• Stouffville’s Council voted 4-1 to refuse Darul Khair Centre’s updated mosque proposal for 27 Winona Drive.
  • Councillors Kroon, Upton, Bartley, and Acton opposed the application, with Councillor Smith voting in favour.
  • Mayor Lovatt and Councillor Sherban abstained after unsuccessfully supporting a motion to delay the decision.
  • Town Staff recommended approval of the development, stating it complied with Provincial and Council-supported municipal planning policies.
  • Councillors reassured the issue was site compatibility and traffic impacts, not general opposition to a new mosque.
  • The refusal paves the way for a possible Ontario Land Tribunal appeal that could overturn Council’s decision.

 

Over the last week, commentary surrounding Darul Khair Centre’s proposed mosque at 27 Winona Drive has dominated Stouffville social media feeds and Council inboxes.

What began as a revised planning submission evolved into a broader contemplation over compatibility, traffic, and the willingness of Council to deviate from past positions and its long-term planning framework.

While many residents voiced support for a new mosque in Stouffville, opposition to the Winona Drive location intensified after Town Staff published a report recommending Council approve the development. Supporters, including members of Darul Khair Centre, defended the revised proposal as one that more closely met zoning requirements and could coexist in the community.

One common refrain emerged from both the community and Council Chambers: residents and representatives insisted their opposition was tied to the location, not the mosque itself. However, online discussion occasionally devolved into tense exchanges, with both subtle and direct allegations of Islamophobia and bigotry surfacing alongside typical planning conversation.

Critics argued the site and surrounding area was too constrained for the intended use, and traffic and congestion concerns around Winona Drive and Main Street remain central to the debate. Much of Council seemed to agree during their May 6 meeting, and after an attempt to defer the decision failed, they voted 4-1 to refuse the application.

While sure to please community members opposed to the project, the decision leaves Darul Khair Centre with a clear path to appeal the refusal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). That’s a possibility Lovatt acknowledged while expressing hope that further discussions could still produce a compromise.

An Almost-Permitted Land Use

Although the vote centred on a necessary Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) that would permit a place of worship on the property, Council’s deliberations were shadowed by an earlier decision: they already approved places of worship for the site through Stouffville’s updated Official Plan process two years earlier.

Official Plans are high-level policy documents that establish the long-term growth and land-use framework for municipalities. Stouffville’s updated plan, adopted unanimously by Council in May 2024 after extensive public consultation, added places of worship to permitted uses within the Western Approach – Mixed Use Area designation applied to 27 Winona Drive.

After an extensive review period, Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the Official Plan. Relevant sections affecting the southern portion of Winona Drive came into effect in September 2025.

Town Staff are now in the process of updating Stouffville’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law to align it with the new Official Plan. Had that work already been completed, the land-use ZBA requested by Darul Khair Centre would likely be unnecessary.

“The proposed mosque conforms to the policies of the Official Plan that encourage a diverse mix of uses within the Main Street west area,” Staff wrote in their report. “The Official Plan directs growth and community-serving institutional uses to the Urban Area and Strategic Growth Areas, where a mix of commercial, employment, cultural, and residential uses is encouraged.”

In recommending Council approve the zoning amendments, which also included two minor setback variances, Staff also argued the proposed three-storey mosque would provide an appropriate transition between future intensification along Main Street and the surrounding low-rise neighbourhood to the north.

Council Challenges Staff Recommendations

Despite Staff’s conclusions, several Councillors suggested that conformity to zoning regulations and local and Provincial planning policies was insufficient.

“This decision is about land compatibility, not the merits of the use itself,” said Ward 4 Councillor Rick Upton, whose ward includes the Winona area. “The mosque must be located on a site that can appropriately support its functions and not create concerns in the community.”

Upton pointed to revisions made following public consultation, including the removal of some amenities to reduce parking demand. While the changes resulted in an overall reduction in floor area, he noted that the space dedicated to prayer halls “more than tripled in size, which will create even more traffic.”

