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Collins Pushes Multi-Year Budgeting for Better Planning – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 27, 2017
Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins says the Council needs to commit to multi-year budget planning to better allocate the City budget.
During today’s Multi-Year Budget Planning Sub-Committee Collins spoke of concerns that some Councillors are able to maneuver projects in their ward ahead of the queue during the annual budget process; leaving higher priority projects in other parts of the City without funding.
Collins states up to 40% of the ten-year capital plan can be changed during a single budget process.
Collins says multi-year budget planning and plans will decrease political maneuvering and save the City money in the longer term.
The Multi-Year Budgeting Committee set a goal of creating a budget outline for the next term of Council to be presented next spring.


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Council Committee approves $520K annual for Native Women's Centre Shelter, $200K one-time for Notre Dame House – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 12, 2017
City Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee approved $520,000 in annual funding for the Native Women’s Centre Mountainview Emergency Shelter effective June 1, and renewed until March 31, 2018.
The 15 bed shelter serves all women in need of emergency housing.
The City could not find a consultant to review its youth homeless strategies. In the interim, until the City can find a consultant, the Notre Dame House youth shelter has been giving $200,000 in one time funding.

source: news-thepublicrecord

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Council Gives RHLI Time to Deploy Auchmar Plan – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2017
City Councillors unanimously voted to give the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry’s regimental association (which is separate but affiliated with the military reserve unit) more time to complete their business plan for the West Mountain Auchmar Estate.
DISCLOSURE: I’m involved with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Veterans Association, having been a past member of the unit as a member of the Army’s Logistics Branch.
City staff needed Council direction to continue working with the RHLI. In June 2016, Council voted to give staff one year to complete negotiations with the RHLI association.
Council was very supportive of the RHLI’s progress during the meeting today. Council authorized staff to assist the RHLI in finding partners for the future use of the Auchmar Estate.
Staff told Council in a report various parties have approached the City including a “retirement residence, Montessori School, “signature” professional business office, bar / restaurant, and a small venue banquet / conference facility” with interest in leasing the property.
Council approved a nine-month period for the RHLI to finalize and present their business plan.
Unstated during the debate is the interest of CARDUS in the facility, which Councillor Lloyd Ferguson has been pushing as the preferred option for the future of the Auchmar site. Ferguson was not present at the debate.


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Council Moving Legal and Risk Offices to Renovated Old Court House – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2017
During Wednesday’s GIC, Council approved moving the City’s legal and risk management departments from the 11th and 12th floors of 21 King Street West to floors two to five of the old Wentworth Courthouse which is being renovated to house the City’s provincial offences court and office.
Staff state moving from leased space to City-owned space will incur a debt-financed capital renovation cost, but will be paidback from savings of approximately $446,000 per year starting in year three of the move.
Staff note the space in 50 Main Street East will be difficult for the City to rent due to security requirements of it housing the POA court and offices.


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Council PW Committee Votes to Study Out-of-Town Truck Use of Linc / RHVP – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 19, 2017
Councillors on the Public Works Committee voted to spend $16,000 to install cameras on Highway 403, the QEW, Lincoln Alexander Parkway, and Red Hill Valley Parkway to count the number of non-local trucks using the two municipal highways.
The cameras will be installed on the 403 at the Hamilton/Brant County line, the QEW at Fifty Road, and the entrances to the Linc and RHVP.
Using the cameras, the City will count tracks that pass all four camera points.
Council hopes to use the count to either look at banning “non-local cut-thru” truck traffic or to seek provincial funding for the operations of the municipal highways.


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Council Votes to Phase Out Commercial/Industrial Vacant Property Rebate – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2017
City Councillors unanimously voted to phase out the Commercial and Industrial vacant unit property tax rebate program. Council will phase out the rebate from present 30% to 15% in 2018, and then 0% in 2019.
City staff estimate this will save $1.25M in 2018, and an additional $1.25M in 2019, for a total of $2.5M per year thereafter. The City expects to eliminate a 0.5FTE position which has been necessary to manage the vacancy rebates.
Presently, landowners with vacant units in those property tax classes can apply to the City to receive a 30% rebate on their property taxes. The program was originally implemented by the province in 1998 when property taxes were reformed. Prior to 1998, commercial and industrial tenants paid the property taxes. Post-1998, the taxes were paid by the landowner. The rebate was implemented to recognize that vacant units had been taxed at a lower rate. (Here’s an industry lenses on the issue)
Over the years, the program has become seen as benefiting speculation and neglect.
City staff state that in 2015, 515 properties across Hamilton received the rebate, of these properties, 117 were in their first year of rebate, 79 in their second, 27 in their third, and 292 properties had been receiving rebates for four or move years.
Council was divided on a motion by Matthew Green to put the savings from the program into the affordable housing budget.
Council voted 8-5 to ask staff to report on the feasibility of putting the $2.5M in expected annual savings to affordable housing.
In favour were: Mayor Eisenberger, A. Johnson, Farr, Green, Merulla, Collins, Jackson, and Partridge.
Opposed were: Skelly, Conley, Pearson, B. Johnson, and Ferguson.


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Council Votes to Restructure Municipal Telecom to Compete Against Private Biz in Other Cities – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 8, 2017
Council voted to restructure Hamilton Utilities Corporation to split the corporation into two.
One corporation will oversee the City’s 18% stake in Alectra Energy, the municipal hydro utility, and the other corporation will oversee HCE Telecom and HCE Energy.
The split is to allow for HCE Telecom and HCE Energy to challenge private telecom and energy producers in other municipalities.
HUC is a muncipal corporation under the Municipal Act, and enjoys an exception from federal corporate income taxes. HCE Telecom, and HCE Energy are presently subsidiaries of the corporation.
HCE Telecom has targeted Hamilton’s private telecom companies, using the advantage of being a municipal corporation to undercut Hamilton’s ISPs, data centres, and information solution providers.
HCE’s aggressive moves have caught the attention of the large national telecom companies – Rogers, Bell, and Cogeco have all made substantial investments in Hamilton and started lowering their business rates in preparation for HCE to target them more aggressively in the future.
HCE Energy is a micro-generation, cogeneration, and district energy company with some solar generation contracts as well.
HCE is now looking to compete outside of Hamilton.
Council is separating HCE from the hydro utility to enable HCE to grow into other communities. As a municipal corporation, As a municipal corporation, if it generates more than 10% of its revenue outside of the municipality, it losses its federal tax exemptions.
If HCE and the hydro utility both remained in one corporation, Hamilton taxpayers would face a federal tax liability of $300-million on the assets of the former Horizon Utilities.
The Corporate and Board Structure of the two operations has not been determined.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger, asked by The Public Record after the meeting says he does not expect the creation of the new corporation will result in any new Councillor Board of Director positions.
The merging of Hamilton’s hydro utility into the new Alectra corporation resulted in the creation of a new Director position on that Board, and a pay increase of approximately $35,000 per year for the Mayor.


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Councillor Green Asks for Cooling-Off Period for Lobbying By Former Councillors – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2017
Ward 3 City Councillor Matthew Green floated a motion for a two-year lobbying ban on City Councillors who leave office.
Other Councillors indicated support for the concept, but only after a staff report is conducted to determine optios and practices in other municipalities.
Council voted 12-1 to have staff research a lobbying cooling off period for Councillors. Ward 12 Councillor Lloyd Ferguson was recorded as opposed.
Ferguson wanted the proposal to be reviewed by Council’s Accountability and Transparency Committee – the Governance Committee. Green’s motion is for the report to be considered at a future Council GIC meeting.


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Councillor Rings Pass Another Rung, AFA Votes 4-2 in Favour of Rings – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 12, 2017
In a tight budget year, on a hot day that saw families without use of public splash pads due to that tight budget, City Councillors voted to protect another one of their perks.
The Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee voted 4-2 in favour of Councillors receiving rings at taxpayers expense when their terms of office come to an end.
The City Clerk estimates the cost at $5,000 each term of Council.
Councillors Brenda Johnson and Donna Skelly both voted against retaining the perk. Councillors Collins, Ferguson, Pearson, and Vanderbeek voted to retain the perk. The vote was moved by Pearson, seconded by Collins.
Full Council will vote on Wednesday on ratification of the decision.


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Deeply Divided Farmers’ Market Board Votes to Enforce Market Hours – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 13, 2017
At the end of a marathon meeting on June 5, 2017, the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Farmers’ Market voted 4-3-1 to require Market vendors to obey by their lease terms and remain open until the end of Market hours.
Presently, despite their leases, many Market vendors begin closing their booths as early as 2 pm on weekdays. By 4 pm on weekdays, a large number of vendors are closed despite the 6 pm posted hours.
Market research conducted on behalf of the Farmers’ Market this spring showed closed stalls were a leading cause of customer dissatisfaction, and a often-cited reason that potential market customers shop elsewhere.
Nonetheless, some vendors on the Board argued they have the right to operate the hours they see fit, and that the Board should not authorize the Market Manager to enforce hours as per their lease agreements.
Past President of the Farmers’ Market Stallholders Association, Shane Coleman, was one of the strongest advocates for enforcing the hours, stating that market research has shown the importance of all vendors being open to the market, capturing after-work shoppers and younger demographics.
There was great debate about the decision of one vendor to abstain from the vote. This vendor did not want to vote to enforce hours, but wanted to see them enforced. Eventually, after the debate, he was allowed to abstain.
The Market Manager is now authorized to issue warnings to vendors who close early, and after three warnings, suspend them from the Market for one Saturday.
You can watch video of the meeting on The Public Record’s YouTube page. Note a prior Council meeting overlapped with the beginning of this meeting, and the first hour was not recorded.


