Brad Clark Report

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REMINDER: Leaf and Yard waste was suspended starting on Tuesday, March 24. Until further notice, the City will suspend curbside pick up of leaf and yard waste. Residents are directed to either hold on to their leaf and yard waste, or take it to one of the Community Recycling Centres.

This decision was made to ensure on going waste collections service as our providers have experienced a reduction in staffing due to self-isolation requirements from travel, personal exposure or illness.

Keeping Collectors Healthy The City of Hamilton waste collection crews are still out on the streets, picking up green bins, blue boxes and garbage. While crews have their own health and safety procedures in place, residents are asked to help protect them on the job:

• Place used tissues and napkins in the garbage, rather than the green bin.
• Please use liner bags (either paper or certified compostable plastic) in the green bin.
• Please ensure that all material placed in garbage bins is bagged, not kept loose.
• Please follow the advice of Public Health and keep a physical social distance of at least two metres from waste collection staff.

These steps will help protect the health of crews who handle thousands of bins, bags and boxes each week.

https://www.hamiltonnews.com/readerschoice/categories/people-professionals/subcategories/local-politician?fbclid=IwAR1lrEMsGqWRfRBDRb080uG5lmKJmwbYWO7zebNzMJiAgmgl9GYxqPkJqeg

In 2019, I was honoured and humbled to be selected the Diamond Winner (1st Place) in the Hamilton News Readers Choice Awards.

It is once again an honour to have been nominated among so many deserving local leaders. Take a minute to vote for your favourite local politician. I thank you for considering me.

Respectfully and gratefully yours,

Brad Clark

General Statement on Enforcement Priorities

The Hamilton Police Service together with the City of Hamilton’s Licensing and Bylaw Services are monitoring and, where necessary, using enforcement tools to ensure public safety in our community. Priority is being given to enforcement of the Provincial Orders requiring non-essential businesses to close and prohibiting organized gatherings of more than 50 individuals, as well as monitoring closed City facilities such as Albion Falls.  Enforcement authority with respect to the Provincial Orders rests with the Hamilton Police Services, but City of Hamilton By-law Officers are providing support to the Police as needed.

1. Businesses and Business Operations

The Provincial Government has ordered that all non-essential businesses close for the next two weeks.  The Province has released a list of what businesses are considered essential, and are therefore permitted to remain open.  This can be found at: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/list-of-essential-workplaces.html

Each individual business will need to examine the provincial criteria to determine whether their business is considered essential or non-essential. The province has launched a toll-free line 1-888-444-3659 to provide support to Ontario businesses who have questions about the Provincial Order.

Businesses found in violation of the Provincial Order may be fined by the Hamilton Police Service.  Individuals may be liable for a fine up to $1000 for their first offence, with a corporation liable for a fine up to $500,000   If you suspect any business of operating contrary to the Provincial Order, please contact Licensing Enforcement Team at the City of Hamilton Contact Centre at 905 546-2489.

Licensing Officers will assist the Hamilton Police Service to investigate violations of this Provincial Order.

If any Business or Employee of the Business is not following proper hygiene or precautions, this can be reported to Public Health at – COVID19 Response phscovid19@hamilton.ca or call the hotline at (905)  974-9848

If any Employee of a Business has safety concerns while on the job it should be reported to their Health and Safety representative or the Ministry of Labour, Health and Safety Centre 1-877-202-0008

2. Organized Gatherings of 50 or More People

The Province has made an order prohibiting organized gatherings of more than 50 individuals.  This only applies to organized gatherings, and does not include public spaces, stores, etc. where more than 50 people happen to be at a given point of time.

This order is enforced through the Hamilton Police Services, not Licensing and Bylaw Services. If members of the public observe an organized gathering of more than 50 people, they can contact Hamilton Police Services at 905 546-4925.

Licensing and Bylaw Services will periodically monitor high traffic public areas to determine if there are additional measures that need to be taken by the City.

3. Closed Parks –  Albion Falls

Albion Falls, as well as Hamilton Conservation Authority conservation areas, have been closed to the public.  This means no one should park in the areas or access the trails or the parks.  Municipal Law Enforcement Officers will monitor these areas and will enforce if necessary, if anyone is in the park illegally.  Municipal Law Enforcement can be reached by calling the City of Hamilton Contact Centre at 905 546-2489.  City of Hamilton Parking Officers will also be enforcing parking restrictions at these areas.

4. High Traffic Public Spaces – City Parks, Trails and Stairways

The City of Hamilton strongly encourages everyone to follow the advice of Public Health officials and to physically separate from one another. That includes in public spaces, such as on trails, sidewalks, or in parks.

To ensure public safety in public spaces, the City has taken a number of actions.

Playground equipment and park structures such as benches are not sanitized, so the City has announced that this equipment is closed, and therefore use of this equipment is prohibited until further notice. Municipal Law Enforcement officers will periodically proactively monitor these areas.

Signage is being placed in some locations where there have been larger numbers of people, such as on the Escarpment stairs, cautioning the public to limit use to essential travel and to practice physical distancing.  If you don’t need to use the stairs, stay off them.

The City’s by-law officers are also monitoring and patrolling high traffic public spaces across the City. If members of the public observe a location where individuals are not practicing physical distancing, they are advised to avoid those areas.

5. Enforcement of Physical Distancing

Physical distancing is a matter of personal responsibility. It is not something that is enforceable by City by-law officers.

Public health officials at all levels of Government, including Dr. Richardson, the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Hamilton, strongly recommend that everyone should be avoiding close contact with others. Close contact includes being within 2 meters (6 feet) of another person. It is everyone’s personal responsibility to practice physical distancing.  We are at a critical point in the evolution of this outbreak in Hamilton, and Canada, and it is up to all of us to influence how this unfolds. 

To the extent possible, public health officials are strongly recommending that people stay home.

When they do need to go out, they should be practicing physical distancing. This applies to people walking on the street, shopping in stores, working in their workplace, and everywhere else that people may come into contact with others.

While the City does not have the authority to enforce physical distancing through fines or by-laws, the City has been very aggressively and strongly communicating to the public that they should be physically distancing, both for their own safety and for the safety of others.

If members of the public witness locations where others are not practicing social distancing, they are recommended to avoid those locations.

Parking Operations

• Municipal Car Parks (MCPS) – Payment and Enforcement continues at this time
• On Street Parking Meters – Payment and Enforcement continues at this time
• Permits (MCPS, Time Limit, etc) will be honored until HMPS Public Services re-open (IE March Permits Expirations)
• Regulation Change Requests, Petitions, etc services will be suspended

Parking Enforcement

• Enforcement surrounding Residential Permits, Time Limits (12 hr, 1 hr etc) has been relaxed to help those working from home or self isolating.
• Enforcement continues for safety-related concerns such as Fire Routes, No Parking, No Stopping, Corner Clearances, and Cross-walks
• Parking Meter and MCP Enforcement continues
• MTO Accessible Parking Permits (On street and Private Property) Enforcement continues
• Alternate Side Enforcement continues
• Towing is being limited to safety concerns (priority tows such as blocked driveways)

Administrative Penalty Disputes – Tickets

• Email and Phone Screening Reviews (Disputes) will continue and can be arranged by contacting HMPS (see below for contacts).  In person screenings are not being conducted.
• Hearings will be postponed until May 2020 which can still be requested and scheduled via Email and Phone