Horwath to veto council’s decision not to build affordable housing on Stoney Creek parking lots

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says she’s using her “strong mayor” powers to veto city council’s decision not to move forward with a plan to build affordable housing on two parking lots in Stoney Creek.

Horwath announced her intention to veto council late Wednesday in an effort to pave the way for affordable housing to be built on the city owned land, currently used for parking.

It has been a controversial issue since it was brought up last month.

City staff proposed a plan to have 67 affordable housing units built at 5 and 13 Lake Avenue South in downtown Stoney Creek, saying those lots were underused.

However, many Stoney Creek residents were opposed, with their Ward 5 Councillor Matt Francis in agreement.

Following the plan’s rejection last month, some councillors were hoping a slightly altered proposal of the plan could be debated on and potentially accepted on Wednesday, but that motion was also defeated.

READ MORE: Motion to turn 2 parking lots into affordable housing struck down: Hamilton council

But now, with Horwath’s veto, council will have 21 days to vote to accept or refuse it. A refusal requires two thirds majority.

“It’s certainly not a decision I take lightly, but it’s very very clear that the crisis that we have in front of us is not resolving on its own. We have to be active, we have to do what needs to be done, whatever is in our power to be done, to start addressing the housing crisis,” Horwath said.

“It just became very very clear that as the mayor, as the leader of this community, that responsibility is falling to me and I’m happy to take it on.”

Meanwhile, Francis — who is opposed to the affordable housing plan, saying it would harm the livelihoods of residents who need the parking — was disappointed by the decision.

“To the mayor’s own admission, she called it dangerous and undemocratic, and here we are today, she’s making that decision to use the powers that she has called herself dangerous and undemocratic,” Francis said.

“People know that I fought hard for our community, and at the end of the day, they’re going to be extremely disappointed. And not just my community, I’m going to hear this all over the city that people are very disappointed in using this strong mayor power so, you know, I’ll be interested to see, but people are going to be quite upset about this decision, I can tell you that right now for sure.”

READ MORE: Hamilton bylaw issues eviction notices for city hall encampment

The initial rejection of the plan last month also sparked a protest outside city hall, an encampment demanding that the city, and councillors prioritize affordable housing over parking.

That encampment remains in front of city hall Wednesday.

And although the people living in this encampment have received trespass orders in recent days, some say they won’t leave.

The city says the enforcement of these notices is up to Hamilton police.