Ward 1 Councillor Hugo Kroon framed his opposition through the lens of Stouffville’s future growth pressures and evolving planning priorities. Referencing Provincial housing targets and projections that could push the Town’s population toward 100,000 residents over the coming decades, Kroon argued urban lands like the Winona property should prioritize mixed-use intensification capable of supporting future density goals.

Facilitating higher-density development within the downtown, he suggested, would also help protect rural and environmentally-sensitive areas from more intensive growth pressures.

Neighbouring property owners “had potentially spoken” to the Darul Khair Centre about incorporating the mosque into a larger build, Kroon noted. Presumably speaking to the applicants, he suggested such a mixed-use project could serve “not only your community, but the entire community.”

“Times have changed, and I not only have to serve all of you people, but we have to serve everyone else in this community,” Kroon declared. “Not only those people who live here now, but the people who are gonna live here in the future.”

That position contrasts with comments made during Council’s October 2023 endorsement of FLATO’s interim single-storey commercial development at Highway 48 and Main Street.

The vote came nearly two months after the Government of Ontario assigned Stouffville its 6,500-unit, eight-year housing target. At the time, concerns were raised that establishing a lower-density commercial use on the Gateway lands could create a barrier to the higher-density mixed-use development envisioned for the site.

In response, Kroon emphasized FLATO’s right to activate the property as they deem appropriate, provided it is within the permissions available to them. “If they do that, that’s completely up to them—not us,” he said of their options to redevelop during the October 18, 2023 meeting.

Both Kroon and Mayor Lovatt spoke at the time about appreciating existing property rights and development permissions. They joined Upton and Smith in a 4-3 decision to approve the interim project.

“We’re not the kind of government to force companies to do what they don’t want to do. We won’t do that,” Kroon said prior to the FLATO vote. He did not respond to a request seeking clarification on the differing positions.

Scaling Back to Achieve Compliance

Councillors also questioned whether the revised proposal reflected the facility Darul Khair Centre originally hoped to build.

After concerns over parking emerged during the project’s statutory Public Planning Meeting last year, the applicant removed gym and community spaces from the plans. Doing so facilitated an increase from 53 to 76 spaces, resulting in the proposal meeting Stouffville’s minimum parking requirements.

Councillor Maurice Smith suggested those compromises raised larger questions about whether the Winona property could realistically accommodate the Centre’s true vision.

“If you really wanted those amenities, and you obviously did because you put them forward in the beginning, I’m just wondering if there is an area within our community that you could have had the complete complex that you really wanted,” he said.

“You’re not doing what you really wanted to do in the first place,” Smith added, “and you’re somewhat jamming this into a very small piece of property.”

“I have concerns about whether this specific location is the right fit, both for the community and for the congregation themselves,” Councillor Richard Bartley later said, echoing Smith’s concerns. “It is not fair to ask any group to compromise in that way, when what they deserve is a location that meets their needs without significant limitations.”

Congestion Fears Persist Despite Traffic Studies

Responding to inquiries from Bartley, the transportation analyst retained by Darul Khair Centre confirmed the traffic impact study incorporated both the mosque proposal and future development expected within roughly one kilometre of the site, including 10 active development applications.

The analyst also confirmed the study evaluated impacts during peak periods, including Friday prayer times, concluding traffic impacts would not be significant. Town Staff further noted in their report that the study was independently reviewed by Stouffville’s longstanding consultants, RJ Burnside & Associates.

“The peer review confirms that the existing road network and nearby intersections can accommodate the anticipated traffic generated by the proposed Place of Worship,” the Staff report states. “No negative traffic impacts are expected as a result.”

Stouffville’s planning department was not questioned once throughout Council’s deliberations. Still, members commented on whether technical planning conclusions reflected lived realities on the ground.

Bartley pointed to existing congestion pressures and future projects already approved or proposed nearby, including Hyson’s planned 210-unit condominium development at Main Street and Ninth Line. While acknowledging some of Staff’s conclusions, he maintained overflow parking during major gatherings was “inevitable.”

Sherban also focused on the traffic analysis, questioning its source, methodology, and language while expressing concern about vehicle movements during major prayer periods.

