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Municipalities and Regulating Unsolicited Sellers, Building Public Awareness – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 1, 2016
Sam Merulla’s recent motion to regulate, and hopefully ban, aggressive door-to-door salesperson is a high political value, low return motion.
It’s high political value comes from responding to a real problem annoying people in Hamilton. The low return is due to the lack of municipal powers to regulate consumer protection. Consumer protection is a provincial power, and ultimately, substantive changes will need to be amended into the Consumer Protection Act.
Public awareness is needed. Obviously, there are people purchasing from door-to-door salespeople, otherwise the industry wouldn’t exist.
Here’s a great public awareness video from the Australia comedy group The Chaser which aired on their public broadcaster.
I’d love to see a similar public awareness video – and protections – here in Ontario.


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Numeris Ratings for Hamilton Radio Show TSN 1150 Tanking, Other Stations Down Too – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2016
The latest Numeris Spring 2016 radio ratings are now public and Hamilton’s eight measured radio stations are experiencing small declines in listenership – with two exceptions. Year-over-year CKOC is seeing its ratings in a freefall, and CHML saw a 0.1% increase in market share.
On Labour Day 2015, Bell Media ended the oldies format on its 1150AM CKOC station and replaced it was an all-sports format TSN Radio 1150.
Thus far, judging by average ratings, the experiment is a failure. However, average ratings may not be Bell’s strategy.
In the Spring 2015 ratings, playing oldies, CKOC held a 2.9% market share reaching an average of 37,400 people in the region each week. The Spring 2016 Numeris ratings shows CKOC in the gutter with a measly 0.3% of the market, reaching only 5,900 people each week.
This could be fine if Bell’s strategy is based solely around premium ad sales during Ticats football games. However, 5,900 average listeners is less of a mass medium than the average tweet by a decently followed Hamiltonian – and tweets don’t have the cost of the overhead of a radio station.
Losing 32,000 listeners is no small number in today’s radio market.
With a 2.6% drop in market share for CKOC, where did the listeners go? Year over year, all stations dropped in share expect CHML which held basically steady with a 0.1% increase.
Funny 820 continued to decline, and is now at 0.7% market share – an average of 20,000 listeners per week. It’s only because of the collapse of CKOC listenership that it is no longer the lowest rated in market.
CKLH 102.9 K-Lite FM dropped from 10.6% to 9.7% market share, a loss of 9,800 average listeners to 101,500 average per week.  Other stations are dropping a percentage point or more as well.
This begs the question, are Hamilton’s listeners turning off their radios or tuning into Toronto stations more often?
While listenership decreased year-over-year, the latest CRTC figures show Hamilton’s radio stations increased their revenue and profits last year bringing in $17,877,257 in 2015 for a pre-tax profit of $4,337,338.

source: news-thepublicrecord

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


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Ontario Regulations on Ranked Municipal Ballots Posted for Public Feedback. – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 14, 2016
For those of you interested, and I know there are few municipal government enthusiasts who follow this site, the Ontario government posted its proposed Ontario regulations for municipal election ranked ballots.
Among the highlights, how a municipality much proceed to implement a ranked balloting bylaw:
Before passing a by-law, the municipality must hold an open house to provide the public with information about:
-how elections would be conducted, including a description of vote counting
-estimated costs of conducting the election
-any voting and vote-counting equipment that is being considered for use in the election
-any alternative voting method being considered for use in the election.
The municipality must hold a public meeting to allow the public to speak to council about the proposed by-law. The public meeting must be held at least 15 days after the open house is held.
The by-law must be passed no later than May 1 in the year before the year of the election (e.g. May 1, 2017 for the 2018 election).
And how ballots are to be counted and ranked:
How Rankings will be Interpreted
The voter’s preference will be determined by looking at the rankings given to candidates.
If a voter gives the same candidate more than one ranking, only the highest of those rankings will be considered.
If a voter skips a ranking, the next highest ranking will be considered.
If a voter gives two candidates the highest ranking, so that it is not possible to determine which candidate is the voter’s first preference, the ballot will be rejected.
In any round of counting after the first round, if a ballot is to be transferred, but it is not possible to determine which candidate is the voter’s next preference, the ballot becomes exhausted.
A voter does not have to rank the maximum number of preferences. For example, if a voter only ranks one candidate, that candidate would be the voter’s highest preference. If the ballot is to be transferred in a later round, it would become exhausted because it would not be possible to determine the voter’s next preference.
Elimination of Candidates
Candidates may be eliminated either using single elimination or batch elimination.
The clerk has the authority to decide which elimination method will be used. The same elimination method must be used for all offices, and all rounds of vote counting.
In the single elimination method, the candidate who has the lowest number of votes is eliminated, and those votes are distributed to the remaining candidates according to the next preference shown on each ballot.
In the batch elimination method, all candidates who do not have a mathematical chance of being elected are eliminated at the same time, and those votes are distributed to the remaining candidates according to the next preference shown on each ballot.
Calculation of the Threshold
A candidate must receive a predetermined number of votes for that office in order to be elected. The regulation will set out the mathematical formula for calculating this number for each office to be elected.
There are two regulations “Vote Counting and Reporting Requirements for Ranked Ballot Elections under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996” and “By-law Authority and Consultation Requirement for Ranked Ballot Elections Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, By-law Authority and Consultation Requirement for Ranked Ballot Elections Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 “.
The public comment period runs until July 28, 2016.


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Property Standards Cmte Adjourns Hearing into Alleged Neglect of 1 St. James Place Until September – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 27, 2016
An order to comply issued to company owning 1 St. James Place will not be enforceable until at least mid-September as the Property Standards Committee adjourned a hearing on the order until September 12.
Victor Veri, president of the company which owns the property, requested the adjournment saying the company recently hired legal counsel and was unprepared for today’s hearing.
City by-law officials opposed the adjournment, stating Veri was served with the order over a month ago and had time to prepare for the hearing.
The property standards order was issued and sent by registered mail on February 2, 2016.
The order (pages 8 to 12 of this pdf) states the property is not properly heated, there are concerns about the condition of exterior heritage features, and eavesdrops.
The property was hastily move from the heritage interest list to a full heritage designation over concerns in 2014 that the owner was planning to demolish the building for parking. The property is directly across from St. Joseph’s Hospital and demand for parking is high in the area.
In May 2014, the owner cut down trees and had a City building permit to demolish a “side garage and side porch”. The demolition wasn’t complete.
Two weeks later, an emergency meeting of the Heritage Committee was held, and the Council quickly moved to designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act. Owner Victor Veri was removed from the meeting after yelling at Councillors.
Veri appealed the designation to the Conservation Review Board which heard the case in July 2015 and issued the heritage designation.


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Randle Reef Cleanup Underway, Environment Ministers Visit for Update – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 18, 2016
Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna visited Hamilton on Friday for a media briefing and photo-op at the site of the ongoing $140-million dollar cleanup operation.
As part of the brief, the above video was released explaining the project, including the work to build the “engineered containment facility” which will surround the most toxic area of the Reef. The ECF consists of “double steel sheet pile walls” driven to depths of up to 24 metres into the lake bed below the contaminated area. The remaining toxic sediment around the container will be dredged and placed inside. In areas of lower contamination, a new layer of sand will top and contain contamination.
The project is expected to be completed in 2022.


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Special Hamilton City Council, CityHousing Corporation, June 29, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 29, 2016
City Council is holding a special meeting to accept the 2015 financial statements of CityHousing Corporation.
Live video at 1:30pm


