Continued sprawl into the…

Continued sprawl into the greenbelt is an absolutely unacceptable and unsustainable plan given the nature of the climate crisis. Especially given the fact that, across the areas in which the amendments are proposed, there is ample space for infill developments within existing city footprints.

As a Hamilton resident, I am appalled, if not surprised, by the government's decision to force an expansion to our city's urban boundary, despite a push by residents of this city against such a measure. Housing can be provided through intensification and urbanisation of Hamilton's fringes, rather than by continuing to build homes further out into the greenbelt.

Not only does continued sprawl contribute to city deficits, given that it is a proven fact that suburban and exurban subdivisions do not contribute enough taxes to the city to fund their requisite infrastructure, but it also perpetuates an urban form in which individuals need cars to live, and locks them out of more sustainable transportation options like cycling or public transit.

Keep your hands off our farmlands. Cities which touch the greenbelt have ample land that can be home to infill developments to meet housing targets, without having to cut away the greenbelt for development.