Media Release : Fire Dept. and City of Hamilton

Frozen water pipes? Tap into these tips

HAMILTON, ON – December 28, 2017 – With the recent onset of freezing temperatures, there is the chance that Hamilton residents may experience frozen water pipes in their homes. Hamilton Fire Department reminds building owners that the use of electrical equipment to thaw pipes may create fire hazards. The use of any electrical equipment to thaw frozen pipes, including arc welders, that is not CSA certified for pipe thawing is a contravention of the Electrical Safety Code and has the potential to start electrical fires in the building or adjacent buildings, even after the pipe thaws.

Should you experience frozen pipes, take the following steps to ensure your safety:

· If the frozen section is under the City’s responsibility, call 905 546-CITY (546-2489).

· If the frozen pipe is the building owner’s responsibility, hire a qualified contractor to thaw the pipes.

· Make sure that any hired contractor uses CSA certified equipment that is designed for thawing water pipes.

· If you attempt to thaw out the pipes yourself use hot water bottles, hot towels, hair dryers or small heaters. DO NOT USE AN OPEN FLAME TO THAW THE PIPE.

The City is responsible for frozen water service lines from the property line to the water main. Building owners are responsible for water service lines from the property line to, and inside their buildings.

Home owners can prevent water pipes from freezing in unheated areas by wrapping the pipes in insulation, opening a faucet to allow a small trickle of water to flow through the pipes, or opening interior doors to let heat from the house warm unprotected pipes in cold cellars and other similar areas. 

Business and residential building owners should take similar precautions to ensure that sprinkler piping is not allowed to freeze. A frozen sprinkler pipe will not let water flow, allowing a fire to grow unchecked. There is also the possibility of sprinkler pipes breaking due to ice expansion. Make sure that wet sprinkler systems are adequately protected and that dry sprinkler systems have had all water drained from them.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays

O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine...

Media Release: Hamilton City Council Approves 2018 Rate Budget & Tax Supported Capital Budget

HAMILTON, ON – During today’s City Council meeting, Council approved the City of Hamilton 2018 Water, Wastewater / Storm Rate Budget as well as the City’s Tax Supported Capital Budget.

With the approved rates for the 2018 Water, Wastewater / Storm Rate Budget landing at a combined rate increase of 4.5% effective January 1, 2018. The average resident’s bill in 2018 will be $690.70 for a household consuming 200 cubic metres of water annually representing an increase of $29.75 annually.

Hamilton has one of the oldest and most complex water and wastewater systems in Ontario. This investment will improve our ability to protect the environment and deliver on our commitments respecting harbour clean up, support the homeowner assistance programs related to sewer later repair, basement flood prevention and lead service replacement while supporting Hamilton’s ongoing efforts to address the infrastructure deficit and work toward a sustainable level of funding for this critical system.

This rate increase reflects a prudent investment for present and future generations while balancing residents’ ability to pay. Hamilton’s rates continue to remain among the lowest in Ontario.

Council’s approval of the 2018 Tax Supported Capital Budget will support $236 million gross in capital infrastructure projects. The increase in capital funding from property taxes equates to an increase in the operating budget of 0.9 per cent or $7.5 million. This represents an increase of $30 per year on an average household.

The Tax Supported Capital Budget will focus on roads, bridges, traffic, sidewalks, corporate/recreation facilities and entertainment facility rehabilitation, affordable housing, transit initiatives, Fire and Paramedic Services and waste management. In addition, capital investments will be made towards improving the outdoor spaces in Hamilton including open space development, forestry and horticulture and West Harbour development.

2018 Tax Supported Capital Budget Highlights

$236 M in gross capital spending includes:

• $68.5 million towards Roads, bridges, traffic, sidewalks
• $14.2 million towards Roads growth
• $26.4 million towards Corporate and recreation facilities rehabilitation
• $25.8 million towards West Harbour Strategic initiatives
• $19.4 million towards Transit initiatives
• $11.5 million towards Affordable Housing Initiatives
• $8.2 million towards Fire and Paramedic Services
• $7.9 million towards Open Space Development
• $7.7 million towards Vehicle replacement
• $7.2 million towards Entertainment facility rehabilitation
• $4.6 million towards Waste Management initiatives
• $4.3 million towards Forestry and Horticulture

Additional Resources
Learn more about the 2018 Budget - www.hamilton.ca/Budget2018

Quotes

“Council’s approval of the 2018 Water, Wastewater/ Storm Rate Budget and Tax Supported Capital Budget reflect the importance of maintaining our aging infrastructure and facilities while creating new places in the city for the enjoyment of the community. Residents are understanding of the need for the rising water, wastewater/ storm rates, at a reasonable increase, to ensure we are staying on top of this critical system within our City. Hamilton has been at the lead in terms of asset management specifically on the water and wastewater side. We have been working hard and consistently year-to-year to ensure that capital projects, strategic initiatives and growth continues, while showing good value for money and accountability to our residents. The forward planning that we are doing is extremely helpful, and in fact, we are noted across the Province as being the prime example of how you do it right.”
Mayor Fred Eisenberger

“The 2018 Tax Supported Capital Budget supports a series of strategic investments towards maintaining the quality of City assets, growing the City’s assessment base, supporting the City’s transit strategy, while maintaining the City’s tax competitiveness.”

Mike Zegarac, General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services

With ATU Local 107 President, Eric Tuck- on LRT

Eric Tuck

President ATU107

Given that the role that the HSR will play in LRT continues to be a hot topic, The Hamiltonian checked in ATU Local 107 President, Eric Tuck. Enjoy our chat with Eric:

1. In a recent Spectator editorial, the paper, in its view, expresses grave concern over the incremental costs of having HSR/ATU run the LRT system. It cites an expected $750,000.00 annually for the next seven years in incremental costs if the system is run locally. This 5.2 million dollar seems staggering. Then there is the added costs of training. How do you respond to these concerns?


It is our expectation that there will be a cost to Operating and Maintaining an LRT System. We are also very much aware that the Private operator will have those costs built into their bid along with certain profit margins. No matter how we look at it, Public or Private operating and maintenance costs will be paid for . The City and Metro-linx MOA have left that conversation open. That being said, if Metro-linx was prepared to subsidize the private sector then why wouldn’t we expect those same subsidies to flow to our Public system? Why wouldn’t we want our Public Taxpayers dollars used to support Public Transit over a Private for Profit operator?

