North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report
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North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report DRAFT REPORT – June 18, 2018 1 North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report 3.2 DETAILS OF ROPA 15 ................ 28 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.3 DETAILS OF OPA 93-245 ............ 31 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............... 4 4.0 LOCATION OF SHALE RESOURCES .......................... 34 1. BACKGROUND .................... 9 4.1 1996 OGS REPORT (ARIP 165) ..... 34 1.1 PURPOSE ................................. 9 4.1.1 INTRODUCTION ..................... 34 4.1.2 BEDROCK RESOURCES IN THE 1.2 HISTORICAL CONTEXT ................. 9 NWBPA AND VICINITY ...................... 35 1.3 ABOUT SHALE RESOURCES ............ 9 4.2 2001 OGS REPORT .................... 36 1.4 POLICY CONTEXT ....................... 9 4.3 THE 2002 MHBC REPORT ............ 37 1.5 CURRENT STATUS .................... 10 4.4 ARIP #165 - REVISED ................. 42 1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT .. 11 4.5 2012 OGS SHALE REPORT ........... 43 4.6 OTHER SHALE RESOURCE AREAS IN 2. STUDY AREA .................... 12 THE REGION OF PEEL ....................... 45 2.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA 12 4.7 OTHER SHALE RESOURCE AREAS IN ONTARIO ....................................... 47 2.2 FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NWBPA ......................................... 17 4.8 ACTIVE SHALE QUARRIES ........... 52 2.2.1 HALTON-PEEL BOUNDARY AREA 4.8.1 CITY OF BURLINGTON ............. 52 TRANSPORTATION STUDY ................. 17 4.8.2 NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ........... 53 2.2.2 GTA WEST STUDY .................. 18 4.8.3 MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH 2.2.3 FUTURE GO STATION AND MIDDLESEX ................................... 53 LAYOVER FACILITY ......................... 20 4.8.4 TOWN OF HALTON HILLS ......... 53 4.8.5 CONCLUSIONS ON RESERVES ..... 54 2.3 POTENTIAL HOSPITAL IN THE NWBPA ........................................... 20 5.0 BRICK MAKING................. 61 2.4 OTHER LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS . ........................................... 21 5.1 BRICK-MAKING ......................... 61 5.1.1 HISTORY OF BRICK-MAKING ...... 61 2.5 ADJACENT LAND USES ............... 22 5.1.2 BRICK-MAKING PLANTS IN 2.5.1 RESIDENTIAL USES EAST OF THE ONTARIO IN 2018 ........................... 62 NWBPA ....................................... 22 2.5.2 BRAMPTON BRICK APPLICATION . 22 5.2 BRICK MAKING AND HOUSE CONSTRUCTION .............................. 64 3. BACKGROUND, OMB DECISION 5.3 COST OF TRANSPORTING SHALE .. 67 AND RELATED POLICIES ........... 26 3.1 ONTARIO MUNICIPAL BOARD 6.0 CONSTRAINTS TO SHALE DECISION ....................................... 26 RESOURCE EXTRACTION IN THE NWBPA ............................... 68 2 North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report 6.1 DETERMINING THE 'AREA OF 9.2.1 PURPOSE ............................ 98 INTEREST' ...................................... 68 9.2.2 MATTERS OF PROVINCIAL INTEREST ..................................... 99 6.2 CONSTRAINTS TO EXTRACTION IN 9.2.3 IMPACT ON DECISION MAKING . 100 THE 'AREA OF INTEREST' ................... 71 9.3 PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT . 100 6.3 SCENARIOS FOR CONSIDERATION . 74 9.3.1 CONTEXT FOR DECISION MAKING . 6.3.1 SCENARIO 1: PARTIAL ..................................... 100 PROTECTION ................................. 74 9.3.2 PROVINCIAL VISION .............. 100 6.3.2 SCENARIO 2: FULL PROTECTION 9.3.2 USE OF WORDS IN THE 2014 PPS .. (STATUS QUO) ............................... 75 ..................................... 102 6.3.3 SCENARIO 3: FULL PROTECTION 9.3.3 BALANCING OF POLICY ......... 103 UP TO 15 METRES OF DRIFT THICKNESS IN 9.3.4 GROWTH MANAGEMENT THE 'AREA OF INTEREST' ................... 75 CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PPS ........... 104 6.3.4 SCENARIO 4: FULL REMOVAL ..... 75 9.3.5 MINERAL AGGREGATE RESOURCES POLICIES IN THE PPS ..................... 107 6.4 CONSIDERATIONS ..................... 75 9.3.6 PLANNING OPINION ............. 111 6.4.1 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS .... 75 6.4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS ........................... 77 10.0 REFERENCES ............... 117 6.5 LANDOWNER SUBMISSIONS ON VIABILITY OF SHALE RESOURCE EXTRACTION IN THE NWBPA .............. 79 6.5.1 NORTHWEST BRAMPTON LANDOWNERS GROUP ...................... 79 6.5.2 OSMINGTON REGIONAL CENTRE PROPERTY .................................... 80 6.5.3 HEATHWOOD HOMES (BRAMPTON) LIMITED AND MCN (HERITAGE) INC ...... 82 7.0 GROWTH MANAGEMENT .... 84 7.1 PEEL ROPA 24 ......................... 84 7.2 PEEL 2041 PROCESS ................. 86 8. PLANNING HERITAGE HEIGHTS . ................................... 90 9. ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT CRITERIA ............................. 95 9.1 INTRODUCTION ........................ 95 9.1.1 ARA LICENSES IN THE NWBPA .... 95 9.1.2 POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT FORECASTS .................................. 96 9.1.3 PROVINCIAL POLICIES IN EFFECT . 98 9.2 THE PLANNING ACT .................. 98 3 North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report Planning Consultants ('MPC') in EXECUTIVE SUMMARY December 2016 to prepare this report. The purpose of this report is to make a recommendation to the Region of Peel A key consideration in making a on whether it is in the public interest decision on whether any or all of the to replace the Northwest Brampton shale resource areas identified in the Policy Area (‘NWBPA’) with urban land NWBPA should be protected is whether use designations or if the current shale there is an overall public interest in protections should remain in place. protecting an area for future shale resource extraction instead of providing On the basis of Minutes of Settlement for urban development on the same entered into between the Ministry of lands, or whether it is feasible to Municipal Affairs and Housing ('MMAH'), provide for the interim use of the area the Region of Peel and the City of for shale extraction in advance of Brampton in 2006, a moratorium on planned urban development. development was established in the NWBPA for a period of 10 years to While there is no question that shale protect the shale resources that were resources are required for the brick known to exist. The Ontario Municipal making industry, there is also no Board ('OMB') endorsed these Minutes of question that the Region of Peel is Settlement in 2006. required by the Province to plan for significant population and employment At the present time, shale is required growth. Much of this expected growth by the clay brick industry for the in the Region of Peel is expected to production of bricks for the occur in existing built up areas and in construction industry. the existing DGA, which includes the urban lands within the NWBPA. The purpose of the NWBPA policy framework included in the Region of The allocation of population and Peel Official Plan ('ROP') in 2006 was to employment growth to the NWBPA was provide for the protection and established through the ROPA 24 potential use of the shale resource, process beginning in 2009. In this while recognizing that the long-term regard, the land budget associated with use of the lands will be for urban ROPA 24 allocated 43,000 people and purposes. The effect of the OMB 20,000 jobs to the NWBPA. It was also decision made in 2006 is that the on the basis of this decision that the NWBPA (outside of the Greenbelt Plan Region has included the full area) is currently within the urban area development of the NWBPA in its long- and is a Designated Greenfield Area range infrastructure and transportation (‘DGA'), as defined by the Growth Plan. planning since that time. The fact that the lands were included Also in 2009, the City of Brampton within the Brampton urban area in 2006 initiated the Secondary Plan process for is a consideration in terms of assessing Heritage Heights and a number of what options may exist going forward. detailed studies that were all designed to support the urbanization of all of the Upon the 10-year anniversary of the lands within the NWBPA were moratorium mentioned above, the completed between 2010 and 2014. Region of Peel retained Meridian This process is now on hold pending the 4 North West Brampton Policy Area (NWBPA) Review Study Report completion of this report and the In known deposits of mineral aggregate implementation of an updated policy resources and on adjacent lands, framework through a future ROPA. development and activities which would preclude or hinder the establishment of On December 12, 2013, Region of Peel new operations or access to the resources shall only be permitted if: a) Council endorsed a work plan for the resource use would not be feasible; or b) Peel 2041 Regional Official Plan Review the proposed land use or development (Peel 2041) process. On October 26, serves a greater long-term public 2017, Region of Peel staff delivered a interest; and c) issues of public health, report to Council that provided an public safety and environmental impact update on the Region’s 2041 Growth are addressed. Allocation and Growth Management Regional Official Plan Amendment. It is noted that items a) and b) in Section 2.5.2.5 are separated by the The October 2017 report indicated that word “or”. This means that a case can the City of Brampton is forecasted to be made that a proposed land use or accommodate 205,160 people in the development serves a greater long- Designated Greenfield Area through to term public interest than a proposed 2041 through the creation of 53,100 resource use even if it is determined units. With respect to the NWBPA, a that resource use would be feasible. population