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Saturday, December 1, 2018

Out of the Cold

Hamilton Out of the Cold (HOOTC), is a registered charity which provides hot, nutritious evening meals for those in need, serving our guests with dignity and compassion.  Over 400 volunteers operate 10 locations 6 nights a week.  We also partner with Wesley Centre to serve breakfasts from Monday to Saturday. Our program is now in the 21st year and runs from the beginning of November to the end of March.  

Over 18,000 Dinners & 8,500 Breakfasts served last winter!!

We are working to become better known within Hamilton with the following goals:

  • To help those in need to learn about, and take advantage of, our services throughout Hamilton
  • To increase awareness of our organization in order to assist in our fundraising activities.
  • To encourage new volunteers 


Please visit our website HamiltonOutoftheCold.ca to find further information on locations, how to donate much needed funds or how to volunteer for this worthwhile operation.

Friday, July 27, 2018

And They're Off.....

For a look at who the contenders will be for the upcoming municipal election, please click here. 

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Mayor Eisenberger Media Release: Regarding City Manager Chris Murray

STATEMENT Regarding City Manager Chris Murray


June 27, 2018 - It is with truly mixed emotions that I received the news that Chris Murry has accepted a new role as City Manager in Toronto.

Chris has proven time and again to be a true leader and a consummate professional for us as City Manager. Again and again he has been an outward-looking, forward-facing progressive force for positive change and continuous improvement. He has modernized the city administration and raised the standards of our city staff such that it is equal to or better than any in the world.

Chris has had the full confidence and trust of myself and council and has steadily guided us on so many issues including the Stelco restructuring, the Amazon HQ2 bid, the Pan Am Games, LRT and transit, our digital strategy, and the modernization of our processes and procedures.

On a purely personal note, I have valued his wise counsel and friendship. He will be sorely missed.

On the plus side, Chris leaves behind a senior management team which has considerable bench strength and we will continue to be well-served by them in a seamless fashion led on an interim basis by the very able Mike Zegarac.

Hamilton is increasingly recognized as a place that is well run and things are happening in a very progress way. Toronto’s recruitment of Chris Murray is further evidence of this.

We are very proud of Chris and we wish him every success in his challenging new role.
 




Thursday, May 31, 2018

Mayor's Statements: End of Stadium Litigation and Steel Tariffs


STATEMENT BY MAYOR EISENBERGER CONCERNING THE END OF THE STADIUM LITIGATION

May 31, 2018, Hamilton, ON - Today the City of Hamilton reached a settlement agreement with the parties involved in the Tim Hortons Field litigation launched in 2016.

Council and I are pleased with the settlement, and with the work of our settlement team, the contractor, the Province of Ontario and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They worked hard and in good faith to achieve this resolution with no additional costs for the stadium passed on to Hamilton taxpayers.

There are no outside legal costs associated with the litigation. The settlement was conducted using only internal City staff and no external counsel was retained.

As a result of the resolution, the City is on budget and has sufficient monies remaining to complete final works at the stadium.

The stadium was funded by the City, the province and a federal government as part of the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, and was meant to be delivered as a fully functioning stadium that residents and visitors could enjoy for years to come. 

The stadium was scheduled to be complete on June 30, 2014, but was delivered to the City on May 7, 2015. Since taking over the stadium, the City has worked with the contractor on a number of completion and remediation works, including and not limited to an examination and remediation of all overhead speakers and other overhead fixtures, leak remediation, work on transformers, lighting controls, audio and visual systems, scoreboard upgrades, floor drains on the concourse levels, adjustments and repairs to various mechanical systems throughout the stadium. The parties involved in the stadium litigation have been in confidential settlement negotiations since early 2016.

This resolution concludes on a positive note a chapter in the city’s history and allows us now to move forward to refocus on enjoyment of the stadium and all of the wonderful sporting, cultural and community events still to come. For example, this clears the way for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, in partnership with the City, to work together to secure a Grey Cup for the people of Hamilton and again showcase our great city to the entire country. It also clears the way for major league soccer to possibly come to our city for the benefit of all.

I wish to thank Ted McMeekin MPP, the Province and all the parties involved for bringing about this resolution.


STATEMENT BY MAYOR EISENBERGER CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF STEEL TARIFFS

May 31, 2018, Hamilton, ON – I am disappointed and dismayed by the decision today from President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel, and 10 percent on imported aluminum. This is a detrimental turning point in the Canada and USA relationship, with the potential for significant negative implications not only here, but in the USA, Mexico and the EU.

Locally, while it is difficult to determine how this will affect our some 9,000 steel manufacturing and production employees; a 25% tariff will see an immediate increase in pricing for steel related products such as cars, appliances etc. both in Canada and the USA.

Canada’s closest ally is the United States and I am still hopeful that saner heads will prevail, but I applaud our Federal Government for its swift and forceful reaction to help protect steel related jobs and our economy.

We will continue to work with our Federal and Provincial partners and meet with our steel committee; and encourage our national steel caucus lead by local MP Bob Bratina, with membership from local MP and former steel worker Scott Duvall to continue to advocate on behalf of the City of Hamilton steel industry and our national economic steel interests.
  

Friday, May 4, 2018

Motions in Motion- Motion by Clr. Farr

Note: Please keep comments on topic. Comments that are off topic will not be shown. Thank-you for your understanding.


Dear colleagues and media, I wish to move the following at council on Wednesday, May 9th. Councillor Merulla has assisted and will second...

Motion: Request for hospital space to address the current opioid (and other drug) overdose crisis in Hamilton

Whereas; The Federal Government has granted permission for supervised consumption sites in order to address the current crisis respecting opioid (and other) drug addictions

Whereas; The Province of Ontario is accepting applications for overdose prevention sites from across the Province and the City of Hamilton

Whereas; Council, on the 8th of December, 2017 approved the recommendations respecting Supervised Injection Sites in report BOH17004(b)

Whereas; Since Council's approval, the Province has approved the process of granting SIS (and now OPS) sites in this and other Ontario cities

Whereas; Not withstanding the 75 deaths due to opioid overdoses in Hamilton from January to October 2017 and that this tragic statistic exceeds the Provincial average by 78 percent, local landlords appear to be reluctant in granting permission to outside organizations to house supervised consumption sites

Whereas; Provincially managed hospitals may be seen as the safest sites to operate supervised consumption sites

Therefore be it Resolved; That the appropriate staff from Public Health be requested as a priority to engage with both Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph's Hospital on the feasibility of housing a supervised consumption site in their hospital(s), as a means of addressing the opioid (and other drug) overdose crisis in Hamilton.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Sips and Bites: Ten Top-of-Mind Things from #Terroir2018

Sips and Bites: Ten Top-of-Mind Things from #Terroir2018 

These days locally-sourced product, or food and drink from a given terroir, are paramount for many people. I was privileged to participate in the 2018 version of the Terroir Symposium where some 800 foodies, students, hospitality professionals, chefs, members of the media and others networked around a theme of how terroir can support environmental sustainability at the same time as economic profitability.

Here are a few top-of-mind impressions, trends and lessons that bubbled up as I drove home after a whirlwind few days of food and fellowship.

1. Chefs are among the most giving of people but often find it difficult to ask for help themselves. U.S.-based author, Kat Kinsman spoke eloquently about her own journey and founding her Facebook page Chefs With Issues dedicated to the care and feeing of the people who feed us.

2. The burbs really are a portal to some delicious immigrant cuisine. Kudos to Food writer Suresh Doss for being our guide and curating a great “World Food Court.” (In late 2017 on CBC he featured Burlington’s D Hot Shoppe a long time favourite of mine that has been featured in Food for Thought previously.)

3. Carolina Avaria Chef Concierge of the 4 Seasons in Toronto and President of Les Clefs D’Or Canada underscored the importance of service, telling us that seven of 10 people won’t return to a restaurant or hotel in the face of a culture of indifference. 94% of individuals whose problem is solved WILL come back.

4. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, a Prof in Food Distribution and Policy at Dalhousie University noted as a nation we are #farmilliterate. Most Canadians have never been on a farm. That is something we should seek to rectify, especially given how close most of us in the region are to a real farm.

5. In a fast-paced talk, New York-based Jason Clampet, co-founder of Skift Table, gave us a series of takes on the state of the restaurant business, and in particular, the future of dining, in and out. For instance, he told us “delivery companies have done well to incorporate as much efficiency-supporting technology as possible, but the real barrier to total optimization will continue to be the complicated logistics of real life. Logistics complicate delivery algorithms.” Simply put, if the guy delivering your food is stuck in traffic, or the doorman won’t let him in, your food is going to be late or cold.

6. Chocolate now comes in a fourth flavour! We are all familiar with white, milk and dark chocolate. Add Ruby to the mix. Made from ruby cacao beans by Callebaut chocolate, it is smooth and fruity and coming to Canada in 2019.

7. The genuinely nice and funny Elena Arzak, a 4th-generation chef at the Michelin 3-star Arzak Restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain spoke of the matrilineal Basque culture noting 70% of the staff in the kitchen at her world-top-50 restaurant are women. A lesson for us all…

8. Norfolk County was a sponsor of a relaxed cookout for select symposium participants after the symposium proper. It is home to some wonderful producers of both wine and beer. Burning Kiln Winery hosted the event and I was smitten by the “Cab Frank” named after the previous owner of the property. 45% kiln dried and with soft tannins, it was a terrific match to some of the fire-roasted foods on offer.

9. Likewise, a nod to two great Norfolk County brewers: I loved the Hometown Brewing Company’s offerings, some of which are made with seasonal fruit like apricots and blueberries. Likewise, the New Limburg Brewing Company makes a fantastic complex high-alcohol Belgian-style Quad ale. Seek them out.

10. Finally, at I was shocked, shocked to have been given the (shrimp) finger by two very distinguished leaders, Food Laureate Anita Stewart and the seemingly innocent CBC and Globe and Mail contributor Julie Van Rosendaal, both abetted by the, I’m-coming-to-realise, mischievous Chef Jason Bangerter of Langdon Hall fame. See the photo to see what I mean!

There is much more to process after as intense an event as this, and I’m sure my future writing will be informed by the experience. Thanks to the speakers all of whom volunteered their time, and the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance who were kind enough to invite me, with no expectation that I would do anything but learn from the event. The date of the next one is set for May 6th, 2019 at the Carlu in Toronto, so reserve the date!


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

Hamilton’s Healthcare and Aging Baby- BOOM Crisis!

On the evening of April 24th, I attended a session held by CARDUS, a self described “think Tank” on the topic of End of Life Care - Natural Death.

On the CARDUS website, they are more specifically characterized as follows: "a think tank dedicated to the renewal of North American social architecture. Drawing on more than 2000 years of Christian social thought, we work to enrich and challenge public debate through research, events, and publications, for the common good.”

The session began with a general overview of CARDUS and its research within the City of Hamilton. This was followed by two panel discussions. The first panel was chaired by Doug Sikkema, Lead Researcher, CARDUS. Panelists included Dr. Joshua Shadd, McMaster University Director (Division of Palliative Care), Clare Freeman, Director (The Bob Kemp Hospice), and Rev. Bill DeJong, Pastor (Blessings Church) in Hamilton.

The second panel was chaired by Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President CARDUS, and included three MPPs: Sam Oosterhoff (PC) - MPP Niagara West-West Glanbrook, John Fraser (LIB)- MPP Ottawa South, and France Gelinas (NDP) - MPP Nickle Belt.

Doug Sikkema referenced Ontario’s Palliative Care Bill 184, a private members bill, which was spearheaded by MPP Sam Oosterhoff. Both MPP John Fraser, the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health, and MPP France Gelinas, the NDP Health Critic, are strong supporters of Bill 184 and palliative care.

The evening’s focus was on an April 2018 Case Study by Doug Sikkema of CARDUS Health entitled “HAMILTON A Look at the End-of-Life-Care Landscape”. The Case Study revealed that for the first time in history, Hamilton has more seniors than it does children, and thus the City of Hamilton is facing an end-of-life healthcare crisis.

Wait lists in hospitals and for placements into Long-Term-Care Nursing Homes, and Pallative Care Homes, have been an issue for some time in the Hamilton area. Left unchecked, the situation will worsen with the expected tripling of the population requiring these services over the next twenty years, with the aging of baby boomers.

Cadus reports that In Canada, between 2005 and 2036, those 65 and over will increase from 4.2 million to 9.8 million which will mean a doubling of the annual expected deaths. CARDUS’s is looking at ways to address and support a Natural Death, and dying in dignity.

The panel discussions centered on end of life care and how a natural death can be better accommodated through providing a continuum of care that incorporates options that are more appropriate than dying in hospital, for those whose conditions can no longer be treated.

CARDUS studied two major cities in Ontario, Hamilton and Ottawa. The results of the study determined that 75% of Canadians want to die at home, however 70% end up dying in hospitals. The research looked at three areas 1) Social Dynamic, 2) Social Architecture, and 3) Continuum of Care.

Discussions also centered around the need for more hospice care, and better responding to the needs of the person who is dying, as well as the needs of their loved ones. Beyond cost considerations and the fact that remaining in hospital when treatment options have been exhausted, is much more expensive than hospice care, the quality of care that can be offered in a hospice setting was seen to be much more appropriate and dignified. The role that communities must continue to play, was recognized as a key component, in addition to government support and funding.

The current provincial funding model only works for wealthier communities, as hospices rely on hefty community donations and ongoing fundraising to be build and operate. The panels and audience struggled with the challenges behind providing such care to all parts of the province, particularly where communities are not large and are not wealthy communities. Such disparities were particularly difficult to accept.

Throughout the evening several reports were referenced, including the 2016 Palliative and End-of-Life Care Provincial Roundtable Report that MPP John Fraser released under his portfolio as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Other reports and hand-outs were made available by CARDUS, and included: Death is Natural (Reframing the End-of-Life Conversation in Canada) 2015, and the CARDUS magazine Comment - Public Theology for the Common Good, which looked at “Health Beyond the Hospital”.

Cardus Healthalso issued a Press Release on April 25, 2018, “Hamilton Unready For Rising End-Of-Life Care Needs, Case Study Finds

Overall it was a very well-run session with thoughtful discussion and respectful discourse. It is a topic that ought to be of concern to all of us who, as we continue as an aging society, will face end of life decisions. It should be of particular interest to Hamilton who positions itself as the best place to raise a child and to age.

For more information, visit the CARDUS website at www.cardus.ca:

Teresa DiFalco, 

Publisher, The Hamiltonian

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Media Release: Hamilton Unready for Rising End-of-Life Care Needs, Case Study Finds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 25, 2018

HAMILTON – A new case study of end-of-life care in Hamilton has found that the city’s “current infrastructure is not enough to handle the future needs of palliative care as the ‘silver tsunami’ of baby boomers draws near.” According to the study by Cardus senior researcher Doug Sikkema, Hamilton already has just 91 long-term care beds per thousand senior citizens. On average in any given month, there is a list of 762 patients waiting for a long-term care bed – where many Hamilton residents receive end-of-life care.

“When it comes to end-of-life care in Hamilton there is still a significant gap between what we need and what we have,” says Sikkema in the case study.

The study also found that while improving health infrastructure is important, it is insufficient on its own. Based on interviews with key stakeholders involved in palliative and end-of-life care in Hamilton, the report notes that the city needs:
Community-based end-of-life care that involves more than just medical professionals providing for the needs of the dying. This would give natural caregivers, such as family, friends, and faith communities, a larger role in helping those nearing the end of their lives.
Better coordination between the medical profession and other end-of-life care providers, such as hospices, home-care helpers, or community organizations. This would allow a seamless transition toward end-of-life support.
A cultural transformation in how we think about, prepare for, and talk about death. This would allow for better advanced planning and preparation for the end of life.