Can you describe the elements of the case for having HSR run the system. Why does it make sense to go that route as opposed to opening it up to competition?

First off Public Transit isn’t profitable - never has been, so competition only takes away from the public system. HSR has spent 31years building the B-Line ridership up to where it is today and will continue to build that ridership base until 2024 when the first LRT starts running.

38 years of investment to build a ridership base and then we are going to turn the keys over to a private company to profit off of LRT for the next 30 years?

We are going to give up local autonomy and any public accountability of the main transit line through the center of our city? Think about that.

It reminds me of the 407 when we were convinced that we should build this super hi-way that was going to relieve congestion and then we sell it to a private consortium to profit off of for the next 100 years. It is now one of the most expensive roads to drive on in North America. York Region privatized their transit system and the fares are $4.40 a ride and receives government subsidy of more than $4.00 a ride. Hamilton can’t stand by and allow this to happen here.

We recently faced,  and are still dealing with a transit crisis at HSR but because it is under local control we were able to hold those people in charge accountable and called on our city council to act to address those shortfalls. This is only possible when you have local and public control.

3. What do you say to those who might suggest that HSR/ATU considerations are resulting in the project being delayed, based on amendments that will have to be done to the RFQ. Are you of the opinion that the HSR/ATU stipulation should have been incorporated from day one, rather than to leave it to a point where a delay in the RFQ process is inevitable?

 RFQ- Request for Qualifications?

Simply a process to ensure those who are interested in bidding on the job have the resources and means to do the job. In the scope it clearly defines “May include DFBOM” key word for me is “may” I would say if Metro-linx wanted to expedite the process they have had 4 months to start these negotiations with the City- why the lengthy delay? Then to respond with fear-mongering and misinformation is wrong spirited and disingenuous. The fact of the matter is we have been advocating for public ownership of operations and maintenance since the day this project was announced. These conversations started years ago . We were repeatedly put off and told that we would discuss this during the RFP Process which is where we are at right now.

4. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know about this issue?

There is still a strong will amongst Hamiltonians to support a world class public transit system in Hamilton and if Metro-linx, HSR,bATU and the City can work collaboratively,  we still believe that goal is attainable but the political rhetoric needs to be replace with honest dialogue and goodwill negotiations amongst the stakeholders.

Thanks respectfully Eric Tuck
President ATU107

The LRT Thing

Metrolinx's recent decision to punt the decision as to whether to allow HSR/ATU to run LRT, back to city council has been fraught with controversy. While the decision has been referred back to Hamilton City council, that direction was laced with dire warnings about the risks of hard wiring the running of LRT to HSR.

Much of these concerns are amplified in Andrew Dreschel of The Hamilton Spectators's opinion piece, which can be seen here. Andrew's piece entitled Councillors Should Say No to HSR Running LRT, makes it pretty clear where he stands on this.

While Dreschel's piece lands as it piggybacks on Metrolinx's warnings, Andrew's suggestion that Metrolinx would retain ownership of the system, thereby  having it remain in the public's hands, may not be compelling to some. While the statement is true that Metrolinx's ownership denotes it as being in public hands,  Hamiltonians may not find comfort in that. Referring to a provincial agency that will have interests and responsibilities beyond Hamilton's LRT, is not the same as a locally run system. The proximity effect has force in this. We're not suggesting one or the other is the better option; only that the comparison may not hold as nicely.

The decision as to realize the benefits and risks of privatization is also not a slam dunk. There are many variables to consider. Among them:

What is the track record of agencies such as Metrolinx specifically, and the privatization of public services more generally, location specific and otherwise. We are not suggesting a grade here or rendering a judgment; only that the question should be considered. 

To what degree should we empower a consortium? 

Are there creative solutions that we have yet to consider? For example, is it really a HSR vs. private operator decision? Or can it be privately operated initially, dovetailing into a planned handoff to HSR once certain preconditions regarding readiness are met? Surely that can be contractually cast. Would such a provision be necessary? 

What is the potential cost of litigation, if pieces of a consortium's deliverables fall astray or are otherwise at issue. (we have local examples to refer to).

How much profit is in the for profit model and how does that variable play in the mix.

Were HSR/ATU's interests given enough attention at the onset, and is part of this a hard lesson learned in retrofitting a major stakeholder to the extent that they ought to have been included in early talks? Certainly, if one reads ATU Local 107 President Eric Tuck's past interviews in The Hamiltonian, there is a clear sense that ATU believes that they were not consulted early enough, in a meaningful way.

All this to say that the LRT thing, and more specifically, the decision as to whether to allow HSR/ATU to operate the system is not a simple matter. Nor should it be playing out this late in the process. 

The Hamiltonian

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - BBQ in Brampton – The best grill you’ve never heard of…

BBQ in Brampton – The best grill you’ve never heard of…

Not long after a pilgrimage to the place of her birth, our new grill arrived regally and fully-assembled from Brampton in her very own truck. We’ve named her Nike – after the goddess of speed, strength and victory, not the shoe! But let me back up a bit as I tell you about my visit to what may be Canada’s first facility to allow for indoor grilling all year long.

Full disclosure: I’m a complete sucker for raffles both physical and online. In the real world I’ve even devised a complex and patented ballot-folding system to increase the chances of their being drawn. In the many years I have employed this cunning stratagem, I’ve never won anything, but I’m no quitter. Faced with the opportunity to enter a draw for a shiny Crown Verity (henceforth referred to as CV) BBQ at Langdon Hall, I entered almost reflexively, forgetting moments later I had done so.

I was therefore astonished, and not a little thrilled to get a call from a dear friend saying he had been present at an event at Langdon when visiting Celebrity Chef, Vikram Vij, drew my name from the drum. I was sceptical till I received subsequent confirmation, including from Langdon’s GM Mark Steenge, who told me to await a call from CV as to how to collect my prize.

