Province Approves 138 More Homes at Millcroft Golf Club, Overruling Council

Burlington council refused more housing on Millcroft Golf Club in September. The province has now gone around that decision. Two minister's zoning orders issued on Friday, October 23 clear the way for 138 more homes on the golf course, along with a long-term-care facility and a retirement home.

The homes break down as 73 detached houses and 65 townhouse units on 25 acres, and they sit on top of what was already approved. The Ontario Land Tribunal cleared 90 detached homes and a 130-unit apartment building on a separate 30 acres back in 2024. Millcroft has been operating as a nine-hole course while site preparation for the first phase gets going.

The City had filed a competing application of its own, asking the province to keep the land zoned as open space and block further building. What it got was the second order, which protects 75 acres of the course as open space, but that protection only takes effect once all 138 homes are built and the city has issued occupancy permits. The 75 acres stays under Millcroft Greens ownership, and a company spokesperson said there is no specific plan for the land.

The orders also override the city's planning rules, including the zoning bylaw and the official plan, and remove municipal site plan control from the second phase of construction. Council has opposed building on the course for years, pointing to the land's role as open space for flood control.

Argo Development Corp., co-owner of the Millcroft Greens site, welcomed the decision in a statement, saying it establishes "a path forward for new housing while creating an opportunity to preserve significant green space for the Burlington community." City staff said in their own statement that they are reviewing the orders to understand how the decisions affect the proposal council refused, and will share next steps once that review is complete. No construction timelines have been released for either phase.