The Hamilton case study, and a companion study looking at the City of Ottawa, were released during two panel discussions on the evening of 24 April at McMaster Innovation Park. The panel discussions involved Dr. Joshua Shadd, Director of the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University, Clare Freeman, Director of The Bob Kemp Hospice, and Rev. Dr. Bill DeJong, Pastor of Blessings Church, as well as MPPs John Fraser, France GĂ©linas, and Sam Oosterhoff discussing political responses to the need for better end-of-life care.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Media Release: Clr. Farr re: HWT New Citizen Appointees

The Hamilton Waterfront Trust Board of Directors (HWT) would like to advise the public of the following...

On Wednesday, March 28th City Council officially approved two new citizen appointees via the Selection Committee process to our HWT Board of Directors. These appointments provide a full compliment of HWT Board members.

We officially welcome Trent Jarvis and Bernie Mueller and thank them for their desire to serve as volunteers.

The HWT BoD is looking forward to having the matter of the plaintiff motion for a certificate of pending litigation argued in open court on Friday, April 6th beginning at 10am in room 704 of the John Sopinka Court House, where members of the public and the media will have the opportunity to observe and be informed.

Chair Jason Farr



Wednesday, April 4, 2018

On the Money

Further to the discussion that has ensued concerning how much the Mayor gets paid, we put the following questions to the city, whose reply follows:

For the Mayor and each councillor, can you provide the following information:

1. How much remuneration is paid as their base salary
2. How much remuneration is paid for anything whatsoever, in the form of money, that they receive beyond their base salary.
3. Anything, if applicable, that is received in kind in consideration of their role/work.
4. Anything else (if applicable) over and above the categories above that would help Hamiltonians get a complete picture of total compensation received (whether in payment or in kind).
On the City's behalf, Mike Zegaric, replied as follows:

Report FCS18015, represents the legislative requirement to report the itemized statement of the remuneration and expenses paid to each Member of Council and citizen appointees to various local boards in the preceding year (2017).

Report FCS18015 represents all paid remuneration, more specifically, Appendix “A” of Report FCS18015 provides the remuneration paid to the Mayor and Members of Council in respect of his or her services as a member of Council or any other body, including a local board, to which the member has been appointed by Council or on which the member holds office by virtue of being a member of Council.


Staff are not aware of any in-king remuneration provided to Council members in 2017, nor any other form of monetary or non-monetary remuneration.

Hope this answers all of your questions


Click here to see the reports that Mike has referenced. More specifically, you can click here. 

Thanks Mike for your assistance in this matter.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

A Million Dollar Question

In recent post in The Hamiltonian, Member of Parliament Bob Bratina, posted his views on how much it should cost to run the office of the Mayor. Bratina argues that it could be run effectively for much less that a million dollars a year. His full comment is:

In Hamilton the Mayor’s office budget for 2018 is $1,119,780. Mayor Bonnie Crombie’s office budget is $962,000, up $388,000 since Hazel McCallion left. I had copied Hazel’s approach which was four staffers, and spending at just over $1 dollar per population. Mayor Crombie apparently added two more staffers to bring it up to six. Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey had been criticized for her $846,000 office budget, which included the same number of staffers as Crombie's.
In all, over four years I saved over $1 million dollars on my budget, and achieved a new stadium and GO Train station with no increase for those projects to the residential tax base. The mayor's office could easily be run effectively in Hamilton for much less than a million dollars a year.


We have reached out to Mayor Eisenberger for comment and will publish his comments if he responds.

Monday, March 19, 2018

Bratina and Eisenberger: Piecemeal?

This morning The Hamiltonian received Mayor Eisenberger's thoughts on the Discovery Centre and its lands. Included in the Mayor's reply was his assessment that "By considering options together with the eventual winner of the RFP, we anticipate a better outcome for the entire waterfront precinct than if we were to consider the property’s future in isolation." See the full article by clicking here for additional context.

In response, Member of Parliament and former Mayor of Hamilton, Bob Bratina, had the following to say:

Meaningful plans for the West Harbour precinct would have to take into account the railway yard. This important piece of transportation infrastructure has been misunderstood and generally ignored by previous mayors and councils. The head of economic development for example stated during the Amazon discussion that Hamilton goods movement was tri-modal: air, port and highway. The harbour waterfront is too important to be developed in the current piecemeal manner. Perhaps an international competition could be created to present a new co-ordinated vision for all the lands between the Desjardins and Burlington Canals. There is no immediate need to deal in a permanent way with the site in question, especially in isolation from other areas of that neighbourhood.

With Mayor Eisenberger: On the Discovery Centre and its Lands

Mayor Fred Eisenberger
Recently, The Hamiltonian had a chat with Member of Parliament and former Mayor of Hamilton, Bob Bratina, about his views on the Discovery Centre and its lands. You can read our chat by clicking here.

We checked in with Mayor Fred Eisenberger on this same topic. Here is our chat with the Mayor:

1. Recently, M.P. Bob Bratina shared his views with The Hamiltonian on the Discovery Centre and its lands. These can be found here: http://www.thehamiltonian.net/2018/03/with-mp-bratina-on-discovery-centre-and.html Mr. Bratina believes that the Discovery Centre project was allowed to fail by the previous federal government, and has been mismanaged by the Hamilton Waterfront Trust. What are your thoughts in this regard?

The role of the Waterfront Trust is evolving, in part because of the change in ownership of the Discovery Centre, which was formerly owned by the Federal Government and is now owned by the City.

In addition, Council is now undertaking a review of the governance of the Waterfront Trust with a view to possibly modernizing it. This review will come to Council for consideration sometime this spring.


2. What are your views on keeping these lands public and protected from residential development? Where do things stand in that regard?

On January 24, Council directed staff to explore the merits of appending the Hamilton Waterfront Trust Centre and a portion of its surrounding lands to the Pier 8 RFP and Subject Lands and to report back with a recommendation.

To that end, City staff will be recommending to Council that the Successful Proponent of the RFP process be granted an exclusive and time-limited Right of First Negotiation for the purchase of the building and a portion of the surrounding lands.

Staff intend to deliver this recommendation to Council in mid-June and will coincide with its recommended Preferred Proponent following the evaluation of RFP Proposals.

It is intended that the Right of First Negotiation, including any related terms and conditions, as well as a precise description of the additional lands, shall be negotiated and incorporated into the final Development Agreement between the City and the Successful Proponent.

No formal decisions have been made at this point.


3. What efforts have been made, or are planned to ensure that all stakeholders, including elected politicians are consulted on the future of this project and its lands?

There have been and will continue to extensive consultations with all stakeholders. No decisions have been made so far and Council will have an opportunity to discuss any changes that are being contemplated.

4. Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about concerning this matter?

There are still many outstanding issues that will need to be addressed before any specific course of action regarding this particular property is confirmed. By considering options together with the eventual winner of the RFP, we anticipate a better outcome for the entire waterfront precinct than if we were to consider the property’s future in isolation.



Monday, March 12, 2018

With M.P. Bratina- on the Discovery Centre and its Lands

M.P. Bob Bratina
Enjoy our chat with Member of Parliament, and former Mayor of Hamilton Bob Bratina, on the topic  of the Discovery Centre.

1. M.P. Bratina, What are your views concerning the status of the Discovery Centre and its land and their treatment to date?

The Discovery Centre was an ambitious project with great potential but ultimately neglected and allowed to fail by the previous federal government. It was subsequently mishandled by the Waterfront Trust, an organization lacking the resources or competence to undertake a successful project for the site.