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Elevator Maintenance Remains Concern for Disability Committee – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 14, 2017
Members of the City’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities discussed the City’s new elevator maintenance by-law. There was much frustration expressed at the time frames for elevator repairs after an property standards order is issued to the landlord of a broken elevator.
I wrote last year about the underlying provincial regulations, and how Council’s inclusion of elevators in the Property Standards bylaw was a novel use of its powers under the Municipal Act.
The short: because elevators are not a vital service under the Residential Tenancies Act, the City can only rely upon its powers to order a repair with a 19-day compliance committee.
(Read my Feb 2016 piece “New Elevator Bylaw an Interesting Use of Municipal Property Standards Powers”)


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Farmers' Market Reports $107,510 Deficit in 2016, Beyond $151,419 City Budget Allocation – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 13, 2017
The Hamilton Farmers’ Market 2016 financial statements were made public this morning just prior to a scheduled meeting of City Council to discuss the state of the Market.
Not enough Councillors showed up to the meeting to make quorum, and the meeting was adjourned. It will be rescheduled for a future date.
The financial statements show the Farmers’ Market ran a $107,510 deficit in 2016. Lower than expected revenues account for ~$80,000 of this deficit. Heavy than expected employee and contractual costs add up for the reminder of the deficit. The Market received $151,419 from the municipal levy in the 2016 budget.


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Father of Jasmin Hanif Speaks to City Council, Calls for Vision Zero and Safer Streets – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 6, 2017
The father of the late Jasmin Hanif, Shakeel Hanif, addressed City Council’s Public Works Committee this morning calling on Councillors to make Hamilton’s streets safer.
10-year-old Jasmin Hanif died after being struck by a vehicle on Evans Road. She was crossing the street in front of her home.
Hanif opened by calling on Council to adopt Vision Zero – a declaration that road related deaths are not acceptable, combined with implementing changes necessary to prevent road deaths.
Minutes before Hanif stood in front of Council, Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson delivered a blistering criticism of Vision Zero as Council received the minutes of the Hamilton Cycling Committee. (VIDEO)
Ferguson described Vision Zero as a “anti-car” initiative, criticizing the Cycling Committee’s language that included vehicle pollution as causing the premature death of over 100 Hamiltonians, and those who died from collisions as being “crushed to death”.
Councillor Tom Jackson wanted reassurance that receiving the minutes did not commit Council to Vision Zero, saying he is awaiting a staff report on the concept.
After much debate, Council received the minutes.
Shakeel Hanif was the second delegation of the meeting, and very professionally stood in front of Council. At times, he had to hold back his emotions; he daughter died exactly three weeks prior.
“What they did was play Russian roulette with my daughter’s life”, Shakeel Hanif told Councillors, referring years of deferral on road safety. “If we act now maybe we can save another life”.
Most Councillors paid close attention during Hanif’s delegation. Afterwards, each individually offered condolences to Hanif and his family.
Waterloo Councillor Judi Partridge said changes will be implement on Evans Road immediately.  (Youtube link to featured video of Hanif’s delegation)
After Council’s discussion of a staff report on road safety, Council debated two-way conversion and traffic calming on Queen Street in Ward 2.
Councillor Lloyd Ferguson came out swinging against traffic calming in the Lower City. Expressing anger at the Wards 1, 2, and 3 Councillors who for the Ward Boundary Review, Ferguson declared he will not support any more changes to Lower City roads.
“I am getting really tired of parochial Lower City Councillors wanting a turn them all into local streets our arterial roads! If you don’t wanna live on a busy street, then don’t don’t buy a house there you don’t expect the rest of the city to adjust the streets to accommodate your personal needs, when you made the decision to move there in the first place!”
In the end, other than changes to Evans Road, Council made no commitments.


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Hamilton Development Industry Liaison Group for June 26, 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 25, 2017
DILG will discuss the City’s plans to offer digital submission for planning applications, the City’s Park and Open Space Development Guide, the Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan, Zoning By-law and Tall Buildings Guidelines, the City’s phase-out of development incentives in the Central Business District (Downtown Hamilton), and other issues that will be placed on the agenda by staff and industry representatives.
The meeting is Monday at 9am, I’ll be covering it.
Full Agenda PDF on City Website.


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Hamilton Naval League Cadets to Move to Public Works Building at Barton West and Caroline – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 4, 2017
North End and Setting Sail area residents have repeatedly expressed frustration that the City’s plans for the Pier 8 lands will demolish the buildings at the foot of Catherine Street that house the Hamilton Navy League Cadet programs.
At each West Harbour community meeting (disclosure, I participate as a local resident on the Beasley NA) for the past year, residents have questioned staff about the future of the Cadets, even when isn’t an agenda item.
A motion on the June 5, 2017 West Harbour Development Committee moves for approval of a $800,000 retrofit of a portion of the Public Works facility on Barton Street West between Bay and Caroline to house the Cadet program beginning in 2019.
The motion will require further approved by Council at the June 21 GIC meeting, then ratification at the June 28 Council.


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Hamilton Port Authority Says Port Fuels Gasification Project is Dead – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 24, 2017
The Hamilton Port Authority announced today they and Port Fuels have “mutually agreed” to part ways, and the plasma gasification plant proposed for Pier 15 is dead.
The plant was first proposed in 2014, and quickly encountered community opposition. The first public meeting by the proponents was organized for the Easter Long Weekend in April, this sparked much public skepticism of an attempt to prevent public engagement. (Full Video from that meeting)
Quickly, community opposition organized lead by Environment Hamilton and Ward 3 resident the late Kate Andrus, took on the plant. Their mobilization resulted in the province ordering a full environmental assessment of the project.
City Council, led by then-newly elected Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green, opposed the gasification plant. City planning staff were ready to fight with the Port Authority over the zoning of the plant.
In the end, Port Fuels quickly killed the project.


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Hamilton Public Library Board Votes to Increase Hours at Barton, Red Hill, Dundas, Freelton, Terryberry – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 25, 2017
The Hamilton Public Library Board voted unanimously Wednesday evening to increase library hours at five branches, and extend Sunday openings until the end of June starting in 2018.
Most library branches are only open five days per week; with closing days on Sunday and Monday or Friday.
The changes come into effect in September.
HPL’s Barton branch will open on Fridays from 10am to 6pm. The Dundas and Red Hill branches will now open on Mondays, with Red Hill hours from 1 to 9pm, and Dundas open from 10am to 6pm.
Staffed hours will be extended at Freelton from 17 hours per week to 24 and the branch will open extended hours with remote support as part of a rural branches pilot for a total of 43 open hours per week.
Study Hall hours at Terryberry Library will be extended to four days per week, Monday to Thursday, starting in September. Users will need to register and agree to a terms of usage.
The four libraries open on Sundays will now operate Sunday hours from the weekend after Labour Day until the end of June. Those branches are Central, Dundas, Red Hill, and Turner Park. Sunday hours will exist at the temporary Dundas branch during the ongoing renovation of the permanent branch building.
The Library Board will look at implementing Sunday hours at the Waterdown and Terryberry branches as part of the 2018 budget request to Council. Both Councillors Judi Partridge and Terry Whitehead have expressed a desire to see Sunday hours in their libraries.


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Hamilton Urban Indigenous Strategy Update – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 13, 2017
Shylo Elmayan, the Senior Project Manager for the Hamilton Urban Indigenous Strategy, presented an update Wednesday on her work drafting the strategy to be presented to Council. She outlined statistical information showing that Hamilton’s Indigenous population is overrepresented among the homeless and unemployed, and the steps being taken by agencies to address this.
She spoke to the three phases that will be followed to create the strategy to be presented to Council in Q3 of 2018, including work with Six Nations and Brantford to coordinate strategies.
Councillors were very supportive of the work plan and the goals of reconciliation.


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Jason Farr Says Enough Public Washrooms at Pier 8, Wants to Remove Plan for Washrooms as Part of New Pier 8 Park – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 4, 2017
Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr says there are more than enough public washrooms in the area surrounding the planned Pier 8 park that there will be no need for additional washrooms to accomodate the thousands of new visitors expected to regularly use the new park.
In a motion at the West Harbour Development Committee on June 5, Farr calls for the removal of the washroom from the plan. He does not state in his motion where the budget will be relocated.


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Terry Whitehead Wants to Lower Speed Limit on Queen to 40km/h – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 19, 2017
Update: Council’s Public Works Committee waived their notice rules, and unanimously passed Whitehead’s motion.
Ward 8 Councillor Terry Whitehead has posted a notice of motion to change the speed limit on Queen Street south of King to 40 km/h. The current speed limit is 50 km/h.
WHEREAS, off peak speeds on Queen Street, at the base of Beckett Hill in Wards 1 and 2, have been recorded at a maximum of speed of 96 km/h ; and,
WHEREAS, the bus shelter at the corner of Aberdeen Avenue and Queen Street has been completely obliterated due to high speed traffic collisions two times in the last four years ;
WHEREAS, the bottom of the Kenilworth Access, there are residential homes all along the east and west sides of Queen Street; and,
WHEREAS, Kenilworth Avenue South has a maximum speed limit of 40km /h from the base of the access north to Main Street; and,
WHEREAS, Traffic Engineering staff do not support the speed limit reduction on Queen Street South (at the base of the Beckett Hill) to 40 km/h and are requesting direction from Council to institute this change;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
(a) That staff be directed to take the required steps to reduce the speed limit to 40 km/hour on Queen Street from Amelia Street to King Street; and,
(b) That funding for signage for the speed limit reduction, as outlined above, be taken from the Red Light Camera Fund at an upwards cost of $5,000 ; and,
(c) That the by-law required to enact the speed limit reduction on Queen Street (between Amelia and King) , be prepared.
Two weeks ago, City Council considered a motion to convert Queen Street to two-way traffic south of Main Street. The motion was tabled, after Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson expressed strong opposition.


