Dubanow motion seeks to eliminate ‘patchwork of subdivisions’
January 29, 2026 at 4:22 AM
A Fort Erie councillor is hoping new policy will help keep the town from becoming a “patchwork of subdivisions.”
Nick Dubanow’s council colleagues supported a motion he put forward at the January 26 meeting that called on staff to come back with a report detailing options on how to require street urbanization for existing roads in development applications.
“The last thing I’d like to see is to have a patchwork of subdivisions in our community with the existing road network that still has gravel shoulders and ditches surrounded by curb gutter and urban roads,” Dubanow said as he introduced his motion.
Dubanow said he first became aware of the issue several years ago with a development proposal for Dominion Road. At the time, Dubanow admitted he didn’t see the value in upgrading that section of the road, since there was nothing on the other side.
Rick Brady, who was director of development and planning services at the time, explained the importance of upgrading the roads alongside the development project.
If it’s not done then, Dubanow recalled Brady telling him “it becomes exceedingly difficult in the future to do that, and when you do it becomes that much more expensive.”
His motion references some of the upgrades that come with road urbanization, including sidewalks, storm sewers, appropriate drainage, curbs, lighting, and related infrastructure. It calls on staff to create a report with options to “formally include policies requiring the urbanization of roads, where feasible, as part of new development applications.”
Dubanow admitted that for many existing residents development and growth isn’t always a welcome thing. His theory is that if development can provide other benefits–infrastructure upgrades for the neighbouring community in this case–then at least there’s a tradeoff that more residents can live with.
The motion passed without much discussion, though Councillor Joan Christensen said areas in her ward have experienced the challenges of not upgrading roads alongside developments. A new policy sounded like a good idea to her, and she said there was one group of people especially who’d welcome it.
“The joggers love it because they now can go out and they’re not taking their lives in their hands with what has become a very, very busy road,” she said.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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