![Team Bear participating in Walk a Mile in Their Shoes on June 12, 2024 - Team Bear was led by Chris Farias and included Councillors Cameron Kroetsch, Nrinder Nann, and Alex Wilson Team Bear participating in Walk a Mile in Their Shoes on June 12, 2024 - Team Bear was led by Chris Farias and included Councillors Cameron Kroetsch, Nrinder Nann, and Alex Wilson](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc614b522-33d3-41f9-92bf-faa7bb9b2f64_1636x920.jpeg)
Community Safety in Our Downtown Neighbourhoods
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On May 30, I held a Town Hall on Safe Streets at the Spice Factory. Residents asked some very insightful questions about implementing street safety measures to keep our community safer - it was a really good, open discussion.
At one point, however, the conversation shifted when a resident asked me why I was leading a discussion about safety in our community without addressing the urgent concerns residents continued to raise about public safety issues and criminal matters in the downtown core.
It was a fair question and it’s one I get asked often by residents and businesses in Ward 2. The questions I’m asked most often are about police response to these concerns. Residents tell me that when they’re calling the Hamilton Police Service to ask for assistance with their concerns, they’re either not getting what they consider an adequate response, they’re being told there’s nothing the police can do, or they’re being referred to their City Councillor for a solution. I heard some of these comments from residents at Council this week as well.
Inevitably, and as a result, I receive many calls and emails asking me to take charge of public safety issues and criminal matters downtown or to find a solution to issues of theft, vandalism, and trespassing.
While I take my responsibilities and my role very seriously, I can’t abuse my position or step over the line when it comes to my interactions with the police or their legally prescribed duties under Provincial law. To put it another way, I’m not the sheriff of Ward 2 and that’s not the job I ran for. It’s disingenuous, inappropriate, and way outside the bounds of my role as a City Councillor.
The police - not City Council, the Mayor, or individual Councillors - are legally mandated to respond to public safety issues and criminal matters, as Superintendent Dave Hennick confirmed at a Council meeting yesterday - a mandate Hennick said the police are actively fulfilling by responding to every request they get that’s within their jurisdiction.
Admittedly, there’s a lot of confusion out there about roles and responsibilities. I’ve spent a great deal of time with residents talking about what I do, how I do it, and what my responsibilities are at dozens of town halls and public meetings, through this newsletter, and regularly in posts on social media. I care deeply about being transparent and communicative so everyone has access to the right information.
According to Superintendent Hennick, the Hamilton Police Service will be working on a communication for residents to help them understand the role of the police and to communicate the changes that came into law as a result of the introduction and adoption of Bill C-5 in 2022.
I’m hopeful the communication the police are working on will help to clarify things for everyone. In the meantime, I’m always here to listen to concerns, but I encourage residents to follow up with police directly if they don’t feel their concerns around public safety issues and criminal matters are being addressed.
Ward 2 currently has three active Crime Managers who would be happy to hear from residents. If Ward 2 residents would like to be connected to the Crime Managers, they can reach out to the Ward 2 Team or contact the Hamilton Police Service directly (though they are not available at all times, so please don’t rely on an immediate response from them during urgent or emergency situations).
Many of the concerns shared with me have been about crime that residents are associating with encampments. Some of those concerns are about whether or not the City is allowed to ban encampments in all of its parks.
To be clear, it’s simply no longer completely legal or just for cities to restrict all encampments from public spaces, including parks. That applies not only to Hamilton, but cities across the country.
If you’d like to look at some of the resources I’ve collected on this, to better understand the case law or what experts are saying, visit ward2hamilton.ca/encampments. It’s why the City set up an Encampment Protocol in the first place, in order to respond to the need for cities to manage these crises while we wait for funding from the Provincial and Federal governments to address the root cause of this crises - defunding of affordable housing.
I think we have a path forward, despite the fact it will take some time to fund, scope, and implement our plans to manage these overlapping crises. I’m doing my part to chart that path and, recently, at a meeting of the Emergency and Community Services Committee, I put forward a motion to invite those involved in the Toronto Community Crisis Service to come to Council and talk about how the work they’re doing, if we set up a similar service in Hamilton, could fill some gaps in our community that neither police, fire, or paramedic services are adequately equipped to respond to effectively.
Council has also approved an as yet unfunded Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. In part, this plan was designed to help contribute to solutions around community safety. But, without full funding of the plan, there’s very little we can do, as a City, to take action and make meaningful progress.
I’m hopeful it will be funded in a future budget, but those are not my decisions alone to make. Those decisions will require the majority of Council to commit funds during upcoming budget processes and to make these plans and services a priority.
