RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the staff report entitled “Comments on the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Discussion Paper”, dated August 30, 2004, be received for information;

THAT Council endorse the general direction of the July 2004 Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Discussion Paper entitled “Places to Grow – Better Choices. Brighter Future,” and support, in principle, the components of the Growth Plan as outlined and commented on in this report;

THAT Council convey its appreciation to the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal and the staff of the Smart Growth Secretariat for their leadership and commitment to bringing forward a comprehensive discussion paper on a long-term provincial plan to guide municipalities managing growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe;

THAT Council request the provincial government to finalize a Growth Plan and implementation framework for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, addressing Markham’s expectations as outlined in this report, including among things:

· provincial planning reforms to assist municipalities in:

- directing urban growth and accommodating intensification and compact development forms,

mixed use development and future growth;

- streamlining the Environmental Assessment process for priority infrastructure and transit

projects;

- providing effective authority and tools to implement protection of a linked natural heritage

system;

- directing development away from sensitive areas as identified in the draft Safe Drinking

Water Source Protect Act legislation; and

- defining unique agricultural lands and implement their long term protection;

· provincial incentives directed to:

- focus provincial transit investment and investment in infrastructure by designating Markham as a priority urban area with an established regional employment and residential growth corridor (Highway 7), having infrastructure capacity to absorb future growth, and a new regional centre (Markham Centre) to target future growth in the form of compact urban development;

- provide a balanced approach to strategic investment in infrastructure in priority and

emerging urban centres such as Markham;

- facilitate intensification within the urban settlement area on existing services;

- provide legislation to permit Tax Increment Financing and other fiscal tools to attract more

intensive mixed use development in key development areas;

- allow changes to the Development Charges Act to support higher density development in

centres and corridors and ensure the full cost of providing hard and soft infrastructure is

attributed to new development, including planned service levels for public transit; and

- promote affordable housing opportunities by introducing land transfer tax rebates;

· provide a strategic approach to urban boundary expansions that encourages and supports those municipalities with well established infrastructure that have been identified in the provincial plan as “future urban growth areas” and appropriately assessed for their ability to accommodate additional growth over time;

· establish an accountable coordinating body for cross jurisdictional infrastructure planning and investment at the regional level;

· consider current planning efforts for, and the stakeholder implications of, the Pickering Airport;

· introduce revised Safe Water Source Protection Act legislation with detailed implementation requirements;

· act on the recommendations of Markham Council respecting the proposed Greenbelt Protection Plan and the Eastern Markham Strategic Review; and

· finalize an implementation framework with status through legislation that would assist municipalities such as Markham in the implementation of growth management initiatives;

THAT Council request the provincial government to bring forward concurrently for consultation with stakeholders and municipalities, the provincial government’s definitive approach to planning reforms and greenbelt protection within the context of a final Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;

THAT Council submit this report to the Province as the Town of Markham comments on Growth Plan discussion paper and Environmental Bill of Rights Registry No. XA04E0011;

AND THAT the Clerk be requested to forward a copy of this report to the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Smart Growth Secretariat, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Chair of the Greenbelt Task Force, the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Chair of the Agricultural Advisory Team, the Minister of Environment, the Minister of Transportation, the York Rapid Transit Plan, York Region MPPs and the Region of York.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to outline the provincial discussion paper on a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and provide comments to the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal on the growth plan objectives, priorities for infrastructure investment, greenbelt protection, and implementation strategies.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Discussion Paper on a Proposed Provincial Growth Plan Released

The Province has released a discussion paper on a 30 year long-term growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The proposed plan will focus on three key strategy areas:

· Where and how we should grow;

· What critical infrastructure we need to support that growth; and

· What are the most valuable things we need to protect.

A variety of strategies are identified to implement the plan including proposed planning reforms, provincial incentives, new regulatory tools and a legislative framework.