As I’ve witnessed, Langdon’s brilliant Chef, Jason Bangerter, uses CV BBQs to great effect and is a fan, hence the draw sponsored by the Company. In the past I had longingly eyed CV BBQs in showrooms, and lapped up the content and recipes in CV’s glossy Elements publication. But, frankly, their products, rugged and reliable as they are, were way out of my snack bracket. They’re built like tanks, out of stainless steel, and are dragged by chefs to all sorts of events and subsequently hosed down with power washers till they gleam like new, even after years of commercial use and abuse.

The next thing I knew I had been convened by the lovely Rachel Caron, CV’s Head of Canadian Inside Sales, to the Brantford Headquarters of the company to be introduced to my prize and her many customisable features, by Mr. Andy Incitti, the President of CV no less. The company has 40 employees and was founded in 1990, but has a long and distinguished lineage before that, including manufacture of high-quality products ranging from plows to aircraft parts.

Incitti has headed up the company since 2015, bringing many years of finance and operations experience in manufacturing and engineering sectors to the job. He was persuaded to take the position by the passion of company founder, Bill Verity, for grills and the outdoors. Incitti is clearly in love of the bullet-proof nature of his products, and very proud of the ground-breaking showroom they are arrayed in.

We met in the Grilling Room, a unique facility created for both chefs and retail customers. It is a large space around which grills ranging from a relatively modest 24 inches to models the size of a smart car are arrayed. It’s dominated by a vent hood the like of which I’d not previously encountered and wired so that service calls can be routed directly via Skype to the showroom.

Once it is fully operational in 2018, it will be able to accommodate 60-70 people for dinner or a party of 8 – 10 for a training event. The beauty of it is, of course, much like visitors to high end kitchen range showrooms, guests will be able to fully appreciate the features of CV’s products regardless of what the weather is like outside.

As he fires up a five-burner 36-inch 79,500-BTU model to demonstrate its near-instant heat and power, Incitti says “Creating memorable outdoor experiences has become our mission. Home cooks are attracted by the power and reliability of a commercial grill in their own backyards.” He adds CV also makes patio heaters and has plans for more products for home users.  

Once the previous incumbent of my BBQ shelter was delivered to a friend, and Nike reverently installed I was eager to fire her up. Despite being forewarned, I quickly managed to sear a finger and singe my eyebrows: the heat was that instant. We’ve made friends now, and though she still occasionally reminds me to pay attention, I’ve produced top-restaurant-quality steaks, the juiciest of pork chops, the crustiest of Neapolitan-style pizzas and amazing “baked sweet potatoes with hot buttery love injection” Ted Reader-style (he’s another CV booster) with her assistance
Nike is clearly here for the duration, and I suspect will see service by my grandkids long after I am gone. I just wish we had been introduced twenty years ago!

Note: I won my BBQ in a draw open to visitors to Langdon Hall, and subsequently visited Crown Verity’s headquarters at my own expense. The helpful folks at Crown Verity did not see nor approve this article prior to publication.

To see all past columns please see (and “like”) the Food for Thought Archives
Alex (Alex can be reached on twitter @AlexBielak)

Media Release: City of Hamilton ‘AA+’ credit rating affirmed; outlook is stable

City of Hamilton ‘AA+’ credit rating affirmed; outlook is stable

HAMILTON, ON – S&P Global Ratings (S&P) released its most recent Research Update this week, affirming its ‘AA+’ long-term issuer credit and debt ratings for the City of Hamilton with a stable outlook.

S&P recently realigned their ratings review and surveillance schedule resulting in the release of this Research Update just five months after the previous Research Update, which was released in June.

The ‘AA+’ credit rating and stable outlook reflect the City’s high rankings in almost all categories, including:

Institutional framework – Very predictable and well balanced
Economy – Very strong
Financial management – Strong
Budgetary flexibility – Average
Budgetary performance – Strong
Liquidity – Exceptional
Debt burden – Very low
Contingent liabilities – Very low

The City’s budgetary flexibility continues to be rated as Average due to the impacts of provincially mandated service levels, labour contracts, inflation, challenges deferring capital spending due to aging infrastructure and infrastructure deficit.

Other highlights include:

• The City operates in a very predictable, well-balanced local and regional government framework, which lends to its stability
• Financial management is considered strong due to fiscal prudence, e.g. cost-cutting where possible, including $12M from the City’s 2017 budget
• Strong budgetary performance; the city has mild, yet steady, assessment growth
• Exceptionally high internal liquidity levels complemented by very robust internal cash flow generation reflected in its very high operating surpluses and satisfactory access to external liquidity for refinancing needs
• Very low debt burden and interest costs are expected to remain very modest
• Contingent liabilities such as ownership of businesses, standard employee benefits and landfill post-closure liabilities are modest and do not present significant risks to the City’s debt burden or liquidity

The research update findings are consistent with the City’s continued focus on greater financial acumen through multi-year business planning, business cases with identified good value for money, risks and outcomes, vendor management and standardized project management processes.

Additional Resources

S&P Global Ratings (S&P) Research Update - November 2017 - City of Hamilton

Quotes

"I am extremely pleased with the recent update from S&P Global Ratings that the City of Hamilton rating is once again AA+. We are on the right track. We continue to benefit from strong, robust financial management, allowing us to keep tax increases low while investing in programs, services and infrastructure. This acknowledgment is encouraging and confirms that Hamilton continues to be a thriving municipality.”
Mayor Fred Eisenberger

2017 in Hamilton: The Year of the Gun

While we watch in horror at the senseless loss of life at the hands of crazed gunmen who have terrorized and killed innocent people in Texas and beyond, we are reminded that gun violence and deaths are a problem in Hamilton.

In recognition of this troubling trend, we reached out to the Hamilton Police Service to get a better understanding of this phenomenon in Hamilton.

The graph above was provided by the Hamilton Police Services in response to our questions below. The graph clearly depicts a troubling rise in gun violence , particularily from 2015 and reaching a peak in 2017, and the year's not over yet.

1. Can you provide statistics related to how many deaths occurred by gun violence in Hamilton over the last several years. We are interested in at least a three year to present timeframe, or further back if possible.

(refer to bar graph above) (Note- The Hamiltonian is in the process of verifying whether the stats above reflect deaths by gun violence as asked, or incidents of gun violence. This topic will be updated once we determine that.) 

