All eyes on Hamilton as fight for prime farmland continues

September 26, 2023

QUEEN'S PARK — Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph, Mike Schreiner, released the following statement in response to ongoing opposition to the Ford government’s forced urban boundary expansion in Hamilton.

“Let’s not forget that on the very same day the Premier declared open season on Ontario’s Greenbelt, he also opened 5,400 acres of protected farmland in a forced expansion of Hamilton’s urban boundary.

That’s 5,400 acres that are still on the chopping block.

What’s more, some of the Ford-connected developers who own that land are the very same ones who stood to benefit from Doug Ford’s $8.3 billion Greenbelt giveaway.

The City of Hamilton has been crystal clear – they’re not buying what Doug Ford is selling.

They want to keep their urban boundary where it is and build affordable homes within existing neighbourhoods.

They don’t need the Premier bulldozing local leadership and prime farmland with expensive land grabs that fail to address the housing crisis.

If the Premier is serious about repairing the damage his reckless actions have caused, he needs to immediately reverse these speculator driven land grabs and work with local leaders to implement real solutions to the housing crisis.

Ontario Greens will continue to stand with Hamilton and every other municipality working to build homes people can actually afford in connected communities where they want to live.”

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