Last night I attended the Town of Caledon Intensification Strategy open house. Intensification is of significant impact and interest for our community so the meeting attracted a fair number of Caledon residents. Our thanks go out to Mayor Thompson and the Councillors who took the time to attend, Councillors Innis, Mezzapelli and Shaughnessy.
The province of Ontario’s Growth Plan contains a minimum intensification target as well as policies requiring all municipalities to develop and implement an intensification strategy. The intensification target requires that by 2015 and each year thereafter a minimum of 40% of all residential development in each upper- and single-tier municipality, including the Region of Peel, will be located within the built-up area.
In the Town of Caledon our Intensification Strategy is being developed in collaboration with the Bolton Special Policy Area (floodplain area in the core) review and the Heritage Conservation District Study.
Last night’s presentation, by the Town of Caledon and the project’s consultants MBTW Group, discussed steps to date and indicated the process is in the final phase policy formulation, and is targeting a June date to present a Strategy to Town Council.
If you were unable to attend you will find a project page has been set up at caledon.ca/intensification
Among the material there you will also find definitions of the different types of intensification such as Infill, Redevelopment, Adaptive Re-use, and Addition/Expansion.
Shortly the Town will add a copy of last night’s material to their project page. Until then the Council Presentation from March of this year may be helpful at http://www.caledon.ca/en/townhall/resources/Intensification-Presentation-2015-03-13.pdf
Thanks for this update Patti. It certainly is a good thing when we can get an update and some insight in to planning in Caledon that isn’t turning the process in to a sideshow. That’s my shot at a local news outlet whose propensity on this particular topic is more about setting up a warzone. So good on you for keeping it real and encouraging public engagement. We all know that growth, no matter how hard we think we can slam the door shut, will occur, not just here in Caledon, but in communities all across this province. I look forward to your ongoing updates on this relevant and important community issue.
Thanks Christine, I agree totally. It is an important issue and now is the time for input.
Thanks for these posts, Patti. I don’t get out to meetings as often as I’d like and appreciate the overview.