We have been advised that the graph above does not represent deaths by gun violence but rather the number of shootings. The following stats have been provided as clarification in terms of the number of deaths:

In 2017 (as of Nov 7th), there have been a total of 38 Shootings, 21 Victims and 3 Deaths compared to 22 Shootings, 12 Victims and 7 Deaths in 2016

2. What factors can serve to account to an increase in gun violence in our city? How are the police dealing with this and what other partnerships are being exercised in order to be as effective as possible in curtailing this type of violence?

We believe these shootings are targeted. Targeted means there is a connection between the shooter and the victim. The HPS works collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies at all levels including municipal , provincial, and international to combat illicit drugs and the associated violence that often accompanies the drug subculture. The Investigative Services Division of the HPS is dedicated to gathering intelligence and using it to identify those responsible for these types of crimes. The HPS is a member of the Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit which focuses of Investigating criminal offences often involving firearms.

3. Some believe that mental health issues are a driving factor in gun violence, while the research seems to suggest otherwise. Do you have any observations with respect to this in the Hamilton experience?

We are still investigating many of these incidents but we know drugs tend to be an underlying motive.  

4. What can you say to Hamiltonians with respect to feeling safe on Hamilton streets, particularly in light of gun violence?

We recognize the impact that a shooting has on our community. One shooting is too many. We take these incidents extremely seriously and Hamilton Police Service is working diligently to identify all those involved.

As a community, we need to work together. We believe there are people out there who have information about some of these crimes. We encourage anyone with information about these crimes to contact HPS at 905-546-4925 or to provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online at www.crimestoppershamilton.com"http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com__

5. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know about this issue? 

As a community, we need to continue working together. If you see something, say something. If we mobilize our entire community, the impact on the wellness and safety of all Hamiltonians is limitless. 

Special thanks to Superintendent Ryan Diodati, Head of the Investigative Services Division and to JP of the Hamilton Police Services, for this information.

With LIUNA's Joe Mancinelli -on LIUNA’s planned addition to Hamilton’s downtown core

Artist's Rendering of Tower

Enjoy our chat with Joe Mancinelli, Liuna International Vice President and Manager Central Eastern Canada,  with respect to  Liuna’s newest planned addition to Hamilton’s downtown core:

The following questions were posed to Mr. Mancinelli. His responses are below the questions.

1.Can you tell us a little bit about this new project. What prompted it and how did the partnership with the Hi Rise Group come about?
2. Who is the target group for this project? Who do you envision your customers being?
3. How will this project contribute to community building, especially as it applies to the downtown core?
4. If people are interested, how do they go about finding out more about it?
5. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know about this project?

Mr. Mancinelli's reply:

The project spans from King Street East along Hughson North to King William, the length of the City block. 

More specifically,

Brit Floyd – November 4, 2017 - Review

The years melted away as the audience of middle aged rockers (with a smattering of next generation fans in training ) relived their teenage years. The almost sold-out audience was fully captivated and mesmerized from the outset as Brit Floyd opened with the sound of a beating heart, followed by mellow guitar, then keyboard, drums and bass; each successive instrument building into a powerful Floydian medley. Brit Floyd, the phenomenal U.K. based Pink Floyd cover band took us through the 70s, 80s and 90’s with select tracks from all of the most popular albums as well as some of the very early (1967) material and lesser known selections. The audience response effectively mirrored the quality and

Integrity Matters: With Integrity Commissioner George Rust-D 'Eye

In this edition of Integrity Matters, we caught up with  Integrity Commissioner, George Rust-D'Eye:

1. Since you have been Hamilton’s Integrity Commissioner, how many complaints have you received? Can you please breakdown the number of complaints you received per year? In other words, of the total complaints received, how many were received in 2017, 2016…etc.

Not to duck the question, but it depends partly on the way that you define a “complaint”.
Since I operate entirely on the basis of legislation, resort must first be to the legislation itself, which in this case is both Provincial statute and Municipal by-law:

Section 223.4 of the Municipal Act,2001 authorizes an integrity commissioner (whom I will refer to“ IC”), to conduct an inquiry in respect of a request made by council, a member of council or a

With Damian Darlington of Brit Floyd

In advance of Brit Floyd's much anticipated return to First Ontario on November 4th as part of their Immersion tour, we caught up with vocalist, guitarist, and musical director Damian Darlington. Enjoy our chat with Damian:

1. What is it about the upcoming Immersion show that is different from past shows? Can you give us a sense of what the audience can expect to see.

The audience can expect to see a significantly different set list from previous years. We’re making a point of celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Animals album and playing the whole of the first side of the original vinyl record, which includes the epic track Dogs. We’re also playing a number of tracks from The Division Bell, Momentary Lapse of reason and The Final Cut album that we’ve never performed before, indeed a couple of songs that Pink Floyd never performed live. Of

From Dark to Dawn and a Story of Recovery

There are many stories of addiction but so few about recovery. This weekend, 500recovered addicts (dozens from Hamilton alone) will descend upon Toronto to hear messages of hope, faith and courage. The annual convention of Cocaine Anonymous will have powerful speakers, a sobriety countdown and personal stories of freedom from drug addiction. One of them is a Hamilton man who became addicted to drugs and alcohol and after 10 years of trying, finally escaped the clutches of addiction with help from those in his own community.

Within 5 years of his first drug use, Mark realized that drugs were the source of all his pain. The lack of stable housing place, lack of stability, lack of constant work and struggles with the law led to his first attempt to quit. “I felt so low in jail, like I never wanted to be there again,” he says. But that very night he used again.

“I figured that a geographical cure would help so I went to Vancouver” It started out ok, he was

On the Hess Street Issues

With respect to the issues of policing the Hess street area, we posed the following questions to Police Chief Girt. Answering on his behalf is Superintendent Mason , who has been working on this issue:

1. Recently, you have cited the inordinate amount of policing thatis required in the Hess Village area and illustrated the point byciting that Hess Village generated 54% of the downtown calls from the period January 1 to September 20th.  You called for continued paid duty policing, albeit in revised numbers. We suspect that most Hamiltonians will recognize the need you are identifying as meritorious and worthy of consideration. Despite that, it continuesto be necessarily a reactive approach to what amounts to a challenging and significant problem.