2.Why are these lands and the Centre important to the future of Hamilton? Should these lands be protected in the public realm?

These lands and their original intended use were part of a vision to help reset the image of Hamilton by attacking one of our iconic negative symbols...the bay and its water. The Centre and the waterfront trail were a partnership between the City and the federal government to open the harbour to the people of Hamilton, and not as a precursor to residential development.

3.How does the progress made on the Randle Reef tie into the Discovery Centre and the lands on which it rests?

When the Randle Reef project is completed there should be a major celebration of the removal of one of North America's environmental toxic hot-spots. Its story can and should be told in an interpretive centre that just so happens to be in place, ready to adapt to .a new and special role for all residents, and indeed visitors from everywhere to enjoy, complete with a delightful open air restaurant patio. And without the need for late-night dance parties.

4. What advice might you have to Hamilton’s municipal government with respect to this matter.


Consult with all stakeholders, including all relevant elected officials in an open and transparent process that is not at the moment apparent. 

5. Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know concerning these lands or any other matter you have been working on in the best interests of Hamilton?

During my time as mayor I was subject to a somewhat informal but nevertheless focused lobby to explore residential development on the site. As mayor I could assure the public that the future of those lands would be a matter of broad public discussion. I can't under current circumstances provide that same assurance.

Thanks to M.P. Bratina for engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Media Release: Hamilton City Council approves 2018 Tax Operating Budget

















HAMILTON, ON –  Today, Hamilton City Council approved the 2018 Tax Operating Budget allowing the City to build on its 2017 accomplishments and make significant ongoing investments in the growth of our city and the health and wellbeing of Hamilton residents. This year’s budget achieves a 1.9 per cent property tax increase (municipal and education), which translates to $76 for the average residential property assessed at $337,100 and is one of the lowest among comparator municipalities.

As part of this year’s 2018 Tax Supported Operating Budget, City departments have developed four-year (2018-2021) business plans that outline key priorities and milestones that support the City’s Strategic Plan and contribute to the City’s vision to be the best place to raise a child and age successfully.

2018 Budget highlights

· Hamilton’s tax competitiveness has improved since 2011; residential property taxes are currently 6 per cent above the average, versus 11 per cent.
· $3.4 million in capital financing to support $36 million in City funded transit capital projects, which leverages an additional $36 million in federal funding.
· $9.4 million towards Fire and Paramedic equipment, vehicle replacements, one additional ambulance and 10 full time equivalent paramedics.
· $80,000 towards Parks Patrol and Waterfalls Enforcement Team.
· $750,000 in energy savings thanks to converting 10,000 high pressure sodium street lights to energy efficient LED lights.
· $11.5 million towards Affordable Housing Initiatives.
· $87.9 million towards Roads, bridges, traffic, sidewalks rehabilitation including $19.4 million investment to address road deficiencies caused by the increased freeze-thaw cycle as a result of climate change ($19.4 million is distributed as $5.9 million for major arterial roads and $13.5 million to be shared by all 15 wards for local neighbourhood roads, financed over 15 years).
· $7.2 million towards Entertainment facility rehabilitation.
· Continuous improvement with the City’s Performance Excellence Dashboard with emphasis on the use of Results Based Accountability framework for performance measurement.
· Developing the City’s first Urban Indigenous Strategy.
· $25,000 investment toward the Music and Creative Industries Operations and Programming.

The City also takes in revenues annually from recreation user fees, government grants and subsidies, license and permit fees and property tax revenue, including revenue from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which provided $5.3 million in revenue in 2017, helping to offset annual costs of delivering programs and services.

Additional Resources

2018 Budget – www.hamilton.ca/Budget2018

2018 – 2021 Multi-year Business Plans www.hamilton.ca/BusinessPlans

City of Hamilton Strategic Plan 2016 – 2025 www.hamilton.ca/StrategicPlan

Quotes

“The 2018 budget will see the City of Hamilton among the lowest residential tax increases when compared to other similar sized Ontario municipalities. At the same time, we have been able to preserve and expand services our residents count on; such as affordable housing, public transit, road repairs, child care spaces and seniors’ programming.”

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Media Release:2018 Preliminary Tax Operating Budget & Tax Impacts go to City Council
















March 2, 2018, Hamilton, ON – Earlier , today the General Issues Committee approved the preliminary 2018 Tax Operating Budget. If passed by Council, it would mean a 1.9% residential property tax increase (municipal and educational assessment), translating to an increase of $75 for the average household assessed at $337,100.

“Hamilton has achieved the lowest property tax increase in the GTHA. At the same time, we have been able to preserve and expand services such public transit, make repairs to public housing, and do emergency repairs to potholes in our roads caused by a tough winter. This is a budget we can all be proud of.” - Mayor Fred Eisenberger

GIC APPROVED BUDGET / QUICK FACTS:
The over-all tax increase for a residential property will be 1.9 per cent (including the education portion of the tax bill, the lowest in the GTHA)
A house assessed at $337,100 will see a tax increase of $75
18 replacement HSR buses
Nine additional police officers
10 additional paramedics and one additional ambulance
41,000 additional DARTS trips
$1.1 million to improve snow-clearing
$3.4 million in capital financing of city’s share of bus maintenance facility and additional buses (0.4% tax impact)
New toboggan hills
Continuing to invest in our 10-year transit strategy
$750,000 in energy savings thanks to converting 10,000 high pressure sodium street lights to energy efficient LED lights
Special investment of $19.4 million to address road deficiencies caused by the increased freeze-thaw cycle caused by climate change, including $5.9 million for major arterial roads and $13.5 million to be shared by all 15 wards for local neighbourhood roads


For more information on the 2018 Budget, visit www.hamilton.ca/Budget2018.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

City of Hamilton Staff Survey- Then and Now

Our readers may recall that in 2013, the City of Hamilton released the results of a staff survey that, while not all bad, revealed some disturbing findings. As the city recently conducted another staff survey, we thought it appropriate to ask about some of the areas that posed concerns from the 2013 survey, to see if the situations described had worsened, remained the same or improved. We directed our queries to City Manager Chris Murray who ensured that a response was furnished by Lora Fontana, Executive Director of Human Resources & Organizational Development for the City of Hamilton.

Here are our questions and Ms. Fontana's answers: 

In a staff survey conducted between March and April of 2013, whose results were revealed in 2013, some troubling findings emerged. Amongst these:25.7 per cent of city employees felt they'd been pressured to compromise their ethics and values.

  • Only 50 per cent of employees felt they can report misconduct without fear of retaliation.
  • And almost 60 per cent were unsure or disagreed that their code of conduct concerns are handled properly.
Given the seriousness of those findings, and with respect to the more recent “Our People” survey, can you identify where in the “Our People:” survey that measurements were taken to determine whether the above mentioned indicators have improved, stayed the same or worsened.
Yes, we did include measures within the ‘Our People Survey’ to reflect those asked in the 2013 survey and to allow us to measure improvements. Specific questions pertaining to the City’s Code of Conduct are as follows, with respondents answering based on a 7-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree:

  • I would say my direct supervisor demonstrates high ethical standards consistent with the code of conduct
  • I would say that I have not felt pressure to compromise my ethics and values while working at the City of Hamilton
  • Overall, senior leaders (Directors and above) demonstrate high ethical standards consistent with the code of conduct
  • I would feel comfortable reporting a breach of the code of conduct within my division
  • I believe that a breach of the code of conduct would be handled appropriately
It is important to note that on the advice of the survey vendor, Metrics@Work, the questions asked in 2017 regarding the City’s Code of Conduct were reworded for greater clarity. As such, the questions differ slightly in wording from 2013, but have been designed to measure the same themes.

As indicated through the ‘Our People Survey’ results, City employees generally agree that their direct Supervisor demonstrates high ethical standards that are consistent with the City’s Code of Conduct and that employees have generally not felt pressure to compromise their integrity within the workplace. Having said that, there remain opportunities with respect to the application of the City’s policies and procedures as well as employees’ comfort level in raising concerns with Divisional leaders.

