Author: Councillor Brad Clark

Hamilton’s COVID-19 vaccination program update
Changes to registration and booking for adults 85+ years of age

HAMILTON, ON – In an effort to streamline the booking process prior to the launch of the province’s online booking system, as well as book those in the community 85+ years of age who have registered for a vaccine appointment, effective immediately the City of Hamilton Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 is temporarily closed.

Please note, we ask that residents do not choose another option on the hotline, the other lines are reserved for those looking to book testing appointments and need urgent access. These staff are not able to answer questions about vaccine appointments.

Next steps for those residents who have called to register for a COVID-19 vaccine and who have not received a call back:

• Call-backs for appointments will continue through to March 14^th at 4 p.m. It is important that residents answer phone calls when they are called back.
• Call-backs will discontinue after March 14^th at 4 p.m.
• Beginning March 15^th, those who have not received a call back are encouraged to use the online booking tool to book an appointment. Booking instructions and a link will be found at www.hamilton.ca/VaccineBooking.

The hotline will reopen on March 15^th at 8:30 a.m. and will be available to those who don’t have the ability to book online.

The City of Hamilton sincerely thanks residents for their patience and cooperation as we work through the booking process for COVID-19 vaccinations. The City’s goal continues to be delivering vaccinations as quickly as possible to Hamilton residents in accordance with the province’s priority framework.

QUICK FACTS

• All vaccination planning is based on and contingent on available COVID-19 vaccine supply.
• Vaccination roll-out is based on the prioritization framework as determined by Provincial guidelines. 
• It is vital that members of the public, even those who have been vaccinated, ensure that public health measures still be practiced until it is safe and said to be safe by the health professionals in all levels of government.  Public health measures include:  
  • stay home if you are feeling unwell
  • get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or have been in close contact with a confirmed positive case of COVID-19
  • limit gatherings to only members of your immediate household
  • maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet or 2 meters from others outside of your immediate household
  • wear a mask or face covering indoors and outdoors when not able to maintain physical distancing
  • wash hands frequently

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Read more about Ontario’s COVID vaccination program.

• www.hamilton.ca/COVIDvaccines
• www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus
• https://covid-19.ontario.ca
• Public Health Services’ COVID-19 Hotline: 905-974-9848 or phscovid19@hamilton.ca

I don’t know about you but I am so tired of not being able to see my family and friends except through a computer monitor. This video which was sent to me through email lifted my spirit immensely. It reminded me that we are not in this alone.

Please watch the entire video and check out the antics of the singers, like the homemade haircut.

I literally laughed out loud because I also cut my own hair one day. Half way through I dropped the DOG clippers. Naturally, they broke. So, my sides were cut well but there was still a wild party on the top and the back. My kids called it a mullet. Thankfully, a little product kept it down until the lockdown was lifted. My stylist at Classique Hair Salon, found it most amusing. Ok, she had tears streaming down her face and she realized what I had done.

It’s good to laugh. I hope you enjoy the video and feel free to share the link.

As part of the Rymal Road reconstruction project between Fletcher Road and Upper Centennial, the installation of the sanitary sewer will require the CLOSURE of Whitedeer Road at Rymal Road to through traffic and all turns from Rymal north bound will be banned. 

This closure is scheduled for Monday March 8 at 7:00 am to Thursday March 11.  Traffic on Rymal Road travelling west and east bound remains unaffected, all turns to and from Terryberry Drive are also unaffected by the work.

The Hamilton Fire Department is expanding and enhancing how residents and businesses can request and apply for Fire services. More than 30 Hamilton Fire Department services are now available online, including requests for fire permits, inspections and reports, as well as fire safety education and programs.
Below is a list of some services that can now be requested and paid for (where applicable) online.

1. Fire Inspections
2. Fire Department Reports and Other Services
3. Fire Safety Education Speaker, Station Tour or Fire Truck Requests
4. Alarmed and Ready Program
5. Volunteer Inspection Program (VIP) for Homeowners
6. Hamilton Arson Prevention Program for Children (HAPP-C)
7. Open Air Burning Permit
8. Family Fireworks Sales Permit

For a complete listing, visit www.hamilton.ca/FireRequests.

The new online services are part of the Hamilton Fire Department’s commitment to provide services that are convenient, accessible and efficient.

For service-related questions, contact Fire Prevention staff by phone 905-546-2424 ext.1380 or email fire.prevention@hamilton.ca.

Dramatically increasing the amount of prime agricultural lands that are to be used for urban boundary expansions across the province runs contrary to the climate change challenges that we are facing as a city, nation and world.

The recent plethora of changes to provincial planning policies is affecting most municipalities, as they are now required to conduct a Land Needs Assessment (LNA), a Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to comply with these new policies. Given that the province is now requiring an LNA/MCR/OPA to establish housing needs until 2051, I can safely predict that the demand for additional prime farm land to be used for urban boundary expansions will be even more intensive.

Hamilton is ahead of most municipalities as we are well into the planning process with our virtual consultation process. While it has been a broad-based process, we are still relying on residents seeing an advertisement in local papers, on cable TV and/or on social media platforms to participate, limiting our reach.

Unfortunately, this process does not capture the opinions of most rural residents as they may not have internet or cable service in their neighbourhoods. Also, there are many others who may also have limited access to internet or cable services due to excessive costs or lack of interest. So, while the virtual consultation has been broad, I would argue that many residents have been unintentionally omitted from the process.

I also find it interesting that the current consultation, which will help form our positions on the extent of urban boundary expansion until 2051, has missed the very residents who should have been consulted. Ironically, rural residents have some of the strongest opinions about losing more prime agricultural lands to urban development.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to development. Rather, I would like to see us plan for a reasonable, sustainable, efficiently serviceable urban boundary expansion while encouraging more intensification along our transit corridors.

Accordingly, I will be filing a notice of motion to delay the decision on the LNA and to direct staff to conduct a mail-in survey, with postage-free replies to ALL Hamilton residents. Given the magnitude of these planning decisions, I sincerely believe that it is incumbent on the City to notify every household and give them an opportunity to provide their feedback.