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How Will City Zone Marijuana Shops When Feds Legalize? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 15, 2016
Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green wants the City to think how it will zone businesses selling legalized marijuana as the federal Liberals move forward on their promise to “legalize, regulate, and restrict access to marijuana.”
“I see the vape shows as being a progression towards dispensaries for marijuana, potentially”, Green stated at this week’s Business Improvement Area Advisory Committee discussion on business licensing.
He asked staff if they are planning for licensing upon the legalization of marijuana.
The City’s Manager of Licensing Ken Leendertse says the City is looking to add vape shops to the City’s tobacco licensing bylaw. Separately, Public Health is looking at regulations about the display of drug paraphernalia in variety stores and other businesses.
Reuters was one of the first media outlets to cover the rise of vape shops and the use of vape devices by legal marijuana users.
There was no motion resulting from Tuesday’s discussion, but it is noteworthy as this discussion of zoning and marijuana shops is underway at City Hall.
The clip at the top of this story is from the January 12, 2016 Business Improvement Area Advisory Committee. Here’s a link to the full video of the meeting indexed at the beginning of the highlight clip.

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HSR Added Service on NYE, Without Twitter, Couldn't Tell Anyone – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 5, 2016
Give relatively new Hamilton transit director David Dixon marks for trying.
At the last minute, Dixon added 35 HSR extra trips on New Years Eve after end of regular service. Despite no public notice, the extras attracted 209 riders according to statistics provided by the HSR to The Public Record.
On December 31, Dixon’s manager of transit operations Murray Hill put out an internal bulletin to HSR operators seeking volunteers to drive extra trips at the end of service in an effort to keep buses on the roads past normal end of service.
Hamilton’s HSR was the only transit agency in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, alongside Milton’s small shuttle-like service, to not extend service on New Year’s Eve. (Even the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury extended service on New Year’s Eve.)
Communications falls to the HSR’s manager of planning and customer service, who was directed to implement New Years Eve service by Council in 2007.
Despite overseeing a department of 20 full-time equivalent staff, and his own $116,850.56 salary in 2014, the manager of customer service does not operate a Twitter account, and real-time HSR website updates are extremely rare.
While operations worked to fix the problem, they lack any means to share information with the public.
The result: nobody knew about the extra service and had I not been tipped by two bus drivers, this story would not exist.
Dixon tells The Public Record “we are going to review this situation in the coming weeks to arrive at the best possible solution”.
Dixon says one of the challenges of extending service is ensuring driver rest periods before returning to work on New Year’s Day.
In terms of the lack of communications, Dixon states “I agree it could have been done better, including the dissemination of customer information”.
Hill says the cost for the extra trips on New Years Eve is about $2,400.00.
President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Eric Tuck responded to The Public Record with the following statement:

source: news-thepublicrecord

created: January 5, 2016

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


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Library Needs to Replace Windows at Central Library – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 4, 2016
“The City facilities group has identified the windows at Central [branch] as nearing imminent failure” is how Hamilton Public Library director of finance and facilities Robin Hewitt describes the situation on the upper floors of Hamilton’s downtown Central library.
The Library is budgeting $360,000 of its reserve funds to towards the windows replacement.
Chief librarian Paul Takala says the total cost will be greater than $360,000 and that figure represents the reserve contribution to the project.
The windows being replaced are on the upper floors (two – six), are 35 years old and original to the building which opened in 1980.
A more detailed report and costing will be presented to a future Library Board meeting.
The Public Record is categorizing this story in our 2016 City of Hamilton Budget coverage as the  top floor
(six) houses the City’s IT department and this project could require some Council funding.

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Local Soccer Advocate Proposes Seasonal Soccer Dome for New Stadium – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 8, 2016
John McGrane, a retired Olympic soccer player, wants to install a seasonal soccer dome for the new stadium and is offering to contribute $100,000 annually towards a turf replacement fund as the rental fee.
McGrane sent a two-page letter to Mayor Eisenberger asking to delegate in front of City Council to pitch his proposal.
The letter outlines his plan to operate the soccer dome “during the winter months from December through to April”. He states the dome will not request any capital funding from the City and “would be built with full support of Bob Young and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.”
In addition to the $100,000 annual contribution to turf replacement, McGrane is offering “500 full field bookings” to the City for school and community use during the winter months.
McGrane says the dome is important to “the development of a provincial/national soccer academy” at the new stadium.
McGrane’s letter is officially agenda for approval of a presentation at a future meeting of Council, it could be lifted and presented at the Wednesday, January 13, 2016 meeting.

created: January 8, 2016


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Metrolinx Building Hamilton's LRT, Will Take "Input" "Suggestions" from the City – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 19, 2016
The Province will run the show for the planning and construction of Hamilton’s LRT, while “the City will have the opportunity to review and provide input and Metrolinx will use reasonable efforts to implement Hamilton’s suggestions but will have the final determination on these matters”.
The City of Hamilton released the Memorandum of Agreement as part of the agenda package for next Monday’s Light Rail Transit Sub-Committee meeting. (The Public Record will broadcast the meeting live)
Key points from the MOA:
City staff are recommending that Council accept the MOA and sign the agreement.

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REVIEW: momondays Hamilton – Rough With Potential, I'll Buying A Ticket and Going Again – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 6, 2016
Editors Blog
A few weeks ago, I received an invitation to speak at an event called momondays Hamilton and I declined because the event charges admission.
In a break from my usual practice, I did decide to take a complimentary ticket to the December event to check it out.
Why? Curiosity in part, but also because I was interested to see what it entailed as the promoter, George MacPherson, is a new Hamiltonian trying to make something happen and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to see what the event was all about.
I also feel that as a long-time Hamiltonian (yes, I was born here, but I don’t like the term “native Hamiltonian” because it is exclusionary) with some influence, I should be open to supporting new events and ideas in the community.
Plus, there was little – if any – benefit to me for attending. If I were advising MacPherson, I wouldn’t give me a ticket, I’m known for my straight writing and definitely not for puff pieces.
I attended, I enjoyed parts of the night, and my conclusion:
I like the concept, MacPherson will make it work, and it will become a great monthly event as it grows.
There are a few tweaks needed including, in my opinion, price, format, and variety in speakers.
It’s a speaking event where non-professional speakers get in front of a crowd and tell a story. It’s not toastmasters, it’s not a training venue, and it’s not amateur night at the local comedy club.
The current format is six to eight speakers over a couple of hours, once a month.
More on their website: http://www.momondays.com/hamilton/
Hamilton needs more Monday night events, there are a couple of regular events such as trivia night at Baltimore House, but if that’s not your thing, your options are limited. For political nerds like me, there’s the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board meetings. With them now on YouTube, I often catch them on replay.
The speakers at momonday’s are not professional, for many, this is the largest audience they’ve ever addressed. This is an asset because these are speakers I wouldn’t hear otherwise, it makes momonday’s an unique offering.
Tailgate Charlies is a good venue for the event, right in the heart of the Downtown. I have to admit, I haven’t been in Tailgate for years and can’t remember ever being in the basement. It’s the perfect venue for a casual speaking event.
MacPherson was commanding as host with a good mix of levity and timing in his role as host of the event. I personally enjoyed when he made jokes about his adjustment to Hamilton and our unique localisms.
I haven’t met MacPherson previously and was reminded of the energy Dave Hanley of PopUp Hamilton brought into town when he was new to Hamilton and operating a Dishcrawl franchise.
In sum, the positives:
Keeping in mind this is a review and very subjective, here’s what I think needs improvement. The event is in its early stages, which means its rough.
The speakers were on stage with no visual projection screen or other means of illustrating their stories. One must be a very very strong public speaker to captivate an audience without visuals. As none of the speakers are professionals (which is the key asset of the event), they needed visuals to assist their story telling. Visuals don’t just help the audience, they help the speaker to follow their planned speaking path.
The event is in its early stages, meaning the speakers are people whom the host knows in his dnetworks, which does limit the variety. I’m not writing anything that will surprise the organizer when I state there needs to be more variety.
With six speakers, there were three too many for my personal taste. Could be that I enjoy downloading 42 minute podcasts and this bias me towards lengthier speakers. After the third speaker, I began to lose interest and I started finding commonality among the speakers.
The final speaker was great, because he told his story as a song using an acoustic guitar.
Three speakers with variety is the formula that will work for me.
The admission cost of $15 is above my threshold for a cover charge. Call me a stingy East Ender, but anything about $10 for cover – without any drinks or food included – is too much for my liking.
I admittedly don’t know the economics of the event and I suspect that being early, the host is taking a loss on venue fees at this time. Looking into the audience, most people were connected to the speakers. Again, early days for the event. (I cannot emphasis this enough, cause my conclusion is weighted positive)
I suggest a cover fee of $10 moving forward, I can’t help myself in drawing a comparison to the cost of a movie at Jackson Square.
I like this concept and will personally support it by buying a ticket in either February or March.
MacPherson deserves credit for arriving in Hamilton and in true Hamiltonian spirit – getting to work on a project.
As the event matures the speaker variety will improve. Once I’m past my current phase of recovering and repairing The Public Record, and out of my current up-and-down moods, I’ll accept the invitation to speak.
I’m going to support MacPherson’s efforts.  He reminds me of the early Hamiltonian Dave Hanley, and I can’t think of a better compliment.

