Welcome to
Stop Sprawl Hamilton x Students!
If you want to make a difference and have your voice count towards stopping sprawl in Hamilton, sign the petition below:
This collaboration was initiated based on the fact that youth and young adults (25 and under) have been minimally engaged in the Stop Sprawl Hamilton movement. But this issue concerns all Hamilton citizens, if not all citizens in Ontario. Expanding an urban boundary may create more space for a city to grow, BUT:
- It is costly and will incur higher taxes
- It doesn’t solve the current housing crisis (it actually makes it worse)
- More transit and public services will be needed where the expansion occurs
- It ignores problems with Hamilton’s current infrastructure
- It will destroy farmland and Greenbelt land
- It will destroy ecosystems, further endangering many animal and plant species
If you want to learn more about Stop Sprawl Hamilton follow one, or all of the social media channels:
Facebook: @Stop Sprawl Ham Ont
Instagram: @stop_sprawl_hamilton
A little more about us: The Stop Sprawl Hamilton x Students project started in a McMaster SUSTAIN 2SS3 class. As students, we became passionate through our course about advocating for sustainable change and realized that we can do more. We found that students are affected by political issues and often don’t know how to express their opinion in a way that counts. That is why Stop Sprawl Hamilton x Students was created. This year our team consists of five individuals from different academic backgrounds who are passionate about protecting farmland and greenspaces in Hamilton.
From left to right, the founders of Stop Sprawl Hamilton x Students are Simon Caneo, Helena Dalrymple, Emily Gaul, Kaelan Mifflin, and Shania Ramharrack.
Here’s a little more about them:
Simon
- Hello, my name is Simon Caneo and I am in my fourth year of Biology and Environmental science at McMaster. I was very excited to learn about the possibility of joining this project, as it aligns with my beliefs and care for the greenbelt and farmland here in Ontario. Working with the great organization of SSHO is an amazing opportunity. Sharing the voices of Ontarians to the provincial government is a privilege to be a part of and an action I believe will have meaningful effects in stopping sprawl within Hamilton and across Ontario.
Helena
- My name is Helena and I’m in my first year of Engineering I at McMaster. I am very excited to be a part of this project as I am passionate about advocating for environmental issues. I took Sustain 2SS3 because it sounded like an incredible opportunity to become involved in a project that would have an impact on the community, and teach me how to become a better advocate for sustainable change. Additionally, I knew I would be working with like minded peers and leaders - including our wonderful CPC Michelle - who are equally excited to make a change in our world, and accomplish something great!
Emily
- My name is Emily, and I’m in my second year of Biodiversity and Environmental Science at McMaster. Growing up surrounded by farmland has made me very eager and excited to save the environment. I can’t wait to see the outcome of all our hard work on this project. I took SUSTAIN 2SS3 because it is an experiential course, allowing me to gain experience in advocacy while also working to protect our greenbelt. I think our group works very well together because we are all passionate about our project and have amazing ideas.
Kaelan
- Hi! I'm Kaelan Mifflin, a first-year engineering student at McMaster University. Growing up surrounded by farms fed my passion for the protection of farmland and our Greenbelt. I took SUSTAIN 2SS3 because I want to understand the impact my choices have on the world around me and take every opportunity I have to create positive change. The team we’ve created is incredible, with every member just as important as the next. I cannot wait to prove just how effective our advocacy can be.
Shania
- Hi, my name is Shania and I’m a fourth year student in the Integrated Science program at McMaster. I’ve always been passionate about advocating for climate change and sustainability since I have an utmost appreciation for nature, especially our Greenbelt. I took SUSTAIN 2SS3 because I knew it would give me an opportunity to work with a team to actually accomplish a goal. I chose the Stop Sprawl campaign because I wanted to learn more about sprawl legislation and what citizens should do to have their choice heard. I’m so glad I chose this project because working with this team has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish by the end of the semester.
