NEWS

The City of Hamilton has completed the Truck Route Master Plan review. The study explored opportunities to provide safe and efficient movement of trucks in Hamilton, support economic activities, minimize negative impacts of truck traffic on sensitive land uses, and balance between the industry and community needs.

Based on the technical analysis and public and stakeholder inputs several alternative solutions were developed and evaluated and a preferred alternative was determined.

The report detailing the study and preferred alternative will be available for review and comment until June 17, 2022.

The Report is available for review online, along with a compendium of the stakeholder engagement.

The Ontario government has released Connecting the East: a draft transportation plan for eastern Ontario, which contains more than 50 near- and long-term actions, including highway expansions and public transit improvements, that will help address gridlock, connect more people to places and support economic growth.

The plan includes the expansion of Highway 417 to four continuous lanes in each direction between Highway 416 and Maitland Avenue in Ottawa, long-term planning work to widen Highway 401 to up to eight lanes in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, improvements to local and inter-community bus services, support for the trucking sector by adding truck stops along Highway 401 and the development of a new marine strategy.

“We, the 62 undersigned organizations, would like to convey our profound disappointment with the narrow, minimalist and inadequate scope of the government’s proposed expansion to the Greenbelt, as set out in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) phase 2 consultation. We, and over 6,000 members of the public, participated in good faith in the 2021 consultation. Yet, this input was almost entirely ignored.” Ontario Nature

The province asked for further feedback on the proposed expansion of the Greenbelt, with a deadline of April 23, 2022 for submission. This is the response from Ontario Nature and the 62 organizations, including the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods.

“This announcement offers no new protection for the lands that need it and ignores the need to expand the Greenbelt in key areas,” said Tim Gray from Environmental Defence. “If this government was serious about Greenbelt protection, it would have added lands threatened by sprawl development. And it would have announced a stop to its plans to build the completely unnecessary and expensive Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass which will go right through the Greenbelt.”

Tim Gray, Environmental Defence

On March 24, 2022, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs released a Greenbelt Expansion proposal plan. Following public consultation to expand the Greenbelt to shield more green space from being developed, the province is proposing the addition of 13 urban river valleys to the Greenbelt, a horseshoe-shaped swath of protected farmlands, wetlands and watersheds around Toronto.

The Ontario government has made changes effective March 30, 2022, to the non-resident speculation tax, as part of the action plan on housing. The intent is to increase supply for Ontario residents and discourage foreign speculators looking to turn a quick profit.

• The tax for foreign homebuyers has been increased to 20 percent. 
• A loophole has been closed that allowed foreign students and workers to get a tax rebate on real estate purchases.
• Rebates and other exemptions will still be available for students and workers who become permanent residents of Canada.
• The tax has been expanded to cover all residential properties across the province.