General Correspondence 1. The Premier of Ontario dated March 23, 2016 re: GTA West Corridor. 2-3

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1 Town of Caledon Correspondence Package April 19, 2016 Committee of the Whole Planning & Development General Correspondence 1. The Premier of Ontario dated March 23, 2016 re: GTA West Corridor Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs dated March 17, 2016 re: Cider Trail in Caledon Region of Peel dated March 21, 2016 re: The New Approach to Planning, Servicing and Financing Growth in the Region of Peel. 4. City of Brampton dated March 31, 2016 re: Comments Received from the Open House and Agency Circulation of the May 2014 Land Use Concept, Secondary Plan Areas 52 & 53 (Heritage Heights) Town of Aurora dated March 1, 2016 re: Golf Course Conversion Page 1 of 13

2 The Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1 desslfl^, ^^^^ AMiWER^ Ontario La premiere ministre de I'Ontario Edifice de I'Assemblee legislative, Queen's Park Toronto (Ontario) M7A 1A1 March 23, 2016 His Worship Allan Thompson Mayor Town of Caledon 6311 Old Church Road Caledon East Caledon, Ontario L7C 1J6 Dear May^(Thompson: TOWN OF CALEDOS MAYOR Thank you for your letter regarding the GTA West Corridor. I appreciate your taking the time to write. I have noted your concerns regarding the economic impact of the corridor for the Town of Caledon and surrounding communities. I note that you have sent a copy of your correspondence to my colleague the Honourable Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. As this matter falls under his area of responsibility, I have asked that either the minister or a member of his ministry staff respond to you directly. Thank you again for writing. Please accept my best wishes. Sincerely, Kathleen Wynne Premier c: The Honourable Steven Del Duca Page 2 of 13

3 TOWN OF CALEDON Allan Thompson Mayor December 22, 2015 The Honourable Kathleen Wynne Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park Toronto ON M7A 1A1 Dear Madame Premier, As a GTA Mayor and a member of the Premier's working group on Growth and Economic Development I have greatly appreciated the level of engagement and collaboration your government has had with local Municipalities. However, I was extremely surprised and deeply disappointed by the lack of advance notice, communication, discussion and clarity with respect to the decision to suspend the GTA West Corridor especially as the Mayor of a municipality greatly affected. The Town of Caledon has invested a tremendous amount of resources into the project already, as has the Province. Our municipality's viability and future sustainability hinges on lands adjacent to the corridor being jed to create jobs and strengthen our business and employment sector. I have concerns about goods movement and our existing transportation corridors and road networks as 1.5 billion worth of goods travel through the Region of Peel each and every day. I have many unanswered questions and serious concerns. Respectfully, I am asking you as the Premier and as a Municipal partner to sit down with your area municipalities to share information on the rationale for this shift in direction. I am also asking you to carefully consider the potential impact of decisions on these lands for the future of the Town of Caledon, as well as the broader implications to neighbouring communities. Sincerely, da Mayor Allan Thompson c. Members of Town Council Hon. Steven Del Duca Hon. Ted McMeekin Economic Growth Working Group THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF CALEDON 6311 Old Church Road, Caledon East, Caledon, ON, Canada L7C 1J6 T F allan.thompson@caledon.ca Page 3 of 13

4 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Office of the Parliamentary Assistant Ministere de PAgriculture, de I'Alimentation et des Affaires rurales Bureau de I'adjoint parlementaire 77 Grenville Street, 11 th Floor 77, rue Grenville, 11 e etage Ontario Toronto, Ontario M7A 1B3 Toronto (Ontario) M7A 1B3 Tel: Tel.: Fax: Telec.: MAR His Worship Allan Thompson Mayor Town of Caledon 6311 Old Church Road Caledon, Ontario L7C1J6 Dear Mayor Thompson: It was a pleasure meeting you and your delegation at the Ontario Good Roads Association/Rural Ontario Municipal Association Combined Conference. Thank you for updating me on the town's work to establish a Cider Trail in your community. On February 19, 2016, Ontario's government announced that ciders will be available in grocery stores across the province. Craft ciders will also be available at farmers' markets along with fruit wines and Ontario VQA wines. The ministry has consulted on draft "Guidelines on Permitted Uses in Ontario's Prime Agricultural Areas." These guidelines are intended to help municipalities, decision-makers, farmers and others interpret the policies in the 2014 Provincial Policy Statement on the range of uses permitted in prime agricultural areas. These new guidelines will be finalized in the near future. Thank you for sharing your concerns related to Land Evaluation and Areas Reviews (LEAR). As you know, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) is the lead ministry for Ontario's One-Window Planning System. Partner ministries like the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) provide support to MMAH and municipalities on technical matters related to agricultural land use planning. Should you have a specific question regarding the LEAR methodology please contact Jackie Van de Valk at or jackie.vandevalk@ontario.ca, who is OMAFRA's Rural Planner for your area. I would like to take this opportunity to share details of the recently announced changes to the permanent Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) program. We are expanding and improving the program to help further build the foundation for economic development in rural and northern communities Ministry Headquarters: 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 Bureau principal du ministere: 1 Stone Road West, Guelph (Ontario) N1G 4Y2 Page 4 of 13

