Time Is Of The Essence States MPP Triantafilopoulos

A local MPP is asking her government to stop a developer from building homes on a Burlington golf course.

Effie Triantafilopoulos is calling on her Conservative colleagues to step in to halt plans to build at Millcroft Golf Club.

Triantafilopoulos, who represents the provincial riding of Oakville North—Burlington, is siding with residents and the City of Burlington who say the addition of up to 100 homes on the golf course will come at the expense of green space and be built on a floodplain that will disrupt stormwater management.

Owners of the golf course intend to carry out their plans following a recent ruling in their favour from the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) that determined housing on parts of the golf course is appropriate land use. The OLT is the body that rules on land disputes in Ontario.

Triantafilopoulos said she found the OLT decision “profoundly disappointing” and that it ignored the views of Burlington city council, Halton Region and residents who live near Millcroft and across Burlington.

In a letter to Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Triantafilopoulos points out she has presented several petitions and thousands of signatures to the Ontario Legislature that underscore the community’s opposition to the development. She said several high-level meetings with provincial officials have also been held.

“The City of Burlington and residents are aligned in their opposition,” she said.

She acknowledged that Burlington wants to meet housing targets set out by the province but that the Millcroft development will come at a high environmental cost.

Burlington has recently asked the province to overrule the OLT decision and issue an order to stop the development. Triantafilopoulos agrees saying that parks and open spaces must be protected.

“I…respectfully request that you exercise your discretion and explore all tools at your disposal to stop the development from proceeding,” she tells Calandra. “Time is of the essence and I request your urgent attention to this matter.”