Can you cite those comparative measurements if they exist and what actions have been or are being taken, if follow up is necessary.

The 2017 ‘Our People Survey’ is the tool that we will be using to measure progress made since the 2013 Ethics Survey. In addition to the City’s Code of Conduct specific questions, the ‘Our People Survey’ also asked other questions pertaining to workplace ethics and integrity that are benchmarked against other municipalities. Through both measures, we will be able to assess any progress made, both internally and also against our comparators.

As we cascade the survey results throughout the organization, action plans will be developed that are specific to problematic areas, as appropriate. Any area of opportunity respecting our progress with matters arising out of the City’s Code of Conduct, will be actioned accordingly.


Can you describe all efforts that have been made since learning of the 2013 above mentioned findings, to address those concerns.

Since 2013, a number of initiatives have been put in place to address raised concerns. In 2013, we launched our Corporate Culture Pillars and began socializing them throughout the organization, making real and sustained changes to our Corporate culture. We also implemented a number of changes and enhancements to the City’s Code of Conduct. Specifically, the Code of Conduct was revised and reapproved by Council, a procedure was put in place, a number of controls were introduced including the introduction of disclosure processes, an annual review process, and the requirement of staff to review and sign off on the Code of Conduct annually. The City has also introduced Code of Conduct training for all new employees and City leadership, and will be developing an all employee training program.

In addition, there will be a number of action items flowing from the ‘Our People Survey’ responses, at the organizational, departmental, divisional and sectional levels, and such actions will be reflective of the specific issues raised through the Survey, as appropriate.

Your thoughts? Are you satisfied that things are being adequately addressed, or do you remain concerned? 

Friday, February 23, 2018

Media Release: City of Hamilton Releases City-Wide Employee Survey Results

HAMILTON, ON – Results are in from the City of Hamilton’s employee survey called the ‘Our People Survey’ held in the fall of 2017.

The overall City-wide results are positive, with Hamilton scoring higher on average than the survey vendor’s benchmark database of organizations, which includes other municipal comparators. There are areas for improvement as well, and the City will be working with staff to build action plans to address those areas.

The survey was open to all City staff (full-time, part-time, contract and temporary) to complete voluntarily and anonymously from September 22 to October 15, 2017.

The survey measured five key focus areas:

1. Engagement: to determine how employees feel about their role at the City.

2. Culture: to understand if employees feel our five culture values are lived in our everyday actions.

3. Workplace Ethics & Integrity: to determine if employees perceive our behaviours to be aligned with our Code of Conduct.

4. Health, Safety & Wellness: to understand how we are doing with regard to physical and psychological safety.

5. Workforce Census & Demographics: to understand the composition of our workforce.

Quick Facts

· The survey was administered by Metrics@Work, a leading provider of organizational measurement and consulting.

· In total, 4,877 surveys were completed by City of Hamilton employees – an overall response rate of 65 per cent.

· The average response rate within the City / Municipal Sector in the Metrics@Work database is 61.5 per cent. A response rate of 65 per cent provides valid information that is reflective of the organization as a whole.

Additional Resources

City of Hamilton 2017 Survey Results – This report provides high level findings for the organization, summarized as averages of all respondent scores.

Our People Survey Update Information Report (February 27, 2018)

Quote

“We appreciate that so many of our employees across the organization participated in the survey and took the time to provide their feedback. It’s important to us to understand their experience at work and how we can make it better. While we’re of course pleased to see that some of the results are positive, we can also see that we have some work to do in some areas, and we’re committed to doing that work and making the necessary improvements.”

Chris Murray
City Manager

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Cuddy Delivers

At times you felt that Jim Cuddy and company were playing a song in your living room. Sunday evening's performance at FirstOntario Place, proved that Cuddy is still on top of his game. 

If Cuddy was out to show the world that he can deliver a captivating performance without Blue Rodeo, he certainly did that. Although he included a few BR songs, a lot of focus was on his new music. Cuddy was also joined by his sons who also performed. 

In a world where music is sometimes manufactured through computer technology, Cuddy proved there is no substitute for the real thing. Cuddy played an array of instruments including guitar, harmonica and piano. He is a gifted songwriter only paralleled by his signature vocals and his emotional and passionate delivery.  A must see!


Media Release:Most Common Recycling Mistakes and How Residents Can Avoid Them

HAMILTON, ON – More than 78 per cent of residents in Hamilton put out their blue boxes each week. The City’s recycling program is very successful, and contributes to the diversion of more than 94,500 tonnes of waste from the landfill each year.

Improving the diversion rate and the increasing the uptake of recycling programs is an important initiative at the City of Hamilton. To help residents better understand their recycling responsibilities, we’re sharing some of the most common mistakes and questions about recycling.

1. Papers in the container box; Containers in the paper box

In Hamilton, we have a “two stream” recycling program – one box for containers (bottles, cans, cartons and jars) and a second box for paper and cardboard. Cross-contamination is the biggest challenge we experience when disposing of recycling materials. Residents should avoid putting out bags filled with unsorted recycling, or bags filled with mixed recyclables.

2. Plastic film
Most plastic film is not recyclable. This includes black garbage bags, mattress covers or wraps, bubble wrap, Ziploc bags, cereal bags, and cheese wrappers. Plastic film also clings to and hides other recyclable materials, which makes sorting more difficult.

3. Paper products
Many residents put paper products in the blue bin when they actually belong in the green cart. Examples of paper that should go in the green cart are: paper towels, paper plates, greasy pizza boxes, paper take out containers. Hard cover books and hot beverage cups are not recyclable and belong in the garbage (unless the hard covers are removed – then they can go in the blue bin!)

4. Dirty recyclables
Residents should rinse out recyclables that once held food – a pickle jar, for example. The City is able to recycle the jar, but not the pickles. Cardboard boxes can be recycled in the paper recycling bin, but if they are greasy or have food scraps on them, they should go into the green cart.

5. Bulky unrecyclable items
Items such as metal and electronics should be properly recycled at one of the City’s three Community Recycling Centres. Bulky unrecyclable items clog up the sorting equipment. Common items we see: pots, pans, coat hangers, scrap metal, Christmas and outdoor lights, electronics, textiles and VHS tapes.

6. Home health waste

Home health products are not recyclable. IV tubing, diabetic supplies, syringes and sharps, and medications are not recyclable. The Ontario Health Product Stewardship Association has details on how to properly dispose of home health waste.

7. Special waste items
The City often receives special waste items that should be properly recycled at one of our Community Recycling Centres, and are not acceptable in the blue bin. This includes batteries, single use propane cylinders (e.g. small camping stove cylinders), compressed cylinders, metal paint cans (unless empty and dry), light bulbs, and ink cartridges.

Residents can download the City’s new mobile app atwww.hamilton.ca/CityApp. The app has information about waste collection, including an interactive waste collection calendar and sorting tools.

Additional Resources:

- Community Recycling Centre locations
- Waste and recycling at the City of Hamilton

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - A Decade Supporting Taste of Burlington and Soupfest, the Region’s Two Most Important Food Events

A Decade Supporting Taste of Burlington and Soupfest, the Region’s Two Most Important Food Events

For the last decade West Plains Bistro, a higher-end restaurant situated in Aldershot, has been a quiet mainstay in the Region’s two most important food events, winning some top honours along the way.

Irene Burns is proud the bistro she opened in 2005 is part of the 10th-anniversary edition of Taste of Burlington running from February 19th – March 11th. She’s also thrilled her chef, Brandon Ashby, is defending his 2017 “Best, and Most Creative Soups” and “Foodies Choice First Runner-Up” Titles at the Living Rock’s Soupfest 2018 on Weds, February 21st. (West Plains is the only restaurant that is participating in both events this year and has done so consistently for years.)

