Council endorses key directions for the first-ever Community Planning Permit By-law in Oakville

Public consultation on a draft by-law coming soon

At the July 8, 2025, Planning and Development Council meeting, Oakville Town Council endorsed the Midtown Key Directions for a Community Planning Permit By-law staff report. The 22 directions outlined in the report will guide the creation of the first-ever made-in-Oakville Community Planning Permit By-law (CPP By-law) for Midtown Oakville. Staff were also directed by Council to gather public feedback on a draft CPP by-law later this year. 

Midtown Oakville is the Town’s primary strategic growth area. It is approximately 103 hectares in size and bounded by the QEW to the north, Chartwell Road to the east, Cornwall Road to the south and the Sixteen Mile Creek valley to the west. It also hosts Oakville GO and VIA train stations, as well as Oakville Transit and GO Transit buses.  This area is planned to transition from its current state of underutilized commercial and employment land to a vibrant mixed-use transit-oriented community where people will come to live, work and play.

Using the community planning permit system in Midtown provides several potential benefits to the Town, the broader community and to the development industry. These benefits include:

• A streamlined development approval approach, including a single application process.
• More opportunities for the Town to work in partnership with developers to deliver community benefits within their development site and/or area, including matters such as public parkland, affordable housing, and sustainable development elements.
• More flexibility to implement Official Plan objectives, without requiring separate approval processes. 

In accordance with the Planning Act, the Town must adopt the by-law within a year to protect it from appeals related to specific Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) provisions. 

Quote

“We on Council are committed to public consultation on land use planning and growth. Prior to passing the Community Planning Permit By-law, Midtown will continue to have the full suite of consultation methods, including workshops and meetings with the public and other interested parties."

-    Mayor Rob Burton

Background

• OPA 70 identifies Midtown Oakville as a Community Planning Permit Area and, as such, the Town is authorized to prepare a Community Planning Permit By-law (CPP by-law) for this area. 
• OPA 70 also identifies Midtown Oakville as a PMTSA, given that this area is serviced by GO Transit, VIA Rail, and Oakville Transit. 
• In accordance with the Planning Act, areas identified as PMTSA are eligible to implement inclusionary zoning policies and provisions. 
• The forthcoming CPP by-law is required to conform with all applicable Official Plan policies.
• As part of the Town’s commitment to public engagement, an open house was held on June 5, 2025, allowing community members to share their ideas and opinions, which meaningfully informed the development of the 22 Midtown Oakville key directions for the development of the CPP by-law.

For more information. Read the staff report or visit the Community Planning Permit System page.