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Useful Knowledge Society: Women and the City – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 12, 2017
The Useful Knowledge Society of Hamilton hosted a discussion on Women and the City on June 6, 2017.
UKS describes the event:
Hamilton is rebuilding. Now is the time to reimagine a city built for women. How would our city function and what would it look like if women were engaged as active agents in city building?
Watch the full replay above or on YouTube.


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YWCA Asked for $300,000 for Transitional Housing, Council Cmte Approves $24,500 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 12, 2017
The YWCA’s Transitional Housing program is facing funding shortfalls after changes to funding formulas and increased service demands.
The YWCA operates a women’s transitional housing program at their MacNab Street South site; the housing enables women to transition from emergency shelters into permanent housing.
On April 10, the YWCA presented to Council requesting a budget enhancement of $300,000 to meet demands, and to bring their funding in line with that received by other agencies.
Denise Christopherson, YWCA Chief Executive Officer, said today’s funding was a “good first step” and that work continues with the City to find more funding sources.


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City Council Approves $294,625 for New Agenda System – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 11, 2017
City Council is moving away from it’s present agenda system, voting to approve a five year $294,625 contract with eSCRIBE Software Ltd.
The new agenda software package will include a replacement for the City’s broken by design public facing agenda documents website.
The new system will allow, much as the current system does, for Council to electronically record their votes.
No timeline for implement was released.


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City LEED Grant for new Stryker Canada headquarters – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
Council approved $271,585.60 in incentives, granted two five years, for the new headquarters of Stryker Canada at 135 Clappison Avenue in Flamborough for meeting the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Level.
The planned development is expected to generate $181,464.93 per year in property taxes, and the City is granting 75% of those taxes for two years; the City will continue to receive the increase in property tax, compared to when the land was vacant, in the future. The grant is to encourage better design which decreases costs on municipal services.
During the debate to approve the debate, Matthew Green discussed finding ways to encourage permeable surfaces for parking lots, and residential parking pads.
Staff are not aware of any grants for residential permeable parking, and stated their look into what provincial and federal grants may exist to encourage more permeable parking surfaces.


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City Moves to Make Easier for Food Trucks at Parks, and Near Stadium for Ticat Games – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 7, 2017
Hamilton’s licensing division announced changes this week to allow Food Trucks to pay an annual Park Permit fee of $200 to set up in eight major city parks: Bayfront Park, Confederation Park, Gage Park, Heritage Green Park, Pier 4 Park, Sam Lawrence Park, Turner Park, and Valley Park.
Park Permit holding food trucks will also be allowed to setup outside of the civic stadium at Cannon and Melrose during Ticat home games “on a first come, first served basis”.
The game day permits are limited to three food trucks per game, and a food truck is only allowed to set up for a maximum of three games per season.
All the game day permits have been booked for the Ticats regular season. A process for permits if the Ticats make the playoffs has not been announced.
On social media, Hamilton food trucks expressed delight at the rule changes with many posting photos of their new permits.


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City Says 13 Ontario Teams Bidding for Pier 8 Lands – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 27, 2017
The City issued a press release last week to announce that thirteen teams, representing 31 firms, are bidding for the City’s West Harbour Pier 8 lands.
All the teams are from Ontario, despite the City spending a significant amount of money sending the Mayor and staff to Europe to seek bids from European firms.
The City even held the announcement of the RFQ process dates in Cannes, France at the Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier conference.


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City to Start HD Streaming in August – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 11, 2017
Council approved $146,000 to install new high-definition cameras and new microphones in Council Chambers to start high quality streaming.
Council also approved an annual $90,000 budget for camera operators.
The City will start streaming in high-quality starting with the August 9, 2017 Council LRT meeting. No details were provided as to how the site will be accessed.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger says he wants to see more than just meetings in the Council Chambers streamed by the City, saying he wants to see meetings in committee rooms live for the public.
Staff told the Mayor the large committee room – Room 264 – will soon be able to support streaming for some meetings.
Mayor Eisenberger noted that many meetings are held in committee rooms while the Council Chamber is not in use, and encouraged staff to schedule meetings in Chambers to enable more streaming.
Council has not provided any details on licensing of the Council videos, or if they’ll be released as part of the City’s open data initiative.
Councillors Lloyd Ferguson and Jason Farr managed the plan, and have met with all local media outlets, with the exception of The Public Record, regarding how media will be able to use the video stream.
Farr says Cable 14 will have full access to the cameras.
The $90,000 annual camera operation budget will be awarded to a third-party operator. It is most likely the funds will be assigned to Cable 14.
The Public Record will continue to record all meetings, post under a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA license, and ensure a full copy of all proceedings is permanently available.


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Collins Wants Hamilton to Adopt Toronto Style Airbnb Regulations – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 22, 2017
Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins wants Hamilton to adopt a by-law similar to Toronto’s to regulate Airbnb in Hamilton.
Collins says he has received complaints from neighbours of houses which appear to be converted into short-term Airbnb rentals.
Noting that Hamilton is not presently a tourist destination like Toronto, Collins says Hamilton is increasingly integrating into the Toronto area, and it is only a matter of time before Airbnb issues such as Toronto has faced will occur in Hamilton.
Council adopted Collin’s motion to have staff study the feasibility of implementing a bylaw similar to Toronto’s in Hamilton.


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Council Approves 45-unit Indwell Affordable Housing Development on James Street North – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 12, 2017
Indwell received approval for a four storey building with 45 units at 500 – 512 James Street North.  Indwell is partnering with Hughson Street Baptist Church, which owns the property and will be housed in the first floor and basement.
The development has already secured $6.3-million in government affordable housing funding. Both the Church and Indwell are conducting capital campaigns to meet the $17-million overall of the full project.
Letters from residents of the North End were overwhelmingly supportive, with many residents delegating to Council to express their support.
One resident, who was opposed to the project, expressed concerns about four storey buildings blocking views of the harbour from the escarpment, and the residents she perceives will be living in the building.
“I don’t like the idea of Indwell, it’s too close to schools. And while they do tell you they work with low income people, we all know they are recovering addicts, as well as diabetics, as well as this, as well at that” (Video on Joey Coleman’s Facebook Page)
No dates for construction were provided. Indwell and the Church both state they know of significant donors who were awaiting the Council approval.


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Council Approves New YWCA on Ottawa Street that includes 50 Affordable Housing Units – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 12, 2017
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the housing was transitional in the headline, it is not. The YWCA plans permanent social housing for the future residents. The Public Record apologizes for the error.
Hamilton City Council’s Planning Committee gave its approval Tuesday for YWCA’s plan to construct a new six-storey mixed use building with 50 affordable housing units to replace their present Ottawa Street location at 52 – 64 Ottawa Street North.
Councillors were very supportive of the YWCA, with Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla in attendance to ensure approval. Merulla is not a member of Planning Committee.
Letters submitted to Council from nearby residents were split between those opposed and those in favour.
The opposition was focused on the planned 50 units of transitional housing that will include a mix of single, two, and three bedroom rooms.
One neighbour was particularly fierce in her opposition, writing that the proposed the 50 units would house “undesirables” who would engage in drug use and cause havoc in the community.
Concerns about height, noise, and traffic were expressed by a few neighbours.
Three of the objectors sought for the City to designate the existing YWCA building as a heritage structure.
Those in support spoke about their desire to see a new facility in their community, and the need for affordable housing in East Hamilton.
City staff reviewed the requests for heritage designation, and determined there was not significant grounds for designation.
The YWCA is planning to include features of the existing building in the new building.
Planning staff took particular positive note to “inclusion of coloured panels which are intended to represent the historic fabric district of Ottawa Street North”.
Ottawa Street is officially a “major arterial road”, and therefore planned for expansion to six lanes. The City’s roads plan states the six-lane capacity is needed to accommodate thousands of shift workers in jobs which no longer exist.
The City’s road-widening plan required the YWCA to give the City 13 metres along Ottawa Street; which effectively prevents the building of any useful structure. The City waived the 13 metres, and instead is taking three metres.
The new YWCA will be three metres further back from the front of the present building.
While the requirement is officially and legally for road widening, the City’s General Manager of Planning and Economic Development Jason Thorne responded to my criticism of the road widening on Twitter stating “It’s a policy for the public right-of-way, which incl travel lanes, parking, bike lanes, sidewalks, street furniture zones, landscaping, etc”, continuing in a second tweet “Policy still not perfect … changed it about a yr ago to create more flexibility in how it’s applied … but that’s the intent of it”
Today’s approval enables the YWCA to submit applications to various affording housing funding streams from higher levels of government and private foundations.
The YWCA expects to also engage in a public capital fundraising campaign.
Timelines for the project will depend on the timing and success of major funding applications.


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Council Approves Scoring Criteria for West Harbour Pier 8 Sale – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
Council approved a scoring criteria for the Request for Proposals phase of the Pier 8 land sale and development.
Council approved a two envelope scoring criteria, with 60% of the overall score from the first envelope containing the development plan (30%), project implementation (15%), and urban innovation (15%), and the remaining 40% scored on the financing proposal in the second envelope.
Proponents will need to gain a minimum score in the first envelope for the City consider the financing proposal.
Requests For Qualifications to participate in the process closed at 4:30pm today.
Staff who created the formula says it will ensure community feedback requesting a priority on the design and community benefits of the proposals is given more weight than just the financial offer to the City.
The Request for Proposals will be issued in the coming weeks.