We are wondering if the police, in partnership with otherstakeholders, has or will engage in tandem, in an alternate approach to the problem which may include meeting with thestakeholders and discussing best practices and preventative strategies to curb the offending conduct in the first instance. Has there been such discussions, or will there be? We envision a range of topics which may include tips from police on how to prevent escalating behavior to possible changes in policy regarding alcohol serving and consumption, (that latter of which obviously would have to come from other stakeholders and not the police.) 

2. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know aboutthis issue?

Inspector Mason responded as follows:

Hamilton Police Service works closely with our partners to address best practices and look at preventative strategies to address issues within the community. Most recently, the City of Hamilton facilitated meetings with stakeholders within the Hess Village area to discuss challenges and solutions to ongoing issues. We continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders to proactively deal with a variety of circumstances and regularly liaise with other enforcement agencies such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, City of Hamilton By-Law, Hamilton Fire Department and Public Health to address concerns.

Media Release: City launches Citizen Dashboard in time for Fire Prevention Week

HAMILTON, ON – The first phase for the City of Hamilton Citizen Dashboard launched today at hamilton.ca/citizen-dashboard to provide citizens an opportunity to access information about City service performance and how these services help contribute to quality of life in our city. To showcase Hamilton Fire Department information, in line with Fire Prevention Week, the Hamilton Fire Department is the first municipal service sharing their performance and service information data.

The Hamiltonian asks Questions re: Mayor's Trade Mission to Colombia

The following questions were posed to Mayor Eisenberger in relation to his recent mission to Colombia. We were hoping for more detailed and substantive answers to our questions, which we we thought were fair questions. We have included the Mayor's response verbatim below our questions:

1. Can you tell Hamiltonians what prompted this trade mission and why Colombia, as opposed to any other location.

2. In your media release, you stated : This is a mission to solidify new business connections, nurture investment leads, and ultimately create new jobs for this city.

a) Can you identify which new business connections were made and what did the parties commit to as next steps?

b) Can you explain what measures will be/have been put in place to gauge whether new jobs for Hamiltonians have ultimately resulted from this mission?

3. Who else attended the mission with you, on behalf of Hamilton?

4. Is there a report that has been produced that captures the progress made from this mission. If so, can we receive a copy for our readers?

5. How much did the trip cost, in terms of any monies that are to be paid by Hamilton taxpayers and why was this effort worth the cost?

6. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonian to know about this matter?

Mayor Eisenberger replied as follows:

Thank you for your inquiry. The mission was the culmination of bilateral talks that began during the PanAm Games in 2015. The mission consisted of both private and public sector partners, involved investment meetings and events designed to partner Hamilton entities with potential Colombian investors/trade partners, and culminated with the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding with a Colombian technology accelerator.

Media Release: City of Hamilton says “we’re in” to Amazon

In a unanimous vote, the City of Hamilton says “we’re in” to Amazon

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton is throwing its hat into the “Amazon” ring, to be considered for their new, second corporate headquarters dubbed Amazon HQ2. In a unanimous Council vote, the City is sending a clear message to the Seattle-based technology giant that we have the people, the infrastructure, the talent and the resolve to deliver results. HQ2 involves the creation of 50,000 jobs in the next ten to fifteen years and $5 billion in capital expenditures.

“This represents a significant opportunity that our team is focused on pursuing. The economic and creative transformation of our city aligns perfectly with Amazon’s expansion plans. We know we are going to be competing with cities from across North America and we are confident in the value, excitement and energy Hamilton brings to what we believe will be a winning proposal,” says Mayor Eisenberger.

When reviewing Amazon’s request for proposal, the City looked closely, both at the attributes of the type of city they were seeking as well as the technical and land requirements. Considering a number of these key elements, the City sees its strength on a multitude of fronts as a solid match for Amazon’s requirements and business drivers.

The economic development opportunity is deemed a game changer and a solid way to show that Hamilton is investing in the city for future generations.

Welcome Amazon to our city: https://youtu.be/QigA9LD9hCM

CHML. Shout Out

A special shout out to our friends at CHML who are celebrating their 90th anniversary. They will be broadcasting all day until 6pm at the City Hall forecourt. 

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Sips and Bites (and #MadLove): The Departures, Returns and Arrivals Edition.

This week we heard of the sad and untimely passing of Dave Hanley, founder of Popup Hamilton, and a great booster of the city’s chefs and culinary scene. Dave, with his trademark porkpie hat and #madlove tweets, genially took the Hamilton food scene by storm, beginning with a series of Dishcrawls – a precursor to the Popup events – through Hamilton’s neighbourhoods. Food for Thought wrote about him several times beginning in 2013, noting “Dishcrawl was a win for Hamilton.”

Hanley leaves a wife, and young daughter, and a GoFundMe campaign is underway to help defray funeral and other costs. A candlelight vigil is being planned for this coming Saturday, Sept 23, at the East Side of Sam Lawrence Park from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fittingly NOSH, the 2017 edition of Hamilton’s upcoming culinary week, has been dedicated to him. RIP Dave.

In other news, the 5th Annual Flamborough Chillifest takes place at the Waterdown Legion this Tuesday, September 26th 4 – 8 pm. The event – always a fun time for families – is organized by

Media Release: Hamilton Weighing Amazon Bid

Hamilton Weighing Amazon Bid

Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger

Friday, Sept 8, 2017, Hamilton, ON - Amazon has announced plans to establish a second company headquarters in North America. It is seeking proposals from local and state/provincial governments. The benefits in terms of jobs and economic development are self-evident and unprecedented.

The City of Hamilton has obtained Amazon’s Request for Proposals document and has established a team to analyze the criteria with a view to responding with a Hamilton proposal. We are already fielding offers of help from local external stakeholders. In addition, my office has been in contact with the provincial government to indicate our interest.

Although detailed analysis is required, a quick read indicates that Hamilton meets many of the criteria that Amazon has established, including location in a large metropolitan area, proximity to mass transit and rail, proximity to major arterial roads, and proximity to an international airport.

