Hamilton’s Missing Middle: Time to Make Some Noise
I check LinkedIn most mornings. It's become my go-to place for housing updates. And there's a pattern I can't ignore.
Toronto feels alive. Every day someone is celebrating a policy change, a missing middle project breaking ground, a developer trying something new. The feed feels like momentum.
Hamilton is quiet. Too quiet.
Here’s a stat worth talking about: from 2016 to 2022, 47% of Hamilton’s housing starts were missing middle. Almost half. Toronto? 8%. Source: TMU Centre for Urban Research and Land Development
Maybe Toronto has already caught up. Maybe they’ve passed us. I don’t know. But I do know Hamilton did it once, and we can do it again.
Toronto’s Housing Megaphone
Search “Toronto missing middle” on LinkedIn and the posts pile up.
Jason Ferreira of One Development Corporation spotlighting the feasibility of building six-plexes.
Councillor Brad Bradford, arguably the biggest influence on Toronto's housing starts, connecting with neighbours and “building a stronger, better Toronto.”
Developers like Jason Lau posting progress of a second-floor garden suite.
Modcity showcasing two new fourplexes. Add that to their 20 already in production. Momentum you can see.
TUK Group committing $100 million to developing missing middle.
Naama Blonder of Smart Density reminding us affordable can be beautiful.
Noam Hazan sharing the fight for approvals and the small wins that matter.
Evan Saskin of Blue Lion Building delivering four 3-bedroom, family-oriented units to replace a building with only six bedrooms total
Craig Race of Craig Race Architecture showcasing innovation through beautifully constructed laneway housing.
And it’s not just people and projects. Events are happening too. There have already been four missing middle conferences this year, and Sustainable Development Group is hosting another this fall. Learn more
They don’t just build. They broadcast.
Meanwhile, in Hamilton… crickets
Maybe we’re just tired.
The truth is, in Hamilton it’s hard to celebrate small wins. Development charges hit $88,200 for low-rise housing before you even break ground. Even with the 20% reduction coming (and the hoped-for increase to 50%), it’s still a steep up-front cost that makes most projects barely viable.
And the timelines? The longest in the country. Committee of Adjustment. Site Plan Approval. Extra reports. Building permits. Each step feels like starting over.
Who wants to post about that? Sure, sometimes we need to raise our voice to get through to the hierarchy, but complaining is exhausting. It doesn’t build momentum, it drains it.
No wonder it feels quiet.
The Numbers Show What is Possible
From 2016 to 2022, nearly half of Hamilton’s housing starts were missing middle. The highest share in the GTHA.
We did it before, and we can do it again. Starting this fall, development charges drop. The city is rolling out new zoning to make more units possible, from low-rise streets to mid-rise blocks. There are grants on the table. Incentives waiting to be used. Source: City of Hamilton – Residential Zoning Project Phases
We’re capable. We’re just not talking about it.
Time to Change the Conversation
Hamilton needs to start believing in itself again. To share the wins, however small. To connect, collaborate, and educate.
Because belief builds on itself. One person posts about a duplex approval. Another shares their fourplex design. Someone else celebrates a committee win. Slowly, the conversation shifts from “this is too hard” to “here’s how we did it.”
That’s how momentum grows.
The People and Wins Building It
CityHousing Hamilton delivered 55 affordable units on Bay Street.
mcCallumSather completed a 42-unit Passive House in mass timber.
J. Alejandro Lopez turned a century home into a duplex and posted about showing century homes can become gentle density.
Josh Wilson of Choice Renovations Canada sharing his vision for the city’s potential.
Michael Collins-Williams (WEHBA) is advocating for policy shifts in public forums.
Peter Turkstra (Turkstra Lumber) is fighting for change to support builders.
And at Haddon Homes, we are converting two single-family homes into 14 units designed by Craig Race.
These aren’t just projects and posts. They’re proof of belief in a city’s potential.
A Simple Ask
We don’t need perfect stories. We don’t need to wait for ribbon cuttings.
Share the permit you just got.
The zoning win that took two years.
That infill fourplex you’re sketching.
The small victory you almost kept quiet.
Post it. Tag people. Make some noise.
Because Hamilton has already proven something remarkable: a mid-sized city can lead on missing middle. Nearly half of our housing starts. The highest in the GTA.
We’re not just an outlier. We’re the blueprint.
And that’s a story worth telling.
The only question now: will Hamilton stay quiet, or finally make some noise?
If you’re working on a project, fighting through approvals, or celebrating a small win — share it. Let’s make some noise together.
#HamiltonHousing #MissingMiddle #GentleDensity #HousingDevelopment #UrbanPlanning #AffordableHousing #BuildHamilton #GTHA #HousingCrisis #CityBuilding
