I wish to urge you to…

I wish to urge you to support the no boundary expansion that Hamilton council voted in, after an overwhelmingly positive response to a city survey, in which over 90% of 18,000 people voted to freeze the urban boundary.

The required increase in housing to meet forecast demand can be built within the current boundary with gentle density: second dwelling units, lane-way housing, low-rise apartments and some towers. This will provide lower-cost housing to meet the high demand, rather than large suburban houses that only the wealthy can afford. It will also allow for much needed social housing to meet the needs of the currently unhoused.

In addition, it will prevent huge expense of suburban development, that is never covered by development charges. The current debt for infrastructure in Hamilton is unsustainable, and cannot be added to.

Finally, the climate implications of suburban development, both the building of it, and the subsequent increased greenhouse gases from residents having to drive anywhere they go to shop, work or play, are enormous and completely irresponsible. We will also desperately need the farmland that would be paved over by boundary expansion, once the lands to the south of us that provide the majority of our food, are ravaged by drought.

Keep the current boundary of our city intact and firm.