Council maintains Caledon's population forecasts
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

After listening to many presentations from the public regarding Caledon's population forecasts last Tuesday night, Caledon council voted unanimously to maintain the projections contained in the proposed Official Plan Amendment 203.

All nine council members voted to support the 2021 population forecast of 84,444 currently approved in the Official Plan and the 2031 population forecast of 108,000 as proposed in OPA 203. Council won't consider any more population beyond 108,000 in 2031 until it has developed a strategy for managing growth in the white belt. It also insisted the Caledon and Peel conformity exercise for the Places To Grow policy initiative must be completed with a definitive reaction from the Ontario government. Town staff was directed to complete the South Albion-Bolton Community Plan in 2008.

Mayor Marolyn Morrison told the overflowing audience packed into the council chambers that at the time the agenda was set the Town had received 359 pieces of correspondence regarding the population projects, including three petitions.

Council heard 14 inperson delegations at Tuesday's meeting.

Karen Hutchinson and Nicola Ross from the Caledon Countryside Alliance urged council not to increase the population projections it agreed to last year. They pointed out new money from residential development wouldn't maintain services.

Former councillor Ian Sinclair said a population of 84,444 for 2021 is a good number. He added the development charges received from growth doesn't cover all the costs, the Town will have to pay as well. What the Town needs is increased commercialindustrial development, not residential, he said. He questioned why people in Bolton would want their roads further choked up with 27,000 more people.

Russell Mathew, a partner with Hemson Consulting Ltd., which prepared a report for Solmar Development Corp. in support of reopening the population forecasts in OPA 203, said Caledon will need to accommodate more of Peel region's unallocated growth and Caledon doesn't have a sufficient number of housing units to accommodate growth to 2021.

Frank Miele, vicepresident of Solmar, said Solmar agreed with the recommendations in the Hemson report. He preferred council adopt a population of 114,000 by 2031. He also expressed concern about the Town's plans to add only 1,500 more people in Bolton until 2021, noting this means only 100 people per year for the next 15 years. Solmar wants to achieve a healthy live-work climate, he said.

Kelly Darnley, president and chief executive officer of the Caledon Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber is doing its best to serve the interests of its members and the community. She explained in a survey of its membership, most disagreed with the Town's strategy. They believe the population forecasts are understated. Darnley said the population forecasts should be between 114,000 and 125,000 by 2031.

Rowan Faludi, a partner with urbanMetrics inc., which prepared a report for the Chamber regarding Bolton community business attraction and population growth, said the Town didn't take a balanced approach and only one option was considered. He pointed out Bolton is the economic engine of Caledon and Town staff didn't agree with their view the forecasts in OPA 203 will be bad for business.

Former councillor David Lyons said he fully supports OPA 203 which he understood to be the beginning of a process that would culminate in a Peel region conformity exercise and bring the region's total population to 1.64 million people by 2031.

"Caledon will undoubtedly be asked to consider taking more population down the road particularly when Brampton and Mississauga reach full build-out," he said. "However, this should not happen prior to the resolution of a number of problems."

Among the challenges he cited included Development Charges Act changes, provincial downloading of ambulance services, the shortage of doctors and nurses in Caledon, and the need for the province to complete the Greater Toronto Area West Corridor study which includes a significant portion of south Caledon including the area described in the Solmar proposal.

Local real estate agent Victoria Kaye said Bolton doesn't have diverse housing. She explained families looking to upsize their homes don't have much choice and it's sad when she has to tell seniors they have to kiss this community goodbye because there aren't affordable options.

Mark Penfold, representing the Bolton Business Improvement Area, urged council not to place a complete restriction on growth in Bolton.

"We believe in order to sustain business you've got to have some growth," he said.

John Folino, owner of Caesar's Event Centre in Bolton, injected some humour into the proceedings by showing his support for growth to the tune of a Christmas carol.

"Let us grow, let us grow, let us grow," he crooned.

"I don't remember that carol," Morrison responded.

"We want balanced, steady growth to wake up this sleeping community," Folino said. "We need to keep Bolton alive."

Kathie Kurtz, the Town's senior policy planner, said there isn't a shortage of housing units in south Albion and Bolton. She also commented adding more residential growth in south Albion and Bolton will only increase the imbalance between Mayfield West and Bolton. There will be a significant amount of growth in Mayfield West and Caledon East, she said. She concluded there was no planning rationale for reopening the population forecasts.

Councillor Richard Paterak explained council reopened the issue in case they missed a huge deficiency, but he didn't see anything presented to change his mind. He believes the growth figures approved last year gives staff a workload it can manage.

"Slow but steady wins the race," he said.

He added council is planning for the entire Town, not just Bolton. They want balance so all the communities have services, he said.

Councillor Nick deBoer said he saw no new information that would change him from supporting staff's recommendations. He explained they need to see what happens with the transportation corridor. He wants to push the province to do its job since it's pushing this growth.

Councillor Doug Beffort said a small but vocal group subscribes to "build it and they will come."

He believes they need to start on a vision.

"This issue is not about numbers, this issue is about planning," he said.

He wants to tell the province how they want to grow.

Councillor Allan Thompson said a long-term vision of the white belt is key. He added the Bolton arterial routes need to be completed first, unlike Highway 410 which came in after the residents were already there.

Councillor Gord McClure said there are population numbers for everyone. He added there's opportunities for industrialcommercial development in the white belt.

Councillor Annette Groves said Caledon shouldn't stop its planning waiting for the province.

"I'm prepared to support the 108,000," she commented.

Councillor Richard Whitehead said there's nothing more important in his ward than completion of the south Albion-Bolton study. He agreed they needed a deadline for it so it doesn't drift as an issue.

He had no major objection to the population figures council approved last year.

"I support 108,000," he said.

He noted most people he talks to don't realize 108,000 means 11,500 more people in south Albion and Bolton and 23,000 more people in Mayfield West.

He believes within two and a half years they will have to return to the issue.