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Supreme Court of Canada Ruling Bad for Hamilton's Case Against Canada Post – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 29, 2016
Hamilton’s battle against Canada Post is looking a bit more hopeless after a ruling last week by the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) in a case of federal jurisdiction and a municipality’s attempt to regulate the location of a cellphone tower.
In Rogers Communications Inc. v. Châteauguay (City) 2016 SCC 23, the court found a municipality cannot expropriate land to prevent the installation of a radio communications (cellphone) tower. The court found Châteauguay’s notice of reserve (expropriation) was ultra vires (outside the power of the city) and a violation of the doctrine of inter-jurisdictional immunity (IJI).
Both ultra vires and IJI are reasons that Hamilton’s By-Law 15-091 (community mailboxes bylaw) was declared void by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (ONSC) in a 2015 ruling which Hamilton city council is appealing to the Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA).
The SCC ruled that locations of cellphone towers is “at the core of the federal power over radiocommunication” [para 66] and “the notice of a reserve compromised the orderly development and efficient operation of radiocommunication and impaired the core of the federal power over radiocommunication in Canada”. [para 67]
Substitute postal service for radiocommunication and you have the clear case law the OCA will follow when making its ruling in Hamilton appeal.
The lawyer who won this case at the Supreme Court of Canada, John Laskin, is also representing Canada Post against the City of Hamilton and won the 2015 ONSC hearing in Hamilton.
With the SCC ruling going so strongly in favour of the doctrine of inter-jurisdictional immunity, it does not look like Hamilton will win anything on appeal, except a very large legal bill at the end.
Laskin’s firm Torys LLP posted a brief summary on their website.
University of Calgary law professor Nigel Bankes write an informative analysis of the ruling with an eye to its application for pipelines in conflict with municipal and provincial jurisdictions.
In this decision the Supreme Court of Canada (unanimous in the result) concluded that the actions of the City of Châteauguay in creating a reserve as to certain real property were directed at frustrating Rogers’ efforts to install an antenna system on property located within the City and were therefore unconstitutional as a measure dealing with the siting of telecommunications infrastructure. The majority found that Châteauguay’s notice of reserve was ultra vires (but also went on to offer an analysis that would have rendered the reserve inapplicable on the basis of the doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity (IJI)). The minority (Justice Gascon) preferred to find for Rogers solely on the basis of IJI.
This is important for Canada Post v. City of Hamilton – the Supreme Court intentionally ruled on IJI, providing clear direction and case law which will apply to Hamilton’s appeal.
In order to get that approval, a licensee such as Rogers must engage in a consultation process prescribed by Industry Canada which requires the licensee to consult both the public and the relevant land use authority (LUA), in this case Châteauguay. While the goal of the consultation with the LUA is to reach an understanding or agreement, the Minister retains the right to make a final decision in the event of an impasse.
In the Hamilton case, the city stopped communicating with Canada Post and ordered CP to apply for permits at $200 each application, and imposed a 120-day moratorium on new CMB installations only to begin upon the payment of 500 applications fees – $100,000 – by Canada Post to the City of Hamilton.
The Supreme Court clearly states that federal power cannot be frustrated or interfered with unreasonably, and the Superior Court ruling was clear – Hamilton’s bylaw was designed to frustrate Canada Post and the exercise of federal power.
Professor Bankes explains the SCC found that while Châteauguay claimed its action were for the protection of the health and well-being of residents, the city’s actions were “colourable” by a goal to prevent the installation of the tower.
Sound familiar? The City of Hamilton is claiming the same with CMBs.
Bankes quotes paragraph 71 of the ruling in its entirety, and its importance to the doctrine of IJI:
The majority concluded that the notice of reserve “seriously and significantly impaired the core of the federal power over radiocommunication and that this notice served on Rogers was therefore inapplicable by reason of the doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity.” (at para 72) The evidence in support of this was as follows:
[71] In the case at bar, the service of the notice of a reserve prevented Rogers from constructing its antenna system on the property at 411 Boulevard Saint?Francis for two successive two?year periods, and there was no alternative solution to which it could have turned on short notice. Once the resolution authorizing the service of the notice of a reserve had been adopted, Châteauguay’s offer meant that Rogers would have to wait either until the end of the expropriation proceedings with regard to the property at 50 Boulevard Industriel or for a period of approximately seven months before it would be able to construct its installation on the property at 411 Boulevard Saint?Francis. In these circumstances, Rogers was unable to meet its obligation to serve the geographic area in question as required by its spectrum licence. In this sense, the notice of a reserve compromised the orderly development and efficient operation of radiocommunication and impaired the core of the federal power over radiocommunication in Canada.
The passage is worth quoting in its entirety, since it confirms that the IJI test is not “sterilizing” or “paralyzing” and that the more qualified test of impairment may be met by measures which serve to delay, as well as measures that completely frustrate, the attainment of the goal or objective sanctioned by the federal power.
For the Hamilton appeal, this is devastating. The SCC is saying that serving to delay the installation of CMBs could be enough to violate IJI.
Hamilton’s method of appeal was likely to argue the city wasn’t stopping the installation of CMBs but merely creating a process to review and study the planned locations of the CMBs.
It’s pretty clear Hamilton’s Hail Mary legal appeal isn’t going to succeed, so why continue?
Council made its opposition to the end of door-to-door delivery clear. There is a new federal government, which paused CMB conversions and is conducting a full review of Canada Post – a review which could restore door-to-door delivery.
The political purpose of the bylaw is served.
City council engaged in a decade-plus legal battle with the federal government claiming the feds illegally and improperly delayed the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
The suit was criticized by Justice P.B. Hambly in a scathing 2012 ruling as experimental litigation:
Counsel for the City has acted as if it had a client with inexhaustible resources to finance endless experimental litigation and that it could conduct litigation against the federal government with impunity. [Para 29]
Council eventually dropped its suit, but not before the city’s legal bill reached $3,150,000.
Is it time for city council to stand down before this legal adventure reaches into the millions as well?


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Supreme Court of Canada Upholds Federal Authority over Cellphone Towers – Overriding Municipal Regulations – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 20, 2016
This article is super-ceded by:
Supreme Court of Canada Ruling Bad for Hamilton's Case Against Canada Post
The Supreme Court of Canada weighted in on the municipal regulation of cellphone towers by ruling radiocommunications is solely within federal jurisdiction under the constitution and municipalities cannot block the installation of towers.
In Rogers Communications Inc. v. Châteauguay (City), 2016 SCC 23, the SCC “reaffirmed Parliament’s exclusive jurisdiction over radiocommunication.”
Lawyers Carole Chan and James Mosher of McInnes Cooper summarize the ruling and its meaning on CanLii Connects.
Torys LLP, which represented Rogers at the SCC, summarize their viewpoint of the ruling on their website.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities intervened in the case, along with the City of Toronto, and issued a statement of disappointment.