Along with provincial planning reforms and greenbelt protection, the growth plan is intended to provide a provincial framework or policy context to guide municipalities in managing future growth. The growth plan will emphasize balanced population and employment growth in priority urban areas to decrease pressures of growth on significant natural heritage areas and agricultural lands. It will focus growth on areas where the economic growth potential is greatest and the servicing capacity to serve new development already exists or can be most efficiently provided. It will also link transportation investments (ie transit systems) to growth policies and plans emphasizing compact development form, mixed use and higher densities. Most importantly, the plan will emphasize a balanced approach to growth management that will accommodate new growth and maintain economic prosperity while protecting greenspace and natural resources and maintaining a high quality of life for those living and working in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

The growth plan has implications on future growth management initiatives in Markham and it is in Council’s interest to express the Town’s views, and provide comments to the Province (deadline September 2004), prior to the release of a draft growth plan and an implementation framework later this year.

Markham’s Growth Management Priorities

Markham’s strategic plan, “Preserving the Past – Building the Future” approved by Council in November 2002, recognizes that the Town will continue to grow. Over the next 20 years, the Town’s population is expected to grow by almost 94,000 people, and its economy has the potential to add up to 68,000 more jobs. As identified in the strategic plan, planning for this growth, managing the form that it should take, providing supporting infrastructure, and balancing these responsibilities with a range of other objectives such as protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for Markham’s residents is a significant challenge.

For Markham, it is equally important to focus strategic growth on building residential and employment communities as it is to focus on balancing greenfield growth and intensification, protecting the environment and retaining unique agricultural lands. To help preserve and improve the quality of life for those living and working in Markham, the Town requires strong leadership and support from the provincial government in the form of:

· Planning reforms to assist the Town in directing and accommodating future urban growth and protecting our water, natural heritage, cultural heritage and unique agriculture resources;

· Financial and regulatory tools to allow the Town to direct future urban growth to strategic areas;

· Sustained investments in water and wastewater, transportation and housing infrastructure; and

· A coordinated and integrated approach to implementing growth management objectives across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Directing and Accommodating Future Urban Growth (Urban Structure)

Markham has been recognized for its success in planning and developing higher density, compact urban communities (eg. Cornell and Markham Centre). The Province needs to provide immediate planning reforms (legislation and regulatory tools) and provincial incentives (fiscal tools) to assist Markham to move forward with implementation of long-term intensification and redevelopment projects in these and other areas (i.e Highway 7 Corridor).

The provincial growth plan identifies Markham Centre as an emerging urban centre, whereas overall, Markham should be recognized as a priority urban area. Markham has an established regional employment and residential growth corridor (Highway 7) and infrastructure capacity to absorb future growth, as well as a developing regional centre (Markham Centre) accommodating future growth in the form of compact urban development. Markham Centre demonstrates a priority commitment, already in place, on the part of the Region, the Town, and the development industry to implement the intent of the growth plan. This commitment to policy, infrastructure, and investment, warrants recognition as a priority urban area and equivalent investment support from the Province as for priority urban centres. The Province needs to provide a balanced approach to strategic investments in transit and infrastructure that supports both priority urban centres and emerging urban centres within priority urban areas.

Markham has been identified in the provincial plan as a future urban growth area. The Province needs to develop a strategic approach to urban boundary expansions that encourages and supports those municipalities that have been identified for future growth. The Province needs to promote a policy of accommodating strategic urban growth, while protecting agricultural land and natural heritage systems.

Economic Prosperity: Maintaining a Diverse Employment Base

The Province needs to provide a balanced approach to the supply of employment and residential lands in its planning reforms and financial incentives establishing minimum targets for employment lands supply and ensuring that employment lands are available. It is not clear whether the growth plan policies will permit municipalities to expand their urban boundary to increase the supply of employment land only, or at a rate higher than the supply of residential land, if it can be demonstrated that the overall population/employment target of 2:1 can be accommodated within the urban settlement area over time.

