There are 42 hearings scheduled for the April 2, 2026, meeting of Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment. The meeting will begin at 9:40 a.m. and will be livestreamed on YouTube.
The full agenda is available online here.
The following are a few hearings of note.
HATS Tiny Shelter Community
The Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters is seeking seven variances to the zoning at 205 Cannon Street East to permit HATS, in partnership with The HUB, to operate a 13-resident outdoor emergency shelter for medically discharged individuals.
The core variance request requires changing the City’s zoning definition of an “Emergency Shelter” to permit individual tiny shelter units to be used for this purpose. The zoning bylaw currently mandates “permanent structures accommodating a minimum 4 residents,” which conflicts with the proposed model of individual units, one per resident.
Additionally, a variance is required to waive the City’s 300-metre radial separation requirement, because there is another emergency shelter approximately 150 metres south of the 205 Cannon Street location.
The remaining variances are standard relief for setbacks, parking, and site layout.
This hearing is schedule for 11:25 a.m.
More information in this TPR story:
New Rental Apartment Building at 524-526 Upper James Street
The owner of this Upper James Street property is seeking to construct a new six-storey 20-unit mid-rise rental apartment building. The plan, as submitted, show the 20 units will be evenly split between10 three-bedroom units and 10 one-bedroom-plus-den units.
The building would be permitted as-of-right under Hamilton’s new mid-rise residential zoning. However, the City notes that the October 2025 city-wide zoning amendment has been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
As a result, the owners must request minor variances for the same permissions they would otherwise receive under the new zoning. This hearing is scheduled for 11:55 a.m.
Philpott Memorial Seeks to Operate Commercial Parking Lot Near Coliseum: 84 York Boulevard and 89 Park Street North
Hamilton’s zoning bylaw prohibits new commercial surface parking lots in the downtown core. The stated purpose is both to discourage demolitions and prevent land-squatting, as commercial parking operations are profitable enough to allow landowners to hold vacant properties indefinitely.
The situation at Philpott Memorial Church is more nuanced. The congregation moved to a newly renovated location on King Street East, still within downtown Hamilton, and planned to sell the former church site at 84 York Boulevard. However, the City of Hamilton sought a heritage designation for the early-1900s church building. The structure requires approximately $4 million in repairs and cannot be repurposed for other uses.
The designation battle lasted from 2023 to 2025. City Council ultimately accepted in July 2025 that the building would eventually require demolition.
During the dispute, the condominium market weakened. By the time Council accepted the need for demolition, uncertainty surrounded whether the deal between Philpott Church and developer Empire Communities would be completed.
Now, eight months later, the Trustees of Philpott Memorial Church are seeking approval to operate the former church surface parking lot as a commercial facility.
City of Hamilton staff are expected to recommend denial of the application. However, on behalf of the Trustees, Registered Professional Planner David Falletta writes:
“In our opinion, the proposed minor variance maintains the general intent and purpose of the Official Plan since the conversion of the surface parking lot does not create a new surface parking area but rather repurposes an existing surface parking lot into a commercial parking facility, while not resulting in an increase in the number of surface parking spaces on the site.”
“The surface parking area on the subject site is surplus and provides an opportunity to support surrounding uses, including the newly renovated TD Coliseum.”
This hearing is scheduled for 11:35 a.m.
New Waterdown Metro Grocery Store
Grocery retailer Metro Inc. is planning to open a new 35,000-square-foot store at 30–44 Dundas Street East in Waterdown. Documents submitted to the City by property owner Clappison Five Six Properties Inc. and Water Street Properties Inc. show the grocery store as the anchor tenant for the 16.4-acre property located southeast of Clappison’s Corners.
Four routine variances are requested for the application. This hearing is scheduled for 1:40 p.m.
New Ancaster Hotel, Restaurants, and Gas Station Near 403 and Wilson
The owners of 1097 Wilson Street West in Ancaster require a minor variance for reduced parking to facilitate a planned redevelopment of the large property near Highway 403. The proposed plans include a four-storey, 93-bed hotel; two box-format restaurant buildings; and a three-pump gas station.
The proposal includes 198 parking spaces, whereas 227 spaces are required under the zoning bylaw—a shortfall of 29 spaces. This hearing is scheduled for 12:55 p.m.
Intensification: 20 Duke Street, Downtown
The current owners of 20 Duke Street are returning to Committee of Adjustment following negotiations with City staff regarding the parking lot configuration for this Durand neighbourhood apartment building.
The owners are adding five units to the building by converting basement space previously used for storage and amenities into residential units.
The building was the site of a protracted renoviction. A 2021 real estate promotion flyer documented then-existing tenants paying as low as $552.24 for a bachelor unit and $661 for a one-bedroom unit.
The new owners will easily get more than double these previous rates.
converting storage and amenity spaces into additional residential units
The variances requested are the kind usually approved: parking requirement reductions, and lot design variances. This hearing is scheduled for 11:40 a.m.
Intensification: 203-205 Victoria Avenue North
This application seeks to “increase the number of dwelling units within an existing legal non-conforming multiple dwelling from four (4) dwelling units to six (6) dwelling units.”
The variance requests are to waive parking requirements for the added units.
With the property located one block south of Hamilton General Hospital, the proponents will likely argue they expect to rent to hospital workers who will not require dedicated parking spaces. This hearing is scheduled for 11:45 a.m.
Committee of Adjustment meetings are open to the public and held at Hamilton City Hall. Anyone can delegate to the committee, either in-person or by video conference. Written submissions and delegation requests can be filed by email: cofa@hamilton.ca.
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Published: March 17, 2026
Last updated: March 17, 2026
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