The provincial government is ordering Hamilton to expand its urban boundary, despite a 2021 city council decision and massive showing of public support to hold the boundary.

The province’s decision was posted late on Friday and approves an expansion of 2,200 hectares — even more than the 1,310 hectares the city proposed in its “ambitious density” scenario when debating expansion last year. 

It is also removing the city’s proposed 30-storey height limit on buildings and allowing taller buildings in community areas like Ancaster.

“The approved official plan amendments outline new policies and mapping to guide growth and development in the city to the year 2051,” the decision summary says.

And in a separate but related move, the province also released plans on Friday to remove 7,400 acres in 15 different areas from the province’s Greenbelt, including in Hamilton and Niagara, as a way to “to accommodate… growth and support the building of more homes.”

The Ford government previously said it wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt.

Those areas are near White Church Road East and Upper James Street on the Mountain, Barton Street and Fifty Road, and Oakes Road North and Main Street West.

The greenbelt was established in 2005 to protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area from development.

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