Protecting the Environment

Markham's environmental policy framework exceeds the current scope of provincial policy and legislation. We need strong provincial legislation and policies (including Planning Act reforms and greenbelt protection) to support our efforts:

- to protect and secure our natural heritage systems (including the Rouge Park/Rouge North) - act on the recommendations of the Eastern Markham Strategic Review; and

- implement the drinking water source protection at the municipal level.

Implementation

Markham is encouraged by the progress made by the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal and the provincial Smart Growth Secretariat with the release of a comprehensive discussion paper on the Growth Plan. However, careful coordination and integration with other provincial initiatives, such as the proposed planning reforms and greenbelt protection plan, will be required.

In this regard, it is recommended that Council urge the provincial government to bring forward the final Growth Plan and legislation concurrently with implementing tools such as the Planning Reforms and Greenbelt Protection Plan. Council should also recommend that the final plan have some legal status that would:

· enshrine the growth plan objectives in municipal plans;

· build on the greenbelt protection legislation and planning reforms legislation;

· define authority for coordination of the implementation of the plan with municipalities and stakeholders; and

· clarify the provincial leadership role of the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Renewal.

BACKGROUND:

Provincial Growth Management Initiatives

To support the creation of strong communities and enhance the quality of life, environmental protection and economic growth in Ontario, the Province has initiated a set of provincial growth management initiatives:

1. Growth Plan and implementation framework for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;

2. Planning Reforms including Bill 26 amendments to the Planning Act, revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement, and further reforms to the Ontario Municipal Board; and

3. Greenbelt Protection including Bill 27 legislation to defer urban expansions and enable the government to study where greenbelt protection should be provided in the Greater Golden

Horseshoe.

These initiatives are intrinsically linked and dependent on each other to succeed. They constitute an emerging overall provincial framework or policy context for municipalities to manage growth.

1. Growth Plan

Building on the recommendations of the Central Ontario Smart Growth Panel, the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal has recently released a discussion paper on a long-term growth management plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. This provincial growth plan is intended, among other things, to:

· direct urban growth by identifying priority urban centres, strengthening transportation linkages and encouraging compact development;

· direct investment in infrastructure that supports growth priorities;

· protect and manage valuable greenlands, natural systems and unique agricultural lands; and

· create a legislative and regulatory framework that promotes growth through collaboration.

On July 29, 2004, the Minister held a public information session in Markham to invite public comments on the discussion paper and solicit ideas on how the plan should be developed.

2. Planning Reforms

On June 1, 2004, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing released three discussion papers on Planning Act Reform and Implementation Tools; Provincial Policy Statement: Draft Policies; and Ontario Municipal Board Reform. A separate report outlining the proposed planning reforms and identifying appropriate actions/responses from the Town to the provincial government will be on the August 30, 2004 Development Services Committee agenda.

3. Greenbelt Protection

On June 22, 2004, Council endorsed the general direction of the May 2004 Provincial Greenbelt Task Force Discussion Paper entitled “Towards a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt” and supported, in principle, the elements considered by the Task Force subject to the provincial government finalizing a growth plan context for administering and implementing a permanent greenbelt.

Municipalities Asked to Comment on a Variety of Provincial Initiatives

The current round of public and stakeholder consultation is complex and challenging to stakeholders and municipalities involved. Municipalities have been asked to share their views on over a dozen provincial initiatives, notably:

Growth Management Initiatives:

· A Discussion Paper on a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

· A Discussion Paper on Planning Act Reform and Implementation Tools

· A Discussion Paper on Provincial Policy Statement: Draft Policies

· A Discussion Paper on Ontario Municipal Board Reform

· A Discussion Paper on Greenbelt Protection

· A Discussion Paper on Growing Strong Rural Communities

· An Agricultural Advisory Team appointed to provide input into growth management initiatives and ensure the growth plan addresses the concerns of agricultural stakeholders

Other Related Initiatives:

· An Infrastructure Planning, Financing and Procurement Framework

· A Water and Wastewater Strategy (release pending)

· A 10 Year Infrastructure Plan (release pending)

· A Review of the Municipal Act, 2001

· A Proposed Drinking Water Source Protection Act

· A Discussion Paper on Ontario’s 60% Waste Diversion Goal

· A Discussion Paper on Future Strategies for Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector

· A new regulation respecting Records of Site Condition for Brownfields redevelopment

Ideally, the Province would like to conclude the consultation phase of its growth management and other initiatives by the end of the year. Council has previously requested that the Province establish a coordinated and comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation process to bring forward concurrently, the provincial government’s definitive approach to planning reforms and greenbelt protection within the context of a final growth plan and implementation framework for the Golden Horseshoe growth management area.

