April 17, 2024 Newsletter

Find your Ward here and your Council Members here

Mayor Burton offers funding for youth-led climate action projects

Mayor Rob Burton announced the town's participation in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund.

Oakville is 1 of 100 cities across the globe to receive funding and technical support aimed at mobilizing youth aged 15 to 24 to spearhead climate solutions. The town will receive an initial grant of $50,000 to fund youth-led projects focused on addressing climate challenges.

As Oakville joins this global movement, young residents ages 15 - 24 years are encouraged to email mayor@oakville.ca to learn more about the Youth Climate Action Fund and how to submit ideas for the opportunity to receive funding.

By empowering its youth, Oakville is paving the way for transformative climate action and building a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Mayor Burton discusses local climate action successes with former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg at COP 28 in Dubai

The Town of Oakville is proud to announce its receipt of the prestigious David W. Pretty Cup from Lifesaving Society Ontario for the fourth consecutive year.

This award was presented to Oakville at an awards recognition event held in Markham last week, recognizing the town as a municipal affiliate with the largest lifesaving program in a community with a population between 100,000 and 250,000. Oakville proudly boasts the sixth-largest lifesaving program in the province of Ontario.

Data hub boosts transparency and informed decision-making

Oakville has launched its new Data Hub. This centralized online platform serves as a repository for key metrics concerning the town's performance and future growth planning.

What’s Inside:

The hub offers interactive dashboards, maps, and data visualizations, enhancing the town's data management practices and facilitating evidence-based decision-making. It amalgamates multiple data sets that can be accessed, downloaded, and customized in a user-friendly manner.

Key Features:

1. Council Strategic Plan Dashboard: Monitor the town's progress on vital priorities such as growth management, environmental sustainability, community belonging, and accountable government. This includes data on transit trips, community satisfaction, emission reductions, and infrastructure renewal.
2. Planning and Development Hub: Access data and dashboards related to planning applications, building permits, and Committee of Adjustment variances, aiding in monitoring town-building trends.
3. Housing Pledge Dashboard: Track the town's progress in meeting its housing target and associated funding from provincial and federal governments.
4. Demographic Data and Community Profiles: Explore demographic data, online maps, and community profiles, providing insights into town data and fostering accessibility.

What’s Next:

The Data Hub will continue to evolve, with more data sets slated for inclusion by the year's end. This phased approach aims to bring relevant and useful data to Council, staff, and the Oakville community.

Help shape the future of Midtown Oakville

Current progression of Midtown

The Town of Oakville is seeking public input on the Draft Official Plan Amendment (OPA) for Midtown Oakville. This crucial stage in the planning process invites residents to share their feedback and contribute to shaping the future of our community.



Share your thoughts and suggestions by emailing us at townclerk@oakville.ca.

Attend the Public Meeting on April 22:

Join us for a statutory public meeting hosted by the Planning and Development Council on Monday, April 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. If you're interested in delegating at the meeting, please register by emailing townclerk@oakville.ca.

What's Next: Council Meeting on June 24:

Following the April 22 meeting, further refinements to the plan will be made based on public feedback. An updated Midtown Oakville OPA and recommendation report will then go before Council for deliberation and decision on June 24, 2024.

Continued Work on Technical Studies:

In addition to the OPA, work is ongoing on various technical studies for Midtown, including transportation, servicing, parks, public realm, and urban design. Stay tuned for future public engagement opportunities to provide input on these critical elements.

Nominate your community champions

Nominate your community champions for the Oakville Community Spirit Awards 2024! These awards celebrate individuals, organizations, and businesses making a difference in Oakville through leadership and dedication. Recognize those promoting arts, culture, climate action, good neighborliness, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, inspiration, and innovation.

Nominations are open until April 26. Help honor those enhancing Oakville's vibrancy and livability. Selection criteria include dedication to Oakville, contribution to town values, addressing community challenges, and making a positive impact. A committee will review nominations and select winners.

Tickets on sale for centennial cup

From May 9th to May 19th, the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex will transform into a battleground for hockey excellence. Nine CJHL champions, alongside the host team, will vie for the title of Canada's National Junior A Champion in what promises to be an exhilarating display of skill and determination.



Tickets for the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, are already available for purchase. Don't miss your chance to witness the action firsthand – secure your seats today and be a part of history in the making!

Strike your pose with the Centennial Cup at the Sixteen Mile Creek Arena!

Oakville Transit launches mobile app

Oakville Transit has unveiled its latest innovation, the Oakville Transit On-Demand mobile app, simplifying trip bookings for Home to Hub, care-A-van, and Ride On-Demand customers.

The app offers streamlined features including:

• One tap booking
• Seat reservation
• Live Updates

For non-app users, bookings are available through the web portal or by phone.

Oakville Transit's on-demand services cater to various needs, including Home to Hub, care-A-van for persons with disabilities, and Ride On-Demand for shared rides within designated zones.

Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner highlighted the need to hire 30 to 40 additional officers annually over the next five years to avoid a sudden request for 200 officers at a cost of $25 million. Chief Tanner cautioned Regional Council that it can expect police budget requests of more than 2% annually over the regional guidelines for the next three to four years. He noted that the police budget increases are necessary to address the demands of crime trends and population growth in growing areas like Milton.

Read the Halton Police Board’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan here.

On March 25, 2024, Halton Region received notification from the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that the Federal government is cutting $355 million in National Housing Strategy (NHS) funding to Ontario. Halton Region had been allocated $6.9 million in NHS funding for the period April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

Regional Council previously approved an investment plan for the $6.9 million that included an additional $1.7 million in capital funding towards the 1258 Rebecca Street, Oakville senior’s supportive housing development. This funding has been used to create new assisted and supportive housing units in Oakville and Halton, preserve existing assisted housing stock, and fund housing subsidies for vulnerable Halton residents.

Main concerns:

• If the Federal government proceeds to reduce/eliminate NHS funding, these planned investments in Halton likely cannot proceed without alternate sources of funding.
• Should this funding be reduced or permanently discontinued the Region will be challenged to create new housing and sustain existing housing opportunities without an alternate source of funding.

Read the anticipated implications for Oakville and Halton here.

Short-term accommodations regulations update

The Town of Oakville is seeking public input on potential revisions to its short-term accommodation regulations, with opportunities to engage available until April 26, 2024. Residents can participate by completing a brief questionnaire or attending an Open House event scheduled for April 25 at 6 p.m. in the South Atrium at Town Hall.

Currently governed by the Short-Term Accommodation By-law 2018-045, Oakville's regulations cover temporary stays of up to 28 consecutive days in exchange for payment. This encompasses bed and breakfast establishments and short-term rentals, excluding motels or hotels. However, it's crucial to note that certain short-term accommodations, like hospitals or couch surfing, fall outside this by-law's scope.

The feedback gathered from both the questionnaire and the Open House will be instrumental in shaping staff recommendations for updates to the licensing by-law later this year. As such, residents are encouraged to participate actively in this process to ensure that Oakville's short-term accommodation regulations align with the community's needs and expectations.

Community groups in all seven wards invited to apply for one-time 2024 Community Events Funding

The Town of Oakville is pleased to announce the launch the 2024 Community Events Funding program — an events funding program aimed at encouraging and supporting outdoor community events.

In response to a growing demand for assistance with resident-led outdoor community events, Council approved $70,000 in one-time funding through the 2024 Budget process. The 2024 Community Events Funding offers $10,000 of funding per-ward for outdoor community events held on public property within each ward, with a cap of $3,350 per event.

Ontarios Big City Mayors Respond to the 2024 Government of Canada Budget

Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, released the Government of Canada’s Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation. Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) welcomes the Government of Canada’s investments in housing, infrastructure and mental health and homelessness programs. However, we believe more can be done to support Canada’s municipalities as we respond to the urgent housing crisis in our communities.

Ontario Working for Workers in Milton

The Ontario government is investing over $7.3 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) toward three free training projects in Milton to help more than 700 workers and jobseekers prepare for in-demand careers in the skilled trades. This brings Ontario’s total investment in Milton training projects through the fund to over $20 million.

Ontario Investing in Local Emergency Preparedness and Response

The Ontario government is investing $5 million in communities across the province to help them prepare for and respond to emergencies. Funding is being delivered through the Community Emergency Preparedness Grant to help communities and organizations purchase critical supplies, equipment and deliver training and services.

Ontario Celebrating Outstanding Contributions of Volunteers

The Ontario government is recognizing 6,650 community leaders through the 2024 Ontario Volunteer Service Awards. The annual award honours adult and youth volunteers for their outstanding contributions and continued service at organizations such as non-profits, schools, community centres, hospitals, libraries and community associations.

Federal budget 2024: The full highlights

Housing, affordability and generational fairness are the buzzwords in the 2024 federal budget, unveiled by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Tuesday. But the government’s newly announced spending goes well beyond those areas, and will be paid for partly with significant tax increases on the top income earners in Canada, and corporations.

Food Banks experiencing record demand

Oakville's food banks are in record-breaking demand. If you can donate anything, please do. Your help is needed.

Fareshare Food Bank Oakville:

905-847-3988

oakvillefoodbank@gmail.com

Kerr Street Mission

905-845-7485

kerrstreet.com

The Salvation Army Oakville

salvationarmy.ca

Food 4 Kids Halton

food4kidshalton.ca

Oak Park & Neighbourhood Centre Food Bank

opnc.ca

Nourishing Neighbours Food Bank

Date: Every Thursday from 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Location: St. Luke's Anglican Church & Community Centre (3114 Dundas St W, L6M 4J3)

- All clients need to call 905-825-3364 to register

- All clients must be a resident of Oakville

Town of Oakville

1225 Trafalgar Road,

Oakville, Ontario

mayor@oakville.ca

905-845-6601