Raise the Hammer

Allow me to correct a number of inaccuracies with Sean report.

"To make this decision with minimal public involvement, and on the last possible voting day of their term, was irresponsible."

People have known about AEGD for years and it has been in the media and studied to death. If you don't believe me just do a search on RTH for the earliest AEGD columns. People had years to make their objections known. They lost.

"The preliminary cost estimate for servicing the AEGD lands is $353 million. This does not include trunk sewer upgrades, which are estimated to cost an additional $125 million. This alone should have stopped this project dead in its tracks."

You fail to mention that these costs will be bourne over 20 YEARS. Most of the cost will come from development charges ($194M), developers ($116M) and the tax levy ($42M). You also fail to mention that the AEGD will generate $66M per year in property taxes. Did you not read the report???

I don't know about you, but spending $42M to generate $66M per year in property taxes sounds like a good investment to me.

"...it is unlikely that businesses will be drawn due to proximity to the airport alone."

That never was the objective of AEGD. It is not intended to attract only airport related business (they will be a small minority). Proximity to the airport is an added bonus.

"If none of the businesses ever come, we will have wasted hundreds of millions of our precious tax dollars on nothing more than a gamble."

The AEGD is set up so it will be serviced in phases. Matching with land demand as closely as possible.

"When you step back and see the AEGD in relation to the rest of the city, it is immediately apparent just how huge it is".

Your map is incredibly misleading as it includes the developed Hamilton airport lands. AEGD represents the lands surrounding the airport. You should not be highlighting Hamilton airport lands in your map.

"The AEGD is an enormous project that will only come at an enormous cost - and as such it carries enormous risks. We need to start asking tough questions, and we need to start now."

As I wrote earlier, the AEGD has been on the table for years and has been studied to death. People had their opportunity to make their concerns known. Council voted 13-2 in favour (who says city hall can't agree on anything?) Sean you are a couple of weeks to late.

RTH is an often informative website on Hamilton issues. However, poorly researched articles such as this from people who have no idea what they are talking about really hurts RTH credibility.