DISCUSSION:

Provincial Growth Management Context

Over the next 30 years, the population of the Greater Golden Horseshoe will grow by almost four million people, and its economy will add about two million more jobs. Planning for this growth provides an opportunity to address growth challenges such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion, rising infrastructure costs, loss of greenspace and possible environmental impacts. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen the economy, promote compact urban development and rapid transit, and protect and enhance the environment.

The Province wishes to make the most of this opportunity and, as a first step, has developed a discussion paper, entitled Places to Grow: Better Choices. Brighter Future – a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The discussion paper outlines the components of a provincial growth plan to guide municipalities in managing growth over a 30-year horizon. Highlights of the discussion of growth plan components are outlined in Appendix ‘A’. A guide to the discussion paper including a map of the Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Area is attached as Appendix ‘B’. A copy of the discussion paper is attached as Appendix ‘C’.

Components of 30-Year Growth Plan for Greater Golden Horseshoe

The discussion of the growth plan components is focused on three themes: directing where and how we grow; investing in infrastructure to support growth; and protecting what is valuable. To direct future growth, the structural component of the plan will place an emphasis on:

· intensification and redevelopment to increase compact urban form;

· balanced growth with options to live and work in close proximity;

· supporting “priority urban centres” and “emerging urban centres” to attract future urban growth (ie. Markham is identified as an “emerging urban centre” on Map 3 of the discussion paper);

· assessing identified “future urban growth areas” subject to certain criteria;

(ie. Markham is identified as a “future urban growth area” on Map 4 of the discussion paper)

· ensuring that a diversity of employment lands are available; and

· protection of rural areas from the impact of growth and development.

The infrastructure and financial components of the plan will identify a set of criteria to be applied to guide provincial infrastructure investment to support growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Based on these criteria, priority investments will be integrated into a new 10-Year Strategic Infrastructure Investment Plan currently being developed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. The plan will focus infrastructure investment on an integrated transportation network and sustainable water and wastewater services.

The environmental component of the plan will promote integrated and coordinated approaches to growth to ensure protection of valuable water resources, natural heritage and greenspace systems, agricultural resources and mineral resources. It will provide a context for a permanent greenbelt and link decisions regarding growth with greenbelt protection objectives.

The implementation component of the plan will identify a number of provincial actions required to implement the growth plan, notably:

· taking a leadership role in coordinating and collaborating with municipalities and other stakeholders to implement the plan;

· delivering regulatory and fiscal tools and programs to assist municipalities and other stakeholders with implementing the plan;

· providing a legislative framework to ensure the implementation of clear roles and responsibilities and consistency with other provincial acts; and

· monitoring the implementation of the plan including a review of the plan on a regular basis, every five years.

York Region’s Growth Management Context

The concept of an urban structure directing growth to well planned, concentrated built up areas and compact greenfield development within the urban area of York Region has been the key growth management approach for the last decade. Recognizing the need to more aggressively encourage and promote higher density transit supportive growth, the Region has recently adopted a growth management strategy based on a hierarchy of Centres and Corridors, served by rapid transit. The Town has endorsed the Region’s new centres and corridors policy framework as it recognizes and supports Markham’s current growth management efforts.