The nuts and bolts of reservations/tickets etc. can be found at each website, but in essence both provide an opportunity to experience a range of offerings from a plethora of restaurants in Burlington and Hamilton. There are plenty of newcomers at both events, and many are featuring an eat-local component on their plates.

“Taste of Burlington 2018” is a prix-fixe dining program with 3-course lunch and dinner menus ranging from $15 to $40. It has grown from, shall we say, an intimate launch event in the Tourism Burlington office with a dozen restaurants showcasing a few apps, to a full-fledged sold-out launch party for 350 guests (and a waiting list of eighty more), and no fewer than 36 participating restaurants involved in the ongoing promotion. West Plains won the top prize at the 2014 launch event for a wonderful Cauliflower soup incidentally.

Soupfest now draws around 5000 guests, sampling soups from 27 restaurants, up significantly from its first go around in 2003. A major fundraiser in support of youth-at-risk, there’s some great music, and local celebrities and politicians can be found serving soup during the course of the event which runs from 11:30 am to 9 pm.

Restaurants compete in various categories: Julie Conway, the indefatigable senior Living Rock staffer overseeing the event, advises that in 2018 they’ll include “Best Soup, Most Creative Soup, Best Display, Tastiest Heart Smart (all as voted by the public), and then the Foodie Awards for best soup as well as 1st and 2nd runner-up, as well as Foodies Choice for Most Creative and Must Try soups.” She also notes that the judges will be virtually incommunicado as the Chefs take their verdicts “very, very seriously” and need to know judges are not receiving “secret” details before rendering a decision.

Irene Burns calls Taste of Burlington a “win-win.” She was in from Day 1, both to be part of the community and to help raise the profile of the Bistro, getting new customers through the door that might not have come otherwise. She says the growth of the event since it began has been amazing. “We’d bring a tray with two dozen of one item for the launch party, whereas now we are preparing 3-400 portions!”

The same is true for Soupfest where one of her staff now spends two days making 200 litres of soup. She says she doesn’t begrudge the cost – last year’s winning soup was a clever meld of zucchini, bacon and Stilton - as it is for a good cause, one she is passionate about.

West Plains Bistro’s peers, Downtown Bistro, Paradiso, Pepperwood, and The Water Street Cooker were also part of the very first Taste of Burlington event ten years ago. I dare say the motivations of many of the restaurants participating in these events – whether for the first, or tenth time are similar. And the lucky residents of Hamilton and Burlington are definitely winners too: because what’s not to love? Good food, the potential to experience something new, and to support a worthy cause.

Bon Appétit!

Full disclosure: I have been invited to cover Taste of Burlington for a number of years by the organizers, and was one of the judges at the launch event last month. Similarly, I have helped adjudicate Soupfest for the past few years and have been designated lead judge this year. Offerings at the latter event are judged blind, and – as with other participating restaurants - I have no idea what West Plains Bistro will be serving this year.

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

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Media release:Financial stability, digital transformation and value for money key focuses of City Manager’s and Corporate Services 2018 departmental preliminary tax operating budgets

Hamilton, ON – With an emphasis on taxpayer value for money, performance excellence, financial stability and digital transformation, the City Manager’s Office and Corporate Services Department presented their 2018 tax operating budgets today to Hamilton City Council’s General Issues Committee. Staff provided a summary of 2017 accomplishments, measurements of success, and a look ahead to 2018 and beyond.  

For the City Manager’s Office, which is made up of the corporation’s administrative, human resources, strategic partnerships, revenue generation, communications, corporate initiatives, digital strategy and audit functions, City Manager, Chris Murray, conveyed key focuses for the department for 2018. They include the development and execution of the City’s Digital Strategy, including a continued focus on Open Data and our Smart City Strategy, launch of the City’s Performance Excellence Dashboard and phase two of the City’s Trust and Confidence report, enhancement of the CityApp, a focus on leadership development and staff training, and continuing to build strategic partnerships and secure new revenue generation opportunities.

Overall, the City Manager’s Office is requesting a total increase of $139,956, or 1.3% from 2017.

City Manager’s Office Quick Facts for 2017:

  • Lead department on the development of the City’s Amazon HQ2 bid, which has been downloaded almost 111,000 times to date and is being leveraged to pursue other investment in Hamilton
  • Successful rollout of the Citizen Dashboard and the Trust and Confidence Report, which improve accountability to residents and provide information about City services and their performance
  • Supported the City’s successful application to become a Top7 Intelligent Community, worldwide
  • Development of the City of Hamilton’s “CityApp” (launched February 2018)
  • Reached an agreement entering the Hamilton Farmers’ Market into a 5-year $750K partnership with Meridian Credit Union
  • Launched solution-focused, collaborative learning space, CityLAB, with McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer University College
  • Developed our Citizen Survey to help us understand needs and perceptions of Hamiltonians and identify areas for improvement in City service delivery, quality of life and wellbeing (survey ran Jan 15-Feb 4)
  • Realized $3.25 million in proceeds from sale of Hamilton Technology Centre
  • Secured $7.7M/15-year deal with Outfront Media to promote City programs, services and initiatives and generate advertising revenue
  • Development and implementation of the Human Rights, Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan, including the Transgender Protocol Agreement
  • Conducted a Value for Money audit on the use of external consultants, which put forward 12 recommendations to improve how external consultants are managed and more effectively utilized
For the Corporate Services Department, which is comprised of the finance, customer service and provincial offences administration, IT, legal, risk management and City Clerk functions, General Manager Mike Zegarac outlined a number of initiatives the department aims to carry out in 2018. They include expanding the City’s new agenda management system and staff Customer Service training program, upgrading of various financial systems and enhancing online taxation services, administration of the 2018 Municipal Elections and the development and implementation of an IT Strategy.

Overall, the Corporate Services Department is requesting a total increase of $405,230, or 1.5% from 2017.

Corporate Services Quick Facts for 2017:
  • Coordination of the new agenda management system and audio visual equipment to improve information sharing, flow of meetings and online experience of viewing City Council and Committee meetings
  • 2017 Gold Marcom Award for Customer Service Training
  • Multi-Year Business Planning and Budget implemented
  • AA+ Credit Rating & Stable Outlook from S&P Global Ratings
  • Procurement Policy Review
These are the final departmental presentations for 2018. Council is expected to consider final approval of the City’s overall tax operating budget in March. Learn more about the 2018 Budget.

Additional Resources
2018 City Manager’s Office Preliminary Operating Budget presentation
2018 Corporate Services Preliminary Operating Budget presentation
www.hamilton.ca/Budget2018


Quotes

“Through the budget presentations over the past few weeks, staff have done a tremendous job at highlighting our accomplishments in 2017, and our major initiatives for 2018 and beyond. We’re committed to continuing to provide residents with the transparency and accountability they deserve, and to ensuring they find value for their tax dollars through City programs and services, ongoing infrastructure improvements and economic development, prosperity and growth initiatives.”
Chris Murray, City Manager




Monday, February 5, 2018

Statement from Mayor Eisenberger on Passing of Former Mayor Bob Morrow

Hamilton, ON – It is with great sadness and regret that I must inform you that the longest serving Mayor of the city of Hamilton has passed away.

Bob Morrow was a father, brother and son whose political legacy dates back to the seventies when he was first elected as an alderman. A few years later he was elected as Mayor and served our community until the election in 2000. He then served very ably and passionately as a citizenship judge.
An excellent pianist and musician, Bob as Mayor was an advocate for growing the cultural capacity in our community and presided over some of the most challenging transitional years that saw many major employers downsize and relocate. He led the beginning of what is now considered to be the most diversified economy in Canada.

He was a friend to all, and a mentor to many and was noted to be a passionate advocate for the average working men and women. He continued his community participation by leading his beloved choir to the end.

