Mayor Patrick Brown says he would like to see Brampton switch focus from further residential growth to allow the city’s industrial sector time to catch up.

During a recent interview, Brown said that while he believes a good mixture of residential property options is important in a balanced housing market, he also feels Canada’s ninth-largest city needs more industrial infrastructure to support its ever-growing population.

Brampton is among the fastest-growing cities in Canada, with its population growing from just over 325,000 residents in 2001 to more than 655,000 in 2019.

“If anything, I think we need to slow down on the residential until we catch up on the industrial,” said the mayor, adding that he voted against a recent residential development in the city’s north end.

The residential development Brown was referring to is located at the southwest corner of Mayfield and Kennedy roads and includes 182 single-detached units and 178 townhouses. Council narrowly approved the application in a close 6-5 vote despite more than 680 area residents signing a petition in hopes of blocking it.

“It’s not very often that I’m in the minority on votes at city hall, but on the latest residential development application I voted against because I have the concern that there’s more eagerness on industrial development. I don’t mind that we take our time to look at residential applications,” added Brown.

Bringing industrial and commercial jobs to Brampton has been the centrepiece of Brown’s mandate since taking office in late 2018.

The mayor added that he would like to see a wider mix of residential options when council considers future development applications, in order to meet the needs of an economically diverse community.

“I think it’s important in a real estate marketplace to have a variety of options. Whether it is an estate home, an apartment (or) a townhouse … people will be at different points in their lives where what is affordable to enter the market could be very different at what stage you are in your life. When I look at planning here my hope is that we see a variety,” Brown said.

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