Markham’s Growth Management Context

Growth forecasts compiled for the July 2004 Development Charges Background Study confirm that there will continue to be strong housing and employment demand in Markham, further diminishing the existing supply of designated urban land area. Over the 20-year period from 2001-2021, the population of the Markham has the potential to grow by almost 94,000 people, and its economy has the potential to add up to 68,000 more jobs. Markham’s growth potential is currently constrained by the available land supply and is in fact greater than these forecasts imply. The Town’s potential may further increase with the release of the GTA Hamilton forecasts currently being undertaken with the Province.

The Town is currently constrained by an urban land base which was established to accommodate growth to 2011. Even with concentrating new urban growth in an urban downtown core – Markham Centre – and along with the Highway 7 urban transit corridor, the 2021 growth projections cannot be met within the current urban boundary. The Town will need to engage in a comprehensive growth management review to expand its urban boundary. There will be long lead times in undertaking and implementing a growth management review (ie. 5-10 years to complete the necessary studies and approvals required to provide market ready land.) It will require extensive public consultation, workshops and visioning exercises on a range of topics, including, but not limited to:

· Environmental protection;

· Agriculture and permanent countryside;

· Transportation and rapid transit;

· Municipal servicing;

· Land supply and demand;

· Intensification and redevelopment opportunities;

· Greenfield growth and intensification; and

· Location and phasing of urban expansion.

The Town of Markham has been engaged in planning for a sustainable urban structure for many years. To achieve a 20-year vision, the Town has established a number of strategic initiatives and projects intended, among other things, to promote the efficient and effective management of growth, to support a diverse choice of housing and employment opportunities, to preserve the natural and built environment, to promote rapid transit, and to optimize the use of current infrastructure and the allocation of Development Charges to facilitate new investment in infrastructure.

Key Growth Management Themes for Markham

1. Directing Future Growth (Urban Structure)

Markham is working hard with all stakeholders to create new communities that support compact urban development. Intensification and redevelopment is a key component of the Region’s and Town’s emerging urban structure based on Regional Centres (ie. Markham Centre) and Regional Corridors (ie. Highway 7). Markham’s ability to achieve intensification and redevelopment has a direct relationship to good urban design. To gain community acceptance of intensification, local community values must be accounted for and effective community design principles applied.

Markham is working to ensure that cultural heritage resources are managed in a manner, which perpetuates their functional use, while maintaining their heritage value and benefit to the community.

The Town would like to achieve an appropriate mix of employment and residential development at different scales and locations. Higher density mixed use development will be focused in Markham Centre, along the Hwy 7 corridor and other key development areas for intensification and redevelopment. Where viable, new mixed use communities will focus on a balance of residential neighbourhood areas and complementary business parks such as in Cornell, Cathedral Town and Box Grove.

Markham faces a challenge in that there is not enough vacant land in the existing urban settlement area, which was planned for growth to 2011, to accommodate the projected growth to 2021 and beyond. Even with targeting 40% of projected long-term growth within the existing urban settlement area, there is not enough vacant land to accommodate all of the projected growth. Future growth areas outside of the existing urban boundary will need to be identified in the context of Provincial, Regional and Town growth management objectives.

Statement of Expectations from Province to Assist Markham in Directing Future Growth

Markham requires support from the Province in achieving its growth management objectives of intensification and compact development, mixed use development, and accommodating future growth by:

· Introducing provincial planning reforms to:

i) provide municipalities with greater control to direct community built form and urban

design;

ii) provide authority for municipalities to introduce a development permit system

and/or conditional zoning to ensure appropriate development control and zoning

standards are met as a condition of development approval;

iii) establish provincial guidelines to support municipalities implementing intensification and compact development;

iv) support reduced parking standards where appropriate;

v) eliminate the OMB appeal mechanism for site plan control approval (introduced by Bill 124); and

vi) strengthen a municipality’s capability to conserve cultural heritage resources and

their incorporation into developing communities.

· Introducing provincial incentives to:

i) promote intensification and redevelopment within urban settlement areas on

existing or upgraded services;

ii) provide legislation to permit tax increment financing and other fiscal tools to attract more intensive mixed use development in key brownfield, greyfield and greenfield development areas; and

iii) allow changes to the Development Charges Act to shift emphasis to support area specific higher density development in centers and corridors including improvements to existing services to accommodate new growth.