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Multiball for January 4, 2016 – the catchup edition – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 4, 2016
(A collection of noteworthy stories, links, and commentary that is shareworthy. Multiball is a reference to my pinball hobby)
The Christmas week break gave me a chance to catch up on my bookmarks, some of the linked stories are from earlier in the year.
Randy Kay cycles across Hamilton and wants to do so year round, however, as he writes, the City makes it near impossible by not clearing bike lanes of snow.
Read his post: A little snow betrays transportation bias: bike lanes become snow storage
Calls for Hamilton City Council to implement Vision Zero are growing after a month of carnage on Hamilton’s streets with three pedestrian/cyclists deaths and numerous more serious trauma injuries.
Washington DC’s recently launched Vision Zero website shows how Vision Zero decision making is data driven. The site shows where collisions occur, where fatalities happen, and where enforcement will be targeted among numerous data points available. All the data is available as downloadable open data. Washington’s goal is to have ZERO traffic related deaths by 2024.
You can follow DC’s Vision Zero office on Twitter @DCVisionZero
A follow up to the last Multiball post – Cambridge Council voted to become a Living-Wage “Supporter” level organization. This commits the City to paying all part-time employees the prevailing local living wage (currently $16.05 an hour) within a year. It does not require paying temporary, student or casual workers this rate.
More, including the estimated cost of the change, in The Waterloo Record.
This Globe and Mail article is a very interesting read.
The TTC’s success in attracting “choice riders” (riders who can afford to drive but choose transit as a better option) is causing a dilemma in setting fares. On one-hand, a lower fare is a subsidy to those who can afford a higher-cost to improve services, and the other, raising the fares is a burden upon those who can barely afford the pressure transit fares – mainly the working poor.
Adding to the dilemma, the wealthier riders tend to live close to the subways and enjoy much better service and value than Toronto’s poorer neighbourhoods.
Port Colborne’s Council was subject to three closed meeting investigations by the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman. The Ombuds found Municipal Act rules for closed meetings were properly followed in two of the cases, and in a third case, the Ombuds founds that a information session on the City’s insurance policy held in closed session was not properly declared and a series of discussions about economic planning and development were not covered by closed meeting exceptions.
In response, the Council initiated adoption of reforms recommended by the Acting Ontario Ombudsman Barbara Finlay.
In the City’s press release, Mayor John Maloney states “Along with the rest of Council, I am aware that we are responsible for ensuring that we follow the Province’s closed meeting rules, City Council and Staff are committed to openness and transparency and will continue to apply best practices to our open and closed meetings of Council.”
Snow plows, you don’t want to clear your driveway minutes before it arrives and you want to know if the plow cleared the side streets you need to navigate after a storm passes.
In many cities, this is easy enough – with GPS technology and public sharing of the data. Some cities build their own apps, others share it as open data.
Ottawa just launched its our plow location app, but have yet to make the underlying data open. In Chicago, one of the first open data snow plow apps, Clear Streets just launched for the 2015/16 season with a few neat upgrade.
In Hamilton, the City will have supervisors out on the road following plows this year. At present, the City has no plans to fully implement a public facing application or open data.
Ottawa’s planning to maintain approximately 40km of cycling routes this winter – an increase of 20km over last year’s maintenance.


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Police Forensics Building Moving Forward Despite Urban Design Concerns – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 4, 2016
The proposed Hamilton Police Service forensics building is now at the formal application stage of the planning process with the City of Hamilton.
Just prior to Christmas, the planning department’s Development Review Team reviewed the file.
Staff comments and decisions are not made public.
The project was not well received by the City’s Design Review Panel in July due to the conflict between the buildings secure nature – and uninviting design – and its location in the Downtown Core.
The updated Urban Design Report in the Police Services’ planning application says they’ve changed some of the window design however the report states:
It is important to understand that almost all spaces in the facility must be screened from view from the public spaces. For example, the office space is entirely dedicated to the ongoing investigations where the privacy of witnesses, victims , and suspects must be maintained.
…
As such, most windows are either obscured or raised above normal viewing height.
New renderings were not in the file.
The project can now proceed to Council for final approval.
The Police Board is hoping to get the project “shovel-ready” for any federal infrastructure grants expected in the next Federal budget.


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Road-Widening on Barton Street: Are We Finally Done This Insanity? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 15, 2016
I’m sick and tired of writing this storyline over and over again, and after talking with Hamilton’s General Manager of Planning and Economic Development Jason Thorne, it’s obvious he’s tired of reading stories and being beat up by everyone outside of City Hall about road-widening.
When I asked for staff comment on this story, Thorne was the person to respond – reflecting the sensitivity of the file and importance to Thorne of communicating the City’s message on the road-widening issue.
The short: the City has a road-widening on the books for a six-lane Barton Street and Thorne wants it to be known that staff are working to add discretion to waiving road-widenings. He does not wish to see a repeat of previous road-widening battles.
Thorne says staff are bringing a report to the Planning Committee during mid-February to mid-March which will give the Director of Planning discretion on road-widenings. At present, road-widenings can only be waived by Council.
The City’s arcane zoning bylaws requiring road widening allowances on pretty much every lower-city arterial road, the City’s policies require that Council waive the widening on a case-by-case basis, and we constantly see absurd requirements having a chilling effect on positive in-fill development by adding uncertainty and costs to projects with thin profit margins to begin with.
The latest example is 647 Barton Street East, at the corner of Earl Street between Sherman Avenue and Wentworth Street.
Harry Stinson originally purchased the property, a vacant parking lot which was an illegal dumping ground, as a hedge against the City demanding additional parking for his nearby Gibson Lofts project.
Upon sitting down with City staff for a pre-consultation for a townhome development on the site, Stinson was informed that City policies state Barton Street is subject to a 8-metre road widening.
Stinson emphasizes the City planners were “very polite and sympathetic” as “they also noted that this setback issue has come up in many other such application discussions, and that we were not the only people to “express our frustration””.
Thorne and I chatted at the Mulberry Cafe for about 10 minutes on this file and road-widenings in general. The issue comes up for nearly all lower-city in-fill developments.
Thorne says staff provided Stinson the road-widening information because it is on the books. The road-widening requirement will be reviewed by planning staff and a recommendation will be made to Council.
At present, the final decision on waiving the City’s road-widening requirements is made by Council.
Thorne says planning staff will present a recommendation to Council’s Planning Committee before spring for Council to delegate waiving road-widening requirements to the Director of Planning.
There was a lot of back-and-forth in my conversation with Thorne as I looked for something more than consideration on 647 Barton Street East.
On the surface, this road-widening waiver seems like a no-brainer, it’s not like the City’s going to demolish Barton Street tomorrow and take a chunk of General Hospital while at it.
Thorne couldn’t give a commitment to waive the road-widening as the decision remains with Council.
Thorne repeatedly stated staff must look at a wide variety of factors, including existing street character, street wall, and the merits of the development when considering a planning file.
Which brought our conversation to why isn’t the City eliminating road-widening requirements? After all, there are numerous examples of requirements where its obvious the City is never going to be able to fulfil the dreams of the 1970s and have six lane highways everywhere.
Thorne says eliminating road-widenings from the official plans would be a lengthy multiple year process, whereas changing policy to give the Director of Planning discretion to waive road-widenings only requires the forthcoming report.
Harry Stinson summed it up well when comparing the City’s road-widening policy with its economic development policies:
Which policy is more important? A policy that makes sense and is practical, or
the existing policy that makes no sense and can’t be done anyway.