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Ted McMeekin Leaves Cabinet, Keeps Influence With The Premier, Focus on His Work – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2016
Hamilton’s sole member of the Liberal party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Ted McMeekin, announced Monday that he is resigning from Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Cabinet.
Earlier today I spoke with the Premier and let her know that I would not be continuing as a member of her Cabinet. I will continue to discharge my duties as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing until the Premier names a replacement.
My decision was focussed by the Premier’s intention to achieve gender parity in her next Cabinet.
…
[S]ometimes the best way for a man to advance the equality of women may be to step back and make room at the table.
For me, this is such a time.
I won’t tell you this was an easy decision. Even with all of my privilege and advantages, there’s a part of me that still wants to cry out “this isn’t fair.” It has caused me some soul searching.
McMeekin remains MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, and there’s no doubt in my mind that McMeekin will remain a strong representative of his riding and of Hamilton as a whole.
His influence with the Premier is increased because he’s clearing a cabinet seat for the lead-up to the reelection campaign and he’ll be able to focus on implementing the many reforms he’s started in the past two years as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown knows McMeekin isn’t going to rest, writing in a statement “On behalf of the Ontario PC Party, I thank Ted for his years of service in Cabinet.  Ted will remain a strong representative for his Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale constituents.”
McMeekin’s political career is far from over. He’s not going into retirement on the backbenches of the Wynne government.
He achieved his primary goals as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
He’s brought in municipal political reform with amendments to the Municipal Elections Act which will diminish the disproportionate advantages of incumbency, decrease the influence of money, allow municipalities to adopt ranked ballots, and a variety of housekeeping reforms.
McMeekin wrote his Masters’ Thesis in the late 1970s on affordable housing. As Minister, McMeekin brought in inclusionary zoning, updated the provincial long-term affordable housing strategy, and secured millions to renovate and refit social housing.
McMeekin’s statement refers to his “three daughters, all confident and accomplished young women. With my wonderful wife, they are the joy of my life”.
On the Greenbelt, McMeekin moved to strengthen the protections of the plan. This over the objections of greenfield developers and Council’s like Hamilton City Council.
His daughters influence him, they’ve adopted urban lifestyles. Two of his daughters operate small businesses in Hamilton’s Central Business District. They take their father walking along James Street and in the International Village. Afterwards, they enjoy drinks at Hamilton’s most famous “hipster bar” The Brain.
This is a big reason why the former Mayor of Flamborough implemented a series of changes which urbanists are cheering and a big reason he is the champion of Hamilton’s Light Rail Transit project.
In 2007, started covering higher education and was often at Queen’s Park. At the time, McMeekin was Minister of Consumer Services. Previous to being named to Cabinet, he was Parliamentary Secretary for Education. I often conversed with senior civil servants in the Ministry of Education. They remarked frequently on the level of preparation required for meetings with McMeekin, and how he managed a wide range of issues in the Ministry for his Minister, Gerald Kennedy. He was not a drone just deflecting questions when the Minister was absent.
My contacts never revealed what McMeekin was leading on, and I didn’t care to ask as primary education wasn’t my beat, but it was clear he was more than just a regular do-little backbencher with a slight pay bump and title.
When McMeekin and I conversed in the halls of Queen’s Park, his favourite topic of conversation were his girls, then post secondary students. He was living in Toronto with one of his daughters who was attending York University.
In 2008, McMeekin underwent surgery for cancer, which was detected very early and he fully recovered. He started taking better care of his health, and his wife, a medical doctor himself, assisted him with a diet plan. (When I visited Ted in 2011 to talk open data at his office, he suggested we meet at the Brown Dog, saying his wife liked me and this would be good cover for him having an apple fritter.)
In 2012, McMeekin’s political future was subject of much speculation. As the Liberal leadership race started, he was one of the first sitting MPPs to endorse Kathleen Wynne. Shortly after she became Premier, McMeekin was back on all cylinders working hard for re-election.
He often spoke of writing his thesis and how he wanted “at least one more term” to improve social housing and affordability in Ontario.
Housing, housing, housing, this was his goal, his focus during the last election.
His wife, Barbara, fully supported his decision to run again. During a relaxed moment at the McMaster University student pub, McMeekin talked about the trade-off of running for another term, and the likelihood of one last term in the Cabinet. He said his wife and him enjoyed his short time as a backbencher during 2010/11. They were able to spend more time together at their vacation home in Arizona.
McMeekin wanted to make a difference, the chance to implement changes. There was a trade-off. As a Cabinet member, he implemented change. As a Cabinet member, he gave up weekends, vacation during recesses of the Legislature, and time with his family to move those changes forward.
Arguably, he achieved the goals of his “at least one more term” and there are still two years to spare.
Let’s go back to his statement:
We refreshed our affordable housing strategy with a revolutionary new, portable housing benefit. We’re giving municipalities the authority to adopt inclusionary zoning. And we secured over a billion dollars of new funding for housing, because we believe that everyone in Ontario should have “an affordable, suitable and adequate home to provide the foundation to secure employment, raise a family and build strong communities.”
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I know the cynics and critics will say none of it was enough, and I’ll let you in on a little secret. Most of the time, I agree with them. There’s always more to be done. That’s what has driven me so far, so long.
But I will not let the excellent become the enemy of the good. We’ve done some very good work… and I’m proud of it.
He wanted more on housing, but knows he achieved a lot.
He quotes Robert F. Kennedy and Father Daniel Berrigan – two of the great influences of his formative university years.
Leaving Cabinet now, on his own terms and not in a pre-election cabinet shuffle or in the lead up to the next election, affords him the opportunity to write words which resonate and are widely read. This statement is his final major act in provincial politics, and by choosing his timing, he gets to leave words which he hopes will influence and inspire future politicians and civic leaders.
But make no mistake, he isn’t done. I’m sure he’ll spend more time in Arizona with his wife. More time in Hamilton with his daughters, and more time sitting in the public gallery at City Hall watching City Council.
McMeekin can, and I expect will, be more open in his criticism of Hamilton City Council’s shenanigans. As Minister of Municipal Affairs, it considered inappropriate for the Minister to comment on specific affairs of any municipal government.
The Minister holds significant reserve powers over local municipalities. The municipalities are creatures of the province with no constitutional protection from the Minister’s power. This convention restrained McMeekin from speaking too strongly on the latest Council fiasco.
McMeekin fought hard behind the scenes to secure Hamilton’s $1-billion in LRT funding.
It’s been suggested, as a suburban representative, that McMeekin wasn’t in favour of LRT and didn’t do much to secure the funding. This fails to account for the influence of his daughters and that he is focused on what does Ontario look like in 10 years, 20 years, and 25 years.
When, in January 2015, the Premier privately laid out the LRT 100% capital funding plan to Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and then the Mayor usurped the Premier by announcing the funding – triggering an embarrassing game of political wordsmithing, McMeekin had to do damage control at Queen’s Park. (When did a Premier ever have a local Mayor announce a $1-billion capital spending program?)
In March 2015, McMeekin – as Minister of Municipal Affairs – called all the Mayors of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area to a meeting that included a session with the Premier. Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger didn’t attend and sent a City Councillor and his Chief of Staff instead. This embarrassment – the Mayor of the Minister’s hometown not attending – was on McMeekin at Queen’s Park.
November 2015, Hamilton City Council arrives late to meetings at Queen’s Park. Scheduled to meet with the Deputy Premier at 9:30 a.m. Hamilton City Council, travelling for a lobby day at Queen’s Park, didn’t leave Hamilton City Hall until after 8:00 a.m. by bus on a Tuesday morning. Municipal councils from across Ontario regularly travel to Queen’s Park, and are regularly early – not leaving things to the last minute. Everyone looks at the regional minister when they roll their eyes at the continuing amateurish behaviour of Hamilton City Council.
And there is the present LRT fiasco. McMeekin was silent on the above cited embarrassments. He finally had enough, despite being Minister, McMeekin spoke out against Council on the Bill Kelly Show. Remembering the restraints of his position, McMeekin’s words are potent:
McMeekin: You know, we need to understand a couple basic facts here. It’s not the city that’s building the LRT, it’s the province. We won’t build it if-
Kelly: But on that point, is one of the reasons there seems to be some knuckle-dragging and foot-dragging here is because there’s so much misinformation out there? There are still some people that think that you gave this government a billion and said, We’d like you to spend it on LRT but if there’s something else, go ahead. That was never stated.
McMeekin: No, it’s a light rail transit specific investment. It’s been budgeted for, I think, in whatever the calendar year is. It’s interesting that one of the councillors argued that the province should cut a cheque for the billion dollars just in case the government changed.
Well, you can make that case for every project that gets scheduled. Maybe the council of the day should set money aside for council decisions in 2028, that they want to see the 2028 council make. So you need to move ahead with it. It’s an LRT specific investment.
The City of Brampton, as you may know, made a decision after a lot of debate to not approve their own scheme and they lost about $1.6 billion that went elsewhere. And I get a little concerned after all the hullaballoo of: The council is unanimous, we want to move forward with this, this is our number one priority. The mayor put a citizen group together to even make recommendations around route changes and what have you.
And there was a lot of reason – good reason, I suspect – for the Province to say no, given some of the shenanigans that went on. But the Premier and I fought very hard to get that funding allocated, and – I don’t know, Bill, I don’t know how I can reasonably look my cabinet colleagues in the eye after fighting for this transformational funding for the city we all know and love, you know, if after all of what we’ve been through, the Council in its infinite wisdom or folly turns down light rail transit.
He’ll also spend the next two years before the provincial election time seeing to the implementation of the legislation he shepherded into first and second readings. He’ll call the Premier when needed, and the Premier will pick up the phone.
It’s the midpoint of this term of government, cabinet shuffles happen as members who plan to retire step aside to make room for new Ministers who will stand for re-election. The Cabinet goes into fundraising mode for their political party. The years proceeding the election are the busiest.
If McMeekin stayed in Cabinet, he wouldn’t be able to ensure the implementation of his social housing changes, he wouldn’t have much time for his family, and he placed his Premier in a difficult position.
McMeekin’s decision to step aside now is a master move by a politician whose always remained focus on goals and never let power get to his head.
This isn’t the final chapter for McMeekin. Hamilton desperately needs an elder statesman – will McMeekin fulfill that role? Maybe even run for Mayor in 2018?


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Ted McMeekin's Resignation: Hamilton Without Cabinet Seat and Some 2018 Thoughts – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2016
“Hamilton’s without a seat at the [Ontario] cabinet table for the first time since the Common Sense Revolution”
This was my initial thought and starting premise of my first draft upon learning of Ted McMeekin’s resignation from the provincial cabinet Monday afternoon. The idea of Hamilton, Ontario’s fifth largest city, not having a seat at the table seems inconceivable, but here we are.
For the first time since the Mike Harris Common Sense Revolution of 1995, Hamilton doesn’t have a provincial cabinet minister. Hamilton was without a cabinet member from 1995 to 2001 when Brad Clark was named Minister of Transportation.
During the 1995-2001 period, Sheila Copps was federal Minister of Heritage.
McMeekin’s leaving cabinet means for the first time in living memory, Hamilton is without a seat in either the provincial or federal cabinet. At the very least, it’s a piece of political trivia. I’ve been thinking heavily on this moment, and I can’t determine how much significance I should attribute to it.
It’s not that the provincial government is excluding Hamilton – We only have one Liberal member provincially. There is an argument to be made there’s significance in that. Hamilton always had a cabinet seat under federal Liberal governments in the past.
Is it a sign of Hamilton’s decline in power which coincided with the decline in manufacturing? or is it that federal Hamilton votes NDP instead of Liberal? Former Mayor Larry Di Ianni often makes the argument Hamilton must vote for the governing party to have a seat at the table. (I poked at Di Ianni on Twitter on this topic)
A Hamilton MPP, Andrea Horwath, leads the Ontario NDP. MP David Christopherson is deputy leader of the federal NDP. Hamilton’s still a force in politics.
McMeekin’s decision to leave cabinet is a strong indicator he’ll retire from provincial politics in 2018. He will turn be 70 in 2018.
This opens the question – who will replace McMeekin as the provincial Liberal candidate in the riding of Hamilton West – Ancaster – Dundas? Speculation will focus upon Ward 1 Councillor Aidan Johnson whose almost-blind support of Premier Kathleen Wynne earns him a nickname as the “Councillor from the Liberal Party of Ontario”.
The Flamborough-Glanbrook riding is unfavourable to the Liberal Party of Ontario, especially running as the governing party. McMeekin carried Flamborough on his own strengths as a former mayor of Flamborough.
As for other seats in Hamilton, unless some completely unforeseen event occurs, the NDP will hold Hamilton Centre, Hamilton East – Stoney Creek, and Hamilton Mountain.
Ted McMeekin’s name will be floated for the 2018 mayoral race. Two of his former cabinet colleagues are now mayors – Linda Jeffrey in Brampton and Jim Watson in Ottawa. Jeffrey was Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
At 70, McMeekin’s age may be seen as a liability, but being mayor could be McMeekin’s way of  “aging successfully” and Hazel McCallion served as Mayor of Mississauga into her 90s.
With two years until both elections, Hamilton’s political machines are already working on their 2018 campaigns. City Hall is fully in election mode, and McMeekin’s announcement is definitely being calculated by all three main parties, and the various coalitions at City Hall.


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Terry Whitehead's Passionate Speech on Autism – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 7, 2016
Ward 8 Hamilton City Councillor Terry Whitehead spoke of his experiences as a parent of a child with autism as a group of parents spoke to Council asking for support to pressure the provincial government to reverse a decision to limit the therapy to only children under the age of 5.
From the June 6, 2016 meeting of Hamilton City Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee.


