Ward 2 Newsletter - Issue 35
February 20, 2026
Strong Odours in the North End Impacting Residents
North End and Central neighbours have reached out to me about the odours coming from the CN shunting yards near Bayfront Park during recent extreme cold weather. The colder weather and atmospheric conditions can concentrate the diesel exhaust fumes and prevent them from dissipating.
This isn’t a new issue for North Enders. Residents have been complaining to CN for many years about these impacts.
Some of the impacts of these odours that I’ve heard from residents include everything from concerns about air quality, to nausea, vomiting, headaches, and worries about cancer.
I’ve been in touch with the local office of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, here in Hamilton, and they’ve said that the tests they performed in response to the complaints they received were within their guidelines for air pollution and quality.
To be clear, while these emissions may meet lax Provincial standards, they’re having disproportionate health impacts on residents and that’s not ok.
I’ve also spoken to our local CN representative who confirmed CN doesn’t have any plans to electrify their rail operations, which is the only way to completely eliminate diesel exhaust impacts.
They also told me they’re either repairing or replacing the two locomotives at the shunting yard in response to recent concerns raised by residents. They said this will improve things if this should happen again in the future, but couldn’t say there would be no future impacts. The only other way, apart from electrification, would be to replace the two locomotives with extremely efficient modern locomotives.
I don’t know the cost of doing these replacements. I’ve asked and expect to hear from CN with that information. In the meantime, I think replacements with the most efficient locomotives available should be considered by CN and long term plans for electrification should be undertaken as soon as possible. Rail operations like this are not sustainable in communities where the Province is forcing growth to occur.
I’m very thankful that North Enders reached out to CN about their concerns directly. It made a difference.
Here is a list of contacts you should reach out to if this happens again (you’re always welcome to reach out to my office through Ward2@hamilton.ca) -
CN Rail - 1 (888) 888-5909
Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks - (905) 521-7650 or by email at moe.tips@ene.gov.on.ca or Environment.HaltonPeel@ontario.ca
Transport Canada - 1 (844) 897-7245 or by email at TC.RailSafetyandSecurity-Securiteetsureteferroviaires.TC@tc.gc.ca
As a Councillor, I can’t direct CN Rail or the Provincial or Federal governments to take action, so it’s important for those impacted to report this information to them as well. Federally regulated rail companies have a duty to the public that doesn’t extend to the City or members of Council. That being said, I’m working on a letter to local MPPs, MPs, CN, the MECP, Transport Canada, and leadership at both the Provincial and Federal governments to address these concerns and ask for a plan to mitigate future issues.
Unfortunately, the Province’s lax guidelines for air quality are a big part of the problem. In this term of Council, we’ve pushed back against the Province to ask them to change these guidelines and do everything possible to improve local air quality. The Province has refused to step up and make the necessary changes.
I encourage you to contact sitting local Progressive Conservative MPPs and our own Hamilton Centre Liberal MP Aslam Rana to voice your concerns about these issues with them directly. Ultimately, the Federal government has legislative jurisdiction over CN and should be held accountable for their actions.
I think it’s important for advocacy to be focused on both the Provincial government, regarding air quality, but also the Federal government, as they’re the ones who privatized CN and let them continue to work as a governmental agency.
Yes, you read that right.
CN is a private company, being publicly traded, whose majority shareholder, as of 2019, was Bill Gates, according to the Wikipedia entry on CN Rail. This means the Federal government is allowing a privatized for profit company to have special Federal status (since 1995, by the way - it was a Crown corporation from 1919 to 1995). In part, this is how CN was able to appeal and hold up the Jamesville project.
It’s reasonable for residents to expect better. Air quality is important and the North End and Central neighbourhoods have experienced way more than their fair share of harm from rail and industrial operators. Once I have more information on what may be possible moving forward, I’ll write about it here.
Hamilton Public Library Facing Serious Challenges
As you’ve likely heard by now, the Hamilton Public Library’s Central Branch is facing some serious challenges. Due to budgetary pressures and safety concerns the library has temporarily closed on Sundays. The Hamilton Public Library Board (HPLB), of which I’m a member, representing Council, is discussing these concerns and working with library staff to try to address them. This does not mean the Central Branch of the library will close. There are many steps the library can take to continue to offer library services without resorting to closure.
As an HPLB member, I share these concerns and I spoke about this at our library board meeting this week. Libraries are important and essential parts of our community and when they don’t work for everyone in our community, it’s a sign of larger problems that need to be addressed. This is a symptom, not the cause.
As the Chair of the Hamilton Farmers’ Market Board of Directors (HFM), I know these issues are impacting the market as well. To be clear, I don’t think anyone blames the library or the market for what’s happening - they’re doing their best to deliver services amidst a series of overlapping crises. These crises, which they didn’t contribute to, are becoming their responsibility and they’re not equipped to handle them.
When I say “crises”, I’m talking about the housing, drug poisoning, and affordability crises that continue, unabated, in this Province. These are manufactured crises that senior levels of government created. The Provincial and Federal governments have the power to address these crises but refuse to meaningfully implement measures to tackle their root causes.
None of this made any better by the continued efforts of the Provincial government to punch down on people who use drugs or who don’t have access to safe, affordable, or adequate housing.