5 -2-. The province is providing small, rural and northern municipalities with expanded access to predictable, stable annual funding to build and repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure. Funding for OCIF will triple from $100 million to $300 million a year by This will include $200 million in predictable, formula-based funding and $100 million in application-based funding. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Please accept my best wishes. Sincerely, Arthur Potts Parliamentary Assistant c: Jackie Van de Valk, OMAFRA Good Things Grow in Ontario A bonne terre, bons produits Page 5 of 13

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8 y BRAMPTON brampton.ca Flower City Corporate Services Council and Administrative Services Date: To: March 31, 2016 Regional Councillor M. Palleschi City Councillor D. Whillans J. Pitushka H. MacDonald M. Gervais From: Shauna Danton The following recommendation of the Planning and Infrastructure Services Committee, Meeting of March 7, 2016, was approved by Council on March 9, 2016: P&IS That the report from Michelle Gervais, Policy Planner, Planning Policy & Growth Management dated February 17, 2016, to the Planning and Infrastructure Services Committee Meeting of March 7, 2016, re: Comments Received from the Open House and Agency Circulation of the May 2014 Land Use Concept, Secondary Plan Areas 52 & 53 (Heritage Heights) (File: P26RE - 52 & 53) be received; That the City of Brampton support Regional Council Resolution with respect to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) West Corridor Environmental Assessment - Suspension of Study that authorizes the Regional Chair and Mayors of Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga to meet with the Ontario Minister of Transportation to discuss the importance of the GTA West Corridor to the Region of Peel and the importance of completing the EA; That staff continue with advancing those aspects of the Secondary Plan for Heritage Heights not directly related to the GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment including, but not limited to: z LJjj UJ Q (f) Hi 1 DC UJ' o ID Handle ation r Inform; You \ < uncil ) 51 & iz City of Brampton Municipal Comprehensive Review on Employment Land Needs affecting the Heritage Heights Secondary Plan area; City of Brampton Office Strategy and its implication to land needs in the Heritage Heights Secondary Plan area;» North West Brampton Shale Policy Review; Heritage Heights Secondary Plan Sub-watershed Study; and» Heritage Heights Secondary Plan Cultural Heritage Study. Page 8 of 13

9 That staff be directed to report back to Planning and Infrastructure Services Committee with a course of action for advancing secondary planning in Heritage Heights once the Ministry of Transportation issues an update with respect to the GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment; and, That a copy of the report and Council Resolution be circulated to the Region of Peel, Region of Halton, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Caledon and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Central Region. That the delegation and correspondence dated March 7, 2016, from Scott Snider, Turkstra Mazza, to the Planning and Infrastructure Services Committee Meeting of March 7, 2016, re: Comments Received from the Open House and Agency Circulation of the May 2014 Land Use Concept, Secondary Plan Areas 52 & 53 (Heritage Heights) (File: P26RE - 52 & 53) be received. Yours truly, Shauna Danton Legislative Coordinator City Clerk's Office Tel: Fax: shauna.danton@ brampton.ca (P&IS-6.1) cc: Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Attn: Signe Leisk, 2100 Scotia Plazas ;: H r 40 King Street West, Toronto, M5H 3C2 i. Pamela Soward, Winston Churchill Boulevard, Georgetown, L7G 4S7 Mike Everard, Principal, Augusta National Inc., Catholic Cemeteries Archdiocese of Toronto, 178 Main Street, Unionville, L3R 2G9 Gagnon & Law Urban Planners Ltd., Attn: Michael Gagnon, 21 Queen Street East, Suite 500, Brampton, L6W 3P1 Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc., Attn: John Vos, 330-F Trillium Drive, Kitchener, N2E 3J2 Emma West, Principal, Planning Alliance, 110 Adelaide Street, East 4 th Floor, ^ : Toronto, M4P 3C5 *." \ \ Davis Webb LLP, Barristers & Solicitors, Attn: Ron Webb, I ; 24 Queen Street East, Suite 800, Brampton, L6V 1A3 Stikeman Elliot LLP, Barristers & Solicitors, 5300 Commerce Court West, Attn: James Harbell, 199 Bay Street, Toronto, M5L 1B9 Sev Canzona, 801 Maquire Terrace, Milton, L9T 6Z2 Town of Halton Hills, Attn: Tara Buonpensiero, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills, L7G 5G2 Page 9 of 13

