Brad Clark Report

A quick drive through Ward 9 reveals thoughtful expressions of thanks to our essential workers.

If you have pics of other signs or addresses that I should visit, please share at brad.clark@hamilton.ca

Modified delivery of some City of Hamilton services

Many City services have continued throughout the pandemic including essential services, support services to those essential services, and services that can be accessed by the public online.

The Emergency Operations Centre announced the restart of some City services. There are some services we can restart on a modified basis in a way that ensures we continue to adhere to the provincial orders and the health and safety of our staff and the community.

As part of this restart, we will be implementing physical distancing practices, staggering hours and increasing cleaning practices. Restarting these modified services is critical to maintaining our facilities as the seasons change. Generally, the services include:

• Grass cutting
• Waste and litter collection in parks and in the right-of-ways
• Asset safety inspections
• Critical park maintenance
• Burials in City cemeteries
• Some work at Gage Park Greenhouse
• Some pre-work for the fall Mum Show
• Annual road maintenance programs will operate at reduced staffing levels due reduction of student resources and full-time staff will be redeployed to fill those duties
• Cleanup of all escarpment crossings
• Enhanced by-law enforcement related to property standards calls
• Parking maintenance staff will do spring maintenance on surface lots including pothole filling, line painting and minor repairs.
• Parking labourers will also be assisting with garbage and litter pick-up in areas surrounding downtown parking facilities

For more information about the modified delivery of these services, visit: https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/affected-city-services.

Ongoing enforcement of physical distancing and gatherings

City of Hamilton By-law Officers continue to use a progressive and education enforcement approach to help residents understand the City’s Physical Distancing by-law that prohibits certain activities and regulates physical distancing during the COVID-19 emergency. While no charges have been laid under this by-law to date, it continues to be in effect and the fine for individuals is $500, which could increase to $10,000 for a serious offence and up to $25,000 for repeat offences. Corporations may receive a fine of up to $50,000 for a first serious offence and up to $100,000 for repeat offences.

To help media and the public keep track of charges laid under the both the City’s Physical Distancing by-law and under the Emergency Measures and Civil Protection, stats have been added to the City’s website: https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/faq-about-enforcement Numbers on this page will be updated daily.

Supports for community agencies and our vulnerable residents

The City will be allocating provincial funding to local social service providers and community organizations for COVID-19 services that support the ultimate goal of reducing community spread. The funding need has to have been generated by COVID-19 and would be needed by the requesting organization to continue to deliver critical services, hire additional staff and find ways to promote physical distancing and self-isolation to keep people safe and healthy.

For more information about criteria and to access the application, visit www.hamilton.ca/CovidFinancialSupports and click on Learn more about Funding for Social Service Providers and Community Organizations.

The First Ontario Centre continues to operate as an emergency overflow shelter. Currently, 50 residents are staying at the shelter.

Important HSR transit reminders

The City is reminding residents that public transit is for essential travel only. The public is asked to please not take public transit to pass some time during the day, transit is for essential trips only, such as going to work or a medical appointment. The public is also reminded to adhere to physical distancing measures and not sit in seats that have been blocked off to promote physical distancing.

Any residents experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or going to an assessment centre for testing should not use public transit. They are asked to contact the Public Health hotline for more information on appropriate transportation to the testing sites: 905-974-9848 or phscovid19@hamilton.ca.

Many years ago, I watched a loved one die, literally in my arms, fighting for his every last breath. It is a horrible memory that I cannot forget. I would not wish such a death on anyone. But this is exactly how our loved ones are dying from COVIDS-19.

If you want to experience what they are experiencing, place a drenched cloth over your face and try to breath. You will struggle, fight and gasp to get air into your lungs. Eventually, you’ll rip the cloth away to freely take a deep breath. Sadly, there is no cloth to rip away for our dying COVIDS-19 victims. This is a horrible virus that can go from a slight cough and fever to an impressive case of pneumonia needing immediate medical intervention to survive. This is a virus that does not target older adults and seniors. It can infect anyone. It has killed babies, teenagers, and young adults. To date, experts do not know why some young people without underlying illnesses have died from this infection.

However, we do know that physical distancing and self-isolation is the only way to end this virus. We know from experiences with other outbreaks that if the infected are isolated, if we ensure infection control precautions within our health care facilities and if we require physical distancing, we can burn out the virus. In effect, we stop the spread by preventing exposure to the infected. But this can only happen with time. If governments jump the gun and acquiesce to the demands to reopen businesses, to drop the restrictions, to restart the economy, then we risk a second wave of the virus.

As I recall, the second wave of the SARS outbreak in 2003 was worse than the first wave. On May 14, 2003, under great political pressure the World Health Organization removed Toronto from the SARS travel restrictions list because there had been 20 days free of any new cases. Under similar political pressures to open Ontario for business, the Premier announced that the SARS Outbreak was over. At the time, this was considered a safe decision as the SARS virus incubation period was only 10 days.

