HAMILTON — The Ontario government is supporting the construction of up to 642 new homes at 405 James Street North (Jamesville) near the West Harbour GO Station in Hamilton. As part of its work to protect Ontario and in partnership with the municipal government, the province is unlocking this vacant land through a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to build more homes and keep workers in tariff-hit sectors on the job in the face of economic uncertainty.

“I want to thank Mayor Horwath for identifying this tremendous opportunity to speed up the redevelopment of Jamesville, ending years of delays to get shovels in the ground and get more homes built for people who need them,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our government is proud to partner with Hamilton and provide the city with the tools and support it needs to get vital housing projects like this one underway as fast as possible.”

To address pent-up housing demand, the City of Hamilton requested Ontario issue an MZO. Vacant since 2019, the province is helping to accelerate redevelopment of Jamesville, allowing CityHousing Hamilton, Indwell and the Jamesville Redevelopment Limited Partnership to revitalize the site with new apartment buildings and townhouses that include up to 210 affordable units, achieving Ontario and Hamilton’s shared goal of increasing density near transit and providing a mix of market and affordable housing options.

“This moment did not happen by accident,” said Andrea Horwath, Mayor of Hamilton. “It came after years of relentless advocacy, countless meetings, and pushing through barriers. Since my first day as Mayor, I have made Jamesville a top priority — working with the Minister(s) of Housing and confronting the challenges created by CN head-on, because Hamiltonians — particularly our North End neighbours deserve nothing less. I’d like to thank Minister Flack and the Ontario government for recognizing the importance of this project and taking action. I want to also thank City of Hamilton’s planning staff, CityHousing Hamilton, Indwell and the Jamesville Redevelopment Limited Partnership for their steadfast collaboration.”

MZOs are an important part of Ontario’s toolkit to move critical projects forward at a pace the people of Ontario need and deserve. The Ontario government is also helping to speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, including by streamlining development processes and reducing costs in close partnership with municipalities, through the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 and the 2025 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: A Plan to Protect Ontario.