By J.P. Antonacci Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In a narrow vote, a divided Haldimand County council affirmed its willingness to consider building Haldimand\u2019s biggest town in the shadow of the Stelco steelworks in Nanticoke. But the onus is now on the developer to pitch the plan to the province. Empire Communities came to council in February 2022 with a vision to put about 15,000 homes on 4,200 acres of industrial land surrounding Stelco\u2019s Lake Erie Works. The land \u2014 near the steelworks and an oil refinery \u2014 is inside a \u00a0\u201cprovincially significant employment zone,\u201d an area designated by the province for industrial development and declared unsuitable for housing. That means the county had to apply for a \u201cminister\u2019s zoning order\u201d (MZO) asking the province for \u00a0permission to rezone the area… <\/p>\n
By J.P. Antonacci Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In a narrow vote, a divided Haldimand County council affirmed its willingness to consider building Haldimand\u2019s biggest town in the shadow of the Stelco steelworks in Nanticoke. But the onus is now on the developer to pitch the plan to the province. Empire Communities came to council in February 2022 with a vision to put about 15,000 homes on 4,200 acres of industrial land surrounding Stelco\u2019s Lake Erie Works. The land \u2014 near the steelworks and an oil refinery \u2014 is inside a \u00a0\u201cprovincially significant employment zone,\u201d an area designated by the province for industrial development and declared unsuitable for housing. That means the county had to apply for a \u201cminister\u2019s zoning order\u201d (MZO) asking the province for \u00a0permission to rezone the area... <\/p>\n