Court challenge to 35,000 housing unit fast-track rezoning filed in Caledon

A group of concerned residents are taking the town to court over plans to fast-track the zoning for some 35,000 new homes in Caledon saying the plan will have “significant long-term implications.”

Caledon Mayor Annette Groves announced in March that the town had advanced the rezoning of 12 development applications, signalling to developers that the town “is open for business” and ready to meet changes in housing demands.

The developments are projected to bring 35,000 housing units to Caledon.

But some say the fast-tracked rezonings go against the town’s official plan and are taking Caledon to court “to protect not just the farmland and greenspace, but the well-being and wallets of our community.”

The group called Democracy Caledon says it’s filed legal action against the town over the pre-zoning, saying the bylaws don’t conform with town’s official plan and are “illegal” under the Municipal Act.

Debbe Crandall, president of Democracy Caledon, says the group hopes to quash or cancel the 12 zoning bylaws to “take the Town back to the drawing board to do proper planning for phased and managed growth.”

“A phased approach to planning would mean an orderly roll-out of water lines, sewers, roads and other public services, thus better protecting Caledon ratepayers from an as-yet undetermined property tax increase needed to pay for the developers’ wish list,” Crandall said in a release.

Democracy Caledon says the “pre-zoning” could have “significant long-term implications” for Caledon tax payers, farmers and the environment.

A recent poll found “strong community opposition” to the rezoning with six out of 10 respondents expressing discontent, the group says.

Nearly eight out of 10 said they believe the rezoning the lands without a breakdown of the costs to public infrastructure is irresponsible, and 59 per cent supported an independent inquiry into the rezoning.

Democracy Caledon is holding a public meeting on Wednesday to share details of the legal challenge and answer questions about what it calls council’s “hastily made” zoning decisions.

The meeting will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Caledon East Community Complex.

Expediting the rezoning applications followed the province’s award of $2.8 million to Caledon for making progress toward its housing pledge.

The province has set a target of building 1.5 million new homes in Ontario by 2031, with Caledon expected to start 13,000 builds. Some 778 new housing units were started in Caledon in 2023 accounting for 82 per cent of a 953-unit target.