· Identifying and assessing future growth areas to:

i) develop a strategic approach to urban boundary expansions that encourages and supports those municipalities that have been appropriately assessed for their ability to accommodate additional growth over time;

ii) promote strategic policies for accommodating future urban growth while protecting agricultural land and natural heritage systems; and

iii)ensure coordination and allocation of employment and population projections that direct increases to priority growth areas rather than to other locations that would compromise essential financial and infrastructure commitments in the priority growth areas;

· Focusing provincial transit investment and investment in infrastructure to:

i) recognize Markham is a priority urban area with an established regional

employment and residential growth corridor (Highway 7), having infrastructure capacity to

absorb future growth, and a new regional centre (Markham Centre) to target future

growth in the form of compact urban development; and

ii) provide a balanced (sustainable) approach to intensification, promotion of

mixed use, and development of nodes of a transportation network in Markham.

2. Balance and Mix of Employment and Residential Population

Markham has a strong employment base and “activity rate” (for every 1 employee found in Markham there are roughly 1.8 residents in Markham in 2001, for a 54% activity rate). However, Markham would like to improve upon the 36% of residents who both live and work in the Town. A higher live/work ratio for Markham will help address traffic congestion and gridlock, support rapid transit and compact urban development, preserve our diverse employment base and improve the quality of life for residents. To encourage housing and employment opportunities in close proximity, Markham will need to, among other things, diversify the forms and tenure of housing available; increase the supply of employment lands to accommodate a range of job opportunities; and facilitate intensification of mixed use developments along Markham’s regional transit corridors.

It is recognized that providing increased housing opportunities in existing designated residential areas will increase the availability of housing to accommodate the work force the Town requires for the jobs the Town offers. Markham Council has also endorsed a Town role in support of the provision of rental and affordable housing. This role incorporates components to address advocacy/partnership, policy and financial incentives.

Markham’s economic strength rests on its high quality of life and economic diversity. Protecting strategic employment lands is key to delivering and maintaining a diverse live/work environment in the Town.

Statement of Expectations from Province to Assist Markham in Achieving Balanced Growth

Markham requires support from the Province in achieving its growth management

objective of providing a balance and mix of employment and residential population by:

· Introducing provincial planning reforms to:

i) provide a balanced policy approach to the supply of employment and residential lands;

ii) assist municipalities in establishing a minimum target for employment lands supply;

iii) ensure that the supply of employment lands is maintained and market ready;

iv) ensure that policy changes that reduce rather than maintain the potential for housing and employment diversity are avoided as long as the supply of employment lands in a municipality remains inadequate;

v) develop guidelines for affordable housing to support by practical means municipal efforts to

provide diverse forms of housing and tenure; and

vi) encourage more options for affordable housing that effectively use existing infrastructure

such as second suites in houses;

· Clarifying in the provincial growth plan that municipalities identified as “future urban growth areas” will be permitted to expand their urban boundary to increase the supply of employment land only, or at a higher rate than the supply of residential land, provided that it be demonstrated that an overall population/employment target ratio of 2:1 can be achieved within the urban settlement area over time.

3. Prioritizing Infrastructure Investment

Markham and the Region of York have established comprehensive master plans for water and wastewater and transportation infrastructure. Planning for infrastructure is pursued on a long-term 30-year horizon consistent with the 30-year horizon of the proposed provincial growth plan. Markham has a modified 10-year capital plan for water and wastewater and transportation infrastructure that is being pursued with the Region of York to secure a prolonged funding format for improving infrastructure. Markham has experienced several challenges with the delivery of cross-jurisdictional infrastructure planning and investment (ie. road construction and water supply and sanitary sewer agreements between adjacent regional municipalities.)