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The London Mayoral Sex Scandal and The Municipal Act – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

June 20, 2016
London’s 2014 cleanup of its scandal plagued City Council suffered a serious setback last week as it was learned that Mayor Matt Brown and Ward 5 Councillor Maureen Cassidy had an inappropriate sexual relationship with each other.
Cassidy resigned the ceremonial title of Deputy Mayor. Both have taken unpaid leaves of absence, saying they are focusing upon their families at this time. Neither have resigned from their elected offices.
The fallout of the scandal is underway at London City Hall with a motion expected to ask for an Integrity Commissioner investigations, and some saying the Mayor has lost the morale credibility needed to lead the City of 366,000 residents.
At the root of why this is a major scandal is London’s historic 2014 municipal election during which Londoners – fed up with a Council that became a provincial embarrassment following a series of scandals, most famously the Billy T’s illegal meeting and Mayor Joe Fortana’s conviction for defrauding taxpayers as an MP – elected new Councillors to 11 of 14 seats.
Mayor Brown was elected Mayor with 57.75% in a 15 candidate race with no incumbent. (Mayor Fortana being a convict). Brown’s campaign focused upon integrity and accountability.
Brown was elected because he was known as a reformer on Council and people put their faith in him to restore their confidence in City Hall. By getting himself into an affair scandal, he’s shattered that trust and broke the only promise that mattered.
Following the revelations, the mayor’s chief of staff is being reported as resigning.
The scandal is noteworthy provincially because London’s Council is being watched for hopes that it is possible to restore public confidence and integrity to a long-plagued Council.
London Council appointed an Integrity Commissioner early in this term, and there are multiple calls for the Integrity Commissioner to investigate the scandal.
The powers of an IC are set in Section 223 of The Municipal Act and while broad – for example, they have can issue summons under The Public Inquiries Act – they are limited to only investigating violations of Code of Conduct written by the Council which appoints them.
London’s Council Code of Conduct (Starts on Page 29 of this PDF) states:
Rule 2 – General Rules
2.1 Members shall serve and be seen to serve their constituents in a conscientious and diligent manner.
2.2 Members should be committed to performing their functions with integrity and to avoiding the improper use of the influence of their office, and conflicts of interest, including apparent conflicts of interest
2.3 Members shall not extend in the discharge of their official duties, preferential treatment to family members, organizations or groups in which they or their family members have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest.
2.4 Members are expected to perform their duties in office and arrange their private affairs in a manner that promotes public confidence and will bear close public scrutiny.
Mayor Brown and Councillor Cassidy’s conduct undermines public confidence, the Integrity Commissioner can choose to investigate the matter, but is not required to. City Councillor Josh Morgan is planning to move a motion asking for an investigation.
This will be a major test for Integrity Commissioner Gregory Stewart, of the law firm Donnelly Murphy, who is IC for a number of small municipalities in Middlesex, Oxford, and Perth counties.
Integrity Commissioners findings are released in a public report, which is then considered by the municipal council. Based upon the report, Section 223.4(5) gives Council the power to impose a maximum penalty of 90 days pay.
The Mayor cannot be removed from Office.
In late 2013, Toronto City Council stripped Mayor Rob Ford of many of his powers by, among other things, cutting the mayor’s office budget, giving responsibility for the mayor’s staff to the deputy mayor, removing Ford’s designates from the budget committee, and appointing the deputy mayor to chair certain committees.
Toronto council could not revoke the Mayor’s powers under Sections 133 and 134 of the City of Toronto Act – which is Toronto’s equivalent to the Municipal Act.
The Municipal Act Section 225 and 226 grant the same powers to the “head of council”.
London Council’s options are limited to following Toronto’s lead, but not anything further. A formal censure, a gesture with no statutory consequences, is not prevented by the Municipal Act. (Censure being separate from a reprimand under Section 223.4)
With the Mayor on a voluntary leave of absence. Section 242 states a Council can appoint an acting mayor to fulfill all the duties proscribed in sections 225 and 226.
Mayor Brown and Councillor Cassidy are taking voluntary unpaid leaves of absences. Section 259(1)(c) states “The office of a member of council of a municipality becomes vacant if the member is absent from the meetings of council for three successive months without being authorized to do so by a resolution of council”.
Mayor Brown was last present, according to the minutes page of the City of London, at a June 9 council committee meeting. This means, unless Council passes a resolution granting further leave, the Mayor must attend on or before the scheduled August 30 council meeting.
Councillor Cassidy attended the June 14 council meeting, and must attend another council on or before the scheduled September 13 meeting.
The Municipal Act does not provide for much that a council can do, outside of imposing penalties following an integrity commissioner report, in response to the misbehaviour of a member of council.
The true consequence for both Brown and Cassidy is the lose of respect and standing resulting from this affair, and the very high likelihood they’ll be removed from office for failing to live up to their campaign promise of bringing integrity back to City Hall.


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City Holding West Harbour "Conversation Couch" in July and August – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 5, 2016
The West Harbour Office is advertising a series of chats with Edward John, the housing and West Harbour planner, to discuss the various technical reports for the development.
The dates of the conversations are July 7, 21, August 4, and 18, from 3:30 to 5:30pm in front of the Evergreen Community Storefront at 294 James Street North.
The City’s poster is below:


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City Report: Main Street East "Two Way", International Village Gets LRT Stops Back – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 19, 2016
UPDATE: City says the report only refers to two-way traffic on the current two-way portion of Main Street East and the City does not plan to convert Main Street to two way where it is presently one-way. Interestingly, the report does mention Main Street West as two-way, and specifically only mentions where changes to one-way will be needed on King Street. The Public Record stands by its reporting. The headline is updated to reflect the City’s statement it will not be converting Main Street to two-way.
A City report includes  mention of Main Street as two-way alongside conversions of King Street West and East as part of Hamilton’s B-Line Light Rail Transit project.
On page 3 of the staff report Light Rail Transit (LRT) Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) Update (PED16171), report author Trevor Horzelenberg, senior project manager in the LRT office, states the LRT project will require “Two-way traffic on King Street West, King Street East and Main Street East (except in International Village)”. The statement does not include two-way on the existing two-way stretch of Main Street West.
The City says it is not considering or planning for two-way conversion of Main Street East, and that the only is only referring to the existing two-way portion of Main Street East.
The report states City staff are continuing traffic models for the lower city with LRT. The models are expected to be public in September.
The LRT routing and stops revised by the City in May included moving the planned LRT stop for the International Village BIA at Walnut Street out of the BIA to Catharine Street.
Susie Braithwaite, executive director of the BIA, spoke against the change during the May LRT sub-committee meeting and successfully pushed for a review.
From the review, LRT stops will be located at Wellington Street (instead of Victoria Street) and Mary Street, at both ends of the BIA. [Staff report PED16178]
There will be three types of LRT stops – Central Island Platforms for McMaster and Scott Park, and the A-Line Waterfront stop. Opposite-side platforms for Mary, Wellington, and the Queenston Traffic Circle, as well as A-Line West Harbour GO stop. Far-side platforms proposed for Longwood, Dundurn, Queen, James, Wentworth, Sherman, Ottawa, and Kenilworth, as well as on the A-Line at Cannon and Ferrie.
The use of a opposite-side platform at Queenston Traffic Circle is of interest. The Public Record emailed the LRT office asking how that will work at the end of a line and why it is proposed for that locations.
The LRT office released the schedule for public meetings on the LRT proposal following an expected early September release of detailed concept designs. The Public Record will broadcast live from the Tuesday, September 13 meetings at City Hall.


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Collins-Green-Farr Team Up to Fund 10 CityHousing Youth Pre-Apprenticeships Fixing Homes – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 7, 2016
UPDATE: the motion was approved by Council.
A walk-on motion by Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins, Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green, and Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr will see each use $17,500 in area rating funds to support the hiring of 10 youth from CityHousing units or on social assistance by The Threshold School of Building for a pre-apprenticeship program renovating 24 social housing units.
The program hopes to assist the youth in securing full apprenticeships following the program .
The Hamilton Community Foundation is already committed to $35,000 for the program.
The motion will be voted on at Friday’s Council meeting. Since they are using “their” area-rating funds, the vote is a formality.


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Congratulations to Hamilton's Jessy Lanza on making the Polaris Short List – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 23, 2016
Hamilton synth-pop singer Jessy Lanza is on the short list of 10 for the Polaris Music Prize. The winner of the Polaris Prize receives $50,000. All other short listed artists receive $3,000.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsgG5qlVRSY
Lanza was profiled last week by the Toronto Star’s Pop Music Critic Ben Rayner:
“I really had no idea whatsoever what we were doing.”
So confesses Jessy Lanza of the tentative creative process that birthed her enormously acclaimed 2013 debut album Pull My Hair Back — a process that, all things considered, worked out pretty well, given the rave reviews that piled up behind the record in pretty much every high-profile international outlet you can name.
It eventually wound its way to a perch alongside the likes of Drake, the Arcade Fire and Tanya Tagaq on the 2014 Polaris Music Prize short list. Her recently released follow-up LP, Oh No, just made this year’s short list too. Not bad for your first two tries, eh?
H/T Hamilton Blues Lovers Blog


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Federal Electoral Reform Page Launch – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
The House of Commons is reviewing the federal electoral system with the possibility of formally proposing changes to how we elect federal Members of Parliament.
To this end, the Government of Canada launched a webpage early today on the topic and the Special Committee on Electoral Reform which is mandated “to identify and conduct a study of viable alternate voting systems to replace the first-past-the-post system, as well as to examine mandatory voting and online voting.”
The webpage is here: http://www.democraticinstitutions.gc.ca/eng/content/electoral-reform


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Fraser Institute to Release Report Thursday on Municipal Regulations and Housing Costs – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
The Fraser Institute, a conservative think-tank, issued the following statement to media this morning:
CALGARY—On Thursday, July 7, the Fraser Institute will release a new study (the first of its kind in Canada) spotlighting the effects of municipal regulations on housing affordability in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
The study, The Impact of Land-Use Regulation on Housing Supply in Canada, analyzes land-use regulation in 68 municipalities (including 18 of Canada’s largest).
With 18 of Canada’s largest municipalities looked at in their study, it seems likely Hamilton is included in the study.


