Greenbelt Lands, Encampment Protocol, HSR Fare Assist
Dear Neighbours,
I want to take a moment to acknowledge that many neighbours are feeling anxious about the air we breathe here in Hamilton. A two-year air quality study found high levels of carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene throughout the urban area. This report was funded by Health Canada and coordinated by the City of Hamilton in partnership with Environment Hamilton. The author of the study is Dr. Matthew Adams, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at the University of Toronto Mississauga who states "almost every one of our measurements was above the guidelines…indicating elevated concentrations.”
This is precisely the reason why in April I moved a motion from Council to oppose the provincial Site Specific Sandards (SSS) that have historically enabled our industrial neighbours the permission to spew these toxins into our air. Stelco’s SSS expired in June 2023 and ArcelorMittal Dofasco is also up for renewal. We can no longer enable companies to make profits with a disregard to the health impact they are having on our residents.
The Ward 3 Office will be hosting a community workshop and dialogue on the topic this September. We will be joined by health and environmental experts to ensure residents have all the information they need. It is my goal to create a group of engaged residents who want to work with my office to affect change on this topic this term of Council. We will post more details about this important meeting in a future issue of our e-newsletter and through social media. Until then, if you want to connect on this issue or other climate concerns, please contact Kerry Le Clair, the Ward 3 Climate Action Community Coordinator directly at kerry.leclair@hamilton.ca
As always, my office is here to support you, and encourage you to please contact us at ward3@hamilton.ca or 905-546-2702.
Yours in community,
Councillor Nrinder Nann
Photo of Councillor Nann at a podium during Council. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "Council & Committee Updates"
Provincial Amendments to Greenbelt Lands in Hamilton
On December 16, 2022, the Province removed approximately 795 hectares of land in the City of Hamilton from the Greenbelt Plan. On February 8, 2023, the City of Hamilton opposed the removal of these lands from the Greenbelt Plan Area.
Notwithstanding the City’s opposition, the effect of the Province’s decision is that the lands are no longer within the Greenbelt Plan Area. Furthermore, the Province has indicated that these lands are to be developed for residential uses to support the Province’s goal of facilitating the construction of 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years across Ontario.
Based on the initial Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) posting, it is staff’s understanding that it is the intent of the Province that significant progress on approvals and implementation is to be achieved by the end of 2023, and that development must be substantially underway by no later than 2025. It is staff’s expectation that the Province will use its powers to enact Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZO) as the means by which development rights on the former Greenbelt lands will be established.
Furthermore, the province has assigned a Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to confidentially meet with municipalities, with respect to any private development proposals and associated community benefits within these lands.
I opposed the direction to meet with the provincially appointed facilitator in this exercise of manufactured consent. However, the direction did pass this Friday at Council. Unlike the provincial government, the City will be hosting a public meeting with the purpose of obtaining public input as to the City’s priorities and expectations.
Encampment Protocol Update
In May, Council directed City Staff to engage residents to develop a new Encampment Protocol that applies a human-rights and health focused lens. Public engagement was open for feedback via the Engage Hamilton website until June 30th, through three public meetings that were held across the City, as well as through individual emails and calls. Thousands of Hamiltonians have responded.
Currently, City staff are compiling the feedback provided and are drafting solutions to provide recommendations to Council. The revised Encampment Protocol will be presented to General Issues Committee on August 14th, 2023.
My office team and I have been in daily communication with residents wanting to discuss encampments. We acknowledge it has been a challenging time for many. I whole-heartedly believe that we can get to the real solutions if we are able to stay focused on them together.
Guiding shared use of public space is essential, especially in Ward 3 neighbourhoods where access to green space is limited. Our parks are part of everyone’s health and wellbeing, and key for healthy and thriving children. The proposed protocol will aim to address items like: waste, litter, needles, safety, security, proximity to fence lines, washroom and hygiene facilities, etc. This is important for the safety of all park users including those living there encamped.
The conversations with neighbours has also made it clear that it is important for more people to know about the work being done on the frontline. For example, the Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team is visiting encamped residents multiple times a week with both nursing, wound care and psychiatric services. Other volunteer groups are building friendships and supporting the basic needs of unhoused residents to survive. Many faith-based organizations are providing food and water. The more teams like these, along with the City’s Housing Outreach staff, that can get in, build relationships and provide care, the more likely we will be in successfully transitioning folks to permanent housing. The challenge is that this work takes time and it may appear as though progress is not being made when simply looking at encampments from the outside.
We are in the fight of a generation with other levels of government to get their heads in the game around investing in and delivering truly affordable housing, mental health access and addiction services.
I am proud of my work at the same time in supporting local pilots to demonstrate the success of the Council approved direction for a “human-rights, health-focused housing approach to addressing encampments”. In fact, we worked on a pilot last year with a group of 21 residents who were living encamped, 19 of whom remain permanently housed with the ongoing supports they need to succeed. That is 19 people no longer living in tents in the city, many of whom were living encamped in Ward 3.
