MIDTOWN OAKVILLE
TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITY (TOC) INFORMATION
In June 2024 at Council's Special Meeting on Midtown a surprise announcement by the Town's Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Jane Clohecy, advising the public that Infrastructure Ontario had formally notified the Town of Oakville and the Region of Halton that a potential Transit-Oriented Community Program (TOC) was under exploration within Oakville .
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WHAT IS A TOC?
In 2020, the Government of Ontario introduced a program called Transit Oriented Communities (TOC), which it described as being designed to build vibrant, mixed-use communities that will bring more housing (including affordable housing options), jobs, retail, public amenities and entertainment within a short distance of transit stations. These transit-oriented communities, and other transit development opportunities, will be located along the province’s four subway projects, GO Transit and Light Rail Transit (LRT) projects.
It was suggested the Transit-Oriented Communities Program would:
- increase transit ridership and reduce traffic congestion
- increase housing supply (including affordable housing) and jobs
- stimulate the economy through major projects
- bring retail and community amenities (for example, community centres) within a short distance of public transit stations
- offset the cost of station construction, which would save taxpayers’ money
You'll note in the above bulleted list, the Ontario government states the structure of the TOC program would save taxpayers money because costs for station construction would be offset. Here's why:
With every TOC undertaken, Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx partner with a developer who is willing to make a substantial financial investment. Infrastructure Ontario's TOC web information says ... "To create opportunities to get even more housing built around GO and LRT, municipal and developer engagement and transactions at GO/LRT TOC sites will be led by IO wherever there is an opportunity to create more housing supply".
At the outset, TOC sites were all located on subway lines and many are located on subway expansion sites. It is unusual that Oakville's GO Station at Midtown has been selected for a TOC program. Why was Oakville selected? Good Question.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
First and foremost it is important to know that the Government of Ontario is in control of the TOC. The province provides oversight to Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx, the agency partners working to deliver these transit projects.
The rules, roles and responsibilities include the following:
- the province will decide the boundaries of the TOC. (In the case of Midtown, it could range from a small area immediately adjacent to the GO Station, or a much wider scope that would encompass much of the current Midtown delineation).
- the province spearheads the negotiations and selection of the third-party developer and acts as the single commercial interface at the TOC site.
- the province requires Oakville and Halton Region to enter into a Mutual Confidentiality Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement with the province. Only approved information may be shared with municipal councils or the general public.