Oakville Town Council Meeting

Oakville Town Council formally declared the Ward 5 seat vacant following the death of Councillor Marc Grant, directed staff to report back within 60 days on options to fill it, and unanimously approved renaming Ridge View Park in his honour. Council also moved ahead with a one-year interim control bylaw process for new data centres, reviewed transportation and traffic-management updates, approved a public-safety resolution tied to disorderly gatherings, and requested staff reports on e-scooter and e-bike safety.

Topics Discussed

WARD 5 VACANCY AND MARC GRANT TRIBUTE

Council declared the Ward 5 council seat vacant under Section 262.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, and directed staff to return within 60 days with options to fill the vacancy under Section 263.

Mayor Rob Burton opened the discussion by noting that Grant had served Oakville since December 2003 and said, "Mark Grant was our colleague on this council. He was my Ward 5 partner, my friend, and in so many ways my brother. Mark had served the people of Oakville since December 2003, almost 23 years of public service."

Council members then paid tribute to Grant's work on parks, transit and community issues. Councillor Jeff Knoll said renaming Ridge View Park was a fitting memorial: "I cannot think of a more appropriate tribute. To put Mark's name on a park in the community he represented, particularly given how much he cared about our parks and the role they played in building strong neighborhoods, feels especially fitting."

Council approved the park renaming by recorded vote.

DATA CENTRE REGULATION

Council voted 14-0 to proceed with an interim control bylaw process that would pause new data centres, enterprise computing facilities and similar high-density digital processing facilities for one year in business and employment areas, including Parkway Belt West lands, while staff complete a planning study.

The study is to examine land-use compatibility and infrastructure impacts, including energy, water and noise. Councillor Natalia Lishchyna said the review was intended to gather facts before permanent rules are considered: "Data centers are evolving rapidly and while they can bring economic benefits and support an increasing digital economy, they can also create significant demands on energy, water, infrastructure, as well as potential concerns related to noise, emissions, and compatibility with surrounding communities."

Mayor Burton said council was acting early rather than waiting on the province. "In my time as your mayor, we have been guided as much as we could be by the precautionary principle," he said. "And the precautionary principle means acting now and not waiting to see what the province may or may not do."

Council also approved a special meeting for Aug. 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. to consider the bylaw.

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION

Staff presented updates on transportation projects, including adaptive signal control, regional road coordination and construction-related disruptions.

An adaptive signal pilot on Trafalgar Road between Leland Avenue and Cornwall Road uses live traffic data to adjust signal timing. According to the presentation, northbound traffic at Cross Avenue during the afternoon peak increased from about 230 vehicles per hour before the pilot to 670 vehicles per hour after implementation. One presentation summary described that as "almost three times more cars through that intersection during these peak surges."

Council members also discussed congestion at other intersections. Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall said Trafalgar Road and Cornwall Road remained a concern even with improvements elsewhere: "there's no question that Trafalgar and Cornwall is getting very close to gridlock."

Staff also updated council on other transportation files, including MTO work at Dorell Drive, Metrolinx construction near the GO station, and the delayed William Halton Parkway bridge reopening, which officials said is expected within the next several weeks.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND LARGE GATHERINGS

Council approved a resolution asking the Ontario Solicitor General and other organizations to review provincial legislation and enforcement tools for large gatherings that create immediate public-safety risks.

Councillor Sean O'Meara's motion cited "repeated public safety concerns during Canada Day celebrations including large unsanctioned youth gatherings, dangerous fireworks use and disorder and risk to residents, visitors, businesses and emergency responders." It asks the province to provide "clear charter compliant authority for police and municipalities to direct the dispersal of groups when an imminent public safety risk has been determined."

Councillor Jonathan McNeice said the issue extends beyond Oakville: "It's a tricky issue and we still want people to feel safe going out and celebrating in large crowds and we're looking for ways to take away some of those concerns."

E-SCOOTER, E-BIKE AND E-MOBILITY SAFETY

Council approved requests for staff reports on e-scooters, e-bikes and other electronic mobility devices, including illegal e-scooter use by children under 16, enforcement options, education and municipal practices elsewhere.

Councillor Jeff Knoll said residents had repeatedly raised the issue and stressed that the discussion was separate from any provincial pilot project: "I want to be really clear that this is a separate issue from the pilot project because at no point is the province or anybody suggesting that children under the age of 16 will be legally allowed to use e-scooters."

Council also discussed battery-fire concerns and public education, with staff expected to work with Halton Regional Police on awareness measures.

Motions

Passed: - Declaration of the Ward 5 council seat vacant under Section 262.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 - Direction to staff to report back within 60 days on options to fill the Ward 5 vacancy under Section 263 - Renaming Ridge View Park to Mark Grant Park - Waiver of procedural notice for the park renaming - Public safety resolution regarding unlawful or disorderly gatherings and provincial enforcement tools - Data centre interim control bylaw process and related planning study - Special council meeting for Aug. 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. to consider the interim control bylaw - Staff report request on e-scooter, e-bike and e-mobility safety - Previous meeting minutes, Item 5.1 - Bylaws 17.1 through 17.4

Deferred/Rejected: - No deferred or rejected motions were identified in the supplied meeting materials.

Attendees

Councillors identified in the supplied materials as participating in the meeting or discussion were:

• Mayor Rob Burton
• Councillor Ray Chisholm
• Councillor Cathy Duddeck
• Councillor Allan Elgar
• Councillor Dave Gittings
• Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall
• Councillor Jeff Knoll
• Councillor Natalia Lishchyna
• Councillor Jonathan McNeice
• Councillor Nav Nanda
• Councillor Sean O'Meara
• Councillor Peter Longo

Marc Grant was not in attendance; council declared his Ward 5 seat vacant following his death.