As a result, restrictions were relaxed. The earlier provincial orders about enhanced infection control practices including the prohibition on hospital visitors were rescinded. Governments placed advertisements designed to assure the public that Toronto was safe and open for business. The Ontario Cabinet even had lunch at a Toronto restaurant in Chinatown to reassure the public and to encourage some misguided people to stop their xenophobic and racist reactions to our Chinese residents.

On May 20, just six days later, five patients at a rehabilitation hospital were reported as probable SARS cases. On May 23, the hospital was closed to admissions and visitors. The second wave of SARS was about to hit Toronto. The province issued new orders requiring infection control precautions in the GTA hospitals including 10 day quarantines for health care workers from these effected hospitals.

This SARS crisis finally ended in late June, early July. While SARS only infected 400 Canadians, its relatively high mortality rate of 10-17% resulted in 44 deaths with 85% being Toronto residents, many of them healthcare workers.

Recent emails, phone calls and talk shows are prompting this deja vu moment for me. Some people sincerely believe that all levels of government have over reacted. They sincerely believe that we should collectively relax these restrictions. Allow people to gather in public places. Allow people to return to work. Open restaurants. Open theatres. In essence, let’s get back to normal. Let’s get back to work. Candidly, the president of our southern neighbour is likely enticing some of these reactions.

Unfortunately, relaxing restrictions too quickly without the proper safeguards can unintentionally create a boomerang effect or a second wave with devastatingly new and even longer restrictions. I continue to fully support the Prime Minister, the Premier, the Mayor and our local Emergency Operations Centre. They are doing their best to guide us through this public health emergency, to minimize the loss of life, to abate further transmissions and to minimize the length of business shut-downs. Easing restrictions too early truly does risk a second wave which will only serve to increase the loss of life and delay our economic recovery. If my advice was sought out, I would strongly encourage our leaders to stay the course, follow the advice of our expert Medical Officers of Health and resist the urge to jump the gun.

As for the rest of us, let’s stay united. Let’s respect any orders to self-isolate because of exposure or infection. Let’s stay at home except for essential trips. Let’s maintain physical distancing to protect ourselves and our families. Lastly, let’s remember our exhausted frontline health care workers, who are risking their lives every day to save other lives. Surely, we can do our part and stand united against COVID-19.

Declaration of Emergency for the City of Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – The Provincial Government declared a State of Emergency on March 17, 2020, to stop the spread of COVID-19. By virtue of the provincial order, the City of Hamilton was also in a State of Emergency.

On April 16, the Province issued an emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) to provide municipalities with the flexibility to deploy certain staff to where they are needed most. Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, has informed all heads of council of this order and has requested all municipalities to sign a Declaration of Emergency. (See Minister Clark’s letter to Councils below)

This order is a temporary measure and provides municipalities the authority to take any reasonable measure necessary to respond to COVID-19 with respect to internal work deployment. 

City council met March 20, 2020, and provided delegated authority to staff in order to manage the COVID-19 emergency situation and to maintain vital city services that keep our community healthy and safe.

To exercise this authority as requested by the Province, I am declaring an emergency in the City of Hamilton under section 4 of the EMCPA concurrent with this order.

The declaration of an emergency by the City is a technical matter solely for the purpose of allowing us to redeploy staff and to use volunteers, if needed. There is no additional cause for concern by the people of Hamilton.

The action we are taking today is purely technical in response to a request by the Province that aligns us with a recent emergency order concerning emergency work.

We will continue to monitor and respond to this rapidly evolving situation to ensure we are providing the best support possible to the community as we work together to find our way through this challenging time.

Please continue to follow the advice of our public health teams to prevent the spread of the virus. For City of Hamilton COVID-19 updates, please visit www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus and www.hamilton.ca/covidclosures or call Public Health Services’ COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848 or email phscovid19@hamilton.ca.

Visit www.ontario.ca/coronavirus to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.

Temporary Leaf and Yard Collection Program

The City of Hamilton will start a temporary leaf and yard waste curbside collection program on Monday, April 20, 2020.

The City will collect leaf and yard waste bi-weekly, in alternating parts of the City. Beginning the week of April 20, with the communities of Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook and Stoney Creek. Beginning the week of April 27, yard waste will be collected from homes on the Hamilton mountain and across the lower city.

The bi-weekly rotation will continue until late June, or longer if required.

Residents should ensure their leaf and yard waste is at the curb by 7 a.m. on Monday morning during the week of their pick up. City crews will pick up the bags or containers by the weekend.

This program change will help the City to manage reduced staffing levels resulting from the COVID-19 emergency. Residents are asked to please be patient with crews as we work to ensure leaf and yard waste collection can continue.

The City is continuing to pursue options for more waste collections staff, includingtraining staff from other divisions.

Please note that there is no change to the collection of garbage, recycling, green cart or bulk pick up.