Mahnoor Sherazee, Local Journalism Initiative, The Milton Reporter
People who moved to Milton with hopes of living the quiet, small-town life may soon have to pack their bags and find a new home.
The town’s ambitious Milton Education Village (MEV) project is underway with several phases as part of the master plan. While there is no official completion date for the multi-phase, multiple partners project, it is expected to take at least a decade.
The MEV is a 400 acre complex centered on the Mattamy National Cycling Centre. The land allocated extends till the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area to the north, Britannia to the south, Tremaine Road to the east and west end will be the Greenbelt Plan Area
About 15 years in the making, the project includes a 50 acre campus, a research park, as well as supporting infrastructure including housing, and recreation.
The first phase commenced in June 2021 when the education partners Kitchener’s Wilfred Laurier University and Waterloo’s Conestoga College formally announced the MEV as the location for their new campuses. Laurier University and Conestoga is scheduled to open its doors by fall 2024 while Conestoga is phasing in its programs and looking at 2027-2028 for full completion. Together they are expected to initially enroll around 4,500 students.
Conestoga’s project, in association with Schlegel Village, a long-term care facility, is under construction to open soon. Also underway as part of the first phase is a new high school and housing options to accommodate the expected influx of people. Town officials estimate the population is currently around 150,000 people. That’s nearly a 70 percent increase since 2016.
“Milton is a growing community. On average, 5,000 people are moving in every year,” says Milton’s Member for Provincial Parliament (MPP) Parm Gill adding, “I am excited; this [MEV] will also bring opportunities not just for Milton but the region of Halton.
While the overall reaction seems positive,
Miltonians have serious concerns regarding the multi-million-dollar project including meeting the increase in housing demands, traffic, noise levels, and change in demographics, among other concerns raised.
Is the town’s administration equipped to handle the wave of people coming in and ease in the transition the change will bring?
They seem to think so.
Housing
“Milton is one of the communities that is best placed to help with the housing crisis faced in Southern Ontario,” says the Director for Strategic Initiatives and Business Development for Town of Milton Andy Scott, “We are one of the small communities that still have developable land, and what I see with the MEV is that it will predominantly be residential housing.” Over the next 10 years, the town’s administration already has plans to build 32,000 dwellings.
“Milton is generally a low-rise town, but you can see they are adopting a mid to high-rise approach in certain areas such as Main Street and James Snow Parkway,” says developer and CEO for Alpha Capital Management Abbas Ahmed. He adds, “Those areas will be high density and mixed-use development, for growth in the community and business.
Scott confirms this, “Yes, a lot of it will be high density, but we are looking to increase our entire housing stock so everything from single-family homes, semi-detached, townhouses, mid and high rises.”
The provincial government echoes the municipality’s mantra, Milton is changing. They say it’s changing to meet the town’s needs.
“There are people who want affordable housing, who want to live close to public transit and other amenities. They don’t want to be dependent on driving to get their groceries, for example,” says MPP Parm Gill.
Gill is looking forward to the expansion and all the hustle and bustle it will bring, but there are Miltonians who are wary of getting too excited about the changes just yet.
“It isn’t just about building houses, though,” says Hira Q, who moved to Milton in 2014. “We also need more community centres, ice skating rinks, and swimming pools, among other spaces for recreational activities for children and families,” she elaborates.
Traffic
The town’s administration is currently updating its official plan, which, serves as an overall guide for urban planning that includes direction for traffic and active transportation. The plan will be finalized by the end of 2023, according to Andy Scott.
There is no study specific on the MEV’s impact, initial plans are said to include building infrastructure surrounding the Mattamy National Cycling Centre to encourage pedestrians. This is also aimed at facilitating smooth flow for a transit hub between the village core and main commuting lines such as Milton GO.
The secondary plan targets a 20 percent mode split for transportation. That means 20 percent of the people commuting in and around the MEV would be via public transport.
According to developer Abbas Ahmed, the main vision of the MEV is to attract people not only to live but also to work there, resulting in minimizing vehicular traffic.
How viable these plans are remain to be seen. The majority of the Miltonians who were asked said they would not opt to take public transport in its current state. However, they might reconsider if the new infrastructure offers a more comfortable commuter experience.
It is important to mention that Milton GO presently offers limited rush hour service in the mornings and evenings. And Milton is a critical part of Ontario’s logistics and supply chain with regular truck traffic.
Demographic change
“When I think as a parent, I see the benefits of having the institutions built here, but from a resident’s perspective, I am cautious about being excited,” says Rob Kapoor, whose elder daughter starts high school this Fall. Asked about his thoughts on the impact the MEV will have, he says, “I understand the economic benefits, but students bring a whole shift in vibe and lifestyle with them, and that concerns me.”
Holly Martin lives near the MEV with her husband and five children. “Don’t misunderstand, I’m all for welcoming new residents and the creation of jobs, but I do have serious concerns about Milton becoming a college town.”
On the other hand, Sara Munir, who also lives in close proximity to the upcoming project, says, “I would have been ecstatic if the campuses had opened a few years ago.” The project’s delay meant her two older children had to enroll in universities in Toronto and commute several hours a day. “Staying away from home is expensive. I still have two children in high school, and hopefully, these campuses are completed, and I can consider enrolling my younger two in post-secondary institutions locally.”
The town’s administration is confident this is the right direction for the community.
“Thirty percent of Milton’s population is under 19, and a high number of the population are post-secondary graduates,” says Andy Scott representing the Town of Milton. “We understand it is important to the community at large to be able to send their children to post-secondary education in the community that they grew up in.”
It isn’t just the students bringing about a change though, Milton has recently given the green light for several warehouses to set up there. Industrial activity brings economic activity but also a set of challenges.
‘The small-town feel’
“In the last seven years, Milton has slowly lost a little of its small-town feel,” says Rob Kapoor, who moved to the town in 2015.
In Hira Q’s experience, “Milton is very quiet; most people sleep by 9pm.”
“I like the small-town feel, and I feel we’re losing that. With the warehouses and the campuses, it’s going to take away from the town where everyone knows everyone kind of neighbourhood feel. We’ll just become another commercial hub,” says Alana Fuller who moved to Milton over 20 years ago.
The municipality’s administration feels their ‘strategic and advanced planning’ can ensure Miltonians enjoy the best of both worlds. “Seventy percent is protected green space, and we will retain that and a short drive away you will have new land developments. We will keep a balance between both,” says Andy Scott.
“Milton is changing, and it will continue to change. So, if you are looking for that quiet town, then yes, maybe move…to other parts of Milton,” surmises MPP Parm Gill.
Photos by Muhammad Aamir and Saeed Akhtar, Local Journalism Initiative, The Milton Reporter
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