Housing Strategy

The Town of Milton has approved a comprehensive Housing Strategy and Action Plan designed to address local housing affordability and guide future growth.

At its Dec. 8 meeting, Milton Council approved the strategy and directed staff to begin implementation. Progress will be reported through annual updates.

As one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities, Milton is preparing for significant residential growth. By 2051, Milton is projected to reach a population of 400,000 and will require an additional 88,000 new housing units.

A Housing Needs Assessment found:

• Milton’s rental vacancy rate is below three per cent
• The average home price is $1.1 million
• Nine per cent of residents live in housing that is unaffordable, inadequate, or unsuitable.

The Housing Strategy and Action Plan outlines Milton’s vision, goals, objectives, targets, and actions to meet the housing needs of current and future residents.

Five key outcomes of the strategy

• Increased housing supply
  Milton is committed to accelerating the pace of development to meet growth targets and manage long-term housing supply.
• Increased housing diversity
  The plan supports a broader range and mix of housing options to better meet the needs of all residents.
• Improved housing affordability and access to below-market housing
  Milton aims to expand the availability of affordable options so everyone has a place to call home
• Stronger community and government collaboration and advocacy
  The Town will continue working with other levels of government, developers, not-for-profit organizations, and residents to find housing solutions together.
• Monitoring, tracking and accountability
  The Town will monitor progress and remain flexible to adjust the plan as needed.

High-priority actions in the short term include setting housing targets, defining roles with Halton Region, and introducing more flexible policies in the Official Plan under review, to relax parking requirements at some housing types and consider.

Quotes

“This housing strategy will help ensure that everyone in Milton has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. We can’t do this alone—but we’re committed to taking action, building partnerships, engaging other levels of government, and preparing for current and future housing needs.”

- Gord Krantz
Mayor, Town of Milton

“Milton plays a key role in setting land-use policies and coordinating infrastructure to support housing development. This strategy notes that progress will require strong partnerships, stable government funding, and a shared commitment to address housing gaps.”

- Jill Hogan
Commissioner, Development Services, Town of Milton

The Town of Milton invites the community to help shape the draft vision for Milton’s Housing Strategy through a new survey.

As one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities, Milton is preparing for significant population and housing growth. It is estimated that Milton will have 400,000 residents and require 88,000 new housing units by 2051.

“The Town is developing a strategy and implementation tools to ensure that we welcome the right housing, in the right places, at the right prices and tenures,” said Jill Hogan, Commissioner, Development Services, Town of Milton. “We want to hear from the community as we plan for future growth.”

Now in development, the Town’s Housing Strategy will outline the vision, goals, objectives, targets, and actions to meet the housing needs of both current and future Milton residents.

The survey seeks input on the draft vision, as well as the strategy’s guiding principles, outcomes, actions, and methods for measuring progress. An in-person open house was held on May 27, where attendees provided feedback.

Town staff will present a draft Housing Strategy to Council later this year.

How to get involved

Visit the following resources for more information and to participate:

Take the short survey before it closes Friday, June 13.

Let’s Talk Milton – Background on the Housing Strategy project

2025 open house materials

The Town of Milton is hosting an open house where attendees can learn about current planning projects that will shape the community and Milton’s future.

The event will feature the Housing Strategy and include information on other initiatives such as We Make Milton (the new Official Plan), the Agerton Secondary Plan, and rural additional residential units (ARUs).

With an informal drop-in format, the open house offers an opportunity to speak with knowledgeable Town planning staff. Each topic will be explained using accessible display boards.

Event details

Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Time: 5 - 8 p.m.
Location: FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton, 1010 Main St. E.

Background

The Housing Strategy will outline the vision, goals, objectives, targets, and actions to meet the housing needs of current and future Milton residents. Attendees will be invited to provide feedback on the draft vision, directions, and actions to take.

We Make Milton is engaging residents so that the new Official Plan reflects the needs of our community. Staff will explain draft policies, how Milton is changing, and how to get involved.

The Agerton Secondary Plan supports Milton’s next phase of growth. It includes a proposed major transit station near Derry and Trafalgar roads and aims to create a complete community through improved access to transit and mixed-use development.

The Town of Milton is reviewing and updating its Official Plan policies and zoning by-law regulations to permit additional residential units in the Town’s rural area, where permitted by provincial policies.

Amid a housing affordability crisis, the Town of Milton is analyzing local data to develop a strategy that supports more affordable housing options.

The Town of Milton has completed a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) to meet federal reporting requirements tied to the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and other funding programs, including the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF).

“The Town of Milton shares responsibility when it comes to housing,” said Jill Hogan Commissioner, Development Services, Town of Milton. “To address the housing affordability challenge with our partners, we need to understand our local needs, gaps, and conditions. Thank you to everyone who is engaging on this critical issue.”

Now available online, the HNA identifies housing issues and gaps using data analysis, interviews, focus groups, and public survey feedback. It represents phase one of the Town’s housing affordability strategy.

Future phases will identify a vision, goals, and objectives; outline targets and actions; and finalize a strategy and implementation roadmap. A public open house is also being planned.

Milton’s HNA identifies five key issues to address local housing challenges:

• Supporting housing affordability: Establishing an approach to guide decision-making on land-use planning.
• Diverse housing options: Increasing housing forms and tenure types to support residents throughout their lifecycle.
• More rental supply: Expanding purpose-built primary market rental units.
• Affordable ownership and rental options: Addressing the financial realities of middle-income earners.
• Collaboration: Partnering with other levels of government, non-profits, and private developers to align housing services with growth.

The Town does not build or administer housing but plays a role in enabling housing development through long-term planning, facilitating approvals, and issuing permits. This involves teamwork with a range of partners.

Staff presented the HNA findings to Council in February 2025. Before posting online, it required review by the federal department Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada.

On March 25, the Town of Milton received notice that its Housing Needs Assessment was complete and met the requirements of applicable federal infrastructure programs. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada requires municipalities to update HNAs every five years.

Learn more about Housing in Milton and Milton’s Housing Strategy.

Continue to watch for engagement opportunities on Let’s Talk Milton.

The Town of Milton has launched a survey on local housing needs as the first step in creating a strategy to help address local housing issues.

Ensuring that a range of housing options is provided in our community involves teamwork between the Town and the regional, provincial, and federal governments, as well as community partners, agencies, and homebuilders.

While the Town does not build or manage housing, municipalities create conditions that support housing through long-term planning, facilitating approvals, and issuing permits.

The Town is developing a Housing Strategy to guide this work.

Phase one of the strategy involves a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA), to collect input on local housing needs and identify preliminary gaps and issues to focus on.

The HNA will explore and answer questions such as:

• Where is the greatest housing need in our community?
• How can we set meaningful, measurable housing targets to support a range of housing options that meets the needs of all residents?
• What quantity, sizes and prices of housing will ensure that all current and future households can live in suitable, adequate, and affordable housing?

Please complete the housing needs survey on Let’s Talk Milton before January 3, 2025.