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Ron Eady Donates 120" by 90" Painting to Public Library – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 7, 2016
The Hamilton Public Library’s art collection now includes Ron Eady’s painting “The Core”.
The 120″ by 90″ painting was donated to the Library by the artist through Earls Court with the assistance of MP Bob Bratina.
The art is presently displayed on the first floor of the Central Branch.
“We’re thrilled to have such a wonderful work that celebrates Hamilton at Central Library,” says library director of communications Melanie Southern. “The space complements the work so well, and we have received numerous positive comments.”
A formal event to thank the artist will be held in the next few weeks.

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The End of The Guelph Mercury and The Future of The Hamilton Spectator – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 29, 2016
Today, The Guelph Mercury ceases to exist, and what’s left of The Mercury organization will be folded into the bi-weekly flyer wrapper called The Guelph Tribune.
You’ll find plenty of commentaries elsewhere about the collapse of the local mass advertising model (which supported local mass media), laments about the state of journalism, and the health of democracy.
This is a look at the end of the Mercury and what it may foreshadow for Hamilton’s local paper.
Across North America, local daily newspapers are folding. As part of this trend, the Mercury’s end is only a bullet point on the list of shuttered newspapers.
Its story is similar to that of other smaller cities.
For Hamilton, this is more than a bullet point. The end of the Mercury is a gut check.
The Mercury is part of the same newspaper conglomerate as The Hamilton Spectator and was one of , now two, dailies owned by Torstar’s Metroland West group and share the same regional publisher.  The other remaining daily is the Waterloo Region Record.
The same regional publisher who ended The Mercury will play a key role in deciding the fate of our local daily.
Shutting a newspaper is a complex decision, and there are many considerations at play.
We’ll discuss two: real estate and the local market.
Most newspaper headquarters are located on prime land, often prime downtown land.
For many dailies, their real estate – often built and expanded during their best days following the Second World War – is more than they can hold with their declining revenues.
Use the imagery of Atlas holding the world, as the world grows in size with the Internet, Atlas is shrinking with age.
Pick your choice combination of the two factors causing Atlas to no longer have the strength needed to hold the world.
The end result is the same: newspapers are collapsing.
Newspaper buildings, which once projected the power of the industry, are a legacy burden.
Built when staff counts were in the hundreds, they now cavernous spaces house smaller staff measured by the dozen.
Costly maintenance and overhead costs and real estate value create a predictable outcome: newspaper buildings are being sold and staff are moved into smaller leased space.
Other newspapers in our region have already sold off their prime downtown real estate.
The Brantford Expositor’s grand downtown building is now a student residence.
The St. Catharines Standard’s former headquarters is planned for a student residence.
The Expositor staff are now in a business park, The Standard remains in a smaller space downtown.
TheSpec’s sister paper, The Record, sold its valuable highway bordering property to move into downsized downtown Kitchener office in 2005.  The old site is now a movie theatre and box store mall.
The Mercury’s buildings are in the heart of Downtown Guelph.
They’ll fetch a good price for Torstar. As a “bonus,” Torstar has no relocation costs.
The Hamilton Spectator’s real estate is different than most other newspapers of older urban centres.
TheSpec left downtown in 1976. At the time, TheSpec was the flagship newspaper of Canada’s largest newspaper empire – the Southam chain.
TheSpec’s building at 44 Frid Street, alongside the 403, was designed as the corporate nerve centre for the chain. That’s the reason is so expansive for a mid-sized city newspaper.
A prime location with direct highway access and visibility to the over 100,000 vehicles passing by each day, TheSpec’s real estate value is substantive and worth more on a spreadsheet than the newspaper brand.
However, the healthy valuation on the property and building do not reflect the difficulty in selling a structure built and designed at the peak of industrial newsprint production.
We live in an age where investment is driven by small to medium business (SMB), the building at 44 Frid Street is too large for the needs of any individual SMB. Factor in building age at 38 years and not only is it large, it due for mid-life renovation – another factor making it harder to sale.
There’s also the most important feature of the building to consider, the industrial machine that was the true power of the newspaper: the printing presses.
The entire building which houses The Hamilton Spectator is built around the printing press. Printing presses are powerful machines, and the building is designed to absorb the energy of a hard emergency stop of the press. (When you look at the building, the big windowless section facing the 403 is the printing press and its related functions.)
The building isn’t easily demolished in favour of just the underlying land’s value.
The Mercury was printed at 44 Frid, here in Hamilton. The loss of printing and production work at TheSpec is the most direct local impact.
Will there be layoffs in Hamilton? This remains to be seen. With less than 9,000 copies, the impact on the printing press schedule is minimal. The copy desk work will likely see “attrition” or layoff.
The Mercury’s final end was set less than two years ago.
On Feb. 7, 2014, the final print of The Guelph Mercury in Guelph saw the shutdown of its printing press. This was a major move for a newspaper – the presses were the single most valuable asset owned by newspapers during the pre-internet age.
Two weeks ago, The Toronto Star outsourced its printing operations to Transcontinental Inc. and shut down its massive printing operation in Vaughan. Transcontinental’s contract with The Toronto Star is for five years, and renewable.
At present, Torstar’s Metroland unit operates five printing presses, including two in Hamilton: TheSpec and Hamilton Web Printing at 333 Arvin Avenue in Stoney Creek.
Arvin Avenue is a legacy of the Brabant chain of community papers which was purchased by Torstar in 2003.
How long will a declining printing publication industry support two printing presses in the same City?
I cannot emphasize enough the significance of the printing press as a signal of the future for TheSpec and its headquarters.
If TheSpec’s printing press is shut down, it will set the printing plate on the future of 44 Frid Street. The printing press is the only function in 44 Frid that cannot be relocated.
The obvious difference is that Hamilton’s market size is six times larger than Guelph. The Spectator has more runway. The runway still ends. It’s just longer.
While our census metropolitan area average income level is slightly lower than Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge which includes Guelph, Hamilton’s economic makeup is vastly different than Guelph.
Government is the most important sector in Hamilton.
Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, the City of Hamilton, and the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board are all major print advertisers for TheSpec.
Last year, Council rejected a proposal to hire a media buyer. The media buyer plan involved shifting the City’s advertising to digital and seeking more competitive advertising rates.
The decision to not modernize the City’s advertising purchases extends the runway available to TheSpec. In effect, the government sector is subsidizing the print newspaper.
If the government sector in Hamilton modernizes its media buying, this will significantly decrease TheSpec’s runway.
National advertising pressures are worse in the Hamilton market than elsewhere. Hamilton is seen as a lower-rated market for national advertisers.
Combined with Toronto’s media penetration into Hamilton, the root cause of newspaper collapse is worse here. We witnessed this in the collapse of CHCH’s all-day news format in December.
We don’t know how much runway is left for TheSpec.
We have no reliable third-party measure of TheSpec’s subscriber count or profitability.   (CORRECTION: I meant to state subscriber numbers. TheSpec does release its circulation numbers)
Even newspapers that are “growing” in their markets don’t have audit numbers attractive compared to a decade ago. They are not going to fund an audit. TheSpec’s financials are bundled within Torstar’s financials, so we don’t know local newspaper revenue.
The Mercury publicly stated it had a circulation figure of 12,000 until Monday, when Torstar revealed it had less than 9,000 subscribers.
The Mercury’s drop is consistent with an analysis of American newspaper subscription decline published nine days ago by ProPublica president Richard Tofel.
Whatever TheSpec’s numbers are, they will reflect the industry trend.
44 Frid is hard to sell, but not impossible. There are two obvious buyers: The City of Hamilton and McMaster University.
The City’s looking to sell its 330 Wentworth Street North public works yard to Metrolinx to become the LRT garage. Staff are looking at suitable locations for relocation.
44 Frid offers office space, and the strength of the printing press foundation allows for conversion to a garage for public works vehicles and can become part of a new garage complex.
McMaster University’s goals include expanding the McMaster Innovation Park on Longwood Avenue.
The City’s street grid can give the mistaken impression of the distance between TheSpec and Innovation Park. The properties only an industrial park block apart.
The City plans to extend Frid Street to connect to the McMaster Innovation Park. Once this is complete, 44 Frid Street is a fit into McMaster’s longer term plans. If Torstar needs to get 44 Frid off the books, or relieve itself of maintaining the building, a transaction with McMaster can involve a tax receipt.
Retail outlets or warehousing are other potential uses.
Torstar sold The Record and their Vaughan printing plant’s real estate. They will sell The Mercury’s downtown Guelph property. It’s reasonable to expect them to sell 44 Frid Street eventually.
Personally, I expected Torstar to eventually convert Spectator subscribers to Toronto Star subscriptions with a “Hamilton edition,” including a few-page Hamilton section produced under the Hamilton Spectator brand.
This consolidates national advertising under The Star brand while maintaining local advertising revenue within a local insert section.
I thought this was more likely after the Transcontinental deal. With a sale of 44 Frid, TheSpec could return to downtown offices and survive as a brand within a larger regional newspaper, reflecting the increasing integration of the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area.
But no, The Mercury brand is dead and Torstar’s going with their flyer wrapper as their local news banner. That’s a travesty, not keeping the brand.
Torstar’s not even converting Guelph Mercury subscribers to the Waterloo Region Record.  It now appears more likely that we are facing a possible elimination of TheSpec brand.
I feel it often gets lost when journalists write about newspaper layoffs (and I’m guilty of it) is that many more people lose their jobs outside the “editorial department.”
I don’t know The Mercury staff, I do know people at TheSpec.
Advertising works hard every day to sell what journalists are publishing to advertisers. It’s hard to convince a medium-sized business with tight margins to purchase a print ad. Each time I see a new advertiser in TheSpec, I think about the success of the sales rep who convinced them of the non-tangible benefits of Spec advertising in the age of Facebook and Google algorithms.
Circulation is located on the first floor of TheSpec building, and it’s fitting the second-floor advertising, third-floor newsroom, and executive mahogany offices rest upon them.
They make sure the paper is delivered, they respond to the angry phone calls of subscribers who are angered by content chosen by the newsroom, they sensitively assist families in purchasing obituaries, and they build community partnerships at the foundation of the positive brand of the institution.
Circulation staff promote TheSpec more than any other group I know in that building.
Operations staff work the least glamorous jobs in the building. The printing press is an industrial factory. It’s loud, hot, smells (I happen to like the smell), and messy. This says nothing of the hours. While we’re asleep, the printing press staff are working overnight.
26 people lost their jobs at The Mercury today. Eight were editorial (journalist) staff. Twenty-six people, that’s all who remained after decades of cuts.
I think about all those jobs whenever I think about layoff cycles.
This is  where I should give some glimmering of hope, some call to action, or at the very least, call on you not to allow what happened in Guelph to happen here.
Here’s the brutal reality, the future of TheSpec is in the hands of Torstar and its shareholders.
I don’t know if they care about our local papers as we locals do.
1986, 1986.
The Spectator had the innovators it needed for the Internet Age. It was one of the first newspapers to go digital when it launched CompuSpec in 1986.
1986, that summarizes the frustration I feel watching the continuing decline of the newspaper that I grew up loving and the historic brand I still adore.
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Sympathetic Council Declines to Replace Federal Funding for Trusteeship Program – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

