Major Transit Station Areas

Background

In June 2022, Council approved a Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) for the City which, among other changes, added a new policy framework for Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) to the Urban Hamilton Official Plan (UHOP) through OPA 167. OPA 167 was approved, with modifications, by the Province on November 4, 2022.

MTSAs are generally defined as the area within a 500 to 800 metre radius of a higher order transit station representing about a 10-minute walk. The City of Hamilton is currently planning for MTSAs in the lower city, including 17 LRT stations and 3 GO stations as shown in Volume 1, Appendix B – Major Transportation Facilities and Routes of the UHOP.

The Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan) has established minimum density targets for MTSAs. In Hamilton, these densities are 160 people and jobs per hectare (pjh) for MTSAs serviced by the LRT and 150 people and jobs per hectare for MTSAs serviced by the GO transit rail network.

Project Purpose

The existing City policies direct that Hamilton will delineate MTSAs through a future Amendment to the UHOP. The City is currently completing a detailed review of the MTSAs to estimate potential future population and job densities and identify areas of intensification and development or redevelopment potential. Dillon Consulting has been retained by the City to assist in determining the maximum potential build-out density for each MTSA.

The results of this study will help guide more detailed UHOP policies for growth within these areas and determine if the Growth Plan density targets can be achieved, or if alternative, lower-density targets need to be proposed for certain MTSAs based on local considerations. The Province must approve any density targets for MTSAs that are below the minimums in the Growth Plan.

The study will also assist in determining the potential for certain MTSAs to become Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) which must be approved by the Province. For PMTSAs, the City must update the UHOP to include policies to specify uses, identify minimum residents and jobs per hectare, and identify minimum densities for buildings within any potential PMTSAs.

Public Engagement Events

In person Open Houses held October 12 & 17, 2023
View Open House Presentation Panels

Virtual Open House held October 10, 2023
View Virtual Open House Presentation