I’m sure these will be challenging discussions, but I’m committed to continuing to do my part to make our communities better for everyone who calls them home.
City Council Summary - June 12, 2024
The Council debates leading up to June 12 centred around a program to provide air conditioners to low income residents, temporary accessible portable washrooms in Ward 2 parks, the allocation of Hamilton Police Service Board surpluses, representation to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the appointment of a new City Clerk, and changes to Council’s Code of Conduct.
Air Conditioners for Low Income Hamiltonians
Public Health Committee - June 3, 2024
City Council - June 12, 2024
As part of the Heat Response Strategy approved by Council on April 29, 2024, I put forward an amendment to address concerns raised by members of the Extreme Heat Working Group that came forward to delegate. Delegates raised 3 concerns they felt were not adequately addressed in the Heat Response Strategy and asked the Public Health Committee to take steps to address -
Free AC program targeted to low income people and/or people most vulnerable to heat because of a medical condition or age.
The City of Hamilton to move forward this summer with offering free HSR fares during heat warnings.
All items in the Heat Response Plan to be funded for summer 2024 and include clear timelines for implementation.
The Public Health Committee approved my amendments on the last two items above, but were not prepared to proceed with the first one until there was more time to review options with City staff when it came to Council on May 8. There were concerns that the program, while it responded to the stated urgency, there were suggestions from my colleagues it was not tested, did not have clear outcomes, and may not be successful. Following the direction to defer the amendment, I worked with City staff to review it in detail. In the end, the original amendment developed in partnership with staff came forward. It included the expansion of an existing Ontario Works program from 50 to 200 air conditioners and for it to be funded from the Climate Change Reserve. An analysis of this pilot will be forthcoming and will be included in any potential actions taken as part of the Heat Response Strategy and Adequate Temperature Bylaws, which are planned to be before Council in 2025.
How did Council vote on my amendment from the Public Health Committee?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Horwath, Hwang (seconder), Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin, Nann, Pauls, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Against - Danko, Francis, Spadafora
Temporary Accessible Portable Washrooms in Ward 2 Parks
Public Works Committee - June 3, 2024
City Council - June 12, 2024
As part of my campaign platform, I promised residents I put forward motions to improvement parks, including assessing where we could install more permanent public washrooms. I hear, frequently, from residents about their desire for public washrooms facilities in the core, including laments about the washrooms that were closed in Gore Park. Recently, Councillor Esther Pauls put forward a motion for accessible portable washrooms to support an event in Ward 7. I learned, through that public discussion, that we were working with a new contractor and the ability to install temporary washrooms in parks was now possible (it had not been before). I put forward a motion to work with City staff in the Parks Division to implement the installation of accessible portable washrooms in a number of Ward 2 parks and I’m currently working on a full list to share with residents and hope to do so soon. This will be a temporary program for the summer and early fall months and it will be evaluated before considering extending it for the winter and reviewing the data we receive from the contractor about whether or not the program was successful. The data we gather and review will help us to assess where permanent washrooms can be located in Ward 2.
How did Council vote on my motion?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Danko, Francis, Horwath, Hwang (seconder), Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin, Nann, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Allocation of Hamilton Police Services Board Surpluses
Audit, Finance and Administration Committee - June 6, 2024
City Council - June 12, 2024
Last year, I put forward a motion to ask City staff to report back to Council on whether or not we could ask that all police and library board surpluses be kept with the City and spent in line with our policies and not at the sole discretion of these board. City staff made it clear that any surplus for the police board would require additional discussion as the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA) contains language specific to the police budget. It’s also clear that cities across Ontario deal with this differently, some allowing their police board absolute discretion and others keeping the reserves under municipal control. I put this forward because I believe it’s more transparent and accountable for the City to direct any surpluses (or deficits) and for those surpluses to be spent on those things outlined in the CSPA, particularly capital expenses the City is required to pay for like vehicles and buildings, not on items at the police board’s discretion. This would, overall, potentially reduce overall budget impacts and help to act as a control to future surpluses. Unfortunately, my motion didn’t pass and Council voted to continue to allow the police board to keep their surpluses and dispose of them at their discretion. One good thing that did come out of this, however, is that there will be a process worked out with both the police and library boards on more transparent reporting, to Council, about what is being spent and why.
