Grow Bold - Burlington's Future

UPDATE: Public Engagement Summary Report Now Available

Thanks to the thousands of residents and stakeholders that engaged in the Grow Bold initiative and the draft new Official Plan.

People provided their feedback through surveys, public meetings, using workbooks, through written submissions, and at numerous festivals, events and community locations.

We heard that the public desires:

• More urban greenspace including trees, landscaping, parks and natural areas
• Improved public transit service
• That intensification be focused in specific areas
• Pedestrian friendly and vibrant/interesting streets
• Various housing options and affordable housing
• Protecting the existing character of Burlington
• Variety of amenities, recreation choices, jobs and shops
• Safe cycling infrastructure
• Beautiful buildings and public spaces

 We heard that the public is concerned about:

• Traffic congestion
• Tall buildings and blocking of sunlight/views to the lake with a preference for midrise buildings
• Loss of sense of community
• On-road cycling lanes
• Availability of parking  

A summary of the public consultations and engagement can be found here. This summary will be presented to the Planning and Development committee of council on Sept. 5. If you would like to speak at any committee meeting you must register to delegate. Please refer to Report PB-47-17 Draft New Official Plan: Public Consultation and Engagement Summary when registering. The deadline to register as a delegate is Sept. 1 at noon.

Community engagement and consultation of the new Official Plan project has served as a critical component of the project. Staff are considering the feedback as part of confirming or modifying the policies contained within the draft new Official Plan. The feedback and further consideration by staff will serve as the basis for revisions to be presented as part of the proposed new Official Plan for council's adoption. This is planned to occur by the end of 2017, at which time, the public will have another opportunity to share their feedback.

What is Grow Bold?

On April 11, 2016, Burlington City Council unanimously approved Burlington's Strategic Plan 2015-2040.

After more than a year of public engagement, the Strategic Plan captures the priorities of the city's residents and community leaders for the next 25 years.

Among these priorities is that Burlington is A City that Grows - a city that attracts talent, good jobs and economic opportunity while having achieved intensification and a balanced, targeted population growth for youth, families, newcomers and seniors.

To implement this vision, the City of Burlington must develop plans to guide what the growth in Burlington will look like over the next 25 years. The city's Official Plan and the Transportation Plan each play a critical role in establishing the future direction of growth in the city. They will help the city plan for the type of growth it wants in the locations it wants to ensure Burlington continues to be a thriving city in the 21st century.

About the phrase Grow Bold

In June 2016, the city asked residents to choose between two phrases and select the one that best captures the spirit of the city's new direction for growth. Two-thirds of the hundreds of people surveyed chose "Grow Bold" over the other option, "We Are All In." 

Why Grow Bold?

The City of Burlington is at a unique time in its history. With very little greenfield left for the development of suburban-type neighbourhoods, the city can no longer grow out. Currently there is only land available to build approximately 500 to 800 additional single-detached homes in the city.

Making the decision to grow in its urban areas gives the City of Burlington the opportunity to plan the type of growth it wants over the next 25 years, in the areas of the city where we want to target growth and those areas where we do not want to see additional growth. It also enables the city to protect the rural, agricultural and natural greenbelt areas that we all value.

With Grow Bold, it means the city will build up, build smart and build beautiful.

Build Up

Build Up means the city will embrace density with a variety of low, medium and high rise buildings.

• Build new neighbourhoods around the city's GO stations

• Capitalize on infrastructure investments Metrolinx is making in Burlington with the introduction of GO train service every 15 minutes and the electrification of the rails on the Lakeshore West line
• Provide residents of all ages and incomes with a wider range of housing choices, including both rental and ownership so residents can live, work and retire in their community
• Help achieve affordable housing, a key priority in the Strategic Plan
• Attract new people and families with a wider range of housing choices, sizes and affordability

Build Smart

Build Smart means the city will make it easy for people to get around, make good use of existing infrastructure, and target growth to the right areas of the city.

• Provide residents and visitors with a variety of choices for getting around the city, including public transit, cycling, walking and driving
• Create walkable neighbourhoods built around transit and GO stations that give residents easy access to a broad range of services they want like shopping, healthcare, recreation centres and green spaces
• Provide more frequent and improved transit service along key intensification areas
• Create a wider range of job opportunities allowing more people to live and work in Burlington. 
• Protect older, established neighbourhoods in the community
• Combat climate change by building denser developments in urban areas and find ways to use 'green' infrastructure such as district energy while protecting natural and rural areas in north Burlington.

Build Beautiful

Build Beautiful means the city will focus on high-quality architecture and design.

• Place an emphasis on the quality of design in the city
• Ensure each and every building in the city meets a high-quality of design so that it contributes to the overall vision for a vibrant and dynamic 21^st century city
• Design complete, city streets with easy-to-navigate short city blocks, wide sidewalks, street trees and cycling lanes
• Build new parks and green spaces

News Releases

Burlington is ready to Grow Bold - July 28, 2016

Get Involved

Share your ideas and thoughts about the future direction of growth for Burlington.

View information about events, meetings and surveys

Past Events

If you would like to receive updates about upcoming opportunities to learn more about the city's Official Plan Review and the Transportation Plan, please subscribe to this page in the top right-hand corner.