No boundary expansion option ‘irresponsible’

Housing minister says Hamilton’s urban boundary expansion is essential for future growth

Ontario has a housing crisis. Driven by a severe shortage of supply, rental housing and affordable home ownership are even further out of reach for hardworking Ontarians.

Hamilton is seeing this firsthand. According to Oxford Economics, it is the third least affordable city in North America and is projected to grow by 236,000 new residents and 122,000 new jobs by 2051.

That is why, as minister of municipal affairs and housing, I introduced changes to A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the long-term plan for where and how growth should occur for one of the fastest-growing regions in North America, which is projected to grow by 4.6 million people over the next 30 years.

One of the most critical measures I implemented to increase housing supply is extending the planning horizon for which municipalities must plan for growth until 2051, as well as updating the population and employment forecasts for all 21 upperand single-tier municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. I also introduced a new land needs assessment methodology which helps municipalities base their planning decisions on future demand.

Together, these measures provide local governments with flexibility and foresight when updating their official plans to accommodate future growth in areas where it is best suited, with a range of housing options to ensure every resident can find the home that is right for them.

These tools are designed to put people before politics, and enable municipalities to prepare for the growth that we all know is coming.

As all single- and upper-tier municipalities are reviewing and updating their official plans to be in conformity by the July 1, 2022, deadline, my ministry has continued to be a partner, providing support and resources to help them plan for long-term growth. Before any official plan can be adopted, it must be shared with the province for review and approval.

As a former mayor, I understand the vital role that our local governments play in addressing housing affordability by taking a peoplefirst approach when planning for the long-term, and value this collaborative partnership between the province and our municipalities.

That is why it is so disappointing to see the City of Hamilton propose a “no urban boundary expansion” in its city-wide survey.

It is not only unrealistic, it is irresponsible. This option would cause a shortfall of nearly 60,000 homes that are critical to Hamilton and Ontario’s continued prosperity because, according to the city’s own planners, Hamilton’s existing urban boundaries do not have enough land where these homes can be built.

The survey conducted by the City of Hamilton does not appear to be aligned with more robust research conducted by Nanos for the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and the West End Home Builders Association (WEHBA). They found that 80 per cent of residents said they do not recall receiving an official survey from the City of Hamilton on the topic of growth, and in fact found that 38 per cent of residents say the approach to handling growth in Hamilton is to allow for an expansion of the urban boundary to accommodate new residents. Fifty per cent of respondents in the 18-34 age category were twice as likely to prefer boundary expansion.

A “no urban boundary expansion” option would also cause growth and development to be redirected into other areas within their existing urban boundaries that are less suited to accommodate growth, such as open green spaces.

That is why the most important tool municipalities have to address housing supply and affordability is through updating their official plans to plan for and meet the provincial growth targets, and allow for the right mix of homes that responds to actual market demand — and not just planning for highrise buildings — that residents need and deserve.

If city council continues to bury their heads in the sand and restrict where the right mix of homes can be built, I am deeply concerned this will further drive housing prices up in Hamilton and across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, putting affordable home ownership even more out of reach of hardworking families. And according to Nanos, over eight in 10 residents of Hamilton are already concerned about the affordability of the cost housing in Hamilton today

We know that Ontario is the best place to live, grow and prosper. We must all do our part to protect this and pass it on to the next generation of Ontarians who hope to call Hamilton home.