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Good News for City's Next Debt Issue – Standard and Poor's Ups Hamilton Rating in AA to Positive – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 15, 2016
The City of Hamilton is now rated AA+ by Standard and Poors, this is an upgrade to the City’s credit rating. The City says S&P made the upgrade due to many factors including Hamilton’s “very strong economy, exceptional liquidity, strong financial management, and very low debt burden.”
The rating is a key metric for the City has it determines how interest rates the City is charged when issuing new debt and how well that debt will sell.
The City is issuing debt this year to help finance upgrades to the municipal water treatment plant.


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Hamilton Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 11, 2016
Hamilton’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities will discuss Hamilton’s Light Rail Transit Project during their July meeting with a presentation from the LRT office.
The meeting beings at 4 p.m. on Tuesday July 12. The Public Record will broadcast.
Here’s the full agenda PDF.


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Hamilton City Council Audit, Finance and Administration Committee for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 7, 2016
Council’s AF&A committee meets for one report on their July agenda – the budget variance report as of April 30, 2016.
Overall, the city budget is expected to be 0.2% above budget at year end. Staff state:
Primary contributors to this negative variance are the projected deficits in Corporate Financials/Non Program Revenues -$2.3 M, Public Works -$2.4 M, City Manager -$244 K, Farmer’s Market -$137 K, and Public Health Services -$118 K. Partially offsetting the deficit are savings in Capital Financing $3.1 M, Corporate Services $388 K, Planning and Economic Development $181 K and Community and Emergency Services $98 K.
Of particular note, the HSR is expecting to be $1.6-million over budget due to $1.1-million in lower than expected fare collection and a half-million in increase parts costs. The Public Record is following this up, and published a story on this variance.
The Public Record is not broadcasting this meeting as it is at the same time as the Development Industry Liaison Group discussion on inclusionary zoning.


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Hamilton City Council Emergency and Community Services for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
Council’s EC&S committee will discuss many important items during their July meeting including the future of Kiwanis Homes and restructuring their housing stock, an update on poverty and employment statistics in priority neighbourhoods, the Hamilton housing allowance program, and more.
Replay Video.


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Hamilton City Council for July 8, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 8, 2016
Hamilton City Council meets to debate and ratify their committee work of the past week. This is the only City Council ratification meeting for the month of July.
Live at 9:30am.


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Hamilton City Council GIC for July 4, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 4, 2016
Council meets to discuss postal banking, Incentives for Hamilton Health Sciences downtown offices, city enrichment fund grants above 30%, the Hamilton Police Service 2015 surplus and more.
Live video at 9:30am


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Hamilton City Hall – Development Industry Liaison Group for July 2016 [Live Video] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
Inclusionary Zoning is the only item on the agenda for this special meeting of Planning and Economic Development’s Development Industry Liaison Group meeting.
This is the first public opportunity for the development industry to publicly ask city staff questions on IZ and how staff are planning to approach the matter in an expected report to Council.
Replay Video.


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Hamilton Cleanliness and Security in the Downtown Core Task Force for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 5, 2016
The summer meeting of the Hamilton Cleanliness and Security in the Downtown Core Task Force is an outdoor walk around of the Central Business District. The second item on the agenda is a “property crime at the International Village BIA office”.
The meeting starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 11 at the Veteran’s Memorial Wall at Gore Park. The walkaround and meeting is open to the public.
Here’s the agenda package in PDF format.


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Hamilton Design Review Panel for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
Hamilton’s Design Review Panel is meeting on Thursday July 14, which is news on its own since the last time they met was in March and previous to that, December.
Two developments on the agenda – a proposed student residences at 210 Main Street East and a mixed-use development on the former All-Saints Church at 15 Queen Street South on the southeast corner with King Street.
The present site of the Days Inn Hamilton, a block and a half  is presenting to DRP in a “pre-consultation” setting to get feedback on their proposed project for  a “student residency”.
This session is scheduled for 3:10pm at City Hall and is open to the public for observation only.
Also a pre-consultation, the Anglican Diocese of Niagara is presenting their plans for the former site of All Saints Anglican Church to DRP. The proposal was originally made public in 2009 at 12 stories. The Strathcona neighbourhood rumour-mill is saying the Diocese is looking to go taller.
This session is scheduled for 4:25pm at City Hall and is open to the public for observation only.
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


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Hamilton Disability Committee Meets With LRT Office, Some Questions Answer, Many Not Due to Lack of Info from HSR – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 13, 2016
The Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) met with the Hamilton LRT project office during the regularly schedule July ACPD meeting.
The LRT office made their standard presentation – which regular viewers of The Public Record are familiar with – to the committee and then discussion immediately began.
The question and answer session which followed was noteworthy for three discussions and a theme to Metrolinx’s ‘we don’t have the answer’ responses.
The two discussions of note involved how mobility devices will interact with LRT vehicles and how people will travel up to 400 metres to an LRT station on King Street with the planned end of 1-King service along the LRT route.
The answer came from the Metrolinx representatives who explained the platforms and trains will be level, allowing for a roll-on-roll-off boarding experience similar to subways and the Spadina streetcars in Toronto.
The representative explained that tracks and platforms will be maintained to ensure they are level at stations. Following the meeting, I asked who will be maintaining the level standard. Specifically, I cited the City of Hamilton Public Works record of not inspecting sidewalks (costing hundreds of thousands in lawsuit settlements), and how can we be assured the inspections will be done.
The answer – Metrolinx will be doing the inspections and maintaining the capital systems of the LRT. Like so many other components of the LRT, the answer that Hamilton Public Works isn’t doing the job is reassuring.
A major problem on the HSR is bypasses of persons using wheelchairs by full buses or buses with both wheelchair spots occupied by either other Advwheelchairs or, more often, walkers and strollers.
@CP24 Wheelchair bound person resorts to playing 'chicken' with #TTC bus after being 'passed by'(waiting) 2 hrs. pic.twitter.com/OuTtLRyaPT
— CK Mitchko (@cclefplay) July 5, 2016
On the same day in which Toronto’s news cycle included the story of a man who waited hours being bypassed by buses and eventually put his wheelchair on the road in front of a bus to demand service from the TTC, ACPD asked how the LRT will ensure people with wheelchairs are not in a similar situation, especially closer to McMaster.
The answer was not direct and took awhile to get to. The short – the LRT cars allow for passenger movement between cars so there should not be the grouping of persons that is problematic on HSR buses, and LRT has numerous more spaces for wheelchairs.
There was new information in the answer – no matter if Metrolinx or the HSR operate the LRT, it will be subject to Metrolinx’s Passenger Charter.
Safety on the vehicle was another discussion. Much feedback was given to Metrolinx in regards to seatbelt device for wheelchairs, and that the design must enable passengers to be able to fasten themselves, otherwise drivers will have to spend a great time of deal assisting and this will delay LRT trains.
Members of ACPD outlined numerous safety concerns and problems with wheelchair restraints on HSR vehicles – especially new HSR buses where the restraint is attached to the wheelchair armrests. ACPD members are concerned the restraint could rip over the chair.
One of the Metrolinx’s staffers suggested members of ACPD contact HSR Customer Service with their concerns. They caused almost the entire membership of the committee to break out in laughter, HSR Customer Service isn’t known for its customer service ability.
Which brings us to the number one non-answer of the night.
Numerous times during the meeting, members of ACPD asked questions about service changes to HSR and integration of HSR feeder buses into the LRT system.
The answer from Metrolinx staff was they didn’t have the answer, HSR hasn’t made any concepts public, and HSR staff were not present at the meeting.
What about those who presently use the 1-King and can’t walk up to 400 metres? HSR not present.
Will there be stretches of the LRT route with local HSR buses that are feeder routes from elsewhere? HSR not present and doesn’t have those answers.
After the meeting, I asked City of Hamilton LRT communications manager why the HSR has not been present at these meetings and when the public can expect some answers from the HSR. (Prior to her promotion to LRT communications manager, Anderson was Public Works spokesperson.)
Anderson says the HSR will be joining the LRT conversation in September and will start providing answers to questions related to the future of HSR as it relates to integration with the LRT. The HSR will have representatives at all public consultations as well.
ACPD’s discussion on LRT was fruitful, their questions insightful and based in lived experiences, and Metrolinx be wise to regularly present themselves to the full ACPD for feedback during the next 18 months of finalizing plans.