10 E. Ng, Glen Schnarr & Associates Inc., 10 Kingsbridge Garden Circle, Suite 700, Mississauga, L5R 3K6 Scott Snider, Heritage Heights Landowners Group, 15 Bold Street, Hamilton, L8P 1T3 Town of Caledon, Carey degorter, Town Clerk / Director of Administration, P.O. Box 1000, 6300 Old Church Road, Caledon, ON L7C 1J6 Regional Municipality of Peel, Ms. Kathryn Lockyer, Clerk, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite "A", 5 th Floor, Brampton, ON L6T 4B9 Town of Halton Hills, Ms. S. Jones, Town Clerk, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills, ON L7G5G2 Region of Halton, Ms. K. Bennett, Regional Clerk and Director of Council Services, 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, ON L6M 3L1 Ministry of Transportation Central Region - Bldg "D" 3 rd Floor, Planning and Environmental Office 1201 Wilson Avenue, Downsview, ON M3M 1J8 Credit Valley Conservation Authority, 1255 Old Derry Road, Mississauga, ON L5N 6R4 Page 10 of 13

11 MM AURORA you/re, chs Qoott Comp-tuty Town of Aurora 100 John West Way, P.O. Box 1000 Aurora, ON L4G 6J1 March 1, 2016 Mr. Roger M. Anderson Regional Chair and CEO Regional Municipality of Durham 605 Rossland Rd E Whitby, ON L1N6A3 Mr. Chairman, I am enclosing a briefing note entitled "Golf Course Conversion" for your review and consideration. As you many know, in March 2015, the Town of Aurora received application(s) for an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning Bylaw Amendment and a Draft Plan of Subdivision on lands formerly known as the Highland Gate Golf Course, being approximately 101 acres. The development application proposes a residential plan of subdivision comprised of 184 lots and a 10-storey condominium building within an existing and established community. Although the application has been appealed by the applicant this type of scenario is not an isolated occurrence but rather it is occurring throughout the GTAH. I am kindly requesting this item added onto the GTAH agenda for discussion at the Premier's Summit being held on Monday March 7 th. I would welcome your comments or feedback on the briefing note. Thank you for your consideration. Geoffrey Dawe Mayor Page 11 of 13

12 AURORA you/re- av Qood- Coi-up^u-ty Town of Aurora 100 John West Way, P.O. Box 1000 Aurora, ON L4G 6J1 Golf Course Conversion Briefing Note Background The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006) has had a substantial impact on land use planning at the Regional and Local levels. The legislation requires that, on a Regional wide basis, a minimum of 40 percent of all residential growth shall occur within the built-up area. The Growth Plan requires municipalities to encourage intensification and infilling where infrastructure currently exists within current urban boundaries. The intent of the this direction has been recognized as a bold but very necessary measure to curb urban sprawl and improve everything from public health to easing gridlock. Since the passing of the legislation, there has been a marked change in the form of urban development in the GTAH with greater densities, and in many cases underutilized tracts of lands and buildings have been converted to new residential development with much greater densities than the previous use. The focus has been on urban design and successful conversions or changes in land use usually involve a careful consideration of the character of the general neighbourhood. Success generally involves greater densities through good design and mitigation of impacts to ensure the character of the neighbourhood. Increased densities have been encouraged in areas which are in the immediate vicinity of major arterial roads, and higher order transit, particularly those in close proximity of Go Transit stations. One of the unintended consequences of the legislation has been the conversion of privately owned "Green Space" being acquired by developers for the purpose of converting these lands to non-recreational uses. From a strictly Provincial land use regulatory perspective, the developers claim to be simply following a Provincial directive. Their claim has received a positive reaction from the OMB recently in Newmarket and will no doubt be presented in Aurora, Oakville and in other municipalities which have had golf courses sold or optioned by residential developers. Why Should this be of Concern to the Province? There are many golf courses throughout the GTAH. While many are privately owned, they provide a recreational and sport experience to members and residents. They are often important environmental linkages within natural heritage systems and their "park like "appearance provides a welcome respite to asphalt and concrete. Many golf course developments have involved the prior development of low density residential development which immediately abuts the greens and fairways of the playing area. In these residential developments, those properties were sold at a premium given their desirable location. Page 12 of 13

13 The most recent conversions have been both controversial and expensive for municipalities and very unsettling for the existing neighbourhood. In Aurora's case, the developer has referred the plan to the OMB and money which could be used for more worthy capital works will be spent on lawyers and consultants for a six week hearing. It is unlikely that the Province or the municipalities had contemplated the conversion of private green space when the Growth Plan was enacted. Many golf courses have been sold or are in the process of being sold for the purpose of conversion to housing. This loss of recreation space will put additional demands of GTAH municipalities as there will be a net decline in the amount of green space despite a growing population base who will demand more recreation opportunities from their Councils. What Can the Province Do to Assist GTAH Municipalities? At a minimum, the Province can work with municipalities and developers to understand the issue and in particular determine if additional policy direction is required. One thing is certain the current situation will create expensive confrontations between the developer and the community with the Province unwittingly being cited as the provider of the policy direction to facilitate conversions. While it was certainly not the intent of The Growth Plan for the GTAH, it has become an unintended consequence of the legislation. Page 13 of 13