Condolences go out to his family and many friends. All city of Hamilton flags will be flown at half mast until the funrral service. Details for visitation and the funeral will be shared with you once they are known.


Fred Eisenberger
Mayor of the City of Hamilton

With Chief Girt

Police Chief Eric Girt
Recently The Hamiltonian interviewed Clint Twolan, President of  the Hamilton Police Association.   The interview can be found here.  As a follow up to that interview, we asked Chief Girt to comment on some of the things in Mr. Twolan's interview. 

Questions we posed to Chief Girt:

Chief Girt:

1. The following is an excerpt from a recent interview The Hamiltonian conducted with Clint Twolan, President of the Police Association(the interview can be found here http://www.thehamiltonian.net/2018/01/with-clint-twolan-president-of-hamilton.html

The question we asked was: What are some of the more difficult issues that the police association is struggling with. Why are they important, and what would you wish the outcome to be.

Mr. Twolan’s reply was as follows:

Hamilton is a unique City in that we have a variety of policing issues. Theresult is a need for appropriate staffing and in most cases, higherstaffing than other jurisdictions. Despite this, Hamilton remainslow on the number of police officers on a per capita basis.Hamilton also remains below average on the per capita cost ofpolicing. Striking that balance of cost and community safety isalways a challenge for the Chief of Police and their command staffand is something that the Association understands. Still, our focusis on the safety of our officers and their ability to provide theservice our citizens deserve. In order to continue this level ofservice, without question, we require more police officers. TheAssociation’s position is that we are understaffed and have reacheda critical point that must be addressed.

With respect to the part of Mr. Twolan’s statement, when he states : without question, we require more police officers. The Association’s position is that we are understaffed and have reached a critical point that must be addressed., and the dire set of circumstances this statement seems to depict, can we get your response. Do you share his concerns and do you agree with his assessment of the situation. What actions might be taken to address this issue?


2. Upon review of the interview with Mr. Twolan in its entirety, as can be seen here: http://www.thehamiltonian.net/2018/01/with-clint-twolan-president-of-hamilton.html , are there any comments you may have with respect to anything that was said, either in general and/or specific terms?

Chief Girt replied as follows:

Do you share his concerns and do you agree with his assessment of the situation. What actions should be taken to address this issue?

As a service, we are committed to public safety and preventing crime. As you know, we must always strike a balance between cost and community safety. Further, we remain dedicated to preserving the peace and by working with the community we serve. On January 25, 2018, Hamilton Police Service presented the HPS Board-approved budget to the General Issues Committee (GIC) recommending a 2.45 per cent increase in our 2018 Operating Budget. This was approved by both the Police Service Board and the presentation was received by the GIC. The increase means another nine staff members added to the service. These positions are a mix of both sworn police officers and civilians. Moving forward, we will continue to look at the civilianization of policing, as contemplated by Bill 175, Safer Ontario Act, 2017. For example, this year we increased staffing to include six Special Constables to collect and process evidence, which allows us to redeploy six officers back to the streets.

Unfortunately the service as a whole has not reached a point where it can claim to proportionally be reflective of Hamilton’s diversity.

We are proud that as a service, Hamilton Police is one of the best for matching community diversity. According to a 2011 National Household Survey, our service is 17.2 per cent diverse compared to Hamilton’s population, which is 17.7 per cent. This is second best in the country. We continue to work hard to ensure our service is reflective of the community we serve.


Thanks to Chief Girt for engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian.

Friday, February 2, 2018

Media Release:The City of Hamilton launches CityApp today

HAMILTON, ON – The first release of the City’s new mobile app – CityApp – is now available for download in the App Store and Google Play.

The app provides easy-to-use mobile access to our most popular online information from Hamilton.ca. Users can:

· Find and contact City Councillors, easily add committee meetings to their smartphone calendar, check meeting agendas and watch videos of Council and Committee meetings
Access waste collection resources, including our interactive waste collection calendar and sorting tools
View and filter drop-in recreation schedules by date or location. Add classes to their calendar and get notifications when drop-in programs are cancelled or facilities have emergency closures
Take advantage of ‘Near Me’ GPS functionality and find local events and festival listings based on distance from their current location
Receive notifications of emergencies, closures, cancellations and service changes

Upon downloading CityApp, users are prompted to answer a series of start-up questions such as what area of Hamilton they live in, and specific services or topics of interest, which helps tailor the app to their needs.

This first release is timed with this weekend’s Winterfest event, enabling residents to access information about events in a paperless format. Winterfest, which runs February 3-19, is a 17-day exploration of what Hamilton has to offer including winter-inspired neighbourhood celebrations, art exhibits, heritage exploration, recreation programming and much more. For more information, download CityApp, visit www.hamiltonwinterfest.ca or follow #HWF2018 on Twitter.

The City plans to do future releases of the app and is looking for public feedback. For more information, to download the app, and to take the in-app survey, visit www.hamilton.ca/CityApp.

The launch of CityApp supports the City’s commitment to providing residents with the continuous expansion of digital platforms.

Additional Resources

www.hamilton.ca/CityApp

Quotes

“We are working hard to grow our digital capacity and provide residents and visitors with a better online experience. Our new CityApp provides more opportunities to access information and interact with the City of Hamilton on the go. I encourage our residents and visitors to download CityApp and take advantage of this new, convenient and fun way to access our programs and services.”

- Mayor Fred Eisenberger

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Amazon HQ2 and Hamilton's Failed Bid- Making Lemon-Aid from Lemons?

Seemingly in an attempt to make lemon aid out of lemons, Clr. Farr is proposing the following via a motion.

MOTION: Making Good Use of a Great Amazon Bid Package

Moved by Farr
Seconded by_____

Whereas; Amazon has announced it's shortlist of cities that are eligible in their new H2 contest.
Whereas; Hamilton is not on that list.
Whereas; the City of Hamilton shared in a 50/50 cost split of up to 500k in our bid to attract Amazon.
Whereas; it was always contemplated that in the event Hamilton lost the bid, the bid proposal to attract Amazon would be beneficial in attracting future jobs and business, particularly in the tech field.

Therefore be it Resolved That; The appropriate staff from Economic Development be requested to report annually to council on any new jobs and business that were attracted to Hamilton as a result of both our staff's ongoing efforts and where those efforts included utilizing some or all of the materials the City submitted in the unsuccessful Amazon bid.



In tandem, this from Mayor Eisenberger:


STATEMENT BY MAYOR EISENBERGER ON AMAZON HQ2 SHORTLIST

Hamilton, ON – We learned this morning that Amazon has released its’ shortlist for their new HQ2. While we are disappointed that the City of Hamilton was not one of the 20 named cities, we are optimistic the only Canadian city to be included is the City of Toronto. Amazon choosing to locate anywhere in Ontario is beneficial.

We look forward to working with the Province and the City of Toronto in whatever way we can to support their bid. I offer my sincere congratulations to Mayor Tory and hope your bid is successful in this massive tech investment for Ontario.

Our ambition will not waiver. The City of Hamilton continues to celebrate those investing in our city, and welcome new interest in Canada’s most diversified economy. This bid was an opportunity for us to highlight our city, resources and capabilities. It was, and remains an opportunity to showcase all that Hamilton has to offer.

From a cost perspective, the very short time frame dictated that we engage outside resources to get it done professionally and on time. We quickly interviewed a number of firms, and landed on PWC, Cundari and Urban Strategies to assist. The investment was a 50/50 split of public and private funds.

We received tremendous input and support from community and regional partners including Niagara Region and the City of Burlington. I would like to thank everyone involved.

Welcome to Hamilton. Welcome to Unstoppable.

