Elections
Since the 1950s, most new residential and commercial development in Hamilton has been single-use suburban sprawl. Do you believe Hamilton needs to concentrate new development within the already-built area? Why or why not?
Responses to the question: "Since the 1950s, most new residential and commercial development in Hamilton has been single-use suburban sprawl. Do you believe Hamilton needs to concentrate new development within the already-built area? Why or why not?"
In This Page:
5 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ward 07 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Benson, Steve | No | There have been studies showing new home owners want the suburban sprawl, young owners want to start a family and want their kids to play in a safe private yard. BUT the city directed by the Wynne government in 2013 has mandated Intensification. Intensification is allowing builder to pack as many houses/people into the smallest area possible. In theory these (mostly) three story town homes were suppose to be low cost to help young families get into the housing market. What we are seeing is the opposite currently. One only needs to look to the Stoney Creek Mountain where intensification is taking over. Complex after complex of tall thin town homes packed tightly together almost to the street. These so called low cost homes are selling for upwards of $550,000. This completely defeats the purpose. One the out skirts of the city you can buy single homes for in the $400,000. So young families are actually being forced out of Hamilton. WHY? Intensification was suppose to integrate with the neighbourhoods they are built in, intensification is not suppose to disturb the current infrastructure and cause havoc. The City is neglecting all their own rules for more tax money? and land transfer tax? This is a big problem and will get worse if allowed. If you look on the City of Hamilton’s website for Intensification you will see a nice city proposal describing how Intensification will be implemented. It seems they have forgotten to read it themselves. Look to the Sonoma Homes project on Upper Sherman and Rymal area it has caused increased stress on local residence and created uncertainty with the neighbourhood. The city should have forced developers to redesign and reduce the vacancy rate in the area and not just delay the vote and force the OMB to decide. City Council in my opinion failed the citizens of ward 7 and are failing the people in Hamilton by continuing to expand the city outwards by building intensification homes. |
| Kazubek, Joseph | Maybe | I believe that we need to be focused on staying ahead of the housing crisis that is always nipping at the tail, we are currently facing affordable housing issues as more and more residents are becoming homeless or on the edge of it, with that being said, we need to find the best way to keep up with the need of new units, but also ensuring that affordability for the residents of Hamilton is always being considered first. |
| MacIntyre, Dan | Yes | For far too long we’ve built further and further out. The costs with building and servicing the infrastructure needed for these new areas far outweigh the positives of these new developments. The city has fostered traffic congestion nightmares along Rymal Road and Stone Church Road. The low density developments coupled with poor public transportation has created communities where having access to a vehicle to drive is a necessity. . This all goes without mentioning the fact that we continue to increase the distance between farmland and the consumer which hits us in the wallet at some point. |
| McMullen, Geraldine | Maybe | Hamilton would benefit by considering many options for new development including the already built areas. New development must include affordable housing and easy access to transit, thereby reducing the need for car dependency.
While ward 7 is relatively well developed at this point, any new development would have to be specifically defined. Solutions must be acceptable to current residents in neighbourhoods where any proposed development would occur as it could have an impact on taxes, residential satisfaction, and the potential for infrastructure over-usage. |
| Pauls, Esther | Maybe | Hamilton needs to be competitive with other communities in the golden horseshoe. The focus should be on intensification however it can not be at the expense of not having development. Builders respond to what the market requires. Small units and affordability could be accommodated in already built areas but appropriate zoning is required. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1 | 20.0% |
| No | 1 | 20.0% |
| Maybe | 3 | 60.0% |
6 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ward 07 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Clarke, Steve | ||
| Clowater, Kristopher | ||
| Dirani, Adam | ||
| Grice-Uggenti, Karen | ||
| McColl, Jim | ||
| Schneider, Roland | ||
