2022 City Budget, New Truck Route Network, Public Health Updates & More
Dear Neighbour,
It was great to see so many of you virtually last Tuesday during Coffee With Your Councillor for a live Q&A with Dave Alberton, Manager of Hamilton Water, Distribution & Wastewater. We gathered questions sent in by neighbours by email, on social media, and in the comments section during the livestream. Manager Alberton shared his knowledge on the City’s water system, clarification on programs residents can take advantage of, by-law regulations, and his passion for water and the City with us.
If you missed it, please watch the video here and check out the Hamilton Water Services for more information.
This newsletter includes updates on the final 2022 City Budget, the newly revised truck route network, public health updates regarding COVID-19 by-laws, as well as available City services, and engagement opportunities across the City and specific to Ward 3.
If you have any questions or for further inquiry, please email my office at ward3@hamilton.ca.
Yours in Community,
Councillor Nrinder Nann
Budget 2022
Hamilton City Council has approved a $1.6 billion gross tax operating budget and a net tax operating budget of $993.5 million. This net budget represents a 2.8% or $120 average residential tax increase on an average assessed value of $382,000. This budget is 0.5% lower, $3.6 million, than the preliminary budget presented to Council in January. This budget supports a series of enhancements to critical services and supports like paramedic services and transportation, while maintaining services like recreation, roads and facilities, all while holding the tax increase below inflation by achieving net reductions through budget deliberations.
For more details on the operating budget, please see here.
New Hamilton Truck Route Network Takes Heavy Trucks Out of Neighbourhoods!
I am proud to announce that my motion from November has resulted in a confirmed new truck route network that removes trucks out of our neighbourhoods and establishes positive guidance for direct shortest path deliveries.
At Sub-Committee on Monday, we approved Alternative 5 from the staff report. This route expands the four-axle restrictions to additional routes in the lower city, including Wellington Street and Victoria Avenue North, south of Ferrie Street; Sherman Avenue, Ottawa Street and Parkdale Avenue North, south of Barton Street; and Main Street/Queenston Road and King Street between Red Hill Valley Parkway and Dundurn Street.
Moreover, Barton Street East between Sherman Avenue and Ottawa Street and Gage Avenue between Barton Street and Beach Road is removed from the network.
As you will notice on this map, the green lines are where large trucks (5 axles and more) are allowed to travel. The red lines are where only 4 axle and lower trucks are permitted to travel. Trucks that are exempted are those making local deliveries or tied to public or emergency service delivery. There are a few loop arounds that enable permitted course correction routes or abilities for larger trucks to reconnect to permissive roads due to one-way streets.
Thank you to all the residents and organizations across Ward 3 for engaging in this process. Your input helped ensure the final route centred health and safety of people while also addressing the needs of goods movement for various commercial and industrial companies.
The decision now goes to Public Works Committee next week and will need to be ratified by Council before an implementation plan can go into effect. You can review the staff report and list of appendixes that detail out the new route here.
Update on Masks and Physical Distancing By-laws
Wearing a mask is an act of care, protection and love for those around us. In Hamilton, we held that paramount when the masking and physical distancing by-laws were first put in place. And it remains the advice of Hamilton MOH Dr. Richardson to keep masks on indoors in public spaces, especially when you cannot guarantee being physically distanced from others.
During a special council meeting on Monday March 21, majority of Council voted 10-2 to lift the mask requirement in alignment with the Province. That morning, Board of Health reported that our case count was increasing. We also acknowledged that some will be more at risk than others by becoming infected. Particularly vulnerable are seniors, people with disabilities, immune compromise, under vaccinated, those from lower income households and racialized populations. Asking the most vulnerable among us to face the highest risk to now have to take more caution engaging in daily activities out of their homes puts them in harms way with this decision. It would have been more prudent to wait two weeks after so many people travelled during Spring Break to create more ease in the community.
Though there is no more mandated masking and physical distance by-laws in place, Public Health still recommends that the best step towards protecting each other is to wear a well-fitted mask, maintain physical distance when possible, staying home if you feel unwell, and ensure you are fully vaccinated.
Vaccine Clinics in Ward 3
Please see below for clinic opportunities across Ward 3. For a full list of clinics across the City, please see here: https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccination
WALK-IN CLINICS (No Appointment Required)
Hamilton Public Library, Barton Branch - 571 Barton St. E.
(operated by Refuge Newcomer Health, DJNO, HCCI + partners).
Saturday, April 2 - 11 am to 3 pm
No appt or health card required, interpretation, transportation + more supports available - email covidvaccine@newcomerhealth.ca or call 905-526-0000
(Ages 5+)
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church – 440 King St E, Hamilton, ON L8N 1C6
Friday, April 1 – 12:30 to 2:30 pm
(Outdoor clinic, dress for the weather) (Ages 5+)
Gage Park – 1000 Main St. E., Hamilton L8M 1N2
Saturday, April 2 only – 9 am to 4:30 pm
(Outdoor GO-VAXX bus clinic, dress for the weather) (Ages 5+)
Mission Services - 196 Wentworth St. N.
(use Good Food Centre/Community Services entrance)
Every Wednesday - 10 am to 12 pm
No appt or ID required, wheelchair accessible, support available in Spanish + booster shots to those eligible.
(Ages 12+)
APPOINTMENT ONLY CLINIC
De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre - 678 Main St E
Fridays (check DAHC website for all clinic dates and times)
For those age 12+, book appointment online at aboriginalhealthcentre.com/covid19info
For those age 5-11, book an appointment by emailing covid19vaccine@dahac.ca or calling 905-544-4320 Ext. 399.
PHARMACY CLINICS
There are a number of Ward 3 pharmacies participating in the vaccine clinics. Please see here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations and enter your postal code to find the pharmacy closest to you.