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Council Passes New Proceeds of Land Sales Policy – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
City Council approved a new policy for the allocation of funds from the sale of City assets.
After the internal and external costs of the administration of sales, the funds will put into budgets depending on the type of asset and how it was originally acquired. For example, if properties were purchased by specific divisional programs or area rated upon purchase, the asset procedures will fund back to the program or area rating fund.
At present, each sale is directed to different budget lines without a clear policy or procedure for determining where the funds should be directed.
The origin of the policy was a debate to use the sale of excess land to fund new affordable housing. The City is looking to sale under-utilized assets in order to build more affordable housing.
The City’s Director of Revenue Generation answered my questions regarding how that will operate, responding to a question I asked about the report reading as if funds would be put into Councillor’s discretionary funds, which is not the case:


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Council Spends Over an Hour Behind Closed Doors Getting Ready for OMB Ward Fight – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
City Council paused their open session General Issues Committee meeting just before 1pm today to go into closed session to discuss their strategy to fight citizens at OMB over ward boundaries.
Two citizens have appealed against Council’s gerrymandered new wards boundaries which, other than a few metres here and there, are the exact same as the present boundaries Council sought to maintain their incumbencies in.
Councillors voted for their own gerrymandered wards, despite a clear warning from expert consultants that the gerrymander will be indefensible at a Ontario Municipal Board hearing.
As Council is fighting against their own experts, they’ve had to retain outside lawyers – at taxpayer expense – to fight the case.
The OMB pre-hearing is scheduled for August 3rd, 10am, at Dundas Town Hall.
The OMB must making a ruling prior to January 1, 2018 if they choose to impose non-gerrymandered boundaries in Hamilton, for the wards to be in effect for the October 2018 municipal election.
Council revealed nothing of their strategy or costs after leaving closed session today.


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Council Spends Over An Hour Debating Provincial Bill 148 – Minimum Wage Increase – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
Hamilton and District Labour Council President Anthony Marco delegated to City Council this morning speaking about changes to provincial employee laws proposed in provincial Bill 148.
Highlights of the bill include seeking to address precarious employment, increasing minimum vacation for long-term employees, reforms to overtime regulations, requiring employers to provide schedules four days in advance, and raising the minimum wage to $14 an hour in January 2018, and then to $15 in January 2019.
Marco asked the Council to send a letter to the Province supporting Bill 148.
Councillors spent over an hour delivering provincial political campaign speeches about minimum wage, with Donna Skelly starting off her speak with a series of ‘some people say’ questions.
Skelly said that when she was serving coffee during Tim Horton’s Camp Day a few weeks ago, the employees told her they are concerned and oppose the increase to minimum wage.  (VIDEO)
Skelly says these employees, with the exemption of one “who was young, who was a student”, fear the increase will cause them to lose hours and Tim Hortons incentive to eliminate employees in favour of automation. She says the manager felt it was unfair that other employees would receive the minimum wage increase and see their wages jump.
Skelly’s says news sources she read have described the Seattle $15 minimum wage increase as a disaster. (Here’s some of the recent US debate on if this is or is not true: Barry Ritholtz, Seattle Times, CNN, Fox, Vox, New York Times)
Marco calmingly and systematically – with a style fitting of his profession as a teacher of teenagers in a correctional facility – responded to Skelly’s statements while reinforcing his position on the merits of the changes.
The politics of the upcoming 2018 provincial election would not be loss to observers in the room. Skelly’s questions would fit in perfectly at the podium as an Ontario PC candidate.
Skelly was the Conservative candidate in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale in both 2011 and 2014, Marco was the NDP candidate for Niagara West – Glanbrook in 2011
Matthew Green was the next speaker, and began issuing counterpoints to Skelly. Skelly left the room. Green spoke at length about the economics of minimum wage, precarious employment, raising costs of living, education, and the failure of trickle down economics.
Green’s speech would fit in as a NDP candidate.
Judi Partridge says she is hearing a lot of concern from businesses in Flamborough, especially in agricultural sector. She then delivered speaking points that wouldn’t be out of place at a PC nomination contest.
Eventually, after nearly an hour of debating the delegate, Marco returned to his seat.
Green moved a motion to send a letter of endorsement, acknowledging it was purely “symbolic”, he called on his colleagues to back his motion.
After some quick debate, Council narrowed their discussions to the area of their jurisdiction; how the labour code changes will impact the City of Hamilton as an employer and the City budget in 2018.
The staff report is due this fall.


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Council Votes to Give Staff Delegated Authority to Spend up Barton / Kenilworth Corridor Building Fee Rebate Program – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
Council approved for delegated authority for the General Manager of Planning and Economic Development to be able to authorize certain grants and loans under the relatively new Barton / Kenilworth incentive programs.
The program, approved in May 2016, gives rebates to property that require minor variance or site plan for development by waiving application fees for both those processes. The goal is to encourage development in this commercial districts which have a number of vacant storefronts, and buildings in need of renovations.
As the vote came after 3pm, and Council spent hours on non-municipal issues, there was no debate and it was approved as part of a rapid-fire series of votes.


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Council Votes to Purchase Home With Erosion Issues Near Red Hill, Despite Engineers Saying Erosion Not Caused by City – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 16, 2017
Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins successfully moved that the City purchase the home at 18 Sinclair Court despite a staff recommendation to not purchase, and an engineering report stating that erosion issues on the property – which backs onto the Red Hill Valley – were not the fault of the City.
City staff hired Terraprobe Inc to produce a slope stability assessment on the property.
City staff state: “[Terraprobe’s] report identifies that the stablility problem relates to the placing of fall at the top of the slope, potentially at the time of construction of the home”.
“The slope location is well away from the Red Hill Valley Parkway and was not impacted in any way by the Parkway construction nor by any other activity in the Red Hill Valley. No changes have been made by the City to the slope at this location. Risk Management has confirmed that the City in not negligent in any way and is not responsible for any remedial work necessary to protect the property at 18 Sinclair Court”.
Despite the staff report, Collins argued that the City should purchase the property at market value, stating the owner is an older woman who has lived there her whole life, and that it is a very emotional issue for the owner.
There are other properties along the Red Hill Valley that may face similar erosion issues due to similar fill. Council will consider purchasing them in the future if they encounter similar non-City caused erosion issues.


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Council's LRT Meeting for August Includes Green Motion to Demand HSR Operate LRT – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 31, 2017
The agenda for next Wednesday August 9th City Council special LRT General Issues Committee is now public with staff stating they will update Council on the Ministry of Environment’s response to the City’s amended Environmental Project Report for the LRT to extend east to Eastgate Square.
Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green’s motion to “advise” Metrolinx that the LRT “should” be operated by the Hamilton’s transit division, the HSR, is listed as a notice of motion.
The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall.
The union representing HSR workers is holding a rally starting at 8am in front of City Hall stating “Councillor Matthew Green has introduced a proposal into City Council in support of our campaign. We need your help to push council to vote in support of this resolution“


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Design Review Panel Not Sold on LiUNA / Hi-Rise King at Hughson Plan – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 30, 2017
Hamilton’s Design Review Panel strongly suggested LiUNA and Hi-Rise Development Advisors redesign their proposed two tall building development to better conform with City planning policies.
During a discussion of nearly an hour, the Panel praised elements of the design, and expressed positive feedback about the efforts of the developers to improve the plan since its initial release.
They expressed serious concerns about two elements of the development – the lack of setback from the eastern lot line and that the towers will shadow the future John and Rebecca park for most of the evening.
“This needs to be completely rethought from a massing standpoint”, DRP member Tim Smith, a planner, stated.
Urban Designer and Architect Ute Maya-Giambattista suggested the proponents look to add more of the Art Deco style of the Kresge’s recreated design of the base into the towers.
The Panel expressed a desire for the project to return for further review after taking their feedback into consideration.
Hamilton’s Design Review Panel is only an advisory body, and City Council has previously ignored their advice on projects.
The King at Hughson project still requires approvals, and appears to be planning to follow the full and proper planning process.