Hamilton Not on Short List for Amazon HQ2

Despite a spirited effort to secure a chance at being the secomd North American headquarters for Amazon, Hamilton did not make the short list. Toronto was the only Canadian city that did. The short list is as follows:

Atlanta, Georgia
Austin, Texas
Boston, Massachusetts
Chicago, Illinois
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Indianapolis, Indiana
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
Montgomery County, Maryland
Nashville, Tennessee
New York City, New York
Newark, New Jersey
Northern Virginia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Raleigh, North Carolina
Toronto, Canada
Washington, DC

The Hamiltonian recognizes all those who worked hard on our bid. 

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Media Release: City working to repair impacts of winter storm

HAMILTON, ON – Due to recent weather conditions, the City experienced extreme freezing and thawing temperatures which resulted in significant pavement damage and potholes on streets.

City crews are currently focusing on several road priorities; winter control activities which includes sanding, salting, plowing, and continue with pothole repairs.

As there have been numerous potholes reported to City staff, the City cautions motorists to drive defensively as they travel about the City, which includes:

Reducing speed of travel and preparing for a slower than usual commute;
Maintaining constant attentiveness to road conditions, pedestrians and cyclists;
Following other vehicles at a safe distance;
Maintaining clear views by thoroughly clearing your vehicle of snow, ice and mud;
Properly maintaining your vehicle, particularly tires, headlights and windshield wipers.

Residents and motorists are asked to report potholes by contacting the City’s Customer Service Contact Center during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 905-546-CITY (2489). When reporting potholes, residents are asked to provide detailed information such as location (street addresses or intersections) and estimated size of the pothole. This will assist staff in prioritizing efforts.

The Mayor's Trade Mission to Colombia- Part 2

Hamilton Mayor- Fred Eisenberger
Our readers may recall that on the heels of mayor Eisenberger's trade mission to Colombia, we asked the Mayor some questions about the visit and its results and participants. The Mayor's responses at that time, and the questions we asked, can be read by clicking here.

Today,. we received an update from the Mayor's office with a link to an update/staff report on the trade mission, as part of today's GIC agenda. The update/staff report we received, can be read by clicking here. Appendix A to that report can be read by clicking here. he GIC meeting agenda can be read by clicking here.

The Hamiltonian thanks the Mayor and his office for engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian.





Friday, January 5, 2018

Media Release:Recycling collection delays in Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – City of Hamilton recycling collection crews are currently experiencing delays due to extreme cold weather and a surplus of recycling materials from over the holidays.

Waste and recycling collection schedules were deferred by one day this week due to the holiday on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. However, due to delays experienced by collectors, some collection of recycling is behind schedule.

Any residents with collection scheduled for today or tomorrow, or with blue box recycling that has not been picked up as scheduled, should keep their recycling at the curb for pick-up on Saturday, Jan. 6 or Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018.

Crews plan to catch up to regularly scheduled pick-up for Monday, Jan 8, 2018.

The City thanks residents for their patience and cooperation.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

With Clint Twolan-President of the Hamilton Police Association

         Clint Twolan
In the past The Hamiltonian has had as our guests the current Chief of Police, the former Chief of Police and many other representatives from the Hamilton Police Service. We thought we'd kick off 2018 with an interview with Clint Twolan, President of the Hamilton Police Association. Enjoy our chat with Clint.

1. In general terms, can you describe the relationship between the Police Association and Police executives/management? How may have this relationship changed over the last five years?


The relationship between the Association and the Services’ management team has improved in the past 2 years. When you have two parties that have conflicting priorities, you are always bound to encounter disagreement. Ultimately I believe the Association and the Service have three common focuses; the citizens of Hamilton, members of the Hamilton Police Service and the Police Service itself. Where our opinions and mandate differ is the priority we place on these commonalities and, at times, the path we take to achieve our goals.

The relationship has evolved in the past 5 years and I am hoping that we can continue to find ways to reach our goals in a collaborative way.

2. What are some of the more difficult issues that the police association is struggling with. Why are they important, and what would you wish the outcome to be.

Hamilton is a unique City in that we have a variety of policing issues. The result is a need for appropriate staffing and in most cases, higher staffing than other jurisdictions. Despite this, Hamilton remains low on the number of police officers on a per capita basis. Hamilton also remains below average on the per capita cost of policing. Striking that balance of cost and community safety is always a challenge for the Chief of Police and their command staff and is something that the Association understands. Still, our focus is on the safety of our officers and their ability to provide the service our citizens deserve. In order to continue this level of service, without question, we require more police officers. The Association’s position is that we are understaffed and have reached a critical point that must be addressed.

3. Body cams are something that are being considered. Understanding that the cost is at issue, what might be the other factors that Officers may need to concern themselves about when wearing such equipment. Can you speak to our readers about the pros and cons of this technology, from your members’ point of view. Do you think body cams are a good idea, if the cost issue can be sorted?

I am confident that body cameras would ultimately help our officers and our community. Video would demonstrate that our members are professionals and that they endure difficult working conditions every day. Cost is such an important factor in that the money required for a body camera program could be used elsewhere in the budget. Administrative time required for officers as it relates to the cameras is a significant issue when you consider the current demand that police be increasingly efficient with resources. Downloading data, reviewing footage and repairs are examples of time that officers would be unavailable to perform their core function; keeping Hamilton safe. Video can be a piece of information that provides insight, but it lacks the context of a situation. The most important pieces of information come from the subjective interpretation of an event from the participants. Finally, there are no definitive studies which illustrate that a body camera program is a responsible financial investment that results in an increase in public safety or public confidence.

4. If you could change one thing about how things are today, on behalf of your members, what would that be and why?

I would like to change the biased and politically motivated portrayal of police officers in the mainstream media today. Society has always been fascinated by the policing profession and this is reflected in the amount of exposure the profession receives. Anti-police groups, and in some cases politicians, have created such a negative narrative toward the profession and influenced policy that I feel it is beginning to jeopardize public safety. It is creating a significant wellness issue with all police officers across the continent which is destructive to morale and job satisfaction.

5. Do you believe that the police services has had enough training on systemic racism and racism in more general terms?

I know that the Service takes these issues very seriously and takes steps to prevent it. Keep in mind that all training in the Hamilton Police Service is ongoing and in many cases repetitive. That is why I would never say that my members have had ‘enough’ training. Instead it is an ongoing strategy to address human nature, no matter what community you come from. When issues involving race come to light, they are best dealt with through productive discussion and a collaborative approach in developing strategies to address those issues.

6. Unfortunately, the service as a whole has not reached a point where it can claim to proportionally be reflective of Hamilton'’s diversity. While this may be a greater consideration for management, do you have any thoughts on this topic?

The Association is highly supportive of our Service recruiting members that are representative of the community we police. This only increases our success of relating to the members of the public we serve every day. This process does take time and I am confident the Service will reach proportional representation in the future. Of importance is the fact that our citizens invest significantly in police officers and thus recruit selection is the most fundamental step to creating a competent, professional organization.

7. Do you have any stats with respect to how many grievances have been launched over the course of the last 5 years to date? If so, can you share those numbers and can you share any corresponding outcomes (ie: settled in favour of the member(s), settled in favour of the employer, or any other way you categorize these outcomes). Note- we are not asking for personal information Only aggregate data.

I do not have specific data that I can share. What I can say is that neither the Association, nor the Service, want to go through the formal grievance process to resolve differences.

8. Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about the association?

The Association is a body that protects all members of the Hamilton Police Service, both civilian and sworn. Many people are not aware that the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Standards Act do not apply Police Officers. We rely on the Police Services Act and our ability to protect Police Officers who are performing a very difficult job. Police Officers and our civilians are human beings who are exposed to significant trauma, public criticism, and greater stress during careers that span for 30 years or more. This impacts these people and their families in ways that most jobs do not affect the average person. Our Association is the safe guard for hindsight bias that these officers and civilians face every day when they make split decisions in the ultimate high-stress situations with the best tools and training they have at that moment.

Thanks Clint for reaching out to Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian.

And Happy New Year to all of our readers.!!!!!