On September 9, 2025, Hamilton’s Planning Committee will vote on a proposal to develop a 52 acre parcel in the headwaters of Tiffany Creek, south of Garner Road in Hamilton. Staff recommend approval of the plan but with 127 conditions, including condition #86:

That, prior to registration, the owner shall agree in the Subdivision Agreement to advise purchasers that the staked wetland located on Block 5 must be retained and protected, to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning and Director of Heritage and Urban Design.

The Hamilton Conservation Authority also has a number of concerns including the downstream wetland water balance and riparian function, due to proposed realignment of the main channel of Tiffany Creek on the property.

Unsurprisingly the applicant wants to entirely remove the Smith Road Meadow Marsh in Block 5, labeled in the above map as “2”, and move the creek out of the way to make Block 5 more attractive to sell to future developers. The City wants the Meadow Marsh preserved as per Hamilton’s municipal policies and the policies of the Airport Employment Growth District Secondary Plan: “Design with nature by protecting streams, mature trees, wetlands, significant habitat and integrating topography into developments”. Remember the AEGD is not a regular industrial business park, it is an Eco-Industrial Park!

This application first came to Planning Committee on July 29, 2025 and the applicants asked to defer the vote to a later date to give them more time to ‘work on the conditions’ ….which means try to convince Hamilton Staff to remove the conditions.

Please send a quick email to Hamilton Planning Staff and Clerk regarding Planning application 25T-202105 at 700 Garner Rd E, Ancaster saying that you support the inclusion of condition #86 to retain and protect the Smith Road Meadow Marsh, that it should be given at least a 15 meter protective buffer, and that the ephemeral creeks that drain into it should be left in place.

Emails go to:

City Planner Ms. Yomna Serag-Eldin

Subject line: 25T-202105, 700 Garner Rd E, Ancaster

Please also include the property owner/developer 1036210 Ontario Ltd Paul Silvestri, the developer’s Planner Gary Tchisler, Ward 12 Councillor Craig Cassar and the Clerk so your email is published on the September 9 Planning agenda. Copy/Paste the list below all at once:

yomna.serageldin@hamilton.ca

craig.cassar@hamilton.ca

clerk@hamilton.ca

pprobo@silvestri.ca

gtchisler@mhbcplan.com

You can view the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS- found under Submission 4), Archaeological Study, Development Plan and all the materials submitted for this application at this link.