In addition, Hamilton has many additional advantages such as proximity to the U.S. border, world-class educational and medical sectors, and very attractive lifestyle attributes including restaurants, culture, and access to natural areas. 

We are acting quickly as Amazon has established a tight timeline with a deadline of October 19 to receive submissions. I will keep Council and the public updated as work progresses.

Media Release: Ian Thompson Announces his Intentions to Run in Ward 11

Ian Thompson Announces His Intentions To Run In October 2018 For The Ward 11 City Council Seat

WINONA - September 12, 2017 – Over the past several months Ian Thompson has been approached by a number of people inquiring if he has ever thought about running for public office. After many conversations with his family, friends and neighbours, and considerable deliberations with community organizations, community leaders and residents, Ian has come to learn that there is a growing appetite for change with the representation at City Hall. Today, Ian Thompson is announcing that on May 1st he will register as a candidate to run in the October 2018 Municipal Election in Ward 11 (Winona, Rural Upper Stoney Creek, Binbrook, Mount Hope).

“Neighbourhoods throughout Ward 11 are and continue to be under-serviced. Increase in vehicle

Media Release: Concession Street BIA is wrapping its summer series of SIDEWALK SOUNDS

This Friday the Concession Street BIA is wrapping its summer series of SIDEWALK SOUNDS - this Friday September 15, 2017.

A 3rd Friday of the Month Music Series from May to September. LIVE MUSIC PERFORMERS set to start at 6pm to 9pm.

SIDEWALK SOUNDS 2nd annual music series is inspired by the James N. Art Crawl and Concession St.’s traditional Streetfest

The Concession Street BIA is working in partnership with the Hamilton Music Guild’s MUSIC IN THE CITY to provide a high caliber music crawl within our business district (Upper Wentworth to East 33rd)

There are 6 outdoor music stations that run from 6pm to 9pm. Sidewalk Sounds creates an atmosphere for the Hamilton community to enjoy the sounds of local Hamilton musicians while

Media Release: City of Hamilton sells Hamilton Technology Centre to Clearcable

City of Hamilton sells Hamilton Technology Centre to Clearcable in a win-win deal

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton announced today that it has reached an agreement with Clearcable to acquire the Hamilton Technology Centre (HTC). It’s a win-win business transaction for both the City of Hamilton and Clearcable.

HTC was established in 1993 as a small business incubator. Given the age of the building, the facility requires immediate capital improvements and has on-going operating costs. As the City invests and supports many small business programs, the property was declared surplus by Council on February 22, 2017.

“Clearcable will adopt the original vision of HTC by applying their own expertise contacts within this industry, and continue to foster the development of emerging technology companies such as theirs,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “We see Clearcable as a business and community leader in supporting Hamilton’s technology sector.”

Clearcable is a Hamilton-based, specialized telecommunications technical consulting firm focused on the needs of broadband service providers and rural municipalities. In operation since 2004, they have been tenant at HTC since April 2016. The company is experiencing sizable growth in their operations since moving to the facility. The company was looking for opportunity to expand in the development and incubation process in the technology sector. This real estate purchase of HTC allows this to occur.

“This acquisition will help us realize our vision of a private technology innovation centre,” said Rob McCann, President and Founder of Clearcable. “As a business operator with close ties to Hamilton, both personally and professionally, I look forward to an opportunity to invest in Hamilton’s success.”

Clearcable Networks is a leader within the technology sector and is active with the Intelligent Communities Forum. McCann was named the Canadian Independent Telephone Association’s 2016 Supplier of the Year.

Ward 15 Councillor, Judi Partridge was pleased with the Clearcable acquisition as it will ensure the incubator concept to support new businesses in Flamborough will continue.

“This is an exceptional example of the way we leverage the private sector to support entrepreneurship. Our business community is the backbone of our city and we strive to support it through many different channels,” says Ward 15 Councillor, Judi Partridge.

Clearcable plans to make changes to accommodate a portion of space for co-working as well as accelerator spaces, where entrepreneurs can work individually or together.Capital improvements to the facility are in the plan and well as supporting the ongoing operating costs.

Eisenberger Vs. Trump Round 1

It is uncertain whether U.S. President Donald Trump will show up to this fight (he has shown that he will sometimes engage via twitter with American Mayors) but Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger seems to have thrown caution to the wind with the tweet shown to the left.

Rather than focus on the President's comments regarding NAFTA, Mayor Eisenberger takes a broad swipe at Trump's presidency. While there is no doubt that Mr. Trump and his presidency is rich in controversy, it is questionable whether the Mayor's swipe was a smart or appropriate thing to do.

What is your view? Do you think Mayor Eisenberger's comments were appropriate and called for?  Do you believe the tweet will be noticed and responded to by Mr. Trump?

With Clr. Whitehead - on LRT

Clr. Terry Whitehead

We checked in with Ward 8 Councillor and friend of The Hamiltonian, Terry Whitehead on LRT. Enjoy our chat with the Clr.

1. With the addition of Eastgate Square as a destination, how comfortable are you with LRT as it is currently being envisioned. Has the Eastgate addition and perhaps other adjustments made, moved you significantly from a place of extreme concern to a new perspective on the matter?

My role as a councillor is to ensure that we understand the risks, the consequences and mitigate those issues as much as practical when making decisions. The LRT system moving from McMaster to the Queenston traffic circle was the worst case scenario for a comprehensive transit system. With no North/South connectivity this plan was not consistent with the city endorsed plan and would have put taxpayers of this community at great financial risk. When we were dealing with the EA report at council I knew that the vote would be tight. In good conscience I could not allow the LRT plan in its incomplete design, pass or be supported. I chose to leverage the original plan to Eastgate which provided a greater level of connectivity in our transportation plan. It would increase possible success, but for sure would mitigate the higher risk plan that was in play. I still have misgivings. I believe the uplift argument is overinflated especially when the Canadian Urban Institute indicated that after all is said and done we’re still only looking at only a 1% assessment increase and this projection was made before the Scott Park lands became a non-tax generating revenue property. Ridership is sitting at 444 passengers at peak hour in peak direction. The growth projections for Hamilton have not been met for the last 10 years and I doubt they will be met for the next 10 years therefore these numbers should not be relied on for ridership projections on ridership, uplift, and the operating and maintenance costs. As a metaphor, I believe that this is a plan tantamount to us buying a size 10 shoe when we’re only a size 2; knowing that someday we will grow into it.

