The Town of Oakville says it’s committed to meeting the provincially-mandated housing target of 33,000 new units by 2032 and will review the plan and outline what they require from the province at a special Council meeting on Monday (March 20).
In a draft of the pledge letter to Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Town says it’s committed to playing its part in the delivery of housing for Ontario’s growing population.
“Oakville recognizes the immediate need for new housing including market-based, attainable, affordable, social, and assisted, for all tenancies including rental, among the many types of housing required by the public,” says the draft of the pledge.
The Town says it has already identified more housing units than the 33,000 pledge and work is already underway to fulfill the pledge should everything go as expected.
“As well, work by the Region of Halton shows applications in the development pipeline for Oakville that also exceed the 33,000 housing units for approval under the Town’s pledge,” says the letter.
The letter also highlights what is needed from the province to ensure they can carry out the pledge.
The Town says the province will need to fully fund, plan and deliver the capital projects in and around Oakville and facilitate timely infrastructure investment in that regard.
That includes the Kerr Street grade separation in support of residential development at Speers Road and Kerr Street, extension of the GO Train platform and bus loop re-location in Midtown, interchange improvements along QEW at Trafalgar Road and Royal Windsor Drive, which are all needed for development in Urban Growth Areas to proceed.
In a Nov. 30, 2022, letter to the Town by the Minister to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, “There should be no funding shortfall for housing enabling infrastructure as a result of Bill 23, provided municipalities achieve and exceed their housing pledge levels and growth targets.”
Oakville has until March 22, 2023, to submit their housing pledge, a deadline set by the province.
