City says land tribunal approved Twenty Road West settlement after ruling Hamilton's urban boundary should expand

What happened

On August 17, 2026, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) determined that Hamilton's urban boundary "should expand by at least 1,600 gross developable hectares to meet projected residential needs", according to a City of Hamilton statement issued September 29, 2026.

Anticipating that the Tribunal might rule that more urban land was required, Council had approved a conditional settlement agreement for the Twenty Road West lands. Following a settlement hearing, the City says, the OLT has approved that settlement.

The City's statement says it continues to oppose urban boundary expansion and defended Council's No Urban Boundary Expansion position throughout the OLT process. It describes the settlement as a way to secure planning and community benefits in the circumstances created by the Tribunal's ruling.

What the City says the settlement includes

• Affordable housing: one in ten new homes built in the expansion area is to be affordable housing.
• Shops and services: land along the future Garth Street extension is to be set aside for commercial uses such as shops, businesses and services.
• Employment land: about 250 hectares of employment land is to stay protected for future jobs.
• Infrastructure first: the Twenty Road West improvements, the Garth Street extension and the Dickenson Trunk Sewer are to be built before development starts, and the proponent is to pay for a joint environmental assessment of that work.

What it does not decide

The City says the Twenty Road West settlement does not determine how it will approach the other urban boundary expansion appeals still before the OLT. According to the statement, each appeal will be judged on its own merits, and the City will back only outcomes that it considers responsible development with meaningful benefits for residents.