Ontario’s Childcare Investment Deal with the Federal Government
The province of Ontario has finally signed the childcare deal with the Federal government, after being the only jurisdiction left in Canada that had not signed onto the plan. On March 28, Ontario reached a $13.2 billion agreement with the Federal government on funding for and the terms of a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program. The new program will lower child care costs and improve access, and quality across Ontario’s child care and early years sector.
Under this new agreement, Ontario’s Child Care Action Plan will take a phased approach in facilitating more affordable, accessible and inclusive quality public childcare services. The Strategy and accompanying agreement with Ontario is to bring child-care fees down to an average of $10 per day by September 2025. On average, this will result in a savings of $10,000 for the average Hamilton family currently paying for childcare — a game changer for economic security.
Other important highlights of the strategy include:
- 25% fee reduction to a minimum of $12 per day retroactive to April 1, 2022 (rebate cheques to be sent to parents in May)
- $13.2B investment over six years, $10.2B over five years. $2.9B secured for an additional year
- 86,000 new child care spaces (including 15,000 already promised in 2019)
- Improving compensation for Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs)
- Wage Floor of $18 for RECEs and $25 for supervisors
- $1 increase per year until 2025
City staff will continue to work with our provincial and federal counterparts, local early years and child care community partners and Ontario Municipal Social Services Association on next steps such as implementation of the agreement.
For further questions, please feel free to connect with Jessica Chase, Director, Children’s Services and Neighbourhood Development Division at jessica.chase@hamilton.ca or telephone: (905) 546-2424 ext. 3590.
Lead Service Replacement Program
Hamilton Water initiated a direct outreach beginning March 22 to residents that live in a home built before 1955, where the City of Hamilton’s records indicate that they either have a “lead” or “unknown” water service line into their home. This outreach includes a lead awareness mail package regarding a Check Size and Type Inspection, the choices for inspection (virtual or in-person), the instructions for both choices, as well as important health information about lead water pipes.
Now known to be toxic to humans, ongoing exposure to even small amounts of lead can be harmful to human health, especially for vulnerable communities. The City of Hamilton implemented the Corrosion Control Program in November of 2018 in order to reduce the amount of lead in tap water, and began the Lead Service Replacement Program to work with homeowners in replacing lead pipes that connect from their homes to the city municipal water supply. Through the implementation of these programs, the City of Hamilton is working towards removing all the lead water lines in Hamilton, and estimates the completion of this in 25 to 40 years.
Free Tax Return Filing Service — Hamilton Public Library until April 27
The Hamilton Public Library has partnered with trained tax volunteers from the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program to offer free tax services to residents with a modest income and a simple tax situation until April 27. Residents can choose the Drop-Off service, or By Appointment service.
To see a complete list of dates for each branch, view a chart explaining modest income, details about required tax documents, as well as answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit hpl.ca/free-tax-service.
GFL Environmental Inc — Environmental Registry of Ontario — Input until April 25
Under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR), Ontario residents have a formal right to participate in environmentally significant decision-making using the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO).
There is currently a posting on the ERO we feel residents should be aware of. GFL Environmental Inc. is seeking an amendment to their environmental approvals in order to operate an electric arc furnace dust recycling facility at 237 Brant Street. You can read about the plans for the facility and what the company says the potential environmental effects will be. Then, using the ERO, you can submit an online comment, or contact the Ministry of the Environment directly by email, or by calling at (905) 521-7650 to share your thoughts on this proposal. The deadline to comment on this proposal is April 25.
For help with this or to discuss concerns you may have, please contact our Climate Action Community Coordinator, Kerry LeClair at kerry.leclair@hamilton.ca.
Team Up to Clean Up Program — Relaunching First Week of April
Team Up to Clean Up is a year-round, city-wide community cleanup program. This initiative was created to help keep public places across neighbourhoods in the City of Hamilton clean and safe for everyone. Residents who register their community cleanup events through here will be provided with all the tools needed, including gloves, recycling bags and specially marked garbage bags. Cleanup events can be hosted on City property including parks, trails, alleyways, streets, and parking lots.
It had been on hold while City staff were redeployed to pandemic response roles, but we are happy to share that it is relaunching in the first week of April. The program relaunch comes along with improvements to the clean-up registration system.
To learn more about the program, and the improvements being implemented for the relaunch, please visit here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Whitney Slattery at whitney.slattery@hamilton.ca.
Inclusion Coffeehouse — Grand Opening April 5
The official Grand Opening of Inclusion Coffeehouse is happening Tuesday, April 5 beginning at 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre.
Inclusion Coffeehouse has been created by people with and without intellectual disabilities where all can gather and learn about each other, all while enjoying some delicious treats. It is a part of the L’Arche Hamilton community which strives to create a city where everyone belongs – inclusive, free from discrimination and barriers, and where the true potential of every life shines.
At present, the Cafe is now open every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To see the latest updates, please visit their Instagram and Facebook.
Hop Into Easter — In-Person Easter Event — April 16
GALA, Wever Core and Keith Hub are hosting their 7th annual Easter Event at Powell Park Clubhouse, on April 16 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. It is an in-person event with health and safety in mind, being that masks are recommended, and gathering limits will be monitored. The event features Easter treats for children under 12 years old, a free book giveaway courtesy of Barton Street Library, “Dinner on Us'' gift baskets for families in the Gibson, Landsdale and Keith neighbourhoods, and refreshments. All are welcome to attend, and there will be fun crafts, and games for all.
To register for the event, please email eventsatgala@gmail.com. Please make sure to include your address, number of children, and preferred time slot. The time slots are 12 p.m., 1 p.m., or 2 p.m. Registration closes April 9.
The event is seeking volunteers as well. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, please contact eventsatgala@gmail.com.