Neighbourhood Plans Review

Between the 1960's and the 1990's, Neighbourhood land use plans were created for various neighbourhoods in the City. They were used as a tool to help guide development and other land use matters within Neighbourhoods. Over time, the planning framework in Ontario and in Hamilton has changed significantly. Most land use changes are now guided by other policy tools, like Provincial policy, Official Plans, and Secondary Plans, as well as newer master plans that guide the provision of services; like the City's Transportation Master Plan, the Hamilton Parks Master Plan, and the City's Recreation Master Plan. Many of the Neighbourhood Plans are outdated and conflict with newer policies that allow more flexibility and a wider variety of housing options to help address housing supply.

Visit www.hamilton.ca/neighourhoodplans to see where Neighbourhood Plans are located within the City and to view maps of the Plans.

Study Purpose

The City of Hamilton is reviewing all existing Neighbourhood Plans to determine if some plans may no longer be needed, and will need to make changes to plans that are kept to ensure they reflect today’s policies and planning rules. The goal is to streamline planning policies and make them clear and consistent, while ensuring decisions are transparent and informed by the community.

Why this matters?

Outdated plans can result in unnecessary added review for development proposals, and create a lack of clarity on policy directions. It also limits the usefulness of the plans to provide guidance for a neighbourhood. This review helps remove those barriers and supports a clearer planning framework for development across the city.

What do we need from the community?

The City is asking residents, landowners, and community partners to help shape the criteria for the review, which will be used to assess each plan and make recommendations about which plans to keep and which ones are no longer be needed. There will be additional opportunities in the next phase of the project to provide input on the preliminary recommendations.

Get Involved

Review the proposed set of criteria and provide your feedback or attend a public session to have your say. Your input will help refine the criteria and inform recommendations to Council.