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Hamilton Light Rail Transit Committee for July 2016 [Live Video] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 25, 2016
The LRT sub-committee meeting for July includes a staff report confirming Main Street East will need to be converted to two-way traffic, another staff report stating the International Village will get both its LRT stops back at Wellington Street and Mary Street.
Full Story on The Public Record: City Report: Main Street East Converting to Two-Way, International Village Gets LRT Stops Back
The meeting will begin with two delegations – one from Mary Aduckiewicz of Denningers and one from Kelly Bistas of P&A Plastics Inc. Councillors will receive numerous correspondence items from citizens and businesses on the LRT, and receive a staff presentation on community outreach, and debate two staff reports on stop locations and layout.
The meeting begins at 1:00pm on Tuesday, July 26, 2016.
Full agenda on City website here: http://hamilton.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1005&doctype=AGENDA


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Hamilton Mountain MPP Monique Taylor Profiled by Jane Taber in Globe and Mail – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 8, 2016
Monique Taylor, the NDP MPP for Hamilton Mountain, was relentless in her fight with the Wynne government over its changes to funding for Ontario’s new autism program – so much so that she was kicked out of the legislature during a particularly heated Question Period when she refused to stop yelling across the aisle at the government.
Thus opens a profile of Taylor in today’s The Globe and Mail as part of Jane Taber’s series “Women in Politics”.
I won’t post spoilers here, I strongly encourage you to read the full column to learn more about the struggles Taylor overcame and her perseverance in becoming Hamilton Mountain’s MPP.


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Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee for July 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 28, 2016
Hamilton’s Municipal Heritage Committee will approve many heritage building permits – for minor (actually minor) alternations and renovations of existing designated building -, move forward the process of formally designating 21 Stone Church West and 140 Locke Street South, and receive updates on the status of vulnerable heritage buildings across Hamilton.
Live video starts at 12 noon.


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Hamilton Port Authority Reviewing HPA Land Use Plan – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site
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July 8, 2016
The Hamilton Port Authority is reviewing its Land Use Plan written in 2002 and looking for community feedback.
The Port says it plans to update the plan to reflect changes since 2002 including the HPA acquiring new lands, the development of the West Harbour into a recreation and community attraction, and security requirements in the age of concern about terrorism.
On the Port website, there is information on the land use plan review. The site includes a link to the 2002 land use plan and an online survey for public feedback on land use priorities.


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Hamilton Street Railway Expecting Transit Fare Shortfall of $1.1-million in 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
The HSR is expecting to see a $1.6-million shortfall in 2016 with the majority of the shortfall due to lower than expected fare revenues.
Public works, in the first quarter variance report (pg 6), says there is a projected shortfall of $1.1-million in fare collection, that sick and overtime is projected to be $582,000 over budget, and a projected increase in parts will cost another $496,000.
The HSR is expected to save $367,000 in staff vacancies, and $171,000 in fuel.
City communications manager Jen Rescine says the HSR is experiencing lower than expected ridership growth. “Ridership has not increased as forecast. A Fare Task Force is reviewing the model and what the driving factors are for the variance. Council approved the Transit By-law report in April 2016, which will assist staff in addressing the regulation of fares and the use of fare media ie. PRESTO.”
Rescine says parts costs are increasing because “the unit cost replacement of parts for buses is increasing significantly as there is a need to purchase an ‘assembly unit’ versus a specific part, ie. previously, if a light bulb burned out, you would replace the bulb. Now, the entire ‘assembly unit’ is required.”


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HSR Finally Hiring Social Media, Into Bureaucracy Not Transit Operations – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 14, 2016
The HSR’s social media position is posted to the City’s jobs webpage this morning and it differs from David Dixon’s plan for the position as it outlined to the Amalgamated Transit Union and The Public Record in May.
A big change from the plan is that the HSR social media coordinator is no longer part of the HSR operations group, and will instead be part of the HSR’s bureaucracy housed within “Transit Strategy and Infrastructure” – the same group bringing us lipstick on a pig “HSR+” this fall.
This indicates that City Hall overruled Dixon prior to his departure, or acting transit director Gerry Davis changed the plan after Dixon left.
There’s a big difference between Transit Operations – where Dixon planned to place the position – and Transit Strategy.
Ops is where the new HSR is, the one Dixon was building before finally giving up fighting City Hall. Operations puts the buses on the road, manages the detours, and decides when to short-turn buses which are running late. Operations is what matters to riders and where the HSR needs to be communicating to the public.
Strategy, they’re the people that brought us the MacNab Transit Terminal and the promised since 2013 new B-Line and A-Line bus shelters. Strategy is the old “good enough for the likes of you” management who claim the HSR is one of North America’s best managed transit systems.
Will the position prioritize marketing and paper pushing over day-to-day real-time transit information such as detours and bus delay updates that we actually need?
The position will not be based at the Downtown Transit Terminal has was envisioned – the HSR has an operations centre (currently dormant) on the second level of the MacNab Street building with all the infrastructure for transit operations control and monitoring.
Being at the MacNab terminal would’ve seen the social media coordinator able to monitor and update on delays to the HSR system and ensure they were regularly communicating with drivers and passengers.
Instead, as part of the HSR bureaucracy, the position will be based at the Mountain Transit Centre near the airport. This also means the person will likely join the HSR bureaucracy in using city-issued cars instead of public transit to move around the city.
(Seriously, HSR bureaucrats drive city vehicles to meetings at City Hall instead of riding the HSR. Dixon tried to force bureaucrats to ride the bus without much success.)
The position is also outside of the union, reflecting that it is not an operational position.
This means the person hired will not have union protection if, while bringing the HSR into the modern age, they ruffle a few City Hall feathers by actually engaging in proper social media communications similar to what we see from the TTC in Toronto.
The job description says nothing about the person training HSR operations on-road supervisors in social media. Dixon planned to have on-road supervisors trained to post social media updates for detours and significant delays outside of City Hall’s 8:30-4:30 (with an hour lunch break) social media hours.
Not everything can be in the job description, but this was a huge part of Dixon’s plan. Dixon was promoting bus drivers to the unionized supervisors positions using the criteria of customer service and willingness to learn social media as key touchstones.
Firstly, the City didn’t put its usual requirement that the person have a drivers license.
The pay is above average – compared to the private sector – for the work. That’s in keeping with the City’s practice of compensating HSR managers well. Hopefully, this will attract strong candidates with a private sector mindset and initiative.
The hiring will be done quickly, the job is only open to public applications for seven days.
The position needs to be in place and fully operational by the middle of August. This is very important, once Labour Day arrives, HSR returns to regular schedules, fares increase, and – if Dixon’s plan wasn’t cancelled – some bus routes will change to reflect where people are travelling to and from.
Until September, we are left to wonder and speculated what the first tweet will be? We’ll quickly learn ‘What is an HSR social media’?
(I know, don’t quit my day job.)


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LRT No Side Holds First Organizational Meeting [Full Video] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 14, 2016
Tuesday night, July 12, 2016, 26 people (including your reporter) gathered in the hall of Erskine Presbyterian Church on Pearl Street North for the first organizational meeting of the No LRT in Hamilton movement.
Sitting at the front table – the three lead organizers of the No LRT movement and Ward 7 Councillor Donna Skelly who gave the main speech of the evening. 2/3rds of the people present are LRT opponents and 1/3rd LRT supporters. The supporters sat in the back row, with two standing at the back of the row.
As public gatherings go, this was an interesting one and productive for all involved. There were moments of strong discourse, and even some disrespectful dialogue, but in the end there was calm dialogue and a good start to what is likely to be a very heated few months of political division as City Council stirs this issue.
The result of the meeting is that the No LRT in Hamilton movement agreed to mobilize to have a presence at summer festivals to gather signatures on a petition to stop the LRT, that more communication will occur, and when at festivals, they’ll work to distribute No LRT in Hamilton signs.
Of note for the long-term LRT debate, beyond the organizing of the No Side, is the strong opposition of Skelly. Ward 7 Councillor Donna Skelly says Hamiltonians need to pressure all three provincial leaders to commit to Hamilton getting the $1-billion after the 2018, to end the “all-or-nothing” element of the debate.
Skelly told the crowd Hamilton has higher priorities and Council should be able to determine how to best spend $1-billion.
I’m clipped out Skelly’s opening address outlining the reason she is against building the B-Line LRT at this time:
Former Regional Chair, and current CEO of the Hamilton Community Foundation Terry Cooke spoke to the crowd during the discussion period, opening by citing his leadership on another mass transportation project – the Red Hill Valley Parkway – saying LRT represents a once in a generation opportunity for Hamilton.
Directly addressing Skelly, Cooke said if he were on Council, he wouldn’t want to be pass on this opportunity.
Here’s the full replay of the meeting.


