Ontario approves zoning order to finally allow building at Hamilton’s Jamesville site

Ontario Housing Minister Rob Flack joined Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath Wednesday to announce the approval of a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to finally build 642 homes at the former site of the Jamesville Neighbourhood House.

The site was formerly home to over 90 affordable units, but has sat unused for nearly a decade.

CityHousing Hamilton planned to build inclusive, mixed-income housing at the site located at 405 James St. North, but repeated setbacks left the project in limbo.

“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,” Flack said in a statement.

WATCH MORE: Demolition work at Hamilton’s Jamesville housing complex begins

In 2022, CN Rail took to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) with an appeal, citing concerns over the operations from its nearby shunting yard.

Earlier this year, the City of Hamilton asked the province to step in with an MZO to potentially overrule the OLT to allow for work to begin.

Demolition crews finished tearing down the last of the vacant units in October, removing what many local residents called an “eyesore.”

“It came after years of relentless advocacy, countless meetings, and pushing through barriers,” Horwath said in a statement.

“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.”

There is currently no timeline for when the project will be finished.

WATCH MORE: Demolition nearly complete at Jamesville, city awaits provincial approval