Province Says Hamilton’s Boundless Urban Expansion Concept Will Not ‘Prevent Housing Shortage’ – Hamilton | The Canadian News

The ongoing debate surrounding the proposed expansion of the Hamilton city line will return to the limelight this week and could be the source of further frustration for your opponents and developers who wish it.

At the center of the discussions will be Ontario’s response to the city’s consideration of freezing the expansion, suggesting that such a move would bring a “shortage” of housing and not meet expected market demands for the next three decades.

On Wednesday, the city council is expected to address a mid-September meeting. letter received from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing suggesting a shortage of 59,300 units according to a July technical report by land economist Antony Lorius.

In the letter, ministry staff reiterated that Ontario municipalities should submit a Land Needs Assessment (LNA) scenario by July 2022 and present a plan on how they will move forward to accommodate growth.

“The Unlimited Urban Expansion (NUBE) scenario appears to conflict with the LNA methodology’s goal of providing enough land to accommodate all market segments in order to avoid shortages,” said the province in conjunction with the technical update. .

The note goes on to say that the low targets could have “broader impacts” on prime agricultural areas in neighboring municipalities due to growth demands and that Hamilton is “well suited” for urban expansion considering its existing structures, strategic location and transport connections.

The letter from community planning and development manager Heather Watt also warns that the CLOUD poses a risk for the city to miss the provincial deadline set for summer 2022.

West Central Mountain Councilman John-Paul Danko shared his frustration with the province through a social media post over the weekend, calling the Ford administration’s response “undemocratic” and “unacceptable” with 19,000 Hamiltonians said no to a conventional means of expansion in an ongoing city. poll.

Lorius’s report recommended adding 1,340 hectares of farmland to the urban growth area to accommodate a projected population increase of 238,000 residents by 2051, bringing Hamilton’s population to approximately 820,000.

Environmentalists and members of the farming community expressed frustration in August, saying the provincial guidelines do not help the climate crisis or reuse land in need of improvement.

“Look what is happening in the world,” said Lynda Lukasik of Environment Hamilton during a virtual meeting with councilors.

“Forest fires, floods, heat domes: the climate crisis is unfolding in extreme and terrifying ways.”

Mike Collins-Williams of the West End Home Builders Association responds that an expansion of urban boundaries is needed to address the lack of supply that is pulling home buyers out of the city.

He stressed that “when existing residents are excluded from the Hamilton community, they drive until they can find affordable housing that meets their needs.”

Developers have campaigned for expansion in recent months via social media and emails urging residents to sign a petition saying the city does indeed have a good plan that supports expansion in Stoney Creek and Glanbrook while protecting farmland.

The ‘Hamilton Needs Housing’ petition has been met with disdain by several supporters of the Stop Sprawl campaign, who allege that the enrollment is funded by a group of “deep-pocketed” homebuilders.

The Board has set October 25 as the date for a discussion on growth plan options for Hamilton.