INBOX: Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath on the Auditor General Report on the Greenbelt – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 9, 2023
Mayor Andrea Horwath issued the following statement at 2:05 p.m.:
Today, Mayor Andrea Horwath issued the following statement.
There is no doubt that the Greenbelt should be protected as a vital element of our environmental and agricultural resources. Today’s Auditor General report supports the City of Hamilton’s position that the proposed development of the Greenbelt is an unnecessary, ineffective, and misguided measure that will not contribute to meeting Hamilton’s housing needs.
I am calling on the Province of Ontario to abandon its plan to develop the Greenbelt and will be working with my Council colleagues and City staff to review the report and its implications for our continued advocacy against this provincial approach.
The City of Hamilton provided insights and information to Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk in the course of her investigation, and her findings notably reference the following in regard to Hamilton parcels of the Greenbelt:
I commend AG Lysyk for her work and extend my thanks to all Hamilton residents and elected officials who spoke out against the removal of Greenbelt lands.
We will continue our efforts to address Hamilton’s urgent housing needs while prioritizing intensification, affordability and our commitments to conservation, Reconciliation, and slowing the impacts of our climate crisis