Size and location of urban growth centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe: Addendum 1 (2021)

1.0 Urban growth centres and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2019

1.1 Policy authority

On May 2, 2019, the Government of Ontario released A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“the plan”). The plan states that the minister may update the size and location of urban growth centres to implement the plan.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued the updated size and location mapping in this addendum on November 10, 2021, in accordance with policy 5.2.2.1 b) of the plan.

This addendum has been prepared pursuant to subsection 2.2.3, policy 5.2.2.1 and the definition of urban growth centres of A Place to Grow and updates the size and location mapping for the following urban growth centres:

• Downtown Burlington
• Downtown Milton
• Midtown Oakville

The size and location mapping updated through this addendum replaces the size and location mapping of the corresponding urban growth centres issued in 2008.

1.2 Introduction

The plan identifies 25 existing or emerging downtown areas as urban growth centres and establishes policies and minimum density targets to encourage intensification and downtown revitalization. Urban growth centres are identified on Schedule 4 of A Place to Grow (Figure 1).

The Government of Ontario worked with municipal governments and consulted with the public in delineating the size and location of each urban growth centre.

Image

Figure 1. Schedule 4 of A Place to Grow identifying the approximate location of the 25 urban growth centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

1.3 Selected urban growth centre policies and definition

Selected policies and definitions in A Place to Grow on urban growth centres are provided below:

2.2.3.1. Urban growth centres will be planned:

1. as focal areas for investment in regional public service facilities, as well as commercial, recreational, cultural, and entertainment uses;
2. to accommodate and support the transit network at the regional scale and provide connection points for inter-and intra-regional transit;
3. to serve as high-density major employment centres that will attract provincially, nationally, or internationally significant employment uses; and
4. to accommodate significant population and employment growth.

2.2.3.2. Urban growth centres will be planned to achieve, by 2031 or earlier, a minimum density target of:

1. 400 residents and jobs combined per hectare for each of the urban growth centres in the City of Toronto;
2. 200 residents and jobs combined per hectare for each of the Downtown Brampton, Downtown Burlington, Downtown Hamilton, Downtown Milton, Markham Centre, Downtown Mississauga, Newmarket Centre, Midtown Oakville, Downtown Oshawa, Downtown Pickering, Richmond Hill Centre/Langstaff Gateway, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, Downtown Kitchener, and Uptown Waterloo urban growth centres; and
3. 150 residents and jobs combined per hectare for each of the Downtown Barrie, Downtown Brantford, Downtown Cambridge, Downtown Guelph, Downtown Peterborough and Downtown St. Catharines urban growth centres.

5.2.2.1. To implement this Plan, the Minister will, in collaboration with other Ministers of the Crown where appropriate, identify, establish, or update the following:

1. the delineated built boundary;
2. the size and location of the urban growth centres;
3. a standard methodology for land needs assessment; and
4. provincially significant employment zones.

5.2.5.3. For the purposes of implementing the minimum intensification and density targets in this Plan, upper-and single-tier municipalities will, through a municipal comprehensive review, delineate the following in their official plans, where applicable:

1. delineated built-up areas;
2. urban growth centres;
3. major transit station areas;
4. other strategic growth areas for which a minimum density target will be established; and
5. excess lands.

Urban growth centres

Existing or emerging downtown areas shown in Schedule 4 and as further identified by the minister on April 2, 2008.

2.0 Size and location of urban growth centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe

The following size and location mapping is being released for use in implementing the plan.

The urban growth centre identification does not confer a land use designation. Any development on lands within the urban growth centre boundary is still subject to the applicable provincial plans and relevant provincial and municipal land use planning policies and approval processes.

The boundaries of the urban growth centre are approximate. The Province of Ontario assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of any use made of the maps.

2.1 Downtown Burlington

Image

Figure 2. The approximate size and location of the Downtown Burlington urban growth centre in the vicinity of Brant Street, Fairview Street and Plains Road East.

2.2 Downtown Milton

Image

Figure 3. The approximate size and location of the Downtown Milton urban growth centre in the vicinity of Ontario Street and Main Street.

2.3 Midtown Oakville

Image

Figure 4. The approximate size and location of the Midtown Oakville urban growth centre in the vicinity of Trafalgar Road and Cornwall Road.