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Despite Multi-Million Deficits, HSR Failed to Put Bus Ad Contract to Competitive Bid in 2015 & 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 19, 2017
Hamilton’s embattled transit division is facing another multi-million dollar shortfall this year, but despite successful advertising agencies, including Pattison and Corus Entertainment, seeking to offer the City more money for bus advertising, Council approved putting off competitive bids and failed to hold HSR managers to a 2015 deadline for the bids.
The HSR’s current advertising agent, StreetSeen Media, was awarded exclusivity in 2004 when they won a five year contract.
Since 2009, the initial five-year contract has been repeatedly extended, and having failed to meet the latest deadline to put the contract out for bids, HSR managers have extended the contract for the past 17 months (and counting) without a Council vote.
Following questions from The Public Record for this story, the City says it will put the contract out to bid by the end of 2017. (Similar statements were issued in 2015 and 2016 regarding the end of those respective years.)
Since 2009, HSR managers have preferred to stick with the current advertising agent, saying they enjoy a “good relationship” with the company.
Among the primary reasons HSR managers cite is “StreetSeen Media have honoured their contractual obligations in terms of providing the HSR and the City with the use of any unsold advertising space free of charge”  (2014 HSR management staff report)
The City gives StreetSeen exclusive control of advertising spaces on HSR buses, and since there is plenty of “unsold advertising space”, the City gets a lot of “free of charge” advertising on buses.
Most advertising on HSR vehicles is for City programs, with other ads generally public service advertisements about gambling, addictions, and health ailments. Debt companies, personal injury lawyers, and Money Mart are the other major advertisers on the HSR.
Outside wraps prove more popular with restaurants, malls, and higher-end jewellery stores among the purchasers of bus wraps.
Nicholas Kevlahan summed it up well in a comment on Raise The Hammer in 2013:
The problem is that the adverts on the HSR are not just generic public service messages, but are mostly aimed at social problems like alcoholism, child abuse, drug abuse (needle exchange programs), homelessness, emergency birth control, violence (“zero tolerance for violence”) and subsidy programs for the poor. And there are always many adverts aimed at raising money or awareness for diseases (often using deliberately shocking language to get attention “cystic fibrosis is like drowning on the inside”). Although these are worthy issues and programs, the net effect on bus riders is to make their ride depressing. Why are bus riders forced to look at this smorgasbord of misery each time they ride the bus? It broadcasts the message that society considers that bus riders are a group of poor, homeless, violent drug abusers. And any casual rider is likely to be shocked by this very unusual range of advertising and wonder what sort of company they’ve got themselves into.
The contrast is driven home by the fact that the adverts on the OUTSIDE of the bus or, at bus shelters, are uniformly upbeat commercial ads for “normal” goods and services. In other words, society doesn’t feel that motorists need to be informed of the important social problems and diseases that fill the inside of the bus.
The irony is that one of the largest groups of HSR users are high school, university and college students … who are the prime target of advertisers. Why isn’t the HSR highlighting the fact that many of their riders should in fact be a highly desirable audience?
Part of making transit attractive is making the ride pleasant … filling the inside of the bus with depressing ads, full of graphic images and shocking messages, is not the way to succeed. Most other successful municipal transit systems do not do this, and neither does GO Transit.
The contract with StreetSeen Media began in 2004 following a competitive bidding process. The contract was for five years.
In 2009, HSR managers asked Council not to put the contract to competitive bids after receiving an “unsolicited” offer from StreetSeen Media to extend the contract for an additional five years.
This offer came with a minimum payment of $425,000 per year, up from $350,000 under the first contract.
Council approved the five-year non-competitive extension.
Under the contracts, payments to the HSR are calculated as the greater of the minimum payment or 60% of net revenue for advertising on the inside and outside of buses. HSR managers have refused to reveal how net revenue is calculated.
During the 2004 – 2009 contract, StreetSeen only exceeded the minimum payment three times for a total of $93,725 during that period.
Five years later, with the StreetMedia contract extension expiring two weeks later, on March 31, 2014, HSR Director Don Hull went in front of Councillors.
At the March 17 Public Works Committee meeting, Hull informed Councillors they needed to extend the 2004 contract by another 19 months in addition to the initial five-year extension to give him and his managers time to prepare and conduct a bidding process.
If Council did not grant the extension, the HSR would lose revenue from having no advertising agent during a competitive bidding process.
As HSR managers were looking at extending under a “unsolicited offer” from StreetSeen Media, two of Canada’s most successful advertising agencies expressed interest in bidding in a competitive process.
Hull said the “unsolicited offer” was preferred as it provided a guaranteed minimum amount. “For the 2013 contract year, HSR received a minimum annual guaranteed payment of $425,000”, HSR managers wrote in their report.
Despite Pattison advertising’s extensive experience, including being the exclusive agent of the TTC and recently Burlington Transit, Hull expressed concerns that a competitive bid process would result in bids that would not provide a minimum payment.
The new offer promised the HSR a 3.5% annual increase to the minimum payment.
“Predictable advertising revenues help ensure that the Transportation Division can effectively manage annual budget challenges”, HSR managers stated in the 2009 report.
Hull stated there were other advantages to the extension.
It would provide an opportunity to merge the bus shelter advertising contract with the on-bus contract at the end of 2015, and will take advantage of the significant advertising opportunity of the 2015 PanAm Games.
Hull stated advertising agencies would need a year in advance to book ad contracts for the games.
“21-months is not short term, let’s face it”, Ward 8 Councillor Terry Whitehead told Hull.
He asked if Council could immediately go to RFP to see what the competitors would offer.
“The revenue generated is less than what was anticipated over this period of time”, Whitehead asked HSR Director Hull, citing the City was only receiving the minimum payment.
“Actually, with respect to the bus advertising, we’re very comfortable with the revenue generated”, Hull said. “Historically, we’ve had a very good track record with them in terms of performance”.
Councillor Whitehead was the only member of the Public Works Committee who opposed the extension.
In October 2015, HSR managers came to Council asking for an extension of the bus shelter advertising contract with Outfront Media for an additional 12 months to have time to prepare a “high quality Request for Proposals (RFP) process”.
In September 2016, the HSR came back to Council asking for another year to complete the work. Both extensions were granted.
HSR management never returned to Council for an extension of the 21-month StreetSeen extension.
The Public Record asked about this in March 2016.
On March 10, 2016, the City’s Acting Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Kwab Ako-Adjei wrote back:
There are two HSR related advertising contracts. One is for bus shelter advertising and the contract goes to Out Front Media. The bus advertising contract goes to Streetseen. Both contracts were expiring and needed to be addressed.
In October 2015 staff extended Out Front’s contract until December 31, 2016.
For Streetseen they opted to go to a month-to-month contract extension. The existing contract is still valid. Staff are looking at creating a contract that would combine all related advertising into one big contract so that’s why they’ve maintained month-to-month for now until they determine next steps.
In early 2016, StreetSeen added video advertising displays on some HSR vehicles.
As seen in the StreetSeen promotional video below (and yes, this is the official video), some of the video displays are installed in such a way that passengers heads are likely to strike the hard screen surface in the event of a collision.
I asked HSR Director David Dixon about this design placement and safety risk in March 2016. All Dixon would say, and I really tried to get information from him, is that the project was outside of his control.
Asked who installed them, Dixon directed me to the City Manager’s Office, which in turn directed me back to Dixon.
Dixon responded The Public Record‘s questions about liability in the event of head injuries from contact with the video boards in a collision. He stated the liability is held by the City.
Dixon noted there are not provincial safety standards for the internal layout of public transit vehicles. When asked if he approved the placement of the screens, Dixon directed me back to City communications staff.
The video advertising displays were not expanded beyond the initial deployment, but remain in place on buses that were part of the first round of installation.
It’s not known what revenue the HSR is presently receiving from StreetSeen Media, or any details about the video display costs or revenues
The Public Record contacted the City’s Manager of Revenue Generation John Hertel.
In the 2014 video above, then-HSR Director Hull repeatedly pointed to Hertel – who was not present at the meeting – as the person who would be responsible for the file.
Hertel says the bus advertising contract file was never transferred to his office, and his office “has always offered to provide support if requested” by the HSR.
Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla, who was critical in 2014 when he voted for the first extension, says he wants answers from staff about why Council wasn’t informed of the extension of the past 17 months, and looks forward to a competitive bid being completed:
I believe the process has been flawed but mitigated by the fact we had a change in management at both the Public Works department as well as HSR.
Ultimately the taxpayer is best served with a open transparent process unless it is otherwise justified with evidence based variables.
I look forward to a thorough report outlining the rationale of the delay and the status of this initiative.
Present HSR Director Debbie Dalle-Vedove, who started in the role at the end of September last year, tells The Public Record “I can advise that staff have been working on finalizing the RFP and we will be going out to market this fall.”
We’ll have to wait and see.


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Development Application Filed for Surface Parking Lot at 191 King Street West – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 7, 2017
Exactly three years ago today, I reported on City staff moving to protect surfacing parking in the Central Business District by locking up a new parking lease to prevent the development of 191 King Street West on the south west corner of Bay Street.
I can now report that a development application has been filed with the City of Hamilton to develop the property, and that application was considered by the City’s Design Review Panel on June 8, 2017.
Due to an administrative oversight, the City did not provide public notice of the June 8th meeting. The Public Record filed a formal protest with the City’s General Manager of Planning and Economic Development, and requested copies of all documents from the meeting. I’m satisified that error was not in bad faith, and other than filing the protest, will be taking no further action.
The Public Record emailed General Manager of Planning and Economic Development Jason Thorne to ask if there has been a reversal of his department’s position that City Hall needs to protect surface parking.
We spoke by phone today.
“Staff will judge the application on its merits,” Thorne says. In terms of parking, Thorne says it is the City’s responsibility to address parking demands in the Downtown, and the loss of surface parking will not weight into the staff decision on the development application.
Thorne says the City will look at longer term solutions to managing Downtown Hamilton’s parking supply.
The Public Record is awaiting a response on the request for documents, and will review the planning application in the coming weeks. Once this happens, we’ll post details of the application.
Presently, the parking lot at 191 King Street West is exempt from property taxes. The City declared it a “municipal capital facility”, exempting it from property taxes while operating as a parking lot leased by the City.
Two nearby parking lots developed into hotels show how much more valuable tall buildings in the Central Business District (Downtown) are to the City’s bottom line.
68 George Street went from paying $11,211 in municipal tax before it was developed into Staybridge Suites to paying $228,762 after. 40 Bay Street South went from paying just $18,000 a year in municipal tax before it was developed into Homewood Suites to paying $390,996 after. (Source: RaiseTheHammer.org)


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Greenwin Takes Fight to Convert Family Units to Singles to the OMB – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 31, 2017
Greenwin Inc is appealing to the Ontario Municipal Board to overturn a decision by Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment that their application to remove all but ten family units from the apartment buildings at 192 Hughson Street North and 181 John Street North was not minor.
The Committee of Adjustment voted to not approve the conversions, citing that the Committee does not have the power to amended site specific zoning amendments. (Full Video of the meeting)
Greenwin faced much community opposition to the plan to remove 40% of the family apartment unit stock from Hamilton’s Downtown and to convert the units into more profitable single bedroom units.
No hearing date as yet been set by the OMB.


