Author: Councillor Brad Clark

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.  

March 6-7, 2021, Canadian Army Reserve personnel from 31 Service Battalion – Hamilton Support Company will be conducting convoy training in the Hamilton, Burlington and Grimsby areas. Activities will include convoy drills on planned routes and around Canadian Forces Reserve Barracks (CFRB) Hamilton at 650 Catharine Street North, Hamilton.
All activities will happen throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Members of the public may see military vehicles on the following major highways: 407, 401, QEW, Red Valley Parkway, and throughout Hamilton and surrounding areas including Canborough, Grimsby, Haldimand County, Caledonia, Brant County, Milton, Burlington, and Esso.
Participating soldiers will remain within vehicles, except for any required maintenance.

This important training is being conducted in order to maintain and further develop the skills of Canadian Army Reserve soldiers in convoy operations, and to test discipline, safety and effectiveness while operating specific vehicle platforms.

All of the soldiers participating will be practicing enhanced Force Health Protection Measures based on, and in addition to Public Health guidelines, including wearing masks, extra sanitizing of equipment and hands, and physical distancing where possible.
All measures are being taken to ensure minimum inconvenience to those in the area, although certain areas may be inaccessible during the exercise dates. Members of the public are asked to take extra caution when approaching military vehicles and are thanked in advance for their understanding and co-operation.

I am pleased to let you know that the 2021/2022 Recycling and Waste Calendar along with 12 bright green trash tags will be mailed out to residents beginning March 2, 2021 continuing over a two week period. If you do NOT receive your tags over the next three weeks, feel free to contact my office at (905) 546-2703.

The calendar is similar to the material distributed last year in that it is a multi-page, informative calendar.  Pink trash tags expire March 26, 2021.  Residents will begin using their green tags March 29, 2021. Please stop using the pink tags after the expiry date.

*Important reminders*

• Effective December 6, 2021, leaf and yard waste will no longer be collected during December, January and February each year. Residents can continue to take yard waste to a Community Recycling Centre all year round.  
• As part of the approved Single Use Plastic strategy, we encourage you to choose reusable containers as an alternative to single use plastics

The recent snow event (20-30cm over two days) has highlighted problems with keeping our streets clear for emergency vehicles and snow plows.

https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-story/10338353-don-t-park-cars-on-streets-during-snowstorms-hamilton-councillors-to-residents/

I suspect that the city’s on street parking (both sides) has been creating frictions between neighbours and challenges for emergency vehicles access for some time now. In fact, since my election to Council it has become one of the top five issues that residents raise with my office. The parking complaints are usually related to abandoned vehicles, driveway blockage in newer neighbourhoods, and challenges navigating corners and turning into driveways.

I have on several occasions asked Fire, EMS to drive through some neighbourhoods where safe clearances appear to be an issue. In some case, the city has installed no parking signs on corners or bends where these large community emergency vehicles had issues clearing them. My fear of an incident where someone was in medical distress and our vehicles could not reach them became a reality in the most recent snow event. The heavy snow fall and double parking delayed an EMS vehicle as they could not get down the street and they had to reroute.

Accordingly, I will be meeting with staff to look at options to ensure safe access to our streets by EMS vehicles and our snow plows during the winter months. Once we have options, I will share with residents to get their feedback.

CONGRATULATIONS! I want to personally acknowledge and thank all the participants, who dedicated their time and talents to bringing this project through this important phase. Now, the newly appointed Board with the assistance of Evelyn Myrie (EMpower Strategy Group) and city staff will be tackling the requisite and fundamental governance structures, including governance bylaws, hiring an executive director, establishing the mission, vision and strategic plans. I wish them every success in their endeavours.

Hamilton, ON – February 24, 2021: Hamilton City Council has approved and welcomed a new board in the relaunch of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC).

The 13-member board, approved at the February 24 meeting of Council, was recommended to Council by a Community Advisory Panel who began their search in October 2020. The search for a new board comes after the original HARRC project was paused in 2019 to allow for broader community engagement with the aim to re-establish HARRC with a board of directors that will operate independently from the City.

The panel, assisted by the EMpower Strategy Group, focused on ensuring that the recommended board had lived experience, connections to diverse communities, governance experience, and strong skills in the areas of finance, human resources, and fundraising.

Approved Board Members include:

• Alice Mendelsohn – director of the Hamilton Jewish Federation and professor at Mohawk College
• Amber Dean – founding member of Big Susie’s Sex Work Advocacy Organization and academic at McMaster University
• Ashleigh Montague – entrepreneur and founder of Sisters4Sisters
• Cassandra Belasco – founder of workplace inclusion network
• Desire Yamutuale – post-secondary instructor and Secretary General of the Amitié Canado-Congolaise
• Farhanna Khan – teacher and member of the Hamilton Mountain Mosque
• Jordan Carrier – works in Indigenous student support at McMaster University and a Board Member of the Niwasa Aboriginal Education Program
• Kassia Johnson – healthcare professional and a director at YMCA Hamilton
• Kudzie Chasosa – Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
• Rodrigo Narro Perez – works in instructional design at McMaster University and is a member of the McMaster President’s Advisory Committee
• Roshney Kurian – social worker and youth member of the Hamilton Malayalee Samajam
• Sandi Bell – community leader and directorships at multiple organizations
• Yvan Brochu – school principal and member of the Ontario Principal’s Council

Council also approved an additional $50,000 to be used to operationalize the new board, which is in addition to the $200,000 the City is providing to assist the organization in its first few years of operations.

The next steps for the new board will include working with a consultant to get the new board established, determining budgetary and staffing needs and developing a sustainability plan that will be presented to Council by way of a July 2021 update.