January 18, 2016
Higher levels of government are shifting their funding models for homelessness to emphasis “housing first” and housing currently homeless persons. The result is that prevention programs such as the Trusteeship Program – which assists those at risk of homelessness to manage their resources – have lost funding.
A year ago, the City Council used municipal funds to give “bridge funding” to the trusteeship program to enable transitional support to clients during the shutdown of the program.
Community advocates came forth to Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee on Monday, January 18, 2016 to ask Councillors to make permanent the bridge funding.
The trusteeship program serves 647 clients who do not meet the criteria of the Office of Public Guardian’s trusteeship program.
Councillors were supportive of the delegates and sympathetic to the impact of shutting down the program. Councillors pushed back against requests for the City to fund the program in place of the ending provincial and federal funding.
The back and forth became heated when one delegate accused City staff of being selective in their reports and not caring about the impacts of cutting the programs.
Councillors Green, Merulla, and Whitehead all pushed at the delegates for mobilizing for the Council meeting while at the same time the provincial government was holding a pre-budget consultation “across the street” at the Sheraton Hotel.
And that was just the delegations.
Once Council turned to debate, they made a point of emphasizing the trusteeship program funding cut was a federal decision and the municipality stepped in with stop gap funding to enable a transition period for the program.
Repeatedly, the Council emphasised they are lobbying the province and federal government to increase housing and homelessness prevention support programs.
The end result was Council accepted the staff report with direction to housing staff to work on assisting clients impacted by the shift in funding focus by the higher levels of government.

created: January 18, 2016


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CRTC Makes Ruling in City's Fight Against Bell: Who Won? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 12, 2016
The City of Hamilton is declaring victory in its fight against Bell Canada at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). However, its unclear if they won based upon the CRTC’s siding with Bell Canada on a few important issues in a decision issued on Wednesday.
The City took Bell Canada to the CRTC in a dispute over the terms of a new Municipal Access Agreement (MAA) governing access and use public right of ways for its infrastructure.
The two-year legal battle (the City did not disclose costs) was a landmark battle drawing interventions from numerous telecoms and municipalities as both sides sought to have the CRTC set new standards for the thousands of MAAs across Canada.
The City and Bell could not agree to a new MAA. The City complained Bell Canada was not meeting municipal standards or requirements when installing infrastructure. The City cited 69 “instances of non-compliance and non-performance by Bell” over a four year period in its application to the CRTC.
This 69 incidents included installing infrastructure without permits and road cuts that do not repair the road to previous conditions, and Bell or its contractors entering City construction sites without following protocols.
The City filed its application on August 22, 2014 and included a request for the CRTC to prohibit Bell from installing new infrastructure until the hearing was complete. In June 2015, the CRTC denied the City’s request for a freeze on Bell installations.
The City asked the CRTC to impose a new MAA the City proposed. Bell requested the CRTC impose a new MAA along the lines of the CRTC’s Model MAA template.
The CRTC ruled on three outstanding issues:
On the term “other public places”, the CRTC sided squarely with the City, on the definition of “Work”, the CRTC decided more close to Bell’s position than the City, and on allocation of costs, the CRTC sided squarely with Bell.
Reading the full CRTC ruling on its own, it does seem like a City defeat.
The most significant issue in front of the CRTC was deciding how much the City must compensation Bell for moving infrastructure during City capital projects.
The City asked for a seven-year “sliding scale” for compensating Bell, with 100% compensation in the first three years and decreasing to no compensation for Bell infrastructure older than seven years.  The City based its request upon the existing 10-year sliding model in Vancouver.
Bell argued seven years did not reflect the life-cycle of its infrastructure and asked for a allocation using what is called the “Baie-Comeau Model” after the 2008 CRTC decision which created it. It’s a much most complex calculation model than a sliding scale.
The CRTC gave Bell a substitute gift – a 16-year sliding scale, more than twice as long as the City of Hamilton asked for.
Both sides can declare victory, and its a subjective decision on who actually won. Reading the decision, for Bell, a 16-year lifecycle on cost allocation is a big win.
Bell did agree to the City’s standards for road cuts and other restoration of municipal facilities – which was the original reason the City dug in its heels and took the matter to the CRTC.
For the intervening parties, this CRTC decision will guide similar negotiations across the country. It is much needed clarification on cost allocation as fibre optics and other more expensive telecommunications infrastructure becomes the norm in public right of ways.
HATTIP: Thank you to CARTT.ca for flagging the ruling. As an industry focused site, I relied on their past articles as background on the history of the CRTC hearings on this matter.

