I think Brantford would really benefit from a medium-high density core in this area. It's immediately south of the historic downtown, is mostly parking lots, and has the arena, casino, and is right next to loads of parkland along the river. Also noteworthy is the "temporary" relocation of the Hamilton Bulldogs (now Brantford Bulldogs) OHL team - they've insisted it's only for 3 seasons while the arena in Hamilton is renovated, but nobody believes they're planning on moving back - a new arena may be on the horizon for Brantford.
The whole area is really just waiting to be redeveloped, but Brantford has a very serious healthcare capacity issue that needs to be addressed before any more people are being added to the area. The province just invested $28 million into renovating the ER at Brantford General, but the entire hospital is beyond desperate for a full rebuild. I'm absolutely in favour of this development, but the main NIMBY concern so far is a very valid one.