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Hamilton Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities for July 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 11, 2017
The Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities met Tuesday to discuss policing matters with Hamilton Police Service Chief of Police Eric Girt and discussed the streetscape designed planned for the LRT project, with staff presenting specific plans for the International Village.
Full video of the meeting is available
The Committee spent nearly 40 minutes discussing the LRT’s urban streetscape design. This discussion is covered in a separate TPR story, with video, here:  (Story in progress)
Chief Girt conducted a question and answer with members of the ACPD regarding policing and how the Hamilton Police Service can be serve individuals with disabilities.
He says the Police Service now offers text-to-911 for people who are Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing, or Speech Impaired. The person still calls 9-1-1 on their cell phone, and the operator is given a notice that the person requires assistance via text message. Asked when the person must call instead of texting, Chief Girt explained the 9-1-1 system operates on calls, and the operator benefits from being able to hear what is happening on the other end of the phone.
Many members of the ACPD asked Chief Girt questions about police responses to situations in social housing buildings, due to the limited supply of accessible housing units – many of which are in social housing – many ACPD members live in CityHousing buildings.
A member with a visual disability asked how those who cannot see can identify a police officer, and ensure they do not fall victim to a person impersonating a police officer.
“If I was standing in front of you, what would I do?”, Girt began his answer. “Normally, one of the things I could present to you is probably the badge, cause you can feel the outline, but you can’t see it.”
“If you doubt who we are, for what ever reason, you can call” Girt said to call to police dispatch at 905-546-4925. “Is there an officer Girt in the service, and he is currently at this location?”
When asked about responding to an command to “open up”, Girt said to tell the officer to wait while calling police. Girt explained “Unless I have a warrant to kick the door down, which is unlikely, because we have to have certain to do it with force”.
Girt was asked if the service had thought about braille identification cards, he noted that would require opening the door to pass.
He emphasis that none of his officers would tell someone to not call police dispatch.
Girt spoke with the Committee for around 45 minutes.
Due to the Chief’s availability, the ACPD passed their working group reports without discussion.
Among the items, the ACPD Built Advisory Working Group wishes for the City to create a list of accessible public washrooms across Hamilton.


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Hamilton City Council Emergency & Community Services Committee for July 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 16, 2017
Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee’s July meeting was short – just under one hour – as Councillors focused on their business at hand.
Nearly half the meeting was devoted to the Our Future Hamilton civic engagement project’s annual report – with much of that discussion regarding the planned release of a youth strategy in September. Council discussed a consultants reporting recommending the City have one skate park for every 7,500, referring implementation to future budget processes.
In their information report section, Councillors learned the Mohawk 4Ice arena says it’s profits drop nearly $25,000 on the account of increased hydro and decreased rentals, and learned the Province is committing an additional $10-million per year for Early Years Programming and Child Care administered by the City.
Full Video of the meeting is available on The Public Record’s YouTube page.


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Hamilton City Council GIC for July 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 11, 2017
It was a jam packed Council GIC agenda Monday as Council held its only GIC meeting for July. The Public Record’s coverage of this meeting includes 10 stories on the various items.
Here’s the summary (video links at bottom of story):
Hamilton City Council spent over an hour in closed session getting ready for their fight at OMB to keep their gerrymandered wards, approved a new Scoring Criteria for the Sale of West Harbour Lands, debated – with over an hour of party political speeches – provincial legislation Bill 148, approved HD streaming by the City of Council meetings, approved a new Council agenda system, approved incentives to Union Gas for an expansion of gas service to Sheffield, approved a city-wide Land Sales Policy, heard a presentation from the Hamilton Port Authority, gave staff authority to approve fee rebates along Barton and Kenilworth, confirmed the receipt of $33-mil from higher levels of government for sewers, and received a report on reserve accounts.
Here’s a run down of the issues, and links to stories on each:
The morning portion of the meeting video covers the Port Authority, Union Gas, and the Minimum Wage / Bill 148 debate. It can be viewed on The Public Record’s YouTube page here.
The afternoon portion of the meeting covered the remaining items, it can be viewed on The Public Record’s YouTube page here.


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Hamilton City Council Planning Committee for July 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 12, 2017
Full Video of the meeting available on The Public Record’s YouTube page.
It was affordable housing day at Council’s Planning Committee as they approved two affordable housing projects – the proposed new Ottawa Street YWCA which will include affordable housing, and Indwell’s James Street North development.
Council also approved a new residence for individuals with brain injuries in Upper Stoney Creek, a new sub-division in Ancaster, housekeeping zoning amendments for two farms in Flamborough, and a severance on Howard Blvd in Flamborough.
At the end of the meeting, the City’s lead planning lawyer provided a comprehensive presentation on the Province’s new planning regiment. The new regiment will see the elimination of the Ontario Municipal Board, the creation of a new Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, a Local Planning Appeal Support Centre, major changes to the Planning Act, and new powers for the Province to enforce intensification around GO and higher order (LRT) stations.
The Public Record has three separate stories with depth, and the summary of other items below:


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Hamilton City Council Votes To Accept Report Recommending New Skate Parks, Refers to Future Budgets – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 16, 2017
Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee voted to accept a consultants report recommending the City build 16 skate parks in the next decade.
The consultants report says the City should strive to have one skate park for every 7,500 youth. In addition, where youth populations do not meet the 7,500 theshold, the City should implement skate board amenities on a smaller scale in existing park.
Consultants held public consultations across the City, at skate parks, youth centres, and library branches.
Council referred the 10-year plan to the 2018 election year budget process. Staff referred repeatedly to finding “existing project efficiencies that we can evaluate” to look at skate parks features in parks as they are updated and renewed.
The average cost of installing a skate park is between $350,000 to $550,000 depending on size and amenities.
The consultants provide the City with an extensive list of suggested sites for future skate parks. The highest rated sites, in order, are: Valley Park, Morgan Firestone Arena, Powell Park, Sir Wilfred Laurier Recreation Centre, Alexander Park, Eastwood Park, Coronation Arena, Veteran’s Park (Dundas), Gage Park, Sam Manson Park, and TB McQueston Park.
After the meeting, Ward 9 Councillor Doug Conley noted that design work for the Valley Park skate park facility is already funded and underway. The building of the park is not in the 2018 capital plan, Conley said he is looking for opportunities to build the park sooner rather than later.
Full Video of the Debate on this Item is available on The Public Record’s YouTube Channel.


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Hamilton Council Planning Committee Approves New Community for 42 Residents with Brain Injuries in Upper Stoney Creek – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 12, 2017
Disclosure Statement: Architects for this project are DPAI, there are housed in The Seedworks Urban Offices where The Public Record rents desk space.
Ward 9 Councillor Doug Conley led Council in approving CONNECT communities application to build a six-unit 42-bed residential care facility for persons with brain injuries or recovering from stroke.
The facility will be built at 26 Upper Mount Albion Road, intersection of Rymal Road, in Upper Stoney Creek.
Councillors were very supportive of the application, with only a few questions. Ward 11’s Brenda Johnson asked if the development has retained geological engineers due to the karsts in that area of Upper Stoney Creek, staff responded they have.
Some nearby residents wrote letters to Council opposing the development. They expressed concerns that individuals with Acquired Brain Injury would be safety risks to the community due to “mental issues”, addiction, and aggression. Staff responded to these concerns by noting the applicant has 23 years of experience and the ability to manage these issues in the community.
The facility will have six staff minimum on duty at all times, and up to 36 during the day.
Nearby residents stated their property values would decrease. Staff responded in their report they are not “aware of any empirical data that would support that claim”.
The facility is now subject to Site Plan review by City planning staff.


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Hamilton Design Review Panel to Discuss Kresge and Sonoma 71 Rebecca Developments – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 8, 2017
Hamilton’s Design Review Panel will discuss three tall building proposals during their July 13, 2017 meeting at City Hall. (full agenda)
Two of the buildings will be part of the Kresge site development by LiUNA and Hi-Rise Development Advisors Inc. at 43 – 51 King Street East in the Central Business District (Downtown).
The other tall building is a proposal from Sonoma Development Group for 71 Rebecca Street, the site of the former bus terminal and presently the site of the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre.
The meeting begins at 2pm in Room 264, and is open to the public.
Note: The Public Record does not record or broadcast DRP meetings. At present, the process is still fairly new and it is not clear if a camera would diminish the goals of these meetings which is a frank and lively discussion of early renderings and proposals
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: The architects for the 71 Rebecca Street development are DPAI. DPAI is part of Seedworks where I have my office.


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Hamilton Police Investigating After Two Suspicious Packages Placed in Canada Post Boxes on Main East – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 29, 2017
Hamilton Police are investigating after two packages imitating possible explosive devices were placed in Canada Post mail pickup boxes on Main Street East at Cameron Avenue and Huxley Avenue.
The packages were discovered by a Canada Post around 1 p.m. Friday afternoon during regular pick-up of mail from the boxes.
Hamilton Police quickly closed off the two areas, shutting down Main Street East between Ottawa Street and the Queenston Traffic Circle. Police shut down and voluntarily evacuated some businesses along the route, other businesses closed due to lack of access to their facilities.
During the next seven hours, the Hamilton Police Explosives Disposal Unit meticulously inspected the mailboxes, removed the suspicious packages, safely detonated them, and collected forensic evidence.
Police did not fully reopen Main Street East until just prior to 11 p.m. Friday night.
Police Superintendent William Mason says police are now investigating and will be canvassing the local area for information. He is asking anyone with information, or security camera footage along Main Street West between Graham Avenue and Cope Street to contact the East End Division at 905-546-2963, or if they wish to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers at 905-522-8477.
Supt. Mason says Hamilton Police believe there were only two packages, and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Update, Saturday evening: Hamilton Police are telling CHCH News they’ve identified the individual responsible and released them without criminal charges, the investigation is ongoing.