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Redeemer University at a Critical Crossroad as President Leaves "By Mutual Agreement" – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 18, 2016
CLARIFICATION:
The Public Record used AUCC numbers originally, Redeemer provided their numbers which include part-time, co-op, and off-campus study students. Updates are clearly marked in the story.
Hubert R. Krygsman is departing as President of Redeemer University College in the second year of his second five-year term leading the  726 undergraduate student liberal arts university located in Hamilton.
The university made the announcement in a short email statement this afternoon.
Redeemer University College today announced that — by mutual agreement between the Board of Governors and President Hubert R. Krygsman — President Krygsman will step down from the office of President of Redeemer University College, effective October 31, 2016.
This decision comes after several years in which Redeemer has experienced significant challenges in enrolment and operating budget, and in the broader post-secondary landscape and cultural environment.
Redeemer is a full degree granting university and a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.
The past few years have been difficult for the institution as competition for undergraduate students has increased across Ontario as institutions create more student spaces to pad their budgets.
Redeemer’s enrollment dropped to  726 students in fall 2015, from a peak of  959 in both  2012.
Redeemer’s decreased enrollment is putting pressure on the institution’s budget, as discussed in this 2014 student newspaper article.
Redeemer is a private institution and students pay an average of $15,982 per year in tuition compared to the average $6,482 a year at Ontario’s public universities. Redeemer had a previous arrangement – later disallowed by Canada Revenue Agency – that allow parents to donate to a foundation which then contributed the funds to their child’s education.
Private Christian universities are also facing a reputation challenge because of Trinity Western University’s legal battles to have its law school recognized by the law societies in Ontario and British Columbia.
Trinity prohibits sexual activity between same-sex married couples. The Law Society of Upper Canada ruled this to be discriminatory and barred graduates of the law school from joining the Bar in Ontario. The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the LSUC decision in a June ruling.
Krygsman’s contract was renewed in 2015, and last week was his annual performance review. While the details remain confidential. by early July, most institutions have a clear indication of their fall 2016 enrollment figures – if they were not improving, the Board would need to implement major changes to address enrollment.
The challenge facing Redeemer will be finding a new president with the charisma and plan to attract new students, secure new donations to sustain and grow the campus, manage the internal tensions which will result from tight budgeting this year, and waive the fine line of appealing to both traditional Christians and progressive Christians in mapping a future for Redeemer as an institution rooted in Christian morality within the modernizing social norms of younger Christians.
The challenge is great, but so is the opportunity. Canada is without any public teaching liberal arts colleges, all of our small universities now have faculty contracts in place focused upon tenured research and sessionals teaching.
For Hamilton, Redeemer is a major contributor to our local economy, its students play a significant role in our community events as both participants and volunteers. The City may need to step up and help the institution, not by direct funding, but with better city services such as, finally, providing full HSR service to the campus as students have requested for years.
Additional:
[Tues, Jul 19, 1900GMT] – I’ve enjoyed a fruitful dialogue with Redeemer’s communications manager and numerous Redeemer alumni during the past 24 hours. There’s definitely a lot of work happening behind the scenes to address Redeemer’s decreasing enrollment.
A very good read is a post entitled “I Heard Redeemer is in Trouble” by Redeemer’s communications staff in September of 2015 on the topic of decreasing enrollment and budget cuts. Here’s an excerpt, I encourage you to visit their site and read the full post:
During the 2014-15 academic year, difficult choices had to be made. In direct response to shrinking tuition revenue, nine staff and faculty were released. Such decisions, although they help bring greater financial stability, always come at an unwanted price: individuals suffer personal loss, hurt and grief, and our community as a whole grieves their loss and feels uncertain about the future.
After 20 years of stable and growing enrolment, the accreditation of degree programs and the graduation of thousands of students who are impacting their communities, navigating these choppy waters is a relatively unfamiliar challenge for Redeemer. Our communication hasn’t been as timely or informative as needed, and mistakes were made in not sharing these challenges more fully. As a result, students, alumni, supporters, community members and others have heard only that “Redeemer is in trouble,” but they aren’t sure why or what the future holds.
We want to take this opportunity to address those questions, rumours and concerns. You share in our mission and calling. It is important that we share what is happening with you. We also want you to know that Redeemer remains a vibrant, dynamic institution that is confidently moving forward to carry out our Reformed Christian mission in the changing world of higher education.
Four primary challenges face Redeemer in the current context of higher education in Ontario.


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Stressful Year for Trees in Hamilton: How The City Is Responding – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 6, 2016
Note: since I spoke with Murdoch Tuesday morning, the Hamilton Conservation Authority formally activated a Low Water Level alert.
I had the chance to briefly speak with the City of Hamilton’s Director of Environmental Services Craig Murdoch this morning about how his forestry division is responding to the current dry spell Hamilton is experiencing, specifically how the department is ensuring trees planted in recent years survive the dry spell.
Murdoch says the City requests residents to water trees planted by the City in front of homes and provides residents receiving a tree from the City’s free program a brochure explaining how to nurture and maintain the trees.  (The Sacramento Tree Foundation offers good advice on how to water a tree.)
For young trees in parks and other City-maintained public spaces, Murdoch says forestry waters the trees, on a 5-to-6 day cycle during dry spells, by filling watering bags (similar to those pictured right) which provide for a steady supply of moisture to support the trees until they form the deep root systems that enable older trees to endure dry spells.
Murdoch says that on average 14% of new trees do not survive their first two years.
Personally, I’ve noted a few dead trees in parks and it seems the dry spell is pushing that failure rate.
Murdoch is encouraging residents to water trees in front of their homes. The City’s lawn watering bylaw applies, meaning:
Hamilton’s Water Works By-law No. R84-026 restricts lawn and garden watering, car washing and sidewalk or roadway washing to every other day:
For those residents without a municipal address:
While there are no time restrictions, unless notified by letter or through the media, it is best to water in the early morning or late evening when the water demand is lower.


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Woman In Hospital After Being Struck by HSR Bus at MacNab Terminal – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

July 21, 2016
A woman is in hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a bus at the MacNab Transit Terminal shortly before 10 a.m. this morning.
The incident is being investigated by Hamilton Police.
The woman, in her 20s, was struck on the drivers side of the bus a few metres south of the pedestrian crossing at King Street. She was struck to the west of the island dividing the two sides of the terminal.
Witnesses state her foot was run over by the wheels of the bus. Bystanders assisted the woman until firefighters and paramedics arrived. First responders carefully treated and immobilized the woman before transporting her to hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries.
Hamilton Police reopened the east side of the MacNab Terminal shortly before 11am, the west side remains closed for the ongoing investigation.
The Hamilton Police investigation is ongoing.


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A Concept Plan for 30 Stories just south of St. Joseph's Hospital – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 2, 2016
It represents only a concept plan, there is no planning application. It is not constrained by official plans, finances, heritage concerns, or good old-fashion Hamilton political hand shaking.
Nonetheless, it’s a plan worth noting, thinking about, and discussing, because it starts a conversation about potential high-intensity redevelopment of Hamilton’s low-density downtown blocks.
SvN Architects + Planners posted a Master Plan for the Charlton/John/Forest/Hughson Block which shows a 30-storey mixed-use tower to anchor the block at the corner of Hughson Street South and Forest Avenue.
The building would replace older brick houses used as professional offices along Hughson and Forest, retain the heritage houses used by St. Joseph’s on Charlton Avenue East, and a second phrase mid-rise on the courtyard and a partially demolished portion of the (Anglican) Church of the Ascension.
The concepts were done for a company called Nostra.
With high density institutional to the south in St. Joseph’s Hospital and tall residential mid-rise building to the south, only three blocks from the GO Centre, this is a prime block for high-intensity building.
SvN recently completed work as the consultant for the City’s Tall Building Study. They also presented to Council on municipal bonusing during the May special Planning Committee meeting on inclusionary zoning and density bonusing.
Further, SvN is the firm where the City of Hamilton’s General Manager of Planning and Economic Development practiced prior to joining the City’s senior management team.
They are not getting any special treatment from City Hall, planning firms often act as consultants for the City, and Thorne’s previous employment with the firm doesn’t give them special access. It does mean they have a good idea of how Thorne views planning, but even there, there isn’t much discretion to the GM in the new planning policies being passed.
SvN’s knowledge of tall buildings, knowledge of the Planning Act, and the Provincial Growth Plan, means that while this officially represents ‘just a concept’, it’s well worth watching this block for development once the City finalizes the updates to planning policies in the coming few months.

created: August 2, 2016


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Awaiting Ruling from Court of Appeal on Hamilton v. Canada Post – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 31, 2016
Hamilton’s City Solicitor tells Metroland’s Hamilton Community News that she is “hopeful to see a decision in two to four weeks” in the City’s legal battle against Canada Post.
The Ontario Court of Appeal (ONCA) heard submissions in the City’s Hail Mary appeal of a lower court ruling in favour of Canada Post on February 2, 2016 in Toronto.
The Superior Court of Justice ruled in 2015 that the City’s special bylaw against Canada Post was ultra vires (outside the City’s jurisdiction) a violation of numerous legal principles and violated federal powers by trying to interfere unjustly with the operations of a federal program.
The ONCA will post a notice of decision to its website for both the parties and public to be aware a ruling will be released within the coming business days.
You can follow the ONCA website which is updated usually midday each business day –  http://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions_index/notice.htm
Metroland’s Hamilton Community News shes the City Solicitor  ‘noted the length of time may also indicate that the court is giving the case full consideration and that it could rule in the city’s favour.’
This is an interesting statement by the City Solicitor because a delay could be for the ONCA to consider a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling in a very similar case pertaining to the same principles of law.
In ruling released June 16, 2016, Rogers Communications Inc. v. Châteauguay (City) 2016 SCC 23, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that municipalites cannot frustrate federal exercise of powers.
The SCC ruled that locations of cellphone towers is “at the core of the federal power over radiocommunication” [para 66] and “the notice of a reserve compromised the orderly development and efficient operation of radiocommunication and impaired the core of the federal power over radiocommunication in Canada”. [para 67]
Substitute postal service for radiocommunication and you have the clear case law the OCA will follow when making its ruling in Hamilton appeal.
The lawyer who won this case at the Supreme Court of Canada, John Laskin, is also representing Canada Post against the City of Hamilton and won the 2015 ONSC hearing in Hamilton.
The ONCA must consider the SCC ruling in his own decision.
The City is acting like a football team down 14 – 0 with 2:00 remaining on the clock. They believe they can still win the game, and no amount of reality will discourage them from believing that can make two Hail Mary plays before time expires.