Unfortunately so many things can change in that time frame and the costs will still be borne by the

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak-Cooking from the heart – An Un-Recipe for Mushrooms on Toast

Cooking from the heart – An Un-Recipe for Mushrooms on Toast

My last piece called for institutions to do better in how they approach food service. Since that was published I have been engaged in some interesting conversations with a local food producer and the Chair of a Hospital, in advance of a kind of summit retreat I’ve learned is being organized on the topic.

There will be more to come on that later, but the piece also got me thinking about recipes and the way our mothers and grandmothers cooked. I don’t often publish recipes, the last a wonderful rhubarb dessert, appearing over two years ago. When I look back at it now, it was more about the feel of the dish rather than any real precision in how it was put together.

The wonderful Jacques Pepin recently spoke about the inherent contradictions between codified

Media Release:Hamilton and Niagara lead Major Trade & Investment Mission to Colombia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hamilton and Niagara lead Major Trade & Investment Mission to Colombia

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton, in partnership with the Region of Niagara, is leading a trade and investment mission to Colombia aimed at building business opportunities for local businesses. This will be Ontario’s only trade and investment mission to Colombia in 2017.

With a combined population of more than one million people, the two locations have complementary key industry strengths in advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing, ICT/Digital and Goods Movement. The strategic location of the two includes Hamilton’s 24-hour cargo/passenger airport with a major seaport on the Great Lakes as well as Niagara’s several U.S. border crossings.

The Hamilton representatives on the trade and investment mission are Mayor Fred Eisenberger and Jennifer Patterson, Senior Business Development Consultant from the Economic Development Office.

“This is a mission to solidify new business connections, nurture investment leads, and ultimately create new jobs for this city," said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "Since the Pan Am Games we have been working with the Colombian Government and this trade mission is a major step forward in this business relationship. I look forward to promoting Hamilton on an international stage."

As part of the mission to Colombia, there will be the signing of a "Memorandum of Understanding" aimed at strengthening ties for both countries and will formally establish a solid working relationship in order to move business initiatives forward.

The trade and investment mission will attend business meetings in Bogota, Barranquilla and Medellin, Colombia from September 2 – 9. The delegation includes local business owners as well as academic and government representatives from Hamilton and Niagara region. The Federal Trade Commissioners in the specific cities will act as liaisons to the delegation, facilitating and hosting meetings with a number of Colombian firms.

“Our entrepreneurial spirit is present from our smallest start-ups to our largest firms with a talent pool of highly educated, motivated and engaged citizens and business leaders. This is a good example of our local business owners making international connections to move our city forward,” says Jennifer Patterson, Senior Business Consultant in Economic Development Office.

Hamilton’s Economic Development Office is the central point of contact for business assistance. Its services are geared to serve new start-up companies, corporate relocations, and the expansion and retention of existing business. Its mission is to serve as the catalyst for continued economic growth, job creation, and revitalization in Hamilton.

Our Readers Write.....

Looking for Good Governance - is that a big "ask"?

The trend today is for the average voter to be turned off the electoral process because politicians are seen as promoting their own agendas rather the wishes of the electorate. In the US, people were attracted to Trump because he claimed he was an outsider who would rid government of the self serving. But this view by voters is the reason so few are voting anymore. People do not think voting matters.

Elected representatives need to remember that citizens are not making trouble for you; some of our elected leaders are doing this to themselves by ignoring citizens and playing games with the lives of others, serving their own self interest and that of their chosen friends and City Hall technocrats.

Citizens are taxpayers and voters and want their concerns heard by politicians.

For example, in Dundas, the desire of a significant number of citizens who opposed the sale of a well used public laneway to a numbered company were ignored. Similarly, the brouhaha over ward boundaries revealed elected officials looking after their own re-election self interests and ignoring the highly paid consultants. They wasted our tax money, in the process.

The mitigation of an undocumented safety risk to school children on Sydenham Road in Dundas resulted in putting up white posts to shield those on the sidewalk from cars. In the process, they made it less safe for bicyclists. This error then resulted in a new scheme to widen the sidewalk with a boulevard at a cost of about $105,000 awarded in sole source contract. This was all done with little consultation.

We face the reality that elected officials increasingly turn to private consultants for advice at considerable expense and then ignore the advice they get. Conversely, citizens offer free advice, if consulted at all. But the reality is that community consultation process appears to occur after the decisions have already been made and all that is needed to “sell” what is inevitable by chicanery or misdirection. For shame!

The 2018 municipal election is coming and changes need to happen.

Jordan Hill
Dundas, ON

Do you have a view you'd like to express on The Hamiltonian? Write to admin@thehamiltonian.info to pitch your piece. 

Media Release: Hamilton Fire Department Now Accepting Applications For Volunteer Firefighters

Hamilton Fire Department Now Accepting Applications For Volunteer Firefighters

HAMILTON, ON – August 18, 2017 – The Hamilton Fire Department is now accepting application for volunteer firefighters. The Hamilton Fire Department is looking for highly motivated men and women who are dedicated to serving the needs of the community to be a part of our team. If this describes you, then consider becoming a Hamilton volunteer firefighter.

In order to ensure that all applicants understand the required qualifications and the recruitment process, we ask that those interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter for the City of Hamilton visit the following website: https://www.hamilton.ca/volunteer-firefighter-recruitment to obtain additional information.

The closing date for volunteer firefighter applications is Wednesday September 6, 2017 

With Keanin Loomis - On LRT

Keanin Loomis

Enjoy our chat with Keanin Loomis, President and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and friend of The Hamiltonian.

1. You have been known to be a staunch supporter of the implementation of LRT in Hamilton. At times you have been very critical of those who do not share the enthusiasm for LRT or who otherwise raised concerns about the approach. What do you say to those who may suggest that your views and passion may, despite good intention, prove alienating to business members of the chamber, or Hamiltonians who may be opposed to LRT or otherwise concerned?

In any community, champions are needed to get things done on a grand scale. We’ve been proud to join many hundreds, if not thousands, of staunch Hamilton LRT supporters that are passionate about bringing ambition back to the Ambitious City.

