Milton Town Council passed a resolution last week directing staff to draft a new by-law that would require homeowners and property occupants to maintain the boulevard (the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the road) next to their property.
They met on Monday, July 14th inside the Council Chambers at Town Hall. This particular agenda item was deemed rather controversial online after being posted to the Milton community page on Reddit ahead of the meeting.
This move comes in response to numerous complaints about overgrown and unkempt boulevards across town, with residents raising concerns about neighbourhood appearance, safety, and property values. Currently, there is no by-law in place requiring residents to care for this space.
“After hearing concerns from residents in Milton’s Ward 3, I begun looking around at other municipalities near us,” states Ward 3 Town Councillor Adil Khalqi, who proposed the Motion to Consider. “I learned that Waterloo, Burlington, Oakville, City of Toronto, Peel Region – they have a by-laws that regulate this.”
Regional Councillor for Milton’s Ward 1, Colin Best, backed the idea, stating he had the same complaints from residents in his area of town.
While backing the idea, Regional Councillor for Ward 2, Rick Malboeuf, questioned the enforcement of the potential by-law, asking Town Staff to consider including those details in the future report.
Council has asked staff to explore exemptions for approved pollinator gardens, Town-maintained spaces, or unique landscaping features.
A staff report detailing the proposed by-law, exemption criteria, and enforcement approach is expected by April 2026, or earlier. If approved, the new rules would then take effect immediately.
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