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City of Hamilton Gives Replaced Fire Gear to Firefighters Without Borders – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 10, 2016
A good news story out of City Hall. Hamilton’s Fire Department is giving used firefighting gear – which is scheduled for disposal in according with National Fire Protection Association standards – to Firefighters Without Borders.
FWB gives the equipment to other countries that have little to no firefighting equipment.
It’s a win-win for the all involved, the City saves on disposal costs, and the equipment (while not ideal) is able to assist firefighting in other nations.


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Councillor Brenda Johnson Wants Better Process for Choosing Election Compliance Audit Committee – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 10, 2016
During the August 8, 2015, City Council discussed a scathing report by the Ontario Ombudsman regarding an illegal closed meeting of the Election Compliance Audit Committee.
The ECAC is a Council-appointed committee which is suppose to ensure municipal election candidate follow the rules of the Municipal Elections Act.
Hamilton ECAC committee chair, Ross Anderson, can barely coordinate a meeting, iss dismissive of complaints, apologetic towards candidates facing review, and numerous times declared the committee’s role isn’t to be the “sheriff of election compliance”.
Now, we have a ruling by the Ontario Ombudsman that ECAC operated outside of the Municipal Act in holding an secret illegal closed meeting on July 15, 2015.
ECAC is accountability theatre, and at least one Councillor wants to fix the process of Council appointing its own election overseers.
Ward 11 Councillor Brenda Johnson spoke publicly during Monday’s  before Council moved into closed session to discuss the Ombudsman’s public report (because this is Hamilton).
“Is there any movement on the process of selecting who is on this committee?”, Johnson asked the City Solicitor. “Right or wrong, the perception of us selecting is wrong.”
Johnson explained that in 2011, she was told there would be changes to how ECAC is appointed, and that she has never been comfortable with Councillors appointing the committee which then oversees them.
In Hamilton, the Election Compliance Audit Committee is chosen directly by City Councillors on the Selection Committee and then rubber stamped by Council.
In Ottawa, the selection process to a three person staff committee consisting of the City Clerk and Solicitor (one person), the Auditor General (an independent officer of Council), and the Deputy City Clerk.
This non-political panel then advises Council of the appointments in a report which includes the qualifications of committee appointees.
The Ottawa committee is chaired by Jean-Pierre Kingsley, the former head of Elections Canada. The other members include a retired Commissioner of Finance and Treasurer for the Region of York, retired Chief Administrative Officer of the City of Clarence-Rockland, retired Assistant Deputy Minister in the Federal government, and retired City Director of Legal and Constitutional Law of the Nunavut Territorial Government.
Should Hamilton adopt the Ottawa model and have an independent process for appointing the Election Compliance Audit Committee?
If Councillor Brenda Johnson gets traction on her push for a pretty process, it seems quiet likely.


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Crawford, Wilson, McGreal, and Graefe Talk Engagement on the Graham Crawford Show Podcast – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 15, 2016
Graham Crawford’s podcast The Graham Crawford Show discusses public engagement in Hamilton during this week’s “Civic Panel” episode with regular panels Maureen Wilson, Ryan McGreal, and Peter Greafe.
They share their experiences with various types of Hamilton City Hall engagement reaching from 30 years ago to today, meaningful to engagement theatre.
Take a listen:
Subscribe to the Graham Crawford Show via RSS in your favourite podcatcher.


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Draft Hamilton Tall Buildings Study Earns Few Fans [Video] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 2, 2016
Go taller, that was the feedback from property owners back in late April during the public unveiling of the draft version of the Hamilton Tall Building Guidelines.
At 91 pages, the study is extensive and also readable by the layperson with many diagrams and figures to explain the guidelines in visual form.
The guide goes into detail about good urban design, pedestrian friendly development, and the importance of protecting the downtown’s many character areas.
However, the guide also suggest restrictions on height based upon the size of properties which left many in the room wondering where there would be a tall building in the downtown if the property size restricts height.
Overall, the mood in the room was that the guideline needed work to allow for more height, with many developers and their agents complaining the guidelines are contradictory as the building envelop plan rules out nearly every property in the study area from having a tall building. Even representatives of the neighbourhood associations present were concerned that the study fails to allow tall buildings on vacant parking lots due to the envelopment requires.
Consultants for the City, SvN Architects + Planners, took the feedback under advisement.
The guidelines are now under revision, Hamilton’s City Clerk will not disclosure the outstanding business list for Council committees and we do not know when this item is scheduled for consideration by Council.
Editors Note: The Public Record covers nearly every public meeting at City Hall. This causes a backlog in work during weeks of many meetings. This is an item which got caught in that backlog.


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Hamilton Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities for August 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 8, 2016
Hamilton’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities will receive an update on the City’s elevator by-law – specifically how the City will require signage explaining the bylaw in devices with frequent breakdowns and these will be in braille – and a presentation from the Light Rail Transit on streetscaping high-level planning along the Hamilton LRT corridor.
Due to Planning Committee overlapping with ACPD, this meeting will not be recorded.
Full Agenda PDF

created: August 8, 2016


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Hamilton City Council Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee for August 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 10, 2016
Council’s Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee will debate a $1-million loan request from CityHousing Hamilton to fund water saving initiatives and a request from the owner of 52 Cannon Street West for an exemption from development charges.
Live video starts at 9:30am
(Agenda on City website)


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Hamilton City Council Emergency and Community Services Committee for August 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 10, 2016
Council’s EC&S Committee will look at changes to the “Municipal Housing Facilities By-law” to better reflect changes to CityHousing Hamilton financial sources and  management and other legislative changes in the past decade – planning for more capital funding for CityHousing in 2017, continuing to operate the Snow Angel Program in-house, and more.
Live video starts at 9:30am
(Agenda on City website)


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Hamilton City Council for August 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 12, 2016
Hamilton City Council meets to ratify their committee work from the past week.
Live video starts at 9:30am


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Hamilton City Council GIC for August 8, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 7, 2016
Council’s only full GIC meeting for the month of August is jammed packed: LRT preliminary traffic modelling, Accessible Transit Services Review Update, renaming Hamilton Place, Postal Banking, status of Employment Lands, forming a Land Development Task Force, selling Charlton Hall, Canada 150, WiFi in Gage Park, and a scathing report from the Ontario Ombudsman about an secret illegal meeting of the Election Compliance Audit Committee.
Full Replay

created: August 7, 2016


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Hamilton City Council Planning Committee for August 9, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 9, 2016
Live video of City Council’s Planning Committee meeting.

created: August 9, 2016


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Hamilton City Council Public Works Committee for August 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 11, 2016
Full video of City Council’s August Public Works Committee meeting:


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Hamilton Committee of Adjustment for August 4, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

August 4, 2016
Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment will hear 23 variance applications during its first meeting of August. Here are some of the applications that drew the attention of The Public Record’s Joey Coleman.
(Note: Variance applications are often vague and without a full history of a project, it is easy for an observer to miss a file of note that is well known to neighbours of the project)
(page 23 of 122)  — APPROVED
A severance application in older Ancaster, this file could see opposition from neighbours and the Ward Councillor Lloyd Ferguson due to a desire to retain the large lot sizes of older parts of Ancaster. The Committee of Adjustment has turned down severances in Ancaster, upholding the letter of the official plan.
In this severance, one lot has a frontage of 17.9m and the other 16.4m, the official plan sets a minimum of 18.0m. One lot will have a northerly side yard of 1.1m instead of the required 1.5m.
This hearing is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
(page 51 of 122) — TABLED for clarification of variances
One block east of McMaster University, the owner of this single family house is requesting a variance to “convert the existing attached garage into living space for the existing single family dwelling”.
The primary variance is for parking. Ward 1 Councillor Aidan Johnson has been strongly opposed to increased student housing in Ainslie Wood, there have not been enough files this term in Westdale to determine a pattern for how the Councillor handles student housing to the east of campus.
I’ll attend this hearing at 2:20 p.m.
(page 65 of 122) – APPROVED variances 1 to 4. 5 to 7 denied.
A few blocks south of McMaster University, the owner of this property is seeking to legalize existing site conditions by the “establishment of a two (2) family dwelling within the existing building” which is student housing.
Ward 1 Councillor Aidan Johnson has opposed expansion of student housing in Ainslie Wood, however, this is an existing student house. It remains to be seen if he’ll make a representation on this file.
I’ll be a this 2:30 p.m. hearing.
(page 73 of 122) — TABLED at request of applicant.
At the corner of James and Picton, Hughson Street Baptist Church is partnering with Indwell to build an affordable housing project.
The Church is seeking variances to allow for the building of 42 affordable units. The official planning terminology is lodgers. The rooms will include individual bathroom facilities.
Attached to the building will be a “gymanatorium” for the existing church which is housed in a commercial plaza that once housed the Picton branch of the Hamilton Public Library.
This hearing is scheduled for 2:35 p.m.

created: August 4, 2016