created: February 12, 2016


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Hamilton City Council Budget Elimination Day 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 23, 2016
Hamilton City Council is meeting for their final day of budget deliberations where they decide on budget enhancements and program cuts.
Live video starts at 9:30am

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Hamilton City Council Budget GIC for February 1, 2015 (10-year HSR Budget Plan) – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 1, 2016
The 2016 Public Works departmental budget presentation included a lengthy debate on the 10-year HSR transit improvement plan, controversial remarks about Colombia being “backwards” by Lloyd Ferguson, and a tabling of a decision on the future of DARTS.
Full replay video.

created: February 1, 2016


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Hamilton City Council for February 10, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 10, 2016
Hamilton City Council meets to approve their committee work of the past two weeks and to debate motions, including a motion to seek an injunction to shut down the operation of Uber in Hamilton.
Related: UBER’s Hamilton Email Blitz an Uber-Failure
Replay Video

created: February 10, 2016


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Hamilton City Council for February 24, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 24, 2016
Full Replay of Hamilton City Council’s February 24, 2016 meeting.

created: February 24, 2016


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Hamilton City Council GIC for February 17, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 17, 2016
Councillors will discuss the City’s long-term vision plan “Our Future Our Hamilton”, the creation process for the 2016 -2025 strategic plan, the City’s tourism/hospitality industry strategy, and more.
Live video starts at 9:30am

created: February 17, 2016


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Hamilton City Council Regular GIC for February 3, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 3, 2016
City Councillors meet in GIC to hear a pitch for a soccer bubble at the new civic stadium and numerous other administrative matters.
Live video starts at 9:30 a.m.

created: February 3, 2016


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Hamilton Council Audit, Finance, Admit Committee for February 8, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 8, 2016
Council’s Audit, Finance, and Administration meets for primarily administrative housekeeping items. One item of special note, Council reviewed an additional $50 administration fee for lead-pipe replacement loans.

created: February 8, 2016


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Hamilton Council Budget Delegations for 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 9, 2016
Hamilton City Council’s annual public delegations on the budget runs from 3pm to 7pm, and you can watch live here on The Public Record.

created: February 9, 2016


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Hamilton Council Emergency and Community Services Committee for February 8, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 8, 2016
Council’s E&CS Committee’s main topics of discussion today are an update on the Social Assistance Management Software, the McQueston Urban Farm, and delegations from the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic “respecting endorsement of a report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights” and the YWCA Hamilton “respecting the YWCA Hamilton Transitional Living Program for Women”.
Live at 1:30pm


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Hamilton Planning Committee for February 16, 2016 [Replay Video] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 15, 2016
Councillors voted to implement municipal licensing of the pay day loan industry in Hamilton, approved a student apartment building beside the Lister Block, made substantive changes to the planning application process and added low-to-mid-rise elevators to the property standards bylaw.
Full replay video.
The agenda is available on the City of Hamilton website.
Here’s a list of stories on The Public Record related to the agenda items:

created: February 15, 2016


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Is the End of the PayDay Loan Industry in Hamilton Near? – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 15, 2016
Hamilton’s one of the epicenters of the pay day loan industry with Canadian Payday Loan Association headquartered in our Downtown and headed by former Hamilton West MP Stan Keyes.
City staff say their research found 34 payday loan outlets operating in Hamilton, with “the majority of them are clustered in the downtown core which is an area where many of the financially vulnerable population reside.”
With Hamilton’s stagnant income levels, and the challenges of the growth in jobs which do not pay a living wage, the payday loan industry has flourished locally.
Hamilton’s Planning Committee will vote February 16, 2016 on a new municipal bylaw to regulating pay day loans stores within City limits. (More on the bylaw below)
While this may seem to be landmark moment in the battle over pay day loans, it is more symbolic of a Council desire to end the industry, than it is substantive change. The bylaw is limited by Council’s limited powers in this area.
The story to watch are changes the province is making to the Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Act which will allow credit unions to increase their net revenues with regulations changes to allow large insured deposits and own subsidiary business such as offering insurance products, among 15 recommendations being implemented.
Credit Unions are provincially regulated and have been waiting a long time for these changes to better compete against the federally regulated Charter Banks.
In exchange for these revenue opportunities, the province is expecting credit unions to “explore the role they can play in protecting and educating consumers of payday loans” by offering alternative lender products at a more competitive rate than payday loan companies.
Despite low margins in the banking sector overall, credit unions are interested in offering payday loan alternatives. In British Columbia, credit unions offer a type of loan which falls between a traditional line of credit and a pay day loan. Vancity’s loan program offers 19% annual interest, monthly repayment periods, and a term of up to two years.
While the 19% interest rate is high, it is reflective of the risk and cost to credit unions in offering the loans. Credit union loans include the opportunity for the creditor to improve their credit rating and break the payday loans cycle.
This is where change will happen, by providing a market-hybrid solution which puts payday loan shops out of business.
The City’s payday loan bylaw is limited by the City’s powers under the Municipal Act. Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green’s July 2015 motion passed by Council asked for the province to grant the City powers to both regulate the location and number of payday loan outlets.
The City does not have those powers at present, but does have the ability to implement limited licensing for the purposes of consumer protection – which is why the proposed bylaw is limited to consumer information and improved clearer signage.
It still makes Hamilton the first municipality in Ontario to regulate the industry.
The bylaw will require payday loan shops in Hamilton to post two signs in large font at the entrance of their locations – one will show the high interest rate charges compared to the rates of a Charted Bank and the other is a sign promoting contact information for credit counselling agencies. Payday loan shops will also be required to give a credit counselling brochure with each transaction.
The proposed bylaw will be voted on during the February 16, 2016 Council Planning Committee meeting. The Public Record will broadcast live.


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Low-to-Mid-Rise Residential Building Elevators About to Be Added to Hamilton Property Standards Bylaw – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 15, 2016
UPDATE: The bylaw amendment passed at Planning Committee.
Further Reading: City’s New Elevator Bylaw is an Interesting Stretch of Municipal Property Standards Powers
The Hamilton Seniors Advisory Committee is getting one of their priorities onto the Council agenda as the Planning Committee looks to add the operation of elevators in low-to-mid-rise buildings into the Property Standards Bylaw.
However, they are not getting their full request of Council. The Seniors Committee asked for elevators to be added to the Vital Service Bylaw, the same bylaw which requires building owners to provide heat, water and other essential services.
The Ontario Building Code does not require buildings of six-stories or less to have elevators. Buildings greater in height than six stories are required by the Fire Code to have at least one operational elevator at all times.
This left a gap in regulation as many residential buildings with elevators in Hamilton are six storeys or less. Occasionally, a building will have a non-operational elevator and the property owner fails to repair it in a timely manner. This, obviously, causes hardship for some residents who call the City for assistance.
As the City had no regulations for these elevators – and they are not covered by the Fire Code -, the City was left with no options to require repairs.
The bylaw amendment will require:
The bylaw will be considered as part of the February16, 2016 Planning Committee meeting (TPR Meeting Coverage) and will be subject to ratification at the February 24, 2016 Council meeting.
City of Hamilton staff report “Elevators in Multi-Storey Residential Buildings (PED16045)“