Markham requires a sustained and targeted provincial investment in infrastructure (ie, water and wastewater, transportation and public transit, affordable housing, etc.) to successfully optimize existing infrastructure and lead new infrastructure development in the direction of compact urban development.

Statement of Expectations from Province to Assist Markham in Infrastructure Investment

Markham requires support from the Province in achieving its growth management objective of building, renewing and strategically managing infrastructure to meet the demands and expectations of a growing community by:

· Introducing provincial planning reforms to:

i) link strategic provincial planning priorities for growth management with strategic

provincial priorities for investment in infrastructure; and

ii) streamline an Environmental Assessment process for infrastructure and transit projects.

· Introducing provincial incentives to:

i) promote transit supportive development by introducing legislation to permit tax increment financing and other fiscal tools to attract high density mixed use development at key areas along regional transit corridors; and

ii) expand the Development Charges Act to ensure that the full cost of providing hard and soft infrastructure are attributed to new developments, including planned service levels for public transit infrastructure; and

iii) promote affordable housing opportunities by introducing land transfer tax rebates.

· Establishing an accountable coordinating body for cross jurisdictional infrastructure planning and investment at the regional level;

· Considering current planning efforts for, and the strategic implications of, the future Pickering Airport;

· Focusing provincial transit investment and investment in infrastructure to:

i) recognize Markham as a priority urban area where provincial investment in transit

and infrastructure will be directed and a fast track approvals system will be applied;

ii) provide a balanced (sustainable) approach to investment in Markham’s water and

waste water, public transit and transportation and affordable housing infrastructure; and

iii) recognize Markham and the Region’s centers and corridors strategy and the importance of

strengthening transportation linkages through a priority investment in public transit.

4. Protecting the Environment

Markham’s environmental policy framework for protection of a linked natural heritage system has exceeded the current scope of provincial policy and legislation. There is limited authority to implement greenbelt protection objectives to protect significant natural features, valleylands, middle reaches of watersheds and woodlots including the ability to identify and protect significant adjacent lands to support these features and their ecological functions.

Markham is awaiting the release of the next draft of the provincial Drinking Water Source Protection Act legislation to confirm how source water protection planning will be implemented at the municipal level (ie. detailed requirements and mandated responsibilities of municipalities including financing and resource requirements.)

The Town has identified that greenbelt protection may facilitate, but is not the sole solution, to the protection of unique agricultural land, and that implementation of permanent agricultural land use is impractical without addressing the economic viability of the agricultural industry. Currently, there are no provincial planning tools for agricultural protection that give the Town the authority to protect agricultural lands in perpetuity. Innovative use of current legislation or new regulatory legislation (ie. special legislation, agricultural easements or land trusts) are required to enable municipalities to provide permanent protection of agricultural lands. Other than the long-established Canada Land Inventory classification system, there is no up-to-date provincial assessment or analysis of agricultural lands or the agricultural industry that would support the identification of unique and irreplaceable lands for long-term protection. Concurrently, there is no mechanism to facilitate essential growth management decisions in municipalities comprised primarily of high capability soils. The policy being proposed is too narrow, as the classification system for prime agricultural lands directly competes with areas identified in the provincial plan for future urban growth, setting up conflicting growth management objectives.

Statement of Expectations from Province to Assist Markham in Protecting the Environment

Markham requires support from the Province in achieving its growth management objective of protecting the environment by:

· Introducing provincial planning reforms to:

i) provide municipalities with the authority and tools to implement protection of a linked natural heritage system including:

- a requirement for conveyance, into public ownership of valleylands and woodlots and associated ecological lands under the Planning Act;

- a policy framework that would support protection of natural system features and functions

including hydrologic features and functions and establish an overall guiding principle of

net “environmental” gain for natural heritage policies;

- updated provincial guidelines addressing compatibility of uses with a natural heritage

system;

- more explicit standards for development setbacks from natural features; and

- new policies to prohibit new or expanded agricultural operations on natural heritage system

lands;

ii) provide municipalities with the authority and tools to direct development away from

sensitive areas as identified in the draft Safe Drinking Water Source Protection Act

legislation;

iii) provide municipalities with the authority and tools to define unique agricultural

lands and implement their long term protection including:

