Milton Official Plan Review - Town of Milton Council Meeting - 04, 13, 2026

Milton council held a statutory public meeting on the final draft of the town’s new Official Plan, a document intended to guide land use and development. Delegations included students speaking in support of locally elected school board trustees and agricultural representatives raising concerns about mapping and policy language affecting farm operations. Council also approved transfers from an estimated $4.1 million operating surplus and passed a motion supporting school board trustees in response to provincial legislation introduced the same day.

Topics Discussed

“We Make Milton” Official Plan Review: Council held a statutory public meeting on the final draft of Milton’s Official Plan. Staff said the plan’s overall structure remains largely consistent with the December 2025 draft, with updates including employment lands along the Highway 407 corridor and clarifications for rural policies. Public comments are due May 15, and council is scheduled to vote June 22. Delegations and property owners raised issues with mapping and designations on specific lands, including wetland and natural heritage system boundaries. The Halton Regional Federation of Agriculture asked for clearer language protecting normal farm practices and proposed creating an agricultural advisory committee.

School Board Trustee Representation: Council unanimously approved a motion supporting locally elected school board trustees in response to provincial legislation tabled the same day. Student delegates argued that trustee decisions directly affect students and that local representation matters. Hisham Muhammad, a Grade 12 student at Craig Kielburger Secondary School, told council: “Schoolboard trustees do incredibly important work for our education system and for schools across Milton. They create long-term plans to improve student achievement and well-being.” Another student delegate said, “student trustees are very important people on the board as we are the ones who are most affected by the decisions the board makes.” Mayor Craveiro said the Halton school boards “have worked very well over the last number of years.”

Agricultural Land Protection and Mapping Concerns: Agricultural delegations focused on how Official Plan policies and mapping could affect farm operations. John Oakstein of the Halton Regional Federation of Agriculture said, “Agriculture is an important industry with the local agra food sector accounting for employing over 28,000 people in Halton. Milton being the biggest share of that.” Speakers also raised concerns about the accuracy and completeness of environmental mapping used in the plan. One delegation argued that food security should be part of the discussion, saying, “food sovereignty is something we have to take very seriously and consider… every inch counts.” Another delegation raised kennel-related concerns, with David Hull stating, “60% of the households have a dog or cat. So looking at that map right now, you probably couldn't build a kennel in Milton,” and another speaker adding, “You got all these homes, all these people moving in, but you got no land where you're going to allow them to keep their animals when they're sick or when they go on holiday.”

Operating Surplus and Tax Policy: Council approved transferring an estimated $4.1 million operating surplus, with $3 million directed to the growth capital reserve and $1.1 million to the tax rate stabilization reserve. Council also approved updates to the Tax and Assessment Base Management Policy (Policy #111).

Boulevard Maintenance and Proposed Lawn Care Subsidy: Council approved boulevard maintenance bylaw amendments, with councillors emphasizing an education-first approach to enforcement. Council also debated a proposed subsidized lawn care program for low-income seniors and people with disabilities and agreed to request a staff report. Councillor Chalnar opposed funding a social program through property taxes, saying: “This is ground that has not been trodden on before by this municipality in terms of paying for social programs through property taxes.”

Motions

Passed: - Motion to receive the Milton Official Plan review for information purposes at statutory public meeting
- Motion to transfer $4.1 million operating surplus ($3 million to growth capital reserve, $1.1 million to tax rate stabilization reserve)
- Motion to transfer $1 million from legal and insurance reserve to WSIB reserve
- Motion to approve updates to Tax and Assessment Base Management Policy (Policy #111)
- Motion to approve boulevard maintenance bylaw amendments
- Motion supporting locally elected school board trustees (Motion 9.9)
- Motion to waive procedural rules to allow immediate consideration of Motion 9.9
- Motion to add two delegations to speak on Motion 9.9

Deferred: - Motion to rename portions of Tremaine Road to Gatten Road and Troop Point — deferred until consultation with affected parties, including Halton Hills, is completed

Introduced for Future Consideration: - Motion requesting a staff report on the feasibility of a subsidized lawn care program for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities

Attendees

• Mayor Craveiro
• Councillor Kulkkey (assumed chair duties for most of meeting)
• Councillor Best
• Councillor Chaliner
• Councillor Aaz
• Councillor Hijazi
• Councillor Lee
• Councillor Minakus
• Councillor Marshall
• Councillor Challenger