EJQ3 - Winter 2025 - Journal - Page 33
uses existing infrastructure and resources and completes the circle of
land options. Therefore, it is a win-win situation that increases revenue
to municipalities while bene昀椀ting the environment and improving quality
of life.
What obstacles have you helped overcome along the way in the City of
Hamilton?
In the City of Hamilton, we have been careful to regularly review the
ERASE brown昀椀eld programs to ensure the programs are relevant and
bene昀椀cial to achieving the goals of incentivizing brown昀椀eld redevelopment. If programs are not gaining traction, we review the reasons why
by consulting with the environmental experts and developers. Over the
years, we have amended the programs to improve outcomes. We are also
cognizant to be mindful of Council priorities and to align their goals
with the Brown昀椀elds program goals. An example of this alignment occurred when the ERASE program was amended in 2023 to provide grants
to non-pro昀椀t a昀昀ordable housing providers to encourage more a昀昀ordable housing projects to be viable and proceed to fruition.
What are your career goals for the future?
I am very happy where I am and just want to continue to work hard and
o昀昀er my best e昀昀orts to help grow Hamilton in a sustainable manner.
Any words of wisdom for the next generation of brown昀椀elders entering
the industry?
I would like for them to know how important this work is and that it
makes a di昀昀erence in the world. Available land for development is an
increasingly scarce resource and they will play a considerable part in the
sustainable reuse of land and environmental responsiveness. They will
look back at all the projects they work on and say that they made that
project happen.
Any other comments you’d like to share with readers?
I cannot underscore how much this award means to me. I would like to
thank the Canadian Brown昀椀elds Network for the important work they
do. I cannot alone take credit for the success of the ERASE Brown昀椀elds
program for all the work that has been done before me and will continue
after me. One 昀椀nal thank you to the City of Hamilton for giving me the
best job of my life.
Connie Vitello is editor of Environment Journal.
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • W I N T ER 2 02 5 • P AGE 3 3
