Mayor Andrea Horwath has expressed deep concern over the recent Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) ruling mandating an expansion of Hamilton’s urban boundary by 1,600 hectares. The decision, issued following a hearing on Monday, overturned a 2025 Hamilton council resolution that had rejected developers’ plea to enlarge the boundary for developmental purposes in Upper Stoney Creek and Mount Hope.
Describing the ruling as undemocratic, Horwath emphasized that the council’s firm stance on maintaining the urban boundary had been disregarded. In June 2025, the city had already rejected two out of three developer requests, including proposals for constructing 7,600 homes on the White Church Lands near the Hamilton airport and 40,000 homes on the Elfrida Lands in Upper Stoney Creek. Another proposal in the Twenty Road W. area had been under review since 2020 and was appealed in 2024 due to a lack of decision.
In his official ruling, OLT member Eric Crowe justified the expansion by citing the need to accommodate a suitable mix of land uses. The developers contended that the expansion was necessary for accommodating residential growth, contrasting the city’s stance which emphasized higher density within the existing boundary and utilizing current infrastructure effectively.
The city staff had recommended rejecting both the White Church Lands and Elfrida Lands applications in 2025, citing concerns of encroachment on agricultural land and the city’s limited capacity to provide necessary infrastructure. In a separate incident in 2021, councilors had dismissed a contentious plan to expand the urban boundary by 1,310 hectares following extensive community engagement that revealed strong opposition to the expansion.
Amidst the ongoing debate, Horwath criticized the OLT’s interference in local planning, stressing that such decisions should be made by elected officials representing the community’s interests. Councilor Mark Tadeson expressed disagreement with the adjudicator’s approval of the expansion, suggesting a more phased approach to urban boundary growth instead of a sudden, massive expansion.
Environmental groups and local activists have condemned the OLT ruling, with concerns raised about the potential long-term impact on housing affordability, environmental sustainability, and democratic decision-making processes. The decision has sparked a broader discussion on the balance between development needs and preserving essential community resources in Hamilton.