Elfrida 2987 acre urban boundary expansion OLT appeal

Elfrida developers have appealed the City’s denial of their application to expand Hamilton’s urban boundary to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).

Appeals are now possible under Doug Ford’s new Bill 185 “Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024”

In 2023 in response to massive public support, Council voted unanimously for a firm urban boundary. Hamilton has chosen to build a mix of housing types and price points close to jobs, transit and amenities, inside our current urban boundary.

Jan 2026 update:

There are now five UBE appeals at the OLT. Three of them, Elfrida, Twenty Road West and White Church have common issues and the City’s request to combine those issues into one hearing for all three landowner groups has been granted by the OLT. That consolidated hearing will take place over two weeks in April 2026.

Everyone is encouraged to tune in and watch the hearing. Your camera and mic will be off, but your presence shows the OLT that Hamilton is watching. The link to the GoTo meeting (similar to a zoom meeting) is below. You can download the GoTo app or watch in your web browser.

Monday, April 13, 2026 - May 1, 2026.

Join the video event:
https://meet.goto.com/558205565
Access code: 558-205-565

  • Issue 1: Which population forecasts and methodology should be applied to the proposed urban boundary expansions, in accordance with Sections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 of the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024?

  • Issue 2: Is an urban expansion(s) warranted for the City of Hamilton to accommodate an appropriate range and mix of land uses to meet projected needs as per Sections 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 of the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024?

  • Issue 3: Is there a need for additional urban land to accommodate an appropriate range and mix of land uses as per Section 2.3.2.1a) of the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024?

  • Issue 4: Will the proposed urban boundary expansion(s) impact the City of Hamilton’s ability to meets its residential intensification and redevelopment targets, including the intensification distribution policies set out in Sections A.2.3 and B.2.4.1 of the Urban Hamilton Official Plan?

  • Issue 5: Will the proposed urban boundary expansion(s) result in intensification targets not being achieved within the current approved boundary, resulting in under-utilization of existing and planned infrastructure? For example, will the urban boundary expansion impact the City of Hamilton’s goals to meet provincial density targets in the Major Transit Station Areas?

History

Staff and consultants have confirmed that urban expansion would be financially detrimental to the City. From the staff report: “The City had the applicant’s Fiscal Impact Assessment peer reviewed by Watson & Associates. Based on the findings from the peer review, staff concluded that the applicant had not shown that the proposed urban boundary expansion is financially viable (i.e., the proposal will negatively affect the City’s fiscal position).” https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=457526

On June 25, 2025, Staff recommended that Urban Hamilton Official Plan Amendment Application UHOPA-25-007 by Bousfields Inc., on behalf of the Elfrida Community Builders Group Inc be DENIED for several reasons outlined in the Staff report. Council voted unanimously in favour of the Staff recommendation for denial. https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=457526

Through zoning changes that now allow many more types of housing beyond single family homes, staff have confirmed that Hamilton can meet its housing targets by adding much more densification within the current urban boundary, eliminating the need for more land. https://www.hamilton.ca/build-invest-grow/planning-development/zoning/residential-zones-project

The City of Hamilton exceeded its 80% Residential Intensification Target in 2023 with an intensification rate of 90%. Hamiltonians embrace a growth strategy of infill housing and densification within existing neighbourhoods, near transit, jobs and amenities. https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=425614

Based on current data and approved levels of service, the City of Hamilton faces a 10- year Infrastructure Funding Gap of $5.2 billion. Adding more sprawl infrastructure on distant farm fields away from transit, jobs and amenities will only worsen that burden. https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=455835

 A mail-out survey was distributed to households in Hamilton in late June/early July 2021 to ask for opinions about how the City of Hamilton should grow to the year 2051. An absolutely unprecedented total of 18,387 survey responses were submitted to the City through mail and email up to the survey deadline of July 23, 2021. Option 2 “No Urban Boundary Expansion” was the clear choice of Hamiltonians with 16,636 or 90.4% or responses. https://www.hamilton.ca/build-invest-grow/planning-development/growth-planning-grids/grids-2mcr-urban-growth-survey

Urban expansion would destroy thousands of acres of prime one farmland and be detrimental to our food security, climate change reduction and mitigation goals, urban forest strategy, wetland protection goals, affordable housing strategy, and jeopardize Light Rail Transit success by directing growth far away from the proposed LRT line.