How did Council vote on keeping the status quo for police surpluses?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Danko, Francis, Horwath, Jackson, McMeekin, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, M. Wilson
Against - Hwang, Kroetsch (mover), Nann, A. Wilson (seconder)
Representation to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
City Council - June 12, 2024
There will be a conference held by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in Ottawa from August 18-21. This conference is meant to bring together Ontario’s 444 municipalities under a single banner to advocate to the Province collectively on shared priorities. Council’s representative to AMO, Ward 4 Councillor Tammy Hwang, asked her colleagues to join her to support her nomination to AMO’s board and to help her advocate to Ministers, Provincial and Federal officials, and colleagues from other cities on Hamilton’s priorities. The Mayor, and City staff, will also be joining Councillor Hwang in Ottawa. In addition, and thanks to the motion approved by Council, Councillor Cassar, Nann, and I will all also be joining Hamilton’s delegation. I look forward to providing an update on what we achieved, learned, and how this helped us to advance Hamilton’s priorities and work with other municipalities to push the Province to take action on AMO’s public policies.
How did Council vote on sending myself and Councillors Cassar, Hwang, and Nann to Ottawa?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Danko, Francis, Horwath, Hwang, Jackson, Kroetsch, McMeekin (seconder), Nann, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson (mover), A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Appointment of a New City Clerk
City Council - June 12, 2024
City Clerk Andrea Holland officially resigned from her position officially on September 8, 2023 and just before this time, in July, the City received notice of the retirement of former City Manager Janette Smith. Those changes significantly delayed the appointment of a new City Clerk as it was important to ensure the new City Manager, Marnie Cluckie, could participate in the hiring and selection process for the Clerk. I’m thankful to say this process wrapped up recently and a new City Clerk, Matthew Trennum, formerly from the City of Thorold. I’m eager for the new Clerk to start on July 1, 2024 and for Council to turn its attention to a backlog of issues with our Procedural By-law and to ensure that we get ahead of much needed improvements to the City’s overall election processes. The Clerk has legal authority to administer the election, makes final calls about candidate submissions, and generally ensures things go well for voters and candidates alike. I look forward to seeing the improvements that City Clerk Trennum brings forward in advance of the 2026 municipal election.
How did Council vote on the Mayor’s motion to appoint a new City Clerk?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Danko, Francis, Horwath (mover), Hwang (seconder), Jackson, Kroetsch, McMeekin, Nann, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Changes to the Council Code of Conduct
City Council - June 12, 2024
As part of the Council Agenda, there was a report back from the Integrity Commissioner (IC) about a complaint filed against Councillor John-Paul Danko. As part of the IC’s report, he made a recommendation for us to update Council’s Code of Conduct to address comments made on social media. I put a motion forward for Council to adopt the IC’s recommendation, with some minor adjustments. My colleagues asked that we defer the discussion to the next Governance Review Sub-Committee meeting, and I agreed, so we’ll be having that discussion in the coming months. I’m grateful that my colleagues see the benefit of including some provisions and I understand why they want to get this right and to have a broader public discussion. As the way we engage continues to change,
How did Council vote on referring this discussion to the Governance Review Sub-Committee?
In favour - Beattie, Cassar, Danko, Francis, Horwath, Hwang, Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin, Nann (seconder), Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Upcoming Meetings and Events
This section lists important upcoming Committee and Council meetings, community and City events, and Ward 2 town halls. To read Committee and Council Agendas and Meeting Notices, please subscribe to updates directly through the City’s website.
Meetings and Events
Festival Maria Santissima (SS) Del Monte - June 21 to 23 - 72 Murray Street West, Our Lady of All Souls Church - see link for schedule
North End Community Yard Sale - June 22 - throughout the North End - 8:00am to 12:00pm
North End Neighbourhood Block Party - June 22 - Catharine Street North and Simcoe Street East - 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Open Streets Hamilton - June 23 - King Street East from John Street to Gage Avenue - 10:00am to 2:00pm
Village Pride - June 23 - Ferguson Station - 10:00am to 2:00pm
York Boulevard Reconstruction - June 24 - Zoom meeting - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Pride 2019 - Working Together to Reclaim the Narrative - June 27 - Pavilion at the Art Gallery of Hamilton - 6:30pm to 9:00pm
Neighbourhood Association Council - July 3 - Neighbourhood Association Meeting - Hamilton Public Library - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Ward 2 Tenant Town Hall - July 6 - Tenant Town Hall - The Music Hall - 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Art Exhibits, Installations, and Performances
An American Hymnal - Theatre Aquarius - June 21 to 23
Everything’s Gone Green - Stephen Altena - Assembly Gallery at Redchurch - until June 30
Impact & Balance - Selected works from HWDSB Secondary School Students 2023-2024 - Art Gallery of Hamilton - until July 7
Kiera Boult - Hamilton’s My Lady - Centre[3] - until July 27
Labour Pains - Workers Arts & Heritage Centre - until July 27