HAMILTON, ON, November 16, 2023 – Mayor Andrea Horwath has issued the following announcement:
“I’m thrilled to announce that the City of Hamilton has reached a tentative agreement with ATU Local 107 that they will be recommending to their members.
Strikes are difficult, and I thank the public for their patience and understanding while HSR was out of service. I know this disruption had very real impacts on people’s lives, and I look forward to the full restoration of service as soon as possible.
Our transit workers are very important to us, and we’re excited to welcome them back.
Thank you to my City Council colleagues, our City bargaining team and ATU Local 107 leadership for their commitment to achieving a fair and speedy resolution to this important process.”
HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton is looking for public input on a stormwater incentive program that could help property owners reduce their stormwater runoff from their property into the City’s stormwater system.
As precipitation levels continue to increase with increasing temperatures globally, and with Hamilton’s water and sewer infrastructure being one of the oldest systems in Canada at more than 100 years old, the City needs to divert as much stormwater as possible to manage the pressure on the system, and it’s looking at ways to incent property owners to help with that.
In follow-up to City Council’s approval of a new funding model for stormwater infrastructure, which will better support the funding needs of maintaining the system, the City’s asking residents to give their input on what an incentive program to reduce stormwater system impacts could entail.
The program would apply to owners who implement stormwater management measures on their properties that positively impact the environment, help protect private property, and reduce impact on the stormwater system by reducing and/or improving the quality of stormwater runoff from their property.
Measures could include installation of a rain barrel, disconnection of downspouts, installation of a backwater valve or other strategies to help to reduce the risk of basement flooding. They could also be planting rain gardens, bioswales, pollinator gardens or installing permeable surfaces.
Incentives could include credits to help lower the stormwater fee for industrial, commercial, institutional, and large, multi-residential property owners who implement onsite measures to reduce and/or improve the quality of stormwater runoff from their property.
The new funding model for stormwater infrastructure takes effect September 2025.
Public input on what could be included in an incentive program can be provided through an online survey, virtual meetings or in-person open houses:
In June 2023, Hamilton City Council approved a new funding model for stormwater infrastructure. Starting September 2025, a stormwater fee will replace the current funding model where most stormwater funding comes from the City’s water and wastewater utility revenues. Properties will be charged based on the load (or use) they place on the stormwater system. Residential properties will pay based on the type of dwelling (e.g., single family detached dwellings, duplexes/townhomes, and multiplexes). Non-residential and large, multi-residential properties will pay based on their measured imperviousness (the amount of hard surface on their property).
When this new funding model is implemented, water and wastewater rates will be reduced as they will no longer be used to fund stormwater management activities, and the stormwater fee will be broken out as a separate line item on utility bills. This investment in infrastructure, will be increasingly required as precipitation levels increase as global temperatures increase. Currently, much of Hamilton’s water and sewer infrastructure is some of the oldest in Canada at more than 100 years and will increasingly need upgrading.
QUICK FACTS:
Stormwater is water that comes from rain and melted snow that flows over land and into storm drains, ditches, creeks and lakes. In natural landscapes, stormwater is soaked up like a sponge, which then nourishes plants and slowly replenishes creeks, lakes, wetlands and aquifers.
Like other municipalities who have implemented similar stormwater fees (Mississauga, Kitchener, and Guelph to name a few), an incentive program is being considered.
Subsidized programs to support better on-site stormwater management for residents are also under consideration.
QUOTE:
“How can the City make it easier for Hamiltonians to reduce the storm runoff on their properties? We’re looking for practical ideas that would incentivize residents to help us reduce costs and address the impacts of a changing climate. Please share your ideas!”
Below is this week’s update from the GFL Stoney Creek Landfill that has been posted on the facility website (www.gflstoneycreek.com) for your information.
November 2, 2023
GFL continues to perform ongoing perimeter inspections for odour detection. We have not encountered odours in the past week.
The deodorizer continues to operate at four locations on the Site: the Holding Pond on the west side, at the corner of Green Mountain and First Road, on the north buffer zone adjacent to Green Mountain Road and Morrisey Blvd., and by the pumping station. GFL’s vendor will be supplying the new neutralizer solution the week of November 6th.
On Wednesday November 1st GFL resumed leachate pumping, discharging into the west holding pond and then into the City sanitary sewer. Part of the new treatment process, which includes Hydrogen Peroxide, requires aeration to help mitigate odour.
Next Monthly Community Update Meeting (via Zoom) will be held on Thursday, November 16th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Click here to register.
The December Monthly Community Update Meeting (via Zoom) will be held on Thursday, December 14th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Click here to register.
GFL continues to perform ongoing perimeter inspections for odour detection. We have not encountered odours in the past week.
The Carbon Air Scrubber that was put in place on October 13th continues to be effective at mitigating odour from the pump station. GFL is looking into a larger scrubber that will be even more effective.
The deodorizer continues to operate at four locations on the Site: the Holding Pond on the West side, at the corner of Green Mountain and First Road, on the north buffer zone adjacent to Green Mountain Road and Morrisey Blvd., and by the pumping station. GFL has asked the vendor to replace the current deodorizer fragrance with an odour neutralizer. We are awaiting response from the vendor as to options.
An Air Monitoring On-Site Assessment dated October 19th has been conducted by the MECP. A report from Hamilton Public Health was issued. The Assessment can be viewed here.
The Holding Pond at the West Landfill has been drained, and sediment removal commenced on October 26th. There may be some odours produced during this process. This process treatment has been updated to include Hydrogen Peroxide. On October 30th GFL will resume pumping the leachate from the Holding Pond to be discharged to the City’s sanitary sewer. Aerators will be introduced into the Pond area starting October 30th.
An Air Quality Monitoring Plan has been developed by a qualified third party and was submitted to the MECP for review on October 20th.
Next Monthly Community Update Meeting (via Zoom) will be held on Thursday, November 16th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Click here to register.
The December Monthly Community Update Meeting (via Zoom) will be held on Thursday, December 14th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Click here to register.
Brad Clark Report 
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