Urban Boundary Expansion

Update 2: White Church & Elfrida Urban Boundary Expansion Application - View Open House Materials
The City of Hamilton’s Planning and Economic Development Department hosted open houses to provide residents with an opportunity to learn about and comment on two privately-initiated proposals to expand Hamilton’s urban boundary: Elfrida Urban Boundary Expansion application & White Church Urban Boundary Expansion application.

Update: City Council Approved Framework
Following community engagement on the Draft Framework last fall, City Council has approved a Framework for Processing and Evaluating Urban Boundary Expansion Applications together with amendments to the Urban and Rural Hamilton Official Plan to implement the requirements of the framework into policy. View approved Framework, City Staff’s Report & Terms of Reference

The Notice of Adoption of Urban Hamilton Official Plan No.232 and Rural Hamilton Official Plan Amendment No.44 which implement the Framework were issued in accordance with the Planning Act.  

The City received three appeals of Urban Hamilton Official Plan Amendment No. 232 and Rural Hamilton Official Plan Amendment No. 44 to the Ontario Land Tribunal. View details regarding these appeals(PDF, 109.71 KB)

The Ontario government has approved significant changes to planning rules through the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 and Bill 185 that allow private landowners to propose urban boundary expansions of any size and location provided the lands are outside the Greenbelt Plan area. The new rules allow landowners to appeal Council’s refusal or non-decision of urban boundary expansion proposals to the Ontario Land Tribunal, posing a direct challenge to a firm urban boundary and our existing, provincially approved Official Plans.

There is approximately 4,320 hectares of land outside of the Greenbelt Plan Area and outside of the existing urban boundary (referred to as the white belt) which is shown in the map which may be subject to privately initiated urban boundary expansion applications.

Figure 1 Lands which may be subject to privately initiated Urban Boundary Expansion applications.

Draft Framework for Processing & Evaluating Urban Boundary Expansion Applications

In response to the provincial changes, the City of Hamilton has developed a Draft Framework for Processing & Evaluating Urban Boundary Expansion Applications. This framework aims to ensure that any proposed urban boundary expansions are carefully assessed against the City’s priorities by:

• Establishing clear submission requirements by outlining the required technical plans and studies that must accompany any urban boundary expansion application.
• Prioritizing key considerations that matter to Hamilton by establishing a set of considerations for the City's rigorous review process, addressing issues such as impacts on farmland, infrastructure capacity and costs, and financial viability.
• Outlining a clear process for submission, review and public and Indigenous engagement for any urban boundary expansion application, going beyond the minimum requirements of the Planning Act.

Additional Resources:

• History of Hamilton’s Urban Boundary(PDF, 814.91 KB)
• The City’s Response to Provincial Policy Changes(PDF, 859.91 KB)
• Managing Provincial Policy Changes to the Urban Boundary Expansion(PDF, 905.63 KB)

Visit engage.hamilton.ca/ubeapplicationframework

Urban Boundary Expansion Area Planning Applications

The City has received Official Plan Amendment Applications requesting or related to the expansion of Hamilton’s urban boundary. For more information on these applications, visit:

• 159 & 163 Sulphur Springs Road - Urban Boundary Expansion Application
• Elfrida - Urban Boundary Expansion Application
• Twenty Road West Lands (Area 2 & Area 3) - Urban Boundary Expansion Application
• Twenty Road West Lands (Area 2 & Area 3) - Secondary Plan Application
• White Church Road Lands - Secondary Plan Application
• White Church Road Lands - Urban Boundary Expansion Application

We will update as new urban boundary expansion applications are received.