By Staff
February 19th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
More high rise and density for Aldershot.
The proposal is to develop 1010 Downsview Drive and 355 Plains Road East with mid-rise, mixed-use buildings along Plains Road East and stacked townhouses at the rear of the properties.
It was first heard by City Council in December of 2022. The City failed to act on the request for changes in the Official Plan and a change in the zoning bylaw within the 120 day timeline. That took the matter to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
At the tine Stephen Miller spoke against the development saying:
“I take particular issue that the mixed use general (MXG) zoning designation is being used as a means of gaining intensification at the expense of retail. One only has to review the recent development projects on Plains Road to realize just how minimal the retail options will be as a result of these mixed use developments. To quote some recent applications where the retail space built was significantly less than the space being displaced: 1.35 Plains Rd East – 2,473 square feet2.348 Plains Rd East – 2,000 square feet3.484 Plains Rd East – 10,748 square feet
“Simply put, the adoption of MXG is merely accelerating the decline of retail and commercial outlets along the Plains Road corridor and leaving the ward residents with fewer local amenities.
“It is interesting to read the applicant’s justification report1 in support of their application.”
The public was told that the matter had been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribubal.
The proposal at 1010 Downsview Drive (on the west side of Downsview Drive) is to develop an 8-storey mixed-use building with 141 residential units with retail at grade along Plains Road East and 56 stacked townhouse units at the rear of the property.
The proposal at 355 Plains Road East (on the east side of Downsview Drive) is to develop two mid-rise buildings, 9-storeys and 11-storeys in height, connected by a 6-storey lower building with retail at grade along Plains Road East, and stacked townhouses at the rear of the property.
The proposed development at 355 Plains Road East includes 347 apartment units and 40 stacked townhouse units along the rear of the property. There are 262 parking spaces proposed at 1010 Downsview Drive and 489 parking spaces proposed at 355 Plains Road East.
We all know that bypassing standard procedures undermines transparency and trust. Rules exist for a reason—elected officials shouldn’t get a free pass just because no one calls them out.
They go “silent” if they can”t defend their position.
This is just another example from the Galbraith / Nison playbook.
This is more of the City preferring to repeatedly, not make a decision in the mandated application time line, so that the application developer gets an automatic right to an OLT appeal. It appears that the City planning modus operandi is one of, no decision is the best decision, and letting OLT decide what we get is what satisfies the developer.
As well, we are not getting the advocacy promises of Councilor Galbraith delivered for his election campaign in 2018. In fact, they were empty talk, and he delivered none of them visibly. The following is what he said, and we continue to get the opposite in this development plan, despite his “want to fight”.
“What I have been advocating for during this campaign is for better retail options on Plains road. Having chaired the Aldershot BIA for the past 11 years, we have seen a diminishing retail sector. Every new development promises main floor retail and when it’s complete we release just how small and inadequate it really is.
I want to fight for larger store sizes, better parking options, and more food operations (grocery, restaurant, pub and coffee shop). Zoning that requires food operations can be implemented into specific sites as I have learned from meetings with Marianne Meed Ward.
We need more vibrant spaces for Aldershot residents to socialize and typically food operations are where this is done. I live here too and most of my extended family does as well. We all see the void in entertainment here. Especially in the west end of Aldershot.”
And the Galbraith promises are still invisible in delivery reality, as development is actually based on the huge cash-flow gain in the de-commercialization of Aldershot. In my view, he has been silent about this because he has too many possible conflicts of interest to manage, both as Councilor, and through a legal business agreement letter of intent to assemble his MTSA properties with large developer Emshih.
Nothing much has changed. The comments of Stephen Miller are right on the money in his critical view of what our Councilor has remained silent about his contradictions.
I would like it if he decided to run for Councilor in Ward 1 next Term, in 2026.