The promise of LRT was one of the reasons I decided to settle here in 2009 (the only question at that time was whether it’d be ready for the PanAm Games!). The appeal of light rail transit is certainly informed by my own travels and by my desires for the type of city I want to live in.

However, as President & CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the calculus is necessarily different. In the position of CEO of the Chamber, I did not come by the decision to actively advocate for LRT lightly, because at no point does a leader of an organization want to get too far out in front of his/her key stakeholders – in this case our membership and the Board of Directors. When it comes to arriving at a certain position for an organization of 1,000 members, it’s imperative that a rigorous, open-minded and inclusive process be put in place to gauge opinion.

Fortunately, many of our members spent many years on our LRT Task Force (which was struck well before I came into this role), hearing delegations and researching numerous case studies of proven economic uplift in other cities. It was after this process that our Board of Directors and our staff felt empowered to advocate for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I am not critical of those that do not share the same enthusiasm, because certainly I don’t expect unanimity across the community. Especially on a major project like this, you have to overcome a lot of anxieties and skepticism. This is Change Management on a community-wide scale, and it’s the responsibility of champions, in an intellectually honest way, to help people understand the business case and, eventually, get excited by the vision.

Concerns are natural and in many cases legitimate, but what I have always been critical of are alarmists that grasp at straws and spurious thinking to whip up hysteria in an effort to undermine this $1 billion investment.

2. Why is it important for LRT to move ahead? What do you see as the short, medium and longer term impacts/benefits.

Hamilton is experiencing an incredible renewal and it’s a very desirous city in which to live. However, it can be so much more. When it comes to our streets and our transportation system, the status quo is completely unacceptable. We need to make some radical investments to maximize our potential…

…and, fortunately, after many years of planning and hurdles cleared – the most significant being the pledge by the province to fund the entire $1 billion project – LRT is very close to becoming a reality. Because of all we’ve invested (time, money, optimism) in getting to this point, it was my contention in my April 18th Hamilton Spectator op-ed that the costs of doing nothing are enormous and irreversible. (https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7248850-the-high-cost-of-doing-nothing/)

The impacts of building LRT, on the other hand, are temporary and manageable. It will require good planning, a lot of hustle and a positive attitude to get through to the other side, but I’m confident that we are on the right track.

The long-term pay-offs will be in the infrastructure we are upgrading along a significant swath of the city, the long-needed investment we are making in modernizing our transit system, and the residential and commercial development that all of that unlocks. We’ve already seen a significant amount of development attributable to LRT, but it’s just the beginning as the number of new Hamiltonians we’ll have to absorb within the existing urban boundary is immense. The projected population increase of 250,000 by 2041 means that the market size for every business in Hamilton is anticipated to increase by 50% over the next 25 years.

3. If you were to allow a serious concern about the implementation of LRT in Hamilton, what would that concern be and what makes you comfortable living with that concern. What mitigating factors would you look to. 

Just because I’m a champion for the project doesn’t mean I haven’t asked myself many times over the last number of years if we’re doing the right thing. It’s healthy to constantly re-evaluate your assumptions and course of action.

When it comes to the design, planning and implementation, I’m very confident that the highly professional staff at Metrolinx and the City of Hamilton are doing everything right.

Ultimately, my biggest concern is the impacts to businesses in the lower city, especially retailers along the corridor. I’ve said many times that being Hamilton’s Voice of Business requires us to be staunch supporters of the project, but also obligates us to do everything possible to mitigate the impacts of construction to businesses.

After much study and discussion with experts, I’ve learned there are a variety of things we can do to make sure that those impacts are mitigated. The great thing is that we are not the first city in Southern Ontario, let alone North America, to be building LRT. And there are a lot of lessons to learn from those cities.

As a result, we’ve been proud to work with Metrolinx over the last year to design an LRT Ready seminar series that helps Hamilton businesses understand the impacts that they are about to face and the measures they as business owners, and we as a community, need to embrace to get through construction.

I believe our first session, held on June 6th, should be mandatory viewing for not just businesses, but all Hamiltonians. (www.lrtready.ca).

Our second session will be a road trip on August 21st to K-W to talk to businesses that have been through the process. Subsequent sessions will help businesses build digital loyalty (website, CRM, e-commerce, social media) among their customers.

Our friends in K-W and Eglinton said they didn’t have these conversations until construction started and the fact we’re having these discussions two years before shovels go in the ground will serve us very well.

And we’re already discussing with Metrolinx what comes after the business preparedness series. In development are: 1) a communications plan that will help businesses understand what’s going during any given day of construction, and 2) a branding and marketing plan that will make sure the community is mindful of where its dollars need to be spent over the course of the project.

4. LRT has been a divisive matter in Hamilton, which is to be expected given the magnitude of the change and its rippling effects. How do you ensure the voice of all of your members is heard, agnostic to your personal views on LRT?

As LRT grew as a topic of conversation in the community and among our membership, I was surprised to find that there is actually very little controversy among our members on this matter. What I’ve come to realize is that a chamber of commerce is usually a collection of the more forward-thinking and community-oriented businesses in any community. Most businesses understand that you need to make strategic investments to remain competitive – if you’re not innovating, you’re dying. The same goes for the community in which these businesses operate.

5. What do you say to transit union members and people like Eric Tuck, who are gravely concerned about the impact of LRT of his members? 


The issue of operations hasn’t been within our purview and it’s only recently become a hot button item. There is still so much that remains to be worked out when the winning consortium comes into the equation, but I’m sure all parties will share the same goal: this system has to be as well-run as possible. And I’m sure that will involve unionized workers.

6. Is there anything else you’d like readers to know either about your views on LRT, or the views/concerns of your members?

The business case for building LRT in Hamilton is very sound. This is the right time and place for this type of project. There are of course no guarantees, but if you do it right – and we have thus far – this project will completely transform this city.

I’ve learned that these projects follow a pretty similar pattern. Once you get over the initial resistance to change, and once the project is done and delivering its intended impacts, everybody will say they were for it all along! Fast forward 20 years and nobody will question the wisdom of this decision. 

Thank-you Keanin for engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian