Provincial Initiatives

The City of Hamilton, like all municipalities in the Province, is subject to the rules and regulations set out by the Province of Ontario in the Planning Act. The Planning Act establishes the basis for land use planning and describes how and by whom land uses may be controlled. It also identifies provincial interests in land use planning.

The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), which came into effect on March 1, 2005, provides further detail and direction on provincial interests identified in the Act and provides the policy foundation which guides development and the use of land. It is the basis of Ontario's policy-led planning system, and supports the provincial goal of strong, livable and healthy communities.

More specifically, the PPS provides policy direction on matters such as growth management, the efficient use of land and the protection of resources such as prime agricultural lands, water and significant natural features. In order to ensure that provincial interests remain an essential part of decision-making in land use planning, the government has chosen the "shall be consistent with" standard as a stronger means for implementing the policy statement. Thus, decision-makers must ensure their decisions are consistent with the PPS.

For more information on the Provincial Policy Statement, or to obtain a copy, please contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs at:

• Telephone: (416) 326-5300 or 1-800-668-9938
• Website: Provincial Policy Statement

The Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region of Ontario is one of the fastest growing regions in North America. In order to ensure that future growth occurs in an efficient manner, the Province of Ontario has developed a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), called Places to Grow. The Plan will guides decisions on a wide range of issues, including: economic development; land-use planning; urban form; housing; natural heritage and natural resource protection; and, provincial infrastructure planning. More specifically, its role will be to provide broad-level policies generally applicable throughout the GGH. The Plan integrates and builds upon other key provincial initiatives, including the Greenbelt Plan, the PPS, source water protection planning and infrastructure planning.

An important component of the Growth Plan is the establishment of sub-areas which enable growth planning at a geographic scale that extends beyond municipal boundaries. The municipalities within each sub-area share common policy issues and challenges. In order to address the unique circumstances and specific needs of each sub-area, policies are tailored through specific Sub-Area Growth Strategies (SAGS).

The impact of the Growth Plan on Hamilton is significant. The Plan generates more consistent urban growth decisions in the City, promote urban residential intensification as well as provides a means to better utilize past and future infrastructure investments. In addition, the Plan specifies that Hamilton be a participant in two Sub-Area Growth Strategies: one with all GTA municipalities, and the other with Niagara Region and Haldimand County. This dual participation requires significant communication and co-ordination regarding the ways in which land use and infrastructure growth policy between and within the Sub-Area Growth Strategy zones are addressed.

For more information on Places to Grow (The Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan), or to obtain a copy, please contact the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal at:

• Telephone: 1-866-479-9781
• Website: Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan
• Email: PlacesToGrow@ontario.ca

A partner of Ontario's Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, is an overarching strategy identifying where and how future growth should be accommodated as well as what features must be protected for current and future generations. More specifically, the Greenbelt Plan protects natural heritage features and agricultural land from urban development. The Protected Countryside identified in the Plan is intended to enhance agriculturally and environmentally protected lands currently covered by the Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP), the Parkway Belt West Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP), while also improving linkages with natural features, including major lake systems and watersheds. A series of Systems – the Agricultural System and the Natural System, together with a series of settlement areas – forms the Protected Countryside. The Greenbelt Plan builds upon the existing policy framework established in the PPS.

Much of the existing rural and agricultural land base of Hamilton has been included within the Greenbelt Area. The overall purpose is to safeguard and enhance viable agricultural and agricultural-related uses within the protected area, while accommodating appropriate rural uses on lands not identified as prime agriculture or specialty crop areas. The Greenbelt Plan will provide a level of certainty for the agricultural industry with respect to operation and investment decisions.

For more information on the Greenbelt, or to obtain a copy of the Plan, please contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing at:

• Telephone: 1-866-220-2290
• Website: Greenbelt Plan