- special legislation, agricultural easements or land trusts to achieve protection

in perpetuity; and

- an agricultural policy framework that would provide criteria to assess the

productive capability of agricultural lands and the economic viability of the

agricultural activities currently appropriate in Markham;

· Introducing a revised Drinking Water Source Protection Act legislation with detailed implementation requirements for municipalities and coordinate and integrate with other planning reform and growth management initiatives;

· Acting on the recommendations of the Eastern Markham Strategic Review particularly as they relate to:

i) the protection of key linkages to the Little Rouge Creek Corridor lands of the

Rouge Park in Eastern Markham;

ii) the protection of certain agricultural lands identified in the Eastern Markham

Strategic Review, and securement of agricultural use in perpetuity through the use of

special legislation and land trusts;

iii) the conservation of cultural and natural heritage resources in Eastern Markham and the

provision of compatible recreation and tourism uses that contribute to the sustainability of

these resources; and

iv) the establishment of the Rouge Park on greenspace lands in Eastern Markham

as a conservation, heritage and recreational resource in perpetuity; and

· Act on the recommendations of Markham Council respecting the proposed Greenbelt Protection Plan including that a coordinated and comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation process be established to bring forward concurrently, the provincial government’s definitive approach to planning reforms and greenbelt protection within the context of a final growth management plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

5. Implementation

Statement of Expectations from Province to Assist Markham in Implementing the Growth Plan

Markham requires support from the Province in the implementation of its growth management objectives by:

· Finalizing a growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe with status through legislation to, among other things:

- enshrine growth plan objectives;

- build on the greenbelt protection legislation and planning reforms legislation;

- define the authority for coordination of the growth plan implementation and integration of the growth plan with other provincial legislation to give precedence to plan policies in the Greater Golden Horseshoe;

- establish the terms of reference for the role and mandate of the provincial facilitator, and the

blue ribbon panel’s role, membership and mandate;

- prescribe timelines for transition of the growth plan legislation and for upper and lower tier

municipalities to bring their Official Plans into conformity;

- ensure that OMB decisions are consistent with the growth plan objectives and policies; and

- identify the provincial leadership role of the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Renewal

in implementing the growth plan in collaboration with stakeholders and municipalities.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

It is anticipated that implementation of a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by the provincial government in collaboration with municipalities should result in financial support to the Town in the delivery of growth management initiatives related to directing urban growth, balancing a mix and range of live/work opportunities, investing in infrastructure, and protecting the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

It is anticipated that the implementation of a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by the provincial government in collaboration with municipalities should result in improved protection of Markham’s natural features and green spaces as a component of a natural heritage system.

ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:

It is anticipated that implementation of a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by the provincial government in collaboration with municipalities should assist Markham in achieving its 20-year vision with a concerted focus on strategic plan initiatives and projects. It is also anticipated that a provincial growth plan and implementation framework, including necessary planning reforms and greenbelt protection, should assist Council in guiding growth management, land use, economic development, and environmental protection and Official Plan policy.

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix ‘A’- Highlights of Discussion Paper on A Growth Plan for Greater Golden Horseshoe

Appendix ‘B’- A Guide to the Discussion Paper on Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Summer 2004

Appendix ‘C’- Places To Grow: Better Choices. Brighter Future. A Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe – Discussion Paper, Summer 2004

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Director of Planning and Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P.,R.P.P.

Commissioner of Development Services

Document:Q\Development\Planning\MISC\MI485\DSCGrowthPlanAug30-2004 and \AppendixAAug30-2004

		DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE


	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council

	FROM:	Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services Valerie Shuttleworth, Director Of Planning & Urban Design

	PREPARED BY:	Murray Boyce, Senior Project Coordinator, Policy & Research

	DATE OF MEETING:	August 30, 2004

	SUBJECT:	Comments on the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Discussion Paper