Equitable solutions needed in LRT development
As LRT moves forward, we reaffirm our commitment to keeping transit public.
The privatization of LRT would jeopardize its accessibility and affordability, undermining its potential as a public good that serves everyone.
Public ownership ensures the LRT can be a sustainable and equitable part of Hamilton’s transit future and address all the concerns coming from all community advocates as this project continues.
On Wednesday, councillors Cameron Kroetsch and Nrinder Nann will be moving a motion to vote down staff’s recommendation to privatize the LRT. We ask that while we continue to pressure both the federal and provincial governments to do better by Hamiltonians on the topic of LRT, that they consider protecting the rights of workers in our communities and keep transit public.
As the LRT project is accelerating changes in our city, we’re seeing first-hand how increased property values and speculative development are leading to the displacement of renters, particularly in lowincome neighbourhoods. This displacement, which too often comes by way of expropriation and eviction, isn’t just a potential outcome — it’s happening now.
Families and individuals are being uprooted from their communities, with affordable housing options dwindling rapidly in the face of development pressures. Spec reporter Fallon Hewitt's article, “New study finds Hamilton-Burlington third-least affordable housing region in Canada for housing,” cites our city's home prices having doubled over the past decade while income has remained relatively stagnant.
We have both heard the horror stories from tenants who have been evicted due to the expropriation of property by Metrolinx. Many of these Hamiltonians live on social assistance or were already struggling with the extreme cost of living in our city prior to being evicted, and therefore cannot find another place to live.
Hamilton Centre is one of the poorest ridings in all of Ontario, and these evictions have happened and are continuing to happen to the extent that landlords are now speaking up about how Metrolinx continues to force their hand.
It’s time for urgent action to ensure that the LRT project benefits all Hamiltonians, not just a privileged few.
In response to these concerns, we must recommit to implementing strong inclusionary zoning policies for affordable housing without delay. Such non-market housing policies are crucial to ensuring that a significant portion of new developments along the LRT corridor are affordable for low to moderate-income households.
This isn’t just about maintaining a diverse city— it’s about ensuring the survival and well-being of our communities and neighbours.
Furthermore, it’s essential community benefits agreements are established immediately, guaranteeing the LRT project delivers tangible improvements for the residents most affected by its development. Community engagement must move beyond consultation to active participation, allowing residents to shape the outcomes in a way that directly benefits them.
The current rate of evictions and people being priced out of their neighbourhoods calls for immediate protections for renters, including enhanced rent controls and comprehensive tenant relocation assistance programs.
The dangers we face with the LRT project are immediate and pressing. Gentrification, expropriation of properties, evictions and houselessness are not future concerns — they are current realities that demand urgent attention.
As the project continues to develop, we must take decisive action to protect our most vulnerable residents and ensure that the benefits, good union jobs, and economic uplift of the LRT are equitably shared.
As elected officials, we all share the responsibility to take care of our communities. We call on all levels of government, community organizations and Hamiltonians to join us in this critical moment in making the most out of this massive infrastructure investment. Together, we can implement solutions that ensure the LRT project not only enhances Hamilton's infrastructure but also takes care of Hamiltonians.
To do this, we must ensure that transit is publicly owned and controlled for community members’ voices to be heard and continue to push for community benefits such as housing along the LRT line to make up for the homes that were lost.
The time for action is now. Let’s work together to build a fair, inclusive and prosperous future for all Hamiltonians.