“In the GTA, traffic congestion is a new norm, but that doesn’t have to be the new norm in Stouffville,” Councillor Keith Acton said. “I get that this report meets all planning requirements, but it doesn’t meet realistic and practical requirements.”

Push for More Time Falls Short

Council members repeatedly emphasized that Stouffville remains an inclusive and welcoming community, with Acton and Sherban saying they “support all places of worship.” Upton referenced Council’s previous support for another mosque project currently underway at 159 Sandiford Drive, and Lovatt stressed the importance of balancing all perspectives.

Sherban was the first to signal discomfort with making an immediate decision, saying “I’m at that mindset right now that I can’t support, and I can’t turn down.” She argued additional time could allow for further dialogue between the Town, the applicant, and residents.

A deferral would provide “more opportunity for that communication” and lead to “the best possible facility,” the Ward 6 Councillor explained. It would also assist in presenting the project “in the best possible light for the rest of the community.”

Lovatt endorsed the procedural pause, noting Councillors had only six days to review the revised proposal before the meeting. “We just need a little more time to address the concerns that we’ve heard, from the community but also from Councillors here today, that will only help achieve the best outcome for all,” the Mayor said.

“I recognize there’s a great deal of expectation tied into this application, but I believe that a short deferral isn’t a setback,” Lovat continued. “It’s an opportunity to ensure that when a decision is made by Council, it is one that reflects both careful consideration of all parties and our shared commitment to the future of this incredible town.”

The deferral promptly failed in a 3-4 vote, however, with Kroon, Upton, Bartley, and Acton opposed. Appearing somewhat caught off guard by the outcome, Lovatt acknowledged that Council would need to proceed directly to a vote on the application and Staff’s recommendations.

Refusal Raises Prospect of OLT Appeal

Mayor Lovatt explained that he would be abstaining from the final vote, expressing “great disappointment” that Council declined additional time for negotiation and review. “It’s always best to work collaboratively with applicants that are willing to address planning challenges,” he said.

Before Council rejected the application in a 4-1 vote, Sherban also announced that she would abstain. Nay votes were again submitted by Kroon, Upton, Bartley, and Acton, with Smith ultimately casting the lone vote in favour of the proposal.

“Voting against Staff’s recommendations would have gone against our unanimously approved Official Plan,” Lovatt later told Bullet Point News, detailing why he decided against voting. He added that additional time may have allowed the Town and Darul Khair Centre to collaboratively address outstanding concerns.

The Mayor also acknowledged that Council’s decision would likely result in an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), the provincial adjudicative body responsible for resolving disputes involving land use planning and municipal development decisions.

“Like I said on the dias, we had six days with the report,” Lovatt said. “I am hopeful that we can work with the Darul Khair Centre Board before a potential OLT appeal is filed, which will be a costly endeavour.”

Application refusals have been rare during the 2022-2026 Council term, and Wednesday’s decision is the first since Hyson Properties’ condominium at 5964 Main Street was tabled in 2024. In that case, Town Staff also recommended approval before Council unanimously rejected the application, prompting an appeal to the OLT.

Because Town Staff cannot defend refusals that contradict their professional recommendations, Council must authorize spending for external legal and planning representation during such an appeal hearing.

When the Hyson appeal began, residents watching online quickly realized that the application’s rejection would not be defended. Council appeared to have opted against funding the defence and its associated costs, allowing Hyson’s team to advance their proposal without opposition. The OLT adjudicator ultimately overturned Council’s refusal and approved the development.

Should Darul Khair Centre appeal this week’s decision, Council could again face the prospect of funding an external and potentially challenging OLT defence using taxpayer dollars. Bullet Point News contacted a representative of the Centre hoping to discuss their next steps; however, the organization did not respond to an interview request prior to publication.

Asked whether the mosque proposal’s consistency with Stouffville’s Provincially-approved Official Plan, combined with Staff’s recommendation for approval and the relatively limited nature of the requested zoning amendments, could weaken the Town’s position in a potential appeal, Lovatt declined to comment.

“At this point, an appeal hasn’t been filed,” he said. “It would be premature to comment on a defence.”

Cover image shows a roof-level drawing from draft site plans presented to Council