Ford should respect Hamilton’s urban boundary, not steamroll over it: NDP

TORONTO — Ontario NDP Housing critic Jessica Bell and Ontario NDP Environment critic Sandy Shaw (Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas) released the following statement in response to the Ford government’s decision to gut Hamilton’s official plan and throw open its urban boundary:

"Doug Ford is disrespecting the wishes of Hamiltonians and putting precious greenspace and farmland at risk, while doing nothing to build housing that is affordable and located where people want to live. It’s wrong for Mr. Ford to sacrifice the environment to his developer buddies’ bulldozers. We should be supporting Hamilton’s smart growth plan to preserve its existing urban boundary, not streamrolling over it.

We can meet the urgent need for more housing in Ontario by building within existing urban boundaries and protect our precious greenspace and farmland at the same time. Hamilton has a sensible plan to do just that.

The government should work with all municipalities to meet their housing, service, and job needs within their existing urban boundaries. Together, we can end exclusionary zoning, build more townhomes, duplexes and triplexes in existing neighbourhoods, and increase density near transit stations.”