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Hamilton Port Authority and Council Building Relationships – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site
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July 10, 2017
Ian Hamilton, the CEO of the Hamilton Port Authority, stood in front of Council this morning to provide an update on Port Authority activities.
The frustrations which exist between Councillors and the Port were politely discussed: Randle Reef, city zoning jurisdiction, dust from grain, and truck traffic among the issues.
The canceled play for a Plasma Waste-to-Energy Gasification Plant (Port Fuels) was not mentioned by name in Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green’s questions, but it was clear as he questioned Hamilton about a statement that the Port Authority’s current uses are fully compliant with City zoning regulations.
During the Port Fuels debate, the City’s ‘K’ Zoning on Port Authority lands were heavily debated – did it allow the proposed Port Fuels plant? The City said no, the Port said yes. The debate was never settled.
Hamilton did acknowledge that under the Letters Patent of the Port and Canada Marine Act, the Port Authority is exempt from municipal regulation for port activities, but said the Port wants to work with the City.
On Randle Reef, the Port says public access to the Sherman Inlet will not be possible due to federal security regulations for ports post 9/11. The Port does plan to provide a viewing platform at the site.
The Port says grain processing and transfer operations are spending over $1-million to improve dust capture, and the Port will continue to work on addressing dust issues.
Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr spoke about truck traffic from the Port navigating the Core to access highways instead of Burlington Street. The Port plans to encourage more use of Burlington Street. Farr noted the City’s truck routes will change with LRT, and the Core may no longer be attractive to trucks accessing highways from the Port with those changes.
In the media scrum post-presentation, Hamilton was repeatedly asked about the improving relationship with the City. He says he’s hoping to keep increasing it.


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Hamilton Receiving $33-mil from Feds and Prov Clean Water and Wastewater Fund – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
The City is receiving $32,918,072 from the Province and Federal governments for improvements to the City’s water distribution and treatment infrastructure. The City is planning 16 projects totaling $43,890,763, meaning the funds from higher levels of government account for 75% of the budget.
The projects are city-wide. The most expensive is $10,500,00 to rehabilitate and repair 400 metres of the Mountain Trunk Storm Sewer.


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Hamilton Rental Housing Committee "Dancing on the Head of a Pin" – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 30, 2017
Hamilton Housing Help Centre Executive Director Larry Huibers summed up this meeting of Hamilton’s Rental Housing Committee. An exasperated Huibers told his fellow committee members “we’re dancing on the head of a pin” as once again the committee debated in circles with no agreement, and struck a working group to once again debate if they’ll recommend a licensing regiment for rental housing in Hamilton.
The meeting started with debate about the rules of debate, and procedures. Following, a delegation from Mike Wood of ACORN Canada’s Hamilton Chapter calling for the implementation of city-wide licensing and inspections for all apartment buildings with more than ten units or three storeys or greater in size.
Wood’s idea is the opposite of the 2013 proposal for the City to regulate rental buildings with six or less units – the idea at the time being that large landlords represent a minority of the complaints the City is receiving from tenants.
Once the delegation ended, committee member Steve Calverley asked the delegate if he supported a bylaw similar to Toronto’s rental housing regulations, and the licensing fee of $10.60 per unit per year.
Member Paul Martindale, who owns local rental firm Wink Properties, focused his questions on ACORN itself. He questioned the delegate on ACORN’s funding sources, membership numbers, and tactics.
Martindale put particular emphasis on criticizing ACORN’s support for “illegal” rent strikes. An on-going rent strike in Toronto’s Parkdale has entered its second month as residents fight right increases, and over building conditions. The rent strike is being supported by Parkdale Community Legal Services. Both tenant and renter associations across the province are watching the strike closely.
The questions turned to debate about the cost of licensing, Huibers argued that the City is already charging multi-residential buildings a higher tax rate, while providing less services, therefore the City should be providing licensing and inspections without creating fees that may be passed onto tenants.
Arun Pathak, president of the Hamilton and District Apartment Association, warned that any fees will be passed onto tenants, suggesting that some units could see an increase of $100 per month if that is what is needed to immediately cover the cost of licensing for an entire building in one unit.
Calverley countered him, saying that he’s seen some of the living conditions in Ward 3 when going door-to-door, and “it’s time we got on with this”. He said the cost in Toronto is around $12 per unit (it is $10.60) per year, and that attempts to argue that licensing will mean skyrocketing rents is false.
The committee then debating if a bylaw would be effective in addressing bad landlords, if people will be displaced by enforcing standards, and how to go about writing a bylaw.
Ultimately, after two hours of meeting, the Rental Housing Committee voted to narrow their focus to only Wards 1 & 8, create a sub-committee to write a “pilot” bylaw, and to tour other municipalities with rental housing bylaws.
Ward 1 and 8 are the neighbours housing Hamilton’s two public post-secondary institutions and students make up the majority of renters in those areas.
No timelines were set for meetings, reports, or anything. Basically, the committee is back to 2013.


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Hamilton Utilities Corporation Council Committee for July 2017 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 14, 2017
What will become of the Hamilton Utilities Corporation power generation station attached to Sir John A Macdonald when the public school board closes the school?
That was the main point of interest in what was otherwise an administrative meeting.
HUC staff say they are planning for what comes next at the Sir John A Macdonald site with the planned closure of the high school in 2019.
The School Board recently voted to retain the site, closing the nearby Hess Street elementary school, and exploring building a new elementary school on the Macdonald site.
Full video of the meeting on The Public Record’s YouTube page.


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Hamilton's Disability Advisory Committee Members Want Urban Braille LRT Urban Design – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 14, 2017
Members of Hamilton’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities have been skeptical about the Hamilton Light Rail Transit Project – much of their concerns related to the lack of HSR planning for LRT, and the lack of communication from HSR management on what local service will look like once the LRT is implemented.
The City’s LRT office and Metrolinx attended Tuesday’s ACPD meeting to discuss the Streetscape Design Strategy, with a focus on how pedestrian sidewalks will be designed.
(Video of the meeting)
LRT project staff focused their presentation on the International Village “Pedestrian Priority Zone”.
Staff proposed using Unipaving stones with different textures in place of urban braille.
Members of ACPD told staff that Unipaving is not an acceptable substitute.
“Urban Braille along the entire corridor is essential,” said member Tim Nolan to reflect “that people with disabilities can be anywhere and everywhere”.
“Unipavers provide zero accessibility, period, zero”, Nolan said. “If were going to substitute urban braille or other kinds of textured accessibility for the sake of unipavers, not a good idea. The are not going to provide any utility”.
Nolan says in a recent trip to Ottawa, they went to the new sidewalks along Ottawa’s LRT and he saw no urban braille features at stops. “I would strongly encourage not to follow the Ottawa model”.
“Regarding urban braille, it is something the City is pushing for along the entire corridor,” said Trevor Horzelenberg, Senior Project Manager in the LRT office. “Please note that urban braille costs at least double the amount of a normal sidewalk … it is an additional cost to the project”.
Horzelenberg says the City is pushing for Metrolinx to implement urban braille along the entire route.
Other members also said that any colours on the sidewalk, street planters, and other amenities need to have strong contrast, and nothing along the clearway of the urban braille.
The LRT office will return to the ACPD again during the design phase.


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Hamilton's Design Review Panel Debates 40-Storey Proposal for Rebecca Street, Positive on Plan, but Debates How Tall is Too Tall? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 31, 2017
“It will be an iconic building, its a daring building”, one member of Hamilton’s Design Review Panel said praising the design of Sonoma Homes‘ proposed 40-storey building on Rebecca Street between John Street and Catharine Street.
At July’s DPR meeting, Sonoma Homes presented their plans for a 371 residential unit condominium tower measuring 121.5 metres in height at 71 Rebecca Street. If built, the structure will be the second tallest building in Hamilton.
Overall, DRP was very positive about the proposal, its design, and the developers plan to integrate with the proposed John and Rebecca park.
Being a large group of top level experts, there were differing opinion as another stated “It’s not an icon building, it’s a condo!”.
DRP members were split on the height, with most members supportive based upon design, and others holding firm to a viewpoint that 30-storeys or the Niagara Escarpment should be the limit for residential buildings in Hamilton’s Downtown.
Hamilton has a handful of buildings taller than 30-storeys, and the Niagara Escarpment.
Landmark Place (formerly known as the Century 21 Building) is 127 metres in height. Presently, Hamilton’s second tallest building is the Stelco Tower at 103 metres.
The tower being built at 22 George Street is planned for 106 metres, and was approved as a “minor variance” of 84 metres above the zoning of 22 metres.
Phase 2 of the Royal Connaught project is approved for 108 metres, and The Connolly (which is now in receivership) is approved for 103 metres.
Brad Lamb is proposing two towers of 30 and 40 storeys for his Television City development. He is planning higher ceilings on his floor, which will likely make the 40-storey tower the tallest building in Hamilton if built.
Design Review Panel member Tim Smith, a planner, was critical of the height. “I don’t think this building takes in the wider content of the downtown.”
“The building is out of scale for height, I see no rational for height above 30 storeys”.
The relatively short discussion of height focused on the proposed building being taller than the escarpment.
City Hall is indicating that the escarpment will be a new height limit once the long awaited Tall Buildings Policy is brought forth for Council approval. Since that time, the 22 George Street project was approved as a “minor variance” at a height above the escarpment.
Project architect David Premi of dpai argued that the use of the escarpment does not consider impact and design. He showed renderings of the building’s impact on the skyline as viewed from the Skyway Bridge, saying the tower does not overpower the escarpment and a city of Hamilton’s size should have tall buildings such as the proposal it downtown core.
Members mostly praised the overall design, with critiques of specific elements.
DPR members support the proposals plan to integration ground floor retail with the expected park across the street, the developer hopes to create a pedestrian friendly zoning – including redoing Rebecca Street to be even leveled to the park.
The proposed 4 to 5 storey podium is 90 metres long, the DRP members noted the tall building guidelines call for 70 metres. They suggest the podium needs more vertical design to visually divide the massing, to compensation for the length.
The developer is proposing a LED screen on the side of the building to support movie nights and civic gatherings in the park. DRP was supportive, with the condition that no advertising be allowed on the LED.
The developer has filed their completed planning application to the City, The Public Record is awaiting staff review of the application before attending the Planning Department to review the file.
The Beasley Neighbourhood Association has met with the developer, and members of the Association were very supportive of the project and proposed design.
The developer plans to return to the Beasley Neighbourhood Association this fall.
Note: The Public Record does not have a high-quality rendering of the proposal at the time of publication. We’ve requested a rendering from the architect, who is seeking permission from their client.
DISCLOSURE: The Public Record rents office space in The Seedworks, the same office building as the architectural firm. Story author Joey Coleman is a member of the Beasley Neighbourhood Association.


