I've lived in Oakville for a long time. I’m raising my two children here because I believe in this community — its schools, its neighbourhoods, and the idea that growth should be planned responsibly with the future in mind.
 

That belief is one of the main reasons why I ran for office provincially. I deeply care about the future of Oakville. And when I knocked on doors across Oakville, one issue came up again and again: concern about Midtown Oakville and the growing use of provincial planning tools that override local voices.

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Today, those concerns are no longer hypothetical.

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The Ford government is considering issuing Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) for lands in Midtown Oakville. These MZOs would permanently override local planning rules and lock in extreme density without the proposer infrastructure  — decisions that would shape Oakville for decades.

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What makes this moment especially troubling is the growing gap between what our local representative has said — and what they have actually done.

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Our MPP, Stephen Crawford, has said publicly that he is against the proposed Midtown Oakville MZOs. Many residents want to believe that. I want to believe that.

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But words matter less than actions — especially when decisions are irreversible.

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MPP Crawford voted three times in favour of the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) legislation at Queen's Park. That legislation created the framework allowing the Province to bypass municipal planning and impose zoning via provincial order. You cannot vote for the tool and then claim no responsibility for how it is used.

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Since then, residents who have contacted the MPP’s office have received vague responses: assurances that meetings have taken place, that concerns have been raised, that advocacy is happening behind the scenes.  What residents have not seen is any concrete, public action.

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There has been no public statement opposing the Midtown Oakville MZOs by name.

No public request to Premier Doug Ford to withdraw them.

No documented step that residents can point to and say: this is how our MPP is standing up for Oakville.

That matters because MZOs are not minor planning adjustments. They are permanent. Once issued, they cannot be undone — regardless of changes in infrastructure capacity, market conditions, or community needs. Private conversations do not stop public decisions of this magnitude.

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During my campaign, residents were not asking for perfection. They were asking for representation — for someone willing to speak clearly, act publicly, and push back when provincial power is used in ways that harm the community.

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This is not about opposing growth. Oakville has already done the hard work of planning for growth responsibly through OPA 70 — a transparent, Council-approved plan that aligns with provincial housing policy and can deliver housing without reckless density. That plan is being undermined not by local failure, but by provincial overreach.

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If MPP Crawford truly opposes the Midtown Oakville MZOs, the path forward is simple and reasonable:

 

Issue a clear, public statement opposing them.
Formally request that the Premier withdraw them.
Commit publicly to opposing their issuance if they proceed.

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These are not radical demands. They are the minimum actions residents should expect when an elected representative claims to oppose an irreversible decision affecting their community.

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Oakville residents have already spoken through the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Those submissions are now on the public record. The consultation phase may be over, but political responsibility is not.

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As a parent, I think about what kind of town my children will inherit — not just in terms of buildings and density, but in terms of trust, accountability, and democratic participation. When residents take the time to engage and speak up, they deserve more than carefully worded emails and closed-door meetings.

They deserve action.

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Oakville is watching. And we deserve representation that matches its words with deeds.

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With many thanks.

- Alison

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