CN Rail Appeals Burlington's 1200 King Road Plan

The plan to put 8,800 homes, a park and a possible arena on the land beside Aldershot GO now has an appeal sitting on it. CN Rail filed in August with the Ontario Land Tribunal against the zoning and official plan amendments Burlington council passed in July for 1200 King Road.

CN's objection is the freight yard next door. The Aldershot Freight Rail Yard runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, moving and idling diesel locomotives and trucks and transferring and storing cargo that includes hazardous goods. The appeal says those operations produce smoke, fumes, odours, noise, vibration and dust, and carry safety risks from trespass, derailment or a spill. "CN objects to the approval of a large-scale residential community immediately adjacent to a major industrial freight rail yard before compatibility between those uses has been demonstrated and secured," the filing reads.

CN left room to settle. It estimated five days to present its case but told the tribunal the matter would benefit from mediation, and wrote that it is open to resolving its issues with the developer and city staff without a contested hearing.

The approved amendments cover mixed use, entertainment, education and residential development on the 47-hectare site, along with a park, natural heritage areas and stormwater management ponds. Council separately directed staff in June to start community engagement and to look at capital costs, financing and partners for an arena and event centre of 5,000 to 7,000 seats. That first stage would also carry a recreational ice facility, a 50-metre competitive pool and a 25-metre leisure pool, a basketball facility, a multistorey parking garage, and a hotel and conference centre.

Lawyer Lou Frapporti, representing applicant Alinea Land Corporation, said work continues in line with council's direction and that Alinea expects to speak publicly about it shortly, together with the city. The Ontario Hockey League says it remains interested in a Burlington expansion franchise, though communications director Josh Sweetland noted nothing has moved much since the spring with the municipal election coming. City staff will not comment while the appeal is live, and their funding and partnership report is not due at council until spring 2027.