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HSR Budget Shortfall of $2.5m Prompts Call for "Grilling" of Budget by Council – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 13, 2017
Hamilton’s embattled transit division, the Hamilton Street Railway, is forecasting a $2.5-million unfavourable budget variance in 2017.
The HSR is experiencing declines in paid ridership revenue, and an increase in staff on short or long term illness and disability.
HSR ridership appears to have flat-lined. Council forecast ridership growth this year, even with their decision to cancel the 10-year transit strategy that would’ve improved service.
Due to lower than expected ridership, the HSR is forecasting a $1.1-million fare revenue shortfall for 2017.
The increase in sick leaves and absences is resulting in the  HSR is forecasting to be $1.8-million over its overtime budget.
The HSR is expecting favourable variances in other areas, for a total budget forecast shortfall of $2.5-million in 2017.
When drivers are absent, buses must be kept on the road with other drivers filling in by working extra shifts and on their days off. Even with overtime, many HSR bus runs are being cancelled due to a lack of drivers.
Ward 12 Councillor Lloyd Ferguson questioned the HSR’s budget during the quarterly budget variance presentation during Wednesday’s Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee.
He called for staff to provide a report on HSR overtime, ridership, and revenue for the August AFA meeting.
Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins wants a full review of the HSR budget, opening treating it the same as DARTS which saw Council cut its budget over the past few years.
“We’re put about $15-million on the levy since 2012, that’s the last count finance gave me … the trend is … that we continue to pour money into the system and we are not seeing a return on that investment”, Collins told his fellow committee members.
The HSR’s collective agreement requires that overtime be offered to drivers, and that bus runs can only be cancelled if no drivers volunteer for the overtime.
Collins wants to change this, “There’s certainly some changes we could seek to make through the bargaining process.”
Collins says the Council has shown an unprecedented commitment to public transit in the past couple of years.
“When you look at the historical investments we’ve made in transit, they far exceed most other departments in the City”
On declining revenues, and poor ridership growth:
[I’m trying] to understand why this trend continues to go in the wrong direction and I have a sinking suspicion, there will be a group in the community – a very small one – but a vocal minority saying again were not doing enough for transit.
Even though, as I just mentioned, they’re getting a lot more than any other department in the City, including the year end variances.
I think the messaging has to be that we made those investments and we’re not seeing the yield on those investments and return as we would’ve like and anticipated, and something needs to change.
It’s not sustainable.
We’ve been critical of DARTS, they’ve been in front of us and we’ve grilled them on these million dollar variances at the end of the year. There ridership numbers are up, we’re paying for it, and HSR there’s a different message, we put the money in and its almost like we hope things improve next year, and they haven’t”
Collins says he expects the HSR budget will be debated during a “transit day” early in the 2018 budget process this fall.
Ward 7 Councillor Donna Skelly moved for HSR ridership numbers to be provided to Council prior to the August 9 LRT Sub-Committee meeting:
“Is this [report] going to be available for the LRT subcommittee meeting, we need to know those numbers because it will certainly have a impact as we move forward with the LRT, our ridership on the HSR, I’d like to have real numbers. At the bare minimum, our trends and where our ridership is heading.”
After the meeting, Skelly told The Public Record that she’s looking to be a comprehensive review of the HSR.
“I had a constituent call me the other day, she was stuck at the water park because HSR service ends before the park closes”.
The HSR cuts service frequency to Van Wagners Beach on the 56-Centennial bus each summer in response to increased ridership.
The 56-Centennial bus operates from 10am to 6pm, each 60 to 75 minutes. The last bus from Wildwater Works is at 5:52pm.
The HSR was the only transit agency in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area to operate with limited service on Canada Day, with waits on some routes of over an hour for buses as the HSR operated its Sunday skeleton service on Canada’s 150 birthday.
HSR Transit Director Debbie Dalle Vedove tells The Public Record the HSR now has 25 buses with automated passenger counters, with some of the 25 units on the 60 foot articulated buses which service the B-Line, 5A, 25/26/27, and 35 on weekdays. During weekends, the 1-King route is fully serviced with articulated buses.
The counters will be used as part of the statistics Council will receive.
Editors Note: This story was filed using the recording of the meeting from the City of Hamilton website for quotes from the meeting.
There were multiple simultaneous meetings at City Hall this morning, The Public Record attended the Hamilton Utilities Corporation Committee meeting as it would not otherwise be recorded. No media was present for the AFA meeting.


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Increased Hydro Rates and Decreased Rentals Drop Mohawk 4Ice Profit $25,000 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 16, 2017
The Mohawk quad-pad arena made a profit of $451 in 2016. The pad is a public-private partnership in which the City and private operator split losses 50/50, but in the event of profit, the City gets 70% and the private operator 30%.
The quad-pad has made profit for the past nine years. In 2015, the pad made approximately $25,000 in profit, however, due to increasing hydro costs and a decrease in use, the 2016 profit was much lower.


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LiUNA and Hi-Rise Release Planning Application for 43 – 51 King Street East (Kresge Site) – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 10, 2017
The planning agent for The Hi-Rise Development Advisors Inc. and LiUNA 837 posted the planning application package for the two tall building proposal at 43 – 51 King Street East, the former site of the Downtown Hamilton Kresge department store.
The proposal is for two tall buildings of 25 and 34 storeys, with podium ranging from 3 to 6 stories. The podium will serve to house parking, in addition to two below grade levels of parking, and ground level commercial.
The two towers will contain 528 residential units. The Urban Design Brief states the units will be condominiums.
The project is in front of Design Review Panel on Thursday.


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New Owners Begin Work on Westinghouse Building, One of the Boarded Jewels of Hamilton – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 25, 2017
HP2017-037 is the permit number, but for Hamiltonians living in the north central neighbourhoods of the Lower City, it represents a major milestone for urban revival along Barton Street.
The new owners of the Canadian Westinghouse Company building at 286 Sanford Avenue North were granted a heritage permit for the repair and replacement of over 300 windows in the seven-story 1917-constructed building.
The permit application says the owner is replacing “all windows to match the original aesthetic” of the building.
The plan is to replace 271 and repair 35 windows on the building. As well, five doors will be replaced. All 35 windows being repaired are on the first level.
Public records and public documents indicate the longer term plan is to extensively rebuild or renovate the interior for commercial use, while restoring and maintaining the heritage character of the exterior.
Building ownership is listed as Arthouse Commerical Concepts LP, based out of Toronto.
Mick Dick, one of the investors in the new ownership group, says the registration of the company at a Toronto address was for convenience
“The investors are almost all local to Hamilton, and feel a close connection to the buildings deep history in Hamilton and a center of industry for the city when Westinghouse employed over 20,000 people here”, Dick says.
The agent, heritage architects, and mechanical engineers for the developer are from Hamilton firm mcCallumSather. Also consultant on the heritage aspects are Heritage Mill.
mcCallumSather, in a report attached to the permit application, states that repairing all windows would not allow for energy performance and acoustic rating upgrades, as well as being cost prohibitive.
The building directly borders Hamilton’s industrial area, and noise concerns have blocked past attempts to convert the building into residential use, and will complicate commercial uses without upgrades to sound rating of the building.
The building has been vacant for 30 years, but not for lack of proposals and ideas to occupy the building.
Since Westinghouse moved Downtown in  1983 (the company ceased to exist a decade later in the late 90s), the landmark building has experienced a series of owners and plans.
In 1992, Hamilton Spectator reporter Emilia Casella reported on a pitch by then-owner “Mississauga building Jerry Zahler” to renovate and lease the building to the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth as offices for the health and social services department.
Her report states the building was initially sold by Westinghouse to Hamilton developer Walter Galdenzi for $500,000. He sold it in 1988 to a Toronto company for $1,4-million who then in turn sold it to Zahler for $2.3-million in July 1989.
Casella’s 1992 report states Zahler filed a proposal to convert the building into 74-unit non-profit co-op apartments, but the Ontario Municipal Board “quashed” the plan.
The Region did not move into the building.
Spectator columnist Paul Wilson reported in 1995 on the building and neighbourhood. His report states Zahler continued to own the building. Zahler had tried to sell the building for $3.6-million.
In 2001, the City of Hamilton seized the building for tax arrears of $360,000. An attempt to sell the building for $186,000 fell through.
A staff report at time stated the building’s continued was poor, and the building contains asbestos.
In 2003, the City sold the building for $200,000 with a heritage easement “to conserve the historical, architectural, aesthetic and scenic character”.
Earlier this year, the building was listed by Gallo Real Estate for $2.6-million.
CORRECTION: The last staff moved out of the building in 1987, however, the corporate headquarters moved downtown in 1983. Thank you to Edward Smith in the comments for this assist.
UPDATES: mcCallumSather is also provided heritage consultation and mechanical engineering services for the project. The story has been updated to reflect this.
Adding comment from investor Mick Dick.