Policy Statement through the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Region of Halton Official Plan and The City’s Official Plan have provisions for healthy, liveable environments and green infrastructure. Millcroft Golf Course is an early example of green infrastructure for its stormwater design and is currently zoned major parks and open space. It has developed a significant mature tree canopy and must be saved from the current threat of development.
4) The Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation report dated February 15, 2022 found that over the past eight years, catastrophic flooding in communities resulted in an average 8.2% reduction in the final sale price of houses. Gary Will of Will Davidson LLP, who advises on flood risk, was not surprised. “The findings underscore the impact on housing prices and the need to actively reduce flood risk through updated flood plain modelling and mapping and to rethink development without delay as flooding affects everyone from planners to homeowners to government decision makers.” Burlington was cited as one of the five Canadian cities in this report.
Impacts of flooding can include loss of human life, deterioration of health due to waterborne diseases, mental health impacts including anxiety during future weather events, interruption of employment and school attendance, displacement of communities, rendering families homeless, disruption of business activities, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, non-functioning of infrastructure facilities and vulnerability to various forms of crime. Flooding currently impacts 7 – 10% of homes and is increasing with the more frequent violent storms.
5) National flood insurance program in the works as ministers focus on prevention was the headline dated March 17,2022. “When public dollars are spent to help those people in recovery — and we need to help those people in recovery — but when we continue to build into high-risk situations, I think that does require a more thoughtful approach.” Blair Feltmate of the Intact Centre said. He has also agreed to review the disaster assistance program with an aim to incentivize prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, in addition to helping rebuild. The City of Burlington had our own experience in 2014 and the weather is only becoming more violent. Heat waves, flooding and high winds are having devastating humanitarian and economic impact.
When we read of the economic impact of flooding in the Fraser River Valley one can’t help but consider the similarities to the City of Burlington – a major national and international transportation and communication corridor wedged between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario – a significant elevation drop in only 12 km.
The German town that was devastated by mud slides last summer has an interesting tale. The value of a green infrastructure race track located at elevation above the town was neglected in favour of development. Let’s not make the same mistake by developing the Millcroft Golf Course, so important that it was protected by OPA 116 in the City of Burlington’s Official Plan at the time.
We look forward to collaborating with our fellow delegators to continue to impress upon the Federal, Provincial, Regional, and Municipal governments to implement policies to better manage the existing supply such that we can reduce the need for additional housing and better protect our environment. This is consistent with the report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change dated April 4, 2022.
It is quite insulting to hear Russell Matthew of Hemson Consulting suggest to us at the April 6th ROPR meeting, that we need to accept that widgets should continue to take up 10s of thousands of feet of warehousing space on one storey while we expect our residents to live in tiny apartments located in high rises with no greenspace, fresh air or trees to cool us. We, our children, our grandchildren and residents beyond should expect better. We must reimagine all aspects, including industrial and commercial land uses, in an integrated approach to achieve liveable sustainable communities and responsible development.
The City of Burlington has been very proud to state its accomplishment of removing the transportation hub designation from the downtown. This demonstrates that collaboration is possible for positive change and therefore we are asking the Region of Halton
1) To negotiate with the Province and Federal Government to request a more rigorous approach to their recent initiatives to deal with foreign ownership and vacant housing before we proceed with the current growth targets that will damage the environment further with excessive housing. A 20% surplus tax is a small price for foreigners to pay to legitimately invest funds coming from countries where the environment and human rights are not respected.
2) To reconsider the amount of development of the City of Burlington, an environmentally sensitive area of national and international importance as a corridor for transportation and communication not to mention the housing and chemical industries located here.