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New Elevator Bylaw an Interesting Use of Municipal Property Standards Powers – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 16, 2016
If you live in a six storey or less building in Hamilton, your elevator isn’t a requirement of the Building Code and is classified as an ‘convenience feature’ for the purposes of the Code.
Buildings taller than six-storeys are required to have one fire-rated elevator operational at all times under the Fire Code of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, and the Fire Department can issue orders when a building owner fails to comply with this Act.
This means the City cannot order an immediate repair of broken elevators in low-to-mid-rise buildings under six-storeys. (The same applies to second elevators in taller buildings)
The Hamilton Seniors’ Advisory Committee (HSAC) asked Council to add elevators to the Vital Services Bylaw, the same bylaw which requires building owners to provide heat, water and other essential services.
The City’s Vital Services Bylaw is enacted under Part XIII of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) and empowers the City to immediately restore vital services in residential buildings when a landlord fails to maintain them, adding the cost onto the property tax bill.
HSAC, and many members of City Council, would like to see similar action for broken elevators. A broken elevator is a serious problem for tenants, trapping them in their apartments, and delays paramedic responses.
“We had issues I brought up respectively around continence issues happening with people being stuck in the lobbies without access to restrooms,” Green told the planning committee when debating the new bylaw.
While the Council wishes to use the more powerful Vital Services Bylaw, they cannot because the RTA defines “vital service” as meaning “hot or cold water, fuel, electricity, gas or, during the part of each year prescribed by the regulations, heat”.
While Council cannot regulate elevators as a vital service, they can regulate it as a property standards matter.
Section 15 of the Building Code Act gives the City powers to prescribe ” standards for the maintenance and occupancy of property within the municipality” and require “property that does not conform with the standards to be repaired and maintained to conform with the standard”.
This week’s motion, once ratified by Council, will require that buildings of six or less storeys with an elevator must maintain it in good working condition. (Again, taller than six stories falls under the Fire Code)
The maintenance of elevators is required under Ontario Regulation 517/06 which supplements the RTA.  On the surface this seems like a redundancy, but there is a big difference with the new bylaw, it enables the municipality to act.
Under property standards, the City can issue an “Order to Comply” against the landlord instructing them to make a repair. The owner will have a 19-day period to comply, or they can file an appeal of the City order.
Whereas, with , individual tenants must file a complain to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) at their own expense. The recourse, once the Board process is complete, is the tenant may receive a partial refund of their rent in compensation. The LTB is unlikely to enact the repair itself.
Whereas, with the by, the action is taken by the city at no expense to residents and if an owner fails to comply, can the City step in and hire a contractor to repair the elevator, placing the cost of the repair onto the landlord’s property taxes.While both processes don’t repair the elevator immediately, it’s clear the municipal process is favourable for the tenants both in its lack of cost and its ability to enact the repair.
Which brings us back to a theme that is becoming common this term of Council – municipalities are creations of the province and only able to exercise powers granted to them by the province.
The inclusion of elevators into the Property Standards By-law is an interesting maneuver by the Council, an extension of their limited power to make a clear statement to landlords the City will not tolerate non-operational elevators.
Councillor Green stated he is interested at expanding the property standards requirement to include second elevators, where the new, soon to be current, bylaw only requires one be operational.
If Green moves forward with this initiative, it will cover the issue of taller buildings with non-functional elevators.
The Public Record will watch with interest as this file moves forward.

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The Public Record Editor Joey Coleman on Windsor's Rose City Politics [Podcast] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 19, 2016
I had the pleasure of being on Windsor’s community radio station CJAM-FM on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 for the Rose City Politics show. Along with guest Doug Schmidt of The Windsor Star, we discuss how City Hall coverage is changing as more independent get involved in civic coverage and a very good discussion of the editorial process in different editorial and business models.
Enjoy the podcast version of the show:
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(MP3 Download)

created: February 19, 2016


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The Public Record on TVO's The Agenda: The Future of Local Media – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 11, 2016
What is the future of local journalism in Canada? As newspapers shutter, television stations cut back, and big media corporations threaten to shut down local broadcast stations, TVO’s The Agenda “examines the health and viability of regional journalism and why it matters.”
Full Video

created: February 11, 2016


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Time for Hamilton Councillors to Stop Charging Taxpayers for Their Lunches – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 23, 2016
If City Council is on a crusade to find every dollar they can save taxpayers, here’s a suggestion: eliminate free lunches for City Councillors and senior “sunshine list” staff.
While the exact saving are not known, the City does not voluntarily disclose Councillors’ spending, the last time a Freedom of Information request was filed for meal expenses, Councillors were spending an average of $33,000 per year on free lunches for their meetings.
On March 9, 2011, The Hamilton Spectator revealed the result of their FOI request:
The city has spent more than $100,000 on free lunches for councillors and senior staff over the past three years.
About $33,000 is spent every year on sandwiches, pizza, coffee, tea and cookies for councillors and senior city staff during long meetings at city hall.
Between 2008 and 2010, that cost taxpayers $100,235.71.
Council members say the free lunches allow them to continue working throughout the day instead of breaking for lunch.
However, other municipalities – including Guelph, Toronto and Windsor – have recently cut the perk in order to trim their budgets.
It’s hard to justify well paid Councillors ($90,385/yr), senior staff on the “sunshine list”, and the Mayor ($171,441/yr) billing taxpayers for their lunches.
Even more so when you consider that the average two-earner household in Hamilton makes less than a single Councillor’s salary.
Yet, despite increasing their salaries this term, and claims the City cannot afford to continue funding many social services, City Council clings onto their taxpayer funded lunches like a spoiled child does a candy bar.
There was an attempt to end Council’s free lunches in 2011, it failed. Since that time, lunches have continued to be paid for by taxpayers.
Since 2011, Council has continued the practice of charging taxpayers for their lunches, burying it around numerous budget lines, making it impossible to determine how much they are spending without filing a Freedom of Information request.
This year, without Council being diligent with funding social service increases, their taxpayer funded lunches must be viewed in light of other priorities.
Numerous social service agencies have asked Hamilton City Council to fund their programs following changes to provincial funding formulas and the end of some municipal granting streams.
Two of the most recent requests came from the Good Shepherd for their Notre Dame programs for homeless and at-risk youth, and the YWCA for their women’s transitional housing.
Council turned down these requests citing two primary reasons: that the City cannot afford to increase property taxes to fund the services, and that social services such as these should be funded by the provincial and federal governments.
If Council had stuck to the later point, this column wouldn’t have the peg it does.
Politicians cannot help themselves during the budget process, they have to posture and puff their chests about being diligent with tax dollars.
“Protecting the taxpayer” is the favourite buzzword of City Council. The cupboard is bare, there is no funding available for many competing public interests, and the City does not have frills which could be cut to reallocate resources to other interests.
“Protecting the taxpayer” implies that public needs some form of protecting from social service requests.
If we’re going to talk about “protecting the taxpayer”, maybe it’s time to get stop politicians from taking our money for their lunches.
It’s time for Council to end their free lunches, there are no other comparable municipalities in Ontario where free lunches are a Council perk. (Comparable being municipalities where Councillors are full-time employees.)
The lunch subsidy for Council works out to just over $2,000 per Councillor. ($33,000/16)
The practice of the City Councils in Burlington, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vaughan is to take a mid-day recess for lunch and to give Councillors an opportunity to address non-committee business to enable them to focus during Council meetings.
How many people could be housed with the estimated $33,000 annually Council spends on their lunches?
It’s time for City Council to bring their own lunch money to work.


