environment

An Urban Boundary Expansion application, being an application to amend both the
Urban Hamilton Official Plan and Rural Hamilton Official Plan, has been submitted by the Elfrida Community Builders Group Inc., representing over 70% of the different land holdings in the Elfrida area.

The Elfrida lands are an “L shaped” grouping of lands that comprise an area of 1, 209 hectares in size. The subject lands are bounded by Upper Centennial Parkway, Mud
Street East, Second Road East, Hendershot Road, Golf Club Road, Trinity Church
Road and a Hydro Corridor. The location is shown on the map attached as Appendix 1.
A Concept Plan, submitted with the application, outlining intended land uses from a high
level perspective. The application proposes a variety of housing for 117,000 residents.

The applications were submitted to city planning staff on November 20, 2025, and deemed complete on March 18, 2025. The Planning Act requires a decision to be made by Council within 120 days of an application being deemed complete which started March 14, 2025 when all
materials were submitted.
City Council has been advised that the new Provincial Planning Statement was issued October 2024 and permits privately initiated urban boundary expansion applications to be submitted outside of a municipal comprehensive review and Bill 185 now permits a Council denial or non-decision of an application to be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal. NOTE: Council has approved a no urban boundary expansion growth strategy that is reflected in policy in the Urban Hamilton Official Plan.
The public hearing is likely to generate significant interest and speakers, presentations,
and correspondence. The urban boundary expansion application will also likely
generate significant discussion by Planning Committee members. Therefore, a Special
Planning Committee meeting will be held on June 25, 2025, followed by a Special
Council meeting directly after to ratify any Committee decision before the 120 day
deadline. The White Church urban boundary Official Plan Amendment application will
also be considered at the same meeting.

I am encouraging residents to write to the Planning Committee to provide their comments. Whether you support the application or oppose it, you have the right to be heard. All documentation received and delegations helps to inform the Planning Committee’s decision and Council’s subsequent ratification. You can email your written documents to clerk@hamilton.ca no later than 48 hours prior to the public hearing. All residents who have written to the Planning Committee or appeared as delegates for the June 25 Special Planning Committee Public Hearing reserve their rights to appeal the Council decision to the Ontario Lands Tribunal.