10,000 acres rezoned for growth in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon

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Published April 14, 2022 at 12:05 pm

413highway

The Region of Peel is holding off rubber stamping a new 30-year roadmap for growth Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon for another two weeks.

Regional Council was set to vote on Peel’s proposed Official Plan on Thursday, which could see some 10,000 acres of farmland in Brampton and Caledon opened up for commercial and residential development.

The Region says the land is needed to help meet the demands of an expected 700,000 new residents and 335,000 jobs in Peel over the next 30 years, while some locals and stakeholders are opposed to the rezoning.

Mississauga Coun. Carolyn Parish tabled a motion to defer voting on the plan until the next Regional Council meeting on April 28 to allow time for municipal stakeholders to have their voices heard.

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The Region has until July 1 to submit its updated plan to the province, and if that deadline is not met the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has authority to amend the current Regional plan “as they please,” Parish said.

Parish said the deferral will still allow the Region to submit its plan to the province under deadline while giving the municipalities time to address local concerns with the “massive” report and its changes.

“We don’t plan to tinker with this, I just want to assure everybody that this report is 99 pre cent perfect,” Parish said. “If we could defer it for two weeks I think it would give everybody time to catch up and catch their breath.”

The Region’s current proposal also includes affordable housing plans, transit initiatives and “does not require Highway 413,” which Regional Council and Mississauga Council have voted to oppose.

Some councillors in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon have taken a political stand against the 413 highway on the grounds that it will destroy valuable greenspace.

Council is set to vote on the Region’s proposed Official Plan on April 28.

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