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C.W.O. Jack Clifford McFarland EM CD (1921 – 2016) – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 22, 2016
One of Hamilton’s best sons died this morning at the age of 95. Jack McFarland was a connective force in Hamilton’s civic fabric for over 60 years earning many honours including induction as a Knight of the Order of the French Legion of Honour and Hamilton’s Gallery of Distinction.
Born on Locke Street in 1921, McFarland joined the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in 1936 at age 15.
He served with the regiment during the World War II and continued in active service for nearly 40 years.
Private McFarland was among the 582 RHLI soldiers who fought on the beaches of Dieppe, France, during the disastrous raid of August 19, 1942.
By the end of the raid, 197 of the 582 were dead, only 211 returned to England and 109 of them wounded. Private McFarland was among the 174 who became prisoners of war.  He was wounded and treated by the Germans.
He spoke of his capture and treatment in an interview with The Memory Project:
We were taken to a first field dressing and I think the ladies that were there, I think they were German air force medics, nobody introduced them naturally but, and they gave us a tetanus shot. I thought they were doing bayonet practice, they put a long needle right through our clothing into our stomach and gave us a shot of tetanus, anti-tetanus I guess. I hadn’t been bandaged or anything yet. I didn’t get that until I got to Rouen. I was a month in Rouen and then, believe it or not, by a hospital train, to Landsdorf. I was then taken to Lazarett, which is the hospital in the prison camp and I was there for several weeks. They treated me there. I had no complaints. A British doctor once told me, he said, you must have had a darned good German doctor, he said, or I would have taken that arm off the minute I saw it.
McFarland was freed in January 1945 and volunteered to serve in the Pacific theatre after his repatriation. In June 1945, he stationed in Vernon, British Columbia preparing to join the expected invasion of Japan. The War ended in early September and McFarland was discharged in November 1945 at the rank of Sergeant.
Returning to Hamilton, he reenlisted in the RHLI in 1946. He joined the Hamilton Police as a Constable, and became active in many veterans groups and activities.
McFarland continued to distinguish himself in the militia, rising to become the highest ranked non-commissioned officer of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, serving as Regimental Sergeant Major.
Following his term as RSM of the Rileys, Chief Warrant Officer McFarland was appointed as the Chief Warrant Officer of the Hamilton Miltia District – the highest position in Hamilton for a non-commissioned solder. He retired from the Canadian Forces in 1975.
McFarland retired from the Hamilton Police at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1981.
A tireless advocate for his fellow veterans, McFarland served for decades on Hamilton’s Veteran’s Committee and was an active member of veteran’s organizations including the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Association. He was honoured in 2007 with a Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for this work.
McFarland was tireless in ensuring the memory of Dieppe and all the men who fought in the battle was not forgotten. He lead the committee which successfully persuaded the City to build the Dieppe Memorial on the Hamilton Beach Strip as chair of the park committee. He was active in the Prisoner of War Association of Canada-European Theatre, frequently visited schools, and spoke of his experiences at Dieppe.
McFarland was made a Knight of the Order of the French Legion of Honour in August 2007 and presented the decoration by the French Ambassador to Canada. In 2008, he was honoured by the Governor General of Canada with the Caring Canadian Award.
In 2015, the City of Hamilton bestowed its highest honour for a lifetime of service to the community, inducting McFarland into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction.
In recent years, McFarland spoke with the Memory Project about his experiences during the War. The Project posted a six minute audio excerpt. In August 2003, 61 years after the raid, McFarland was interviewed by his regiment, the RHLI, about his experiences.
On the 70th anniversity of the raid, McFarland’s story was featured in a segment which aired on CBC’s flagship newscast The National
Details of McFarland’s funeral and visitation will be released by the RHLI in the coming days.

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Tivoli Condo Development Moving Forward: Heritage Pre-Consultation Meeting – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 24, 2016
The Tivoli condo development on James Street North is moving forward with the developer seeking heritage work permits.
The primary question now is what to do with partial remains of the lobby of the heritage designated building at the rear of the property at 108 James Street North.
Building fronting onto James was demolished in 2004 after a structural failure of the south facade. The auditorium at the rear was not affected directly by the collapse. However, it was already in poor condition and has been further damaged by water and elements since 2004.
As part of the condition of approval for the 73.5 metre, 22-storey building condo building to front onto James Street, the condo developer is required to create a new lobby for the auditorium.
Council says it will not grant building occupancy until the auditorium is restored, as a condition of approval.
The big question facing the Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee is what to do with the remaining portion of the former Tivoli lobby.
As seen in the photo below from 2005, the remaining portion of the lobby is the part of the building in front of the large auditorium, on the right side of the photo.
Hauser presented the Heritage Permit Sub-Committee with two options for the redevelopment of the lobby during a “pre-application consultation” hearing to assist the developer to create a heritage permit application which the Sub-Committee will accept.
Option one is to integrate the remaining portion of the lobby into the new Tivoli lobby. Option two is to demolish the remanent and build an entirely new lobby.
Hauser told the Sub-committee that option two will allow for new washrooms and fully AODA accessibility for persons with disabilities, a full integration with the new condo tower at the front, a connection to James Street, and better
The entire site is heritage designated, with the “coffered ceiling” of the lobby specifically cited.
It is worth noting that the portion of the lobby remaining will not form any part of the base of the tower and its fate will not impact the residential development.
There was little discussion at the sub-committee as they heard Hauser’s presentation. A few questions were asked.
Committee members seem content to await a formal application before offering public committee.
The Tivoli developers will submit their formal heritage permit application to the City’s heritage staff for consideration.
Once submitted to heritage staff, the application on the future of the lobby will likely proceed all the way to Council.
Officially, the permit can be approved by City staff under delegated authority. Considering the high profile of the site and development, staff tell The Public Record they can expect to have the permit follow the full public process.
This process will include a hearing at the Heritage Permit Review Sub-Committee, a full debate and public delegations at the Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee, then Council’s Planning Committee before ratification by the full Council.
We should see some work on the site in spring as the developers work on soil remediation.
Drew Hauser of McCallum Sather Architects told the Sub-Committee on Tuesday that the Tivoli developer is starting soil cleanup and remediation for the condo development at the front of the building. As the architect, Hauser didn’t provide details on this, it stated as part of the timeline discussion.
The Tivoli site was originally used as a carriage factory at the turn of the century. Current environmental laws require remediation of former factory sites for residential developments.
While still preliminary, Hauser did share some interesting ideas for using inspiration from the Tivoli auditorium’s design into the condo tower.
The proposals need to go in front of the City’s Design Review Panel and Hauser emphasised the perspectives provided in his presentation to Sub-Committee were for illustrative purposes only.
As the proposal is in its very early stages, and will likely undergo substantive changes, I’m choosing to not post them at this time. As soon as a formal heritage application is filed, The Public Record will post the most substantive images.
In sum, the project is moving forward, there will be a substantive discussion of the heritage integration with the new condo tower, and the condo tower itself looks to be on the path to have unique design patterns which will add to James Street North’s artistic character.


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UBER's Hamilton Email Blitz an Uber-Failure – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 10, 2016
Uber may know how to beat the taxi industry, but is completely loss at how to win votes from City Council. Instead of mobilizing people into the Council Chambers, they wasted their energy on an email campaign in an attempt to defeat a motion to seek a court injunction to shutdown the taxi-type ride connecting service they operate.
Ironically, the injunction portion of the motion was removed prior to their email campaign.
UPDATED: Merulla’s motion was updated with the injunction removed just prior to the email campaign.
In an attempt to stop the injunction, which was removed anyway, Uber used their nuclear option – calling on all of its Hamilton app users to email City Council opposing the motion.
Tens of thousands of people received an email (pictured above) from Uber calling on them to “Email City Council” and the results are uber-disappointing.
At 2pm Tuesday, I asked Ward 3 Matthew Green’s executive assistant how many emails the Councillor received on the topic. Just over 575 emails.
Tens of thousands are people are asked to email blast City Council and the result is 575 emails? Uber, you might be upending the oligarchs of the taxi duopoly in Hamilton, but are clueless on how to pressure local politics here.
Our Council does not respond to online or digital campaigns. Those platforms are only effect when they drive people to the public gallery at City Hall.
Even if Uber could mobilize an army to produce tens of thousands of emails, it wouldn’t matter to City Council.
A couple dozen phone calls from actual constituents, maybe.
Two-hundred people showing up at City Hall for the Council vote on the future of the local taxi industry and Uber’s place in it – that’s how you influence City Council.
. If Council did consider an injunction, which was withdrawn, it’s the safer bet for them to pass a motion calling for one.
Politically, it will please the taxi plate holders, and will have no effect upon Uber’s operations. The taxi industry will be pleased with the City’s actions and Uber users will not notice as Uber will continue operating and paying fines.
From a purely political calculation, nobody will march on City Hall if the status quo prevails.
UPDATE: the above paragraph is no longer relevant with the amendment.
The second part of Merulla’s motion is a promise to review licensing bylaws “to create a level playing field for the taxi industry while ensuring operators of UBER or like Ride Sharing applications are licensed to ensure consumer protection and public safety”
Our City will look at similar licensing to the City of Edmonton where its City Council approved Uber’s operating on a new licensing regime.
In sum, Uber’s email campaign failed but Merulla’s original motion was already little more than a gesture which will have no impact upon how things are operating – Uber is driving and the City is fining.