I am very driven to demonstrate the same for nearly 200 who remain living in tents across the City, and again, we will not be able to deliver on this as a City Council unless the province and feds get to the table with us.
The final protocol will not be perfect. However, it will be a place to build from. And the real solution remains adequate and supportive housing for everyone!
HSR Fare Assist Program
Since the pandemic, transit ridership has recovered to 94% at the fare box, which indicates that people are back to using public transportation to commute and access various locations in the City.
At General Issues Committee (GIC) on July 12th, Council was presented with the new HSR Fare Assist Pilot Program that will be in effect January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026. Through the new Fare Assist Pilot Program residents will be able to access a 30% discount on single-ride PRESTO fares for the whole family with eligibility based on total household income regardless of age or ability. This will require suspending the existing HSR Temporary Transit Fare Special program and the Ontario Works Affordable Transit Pass For the duration of the pilot.
Information to support the creation of this new pilot program was obtained from public consultation through the Engage Hamilton website where an overwhelming amount of residents expressed support of this new pilot program.
77% say Fare Assist will allow them and their families to use transit more
83% say Fare Assist will save them money on transportation costs
78% strongly agree or somewhat agree that it is a good and fair subsidy program for transit
Council ratified the motion to implement the pilot program on Friday July 14th, and City staff will be developing an extensive communication program to inform the community and support the application process soon.
Once this information becomes available online and in paper format, my office will provide the links for residents to submit their applications to the appropriate City department.
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New Roadway Construction at Wentworth & Niagara Streets
Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) has sent out a notice to residents living near the Pier 14 construction project, close to the northern ends of Wentworth and Niagara Streets. HOPA is working with the City of Hamilton traffic department on traffic management and signage approaching that area.
Residents in the neighbourhood may experience some noise and vibration as normally associated with road construction. Contractors will adhere to the noise control bylaw regarding construction timeframes. HOPA will be monitoring along with the contractors on the job to ensure any potential dust or dragout is mitigated.
There is also a small demolition associated with this construction work. The demolition will take place over approximately two days in July using an excavator, with attention to minimizing any dust.
Ward 3 Office Pop-Up: August 17th at Crown & Press Gallery
The #OurWard3 team will be hosting our Office Pop-Ups in the community across different neighbourhoods to connect one-on-one with neighbours to help address your questions, concerns, or ideas.
Many residents shared how much they appreciated connecting in this way last year. Not all of our neighbours have access to internet or email and can’t reach us that way. We will be putting up posters in adjacent shops and with other stakeholders to help get the word out in advance of the time and date we will be in your area.
Our next pop-up is scheduled for Thursday, August 17th from 9:30am - 12:00pm at Crown & Press Gallery (303 Ottawa St. N). Light refreshments will be provided. I look forward to connecting with you and offering access to the support of my team soon!
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Filming on Biggar Ave - July 17th
Biggar Avenue between Sherman Ave and Lottridge St will be closed on Monday, July 17 from 7am–11pm for filming. Motorists are advised to take an alternate route.
Should you have questions or concerns about film activity or crews, please contact the Film Office at 905-546-4233 or film@hamilton.ca.
A photo from Pinch Bakery & Plant Shop with a cake and someone pruning a plant . Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "Community Events"
Barton Village Open Streets - July 16th
The countdown is on to the first Open Streets on Barton of the summer!
Join us the Barton Street Village BIA on Sunday, July 16th from 11am-4pm as Barton Street East will be closed to vehicles from Victoria Ave N to Sherman Ave N.
Walk or roll down the street and enjoy live music, a kids zone, community outreach, a curated vendor market, business showcases, and more.
Many of our businesses have wonderful patios to enjoy a bite to eat as you explore!
Health Equity Community Meeting - July 20th
The City of Hamilton, the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC), and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI) invite you to attend a Health Equity Meeting on Changing the Structure of the Hamilton Board of Health.
The meeting will be held at the Hamilton Public Library Central Branch on thursday July 20 from 5:30pm-7:30pm and are looking for participants to:
Provide feedback on the structure of the Board of Health
Learn how health inequities impact Black, Racialized, and Indigenous residents in Hamilton
Participate in focus group discussions
Participants will receive a $20 gift card for their time. Interested individuals are asked to contact HARRC at info@harrc.ca or HCCI at info@hcci.ca for more information or to register.
Pinch Bakery & Plant Shop Weekly Market
Pinch Bakery & Plant Shop are organizing a weekly market under the grapevines of their patio space featuring a mix of some other great vendors popping up throughout the summer!
They’ll have slushies, cold brew, chalk and plants of course! Be sure to stop by and say hi on Thursdays from 3:00pm-6:00pm.
For any vendors interested in popping up on Thursdays, please email Pinch Bakery & Plant Shop at info@shopatpinch.com.