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Conversion of Storefront (Restaurant) to Housing at 652 King Street East – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 20, 2016
UPDATE: The Committee of Adjustment approved the application during their March 24, 2016 meeting
King Street between Victoria and Wentworth is expected to become a stronger commercial district in the coming years as residential intensification takes hold along the LRT corridor.
However, in the meanwhile, there is a challenge wi
th storefront vacancies.
The owner is 652 King Street East, on the south side just west of Wentworth, is asking for a minor variance to convert the existing storefront restaurant into two storefront apartments with the bedrooms and bathrooms in the basement, and kitchen/living room on the main level.
The hearing will be held Thursday (March 24, 2016) at 2:10 p.m. (Page 69 of 132 in agenda)
On Barton Street, one of the challenges facing commercial revival is the lack of available storefronts due to conversions to residential storefront apartments.
During the previous term (2010-2014) of the Committee of Adjustment, the CoA denied numerous storefront conversions. It will be interesting to see how they handle this application because it is the first storefront conversion application of this term and it is located on King Street.
For a more detailed discussion of some of the factors CoA must weight in commercial to residential conversions, read Owner of Building at Burris and Main (646 Main Street East) Looks for Variance from Minimum Apartment Size


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Council Public Works Cmte Votes to Study Solar Farm on the Glanbrook Landfill – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 21, 2016
Last year, Council voted down requests to endorse the building of solar farms on prime agricultural growing lands in Flamborough. Numerous solar power generating companies were eyeing Hamilton’s vast agricultural lands for power generation.
The decision to protect agricultural lands wasn’t an anti-solar vote. At the end of the debate, Terry Whitehead moved for City staff to bring back a report about the feasibility of using the City’s fourteen landfill sites for the installation of solar panels.
Staff identified the Glanbrook landfill site as a possible location for a possible 5,000 Kilowatts solar farm which will cost an estimated $12.5-million to build and generate an expected $1,115,900 in annual revenues for the City.
To determine if the solar farm on this site will be viable, the City needs to conduct a detailed feasibility study which will cost $150,000.
In Public Works Committee today, Councillors approved the spending with a timeline of completing the study by the end of 2016.


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Greater Bay Area Committee (Joint Burlington/Hamilton Council) for March 29, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 29, 2016
Hamilton and Burlington Council’s joint Greater Bay Area Committee will discuss the Bay Area Economic Summit, the Lift Bridge, Beach Canal Lighthouse, a joint lobbying of higher levels of government, Waterdown Road, Summer 2016 Roadwork, and La Salle Park.
Live video starts at 1:30pm


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Hamilton City Council Audit, Finance, Administration Committee for March 7, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 7, 2016
Replay of the meeting.


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Hamilton City Council for March 30, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 30, 2016
Hamilton City Council meets to ratify their committee work of the past two weeks. The meeting with start with the swearing in of Donna Skelly as the new Ward 7 City Council.
Live at 5pm


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

March 9, 2016
Hamilton City Council meets at 5pm to ratify their work from the past two weeks.
Full Replay


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Hamilton City Council Special Meeting for March 8, 2016: 2016 to 2025 Strategic Plan Workshop – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 8, 2016
Hamilton City Council holds a special GIC meeting to conduct a workshop on their priorities for the 2016 to 2025 City of Hamilton Strategic Plan.
Full Replay Video


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Hamilton Emergency and Community Services Committee for March 7, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 7, 2016
Hamilton City Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee meets for their March meeting. Included on the agenda, presentation of the Rolston Neighbourhood Plan.
Replay video.


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Hamilton LRT Committee for March 29, 2016 [Replay] – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 28, 2016
Council’s LRT committee will discuss the public relations and communications strategy for the LRT project.
While the construction of Hamilton’s Light Rail Transit system is solely controlled by Metrolinx, the provincial agency is funding the City of Hamilton to manage public relations for the project. In a 22-slide presentation to be discussed during the meeting, City staff outline for their plans for community engagement and key messages.
You can download the full agenda package as a PDF here. (City website version here)


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Hamilton Planning Committee for March 22, 2016 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 22, 2016
Hamilton City Council’s Planning Committee will consider four zoning applications and expanding the elevator property standards bylaw. Live video starts at 9:30am


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Hamilton Public Works Cmte to Vote on $685,673 for New Golf Carts – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 20, 2016
Hamilton’s struggling municipal golf courses need 127 golf carts and City staff are recommending Council finance the cost of $685,673 from the Unallocated Capital Reserve.
Over the next four years, $89,150 will be taken from the Public Works operating budget to return funds to the Capital Reserve. This $356,000 will be combined with $342,900 which the vendor promises as the buyback amount in four years.
Staff say the purchase option will save $20,197 annually compared to the cost of renting golf carts from the vendor.
Staff say the City collects an average of $462,500 in golf cart rental income each year on the three municipal courses.
The golf courses previous contract for golf carts expired at the end of last golf season with a buyback transaction completed.
Councillors will vote on the financing plan during the March 21, 2016 Public Works Committee meeting and ratify that decision at the March 30, 2016 Council meeting.
Full Staff Report (PDF)


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Live from Guelph: A Discussion on Media and Local Government – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 11, 2016
The City of Guelph is hosting myself (Joey Coleman), Jane Lytvynenko of CANADALAND, and Guelph Today columnist Scott Tracey for a discussion on media and local government.
With the recent closure of the daily Guelph Mercury, the City of Guelph’s open data efforts, and the arrival of Guelph today, the discussion on local media and local government in Guelph is of interest Canadawide.
Full Replay


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Owner of Building at Burris and Main (646 Main Street East) Looks for Variance from Minimum Apartment Size – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

March 19, 2016
Update: During the Thursday, March 24, 2016, Committee of Adjustment meeting, this file was tabled pending further discussions between the owner and City staff requiring details of the variance application.
Is 56.6m² too small for the average size of a single person apartment unit? The City requires 65.0m².
This may not seem like a big question in the overall scheme of running a City of nearly 600,000 people, but like some many “small” things in Hamilton’s zoning bylaws, it connects with a wide range of issues.
The news-peg for this discussion is a proposed zoning exception, applied for as a minor variance, for 646 Main Street West to convert a majority of the building’s commercial space into eight (8) small residential apartments (dwelling units in Planning-Speak).
Each one of the apartment units will have separate bedrooms, some very small, but none of what would be term micro or pocket housing.
The hearing is schedule for Thursday’s (March 24, 2016) Committee of Adjustment meeting at 2:05pm. (Page 63 of 132 in agenda)
646 Main Street West is almost at half-way point between Wentworth and Sherman, in an area which is undergoing a shortage of available rental housing as many illegal multiple unit single family homes are being purchased and converted back into owner-occupied single family houses.
The building at 646 is unique architecturally along the stretch, with a multiple level outdoor stairs and patio. The building has always stood out to me, for some reason I can’t quite explain. I remember it in the early 90s when it had a bar on the main level and a reptile shop on the lower. As I passed it nearly every day on the 1-King bus going to school, I saw its slow decline as vacancies became the norm for the commercial units.
In the past couple of years, as you can see for yourself in Google Street View, the building’s last tenant, Danny’s Bar and Grill, closed and the structure is now vacant.
We’ve covered the issue of the rental housing shortage. What about safety? An unknown amount of Hamilton’s rental housing is within illegally converted single family homes. Nobody knows if these units are safe – which is why the City flirts with a rental housing bylaw and registry. Nobody knows how many of these units exist – which is why the City is hesitant to implement a student rental housing bylaw and blitz unsafe units due to the fear that such a move will force people living in sub-standard housing into homelessness.
A new unit conversion will need to meet building code for permit issue and will be subject to inspection.
The balance between residential and commercial is another consideration. The City wants to guard employment spaces, lest we become a bedroom community, and 646 Main Street is on a main thoroughfare. Should the Committee of Adjustment protect some of the commercial portion of the building?
While 646 Main Street East is just one of 23 hearings for Thursday’s meeting, it is an interesting file to illustrate the considerations the Committee must consider for each application.