It doesn’t help us to bicker about this around the Council table, or in the community, for that matter. If people are angry about this, they should focus that anger on the Premier and his government, including sitting Progressive Conservative MPPs in Hamilton.
Since the pandemic, the Province has continued to make things worse for our communities. The Province implemented a law, contrary to the recommendations they asked for, to close every Provincially controlled safe indoor space for people who use drugs, literally pushing them into our parks and public spaces.
This wasn’t made any better when a majority of Council decided not to provide any positive guidance for people forced to live outside. When Council scrapped the Encampment Protocol (EP) last year, it did harm to residents. Those who voted to scrap the EP didn’t have a backup plan, despite me asking them for one and putting a motion on the floor earlier in the term for them to work with the community on a plan proposed by residents.
What it’s meant is that the City is now incapable of answering the basic question, “Where do I go?”
It’s a question that haunts me and should haunt every one of us. If police and bylaw officers are telling someone they can’t stay in a specific location, they should be able to tell them where they can go. Asking someone deprived of housing, who likely doesn’t have access to a reliable phone, to call around to every single shelter, day and night, to be repeatedly told there’s no space, is not a solution. It’s too often the answer provided and it’s not good enough.
In part, this is why I brought forward motions to the budget process this year to increase funding for both the library ($375,000) and the market ($25,000) to help them deal with the impacts of these crises. In the end, a majority of Council supported both of these motions.
At its recent meeting, the market reported that the increase in funding is helping them to better manage their space, which is good news.
I think the Province, and the Federal government have the resources to help libraries combat the issues they’re facing. The question now is whether or not they’ll step up to help. They’ve been asked directly and, seemingly, are just ignoring the concerns raised by public libraries across the Province. To be fair, I do think there’s more the City can do and I’m meeting with City staff to talk through these options. But no matter the options we come up with, they will not solve this crisis.
For my part, I’ve provided funds to help to redesign part of the first floor of the Central Branch to make it work better for all library patrons, especially in the children’s area. That project is working its way through the bureaucracy, more slowly than I’d like, but we’re getting there.
But none of the measures I put forward will be enough. Cities, and Councillors, can’t solve these problems. I understand the urge to point the finger at the elected representatives who are closest to us, namely members of Council, but despite the mythology that’s built up over the years, we have limits to our power and authority.
I can’t tell you the number of times someone has angrily asked me why I’m not personally directing the lands at the former Sir John A. Macdonald high school be used to help with these crises.
When I explain to them they’re actually Provincial lands, they’re surprised. When I further explain that the City, along with the school board, has asked the Province to use them for public good, four separate times, and that the Province said no each one of those times, they’re upset. I encourage them to reach out to the Province to share their feedback.
Until we start paying more attention to who’s actually making these decisions, namely the Province and the Premier, we won’t make much progress in addressing the root causes of the issues our city is faced with.
It’s not passing the buck, it’s shining a light.
While the Ford government continues to attempt to distract us by pouring out booze on live TV, offering up a buck a beer, and promising an outlandish tunnel under the 401, these are the policy choices everyone should be paying attention to. They’re what’s impacting our community and putting us in harm’s way.
City Council Summary - February 11 and 19, 2026
The Council decisions on February 11 and 19 included installing a new Red Light Camera at Bay Street South and Hunter Street West, public wifi expansion in Ward 2 parks, the ratification of amendments to the Mayor’s 2026 Budget, and a special meeting regarding the Barton-Tiffany Shelter.
New Red Light Camera at Bay Street South and Hunter Street West
Public Works Committee - February 2, 2026
City Council - February 11, 2026
Notwithstanding the Provincial government’s recent ban on speed cameras, they haven’t yet banned red light cameras. This means we can continue to introduce them across the city, including in Ward 2. This year we’ll be installing one at the intersection of Bay Street South and Hunter Street West. We’re permitted, technically, to install up to four speed cameras at a full intersection. If the camera installation at Bay Street South and Hunter Street West proves ineffective at helping to calm traffic, please let us know and we’ll work with Public Works staff to identify the process for expanding them at this intersection. Along with the other measures I’m introducing to calm traffic in this area, this will contribute to reducing pedestrian and cycling injuries caused by vehicles and, hopefully, make it safer.
How did the Public Works Committee vote on the new 2026 locations?
In favour (12) - Beattie, Cassar, Cooper, Francis, Hwang, Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), Nann, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson (seconder),
Public Wifi Expansion in Ward 2 Parks
Public Works Committee - February 2, 2026
City Council - February 11, 2026
I was happy to bring forward a motion this month on a campaign priority - expanding wifi downtown so more residents can have access when they’re using public parks. This has been proven to be an effective means of providing equitable access to the internet, already, in Beasley Park, John Rebecca Park, Corktown Park, City Hall and the area directly around it, and the Frank Cooke Bus Terminal. It will now be expanded to include Bayfront Park, Carter Park, Central Park, Durand Park, and Eastwood Park. These locations will be activated this year.
How did the Public Works Committee vote on my motion?
In favour (13) - Beattie, Cassar, Cooper, Francis, Hwang (seconder), Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), Nann, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Amendments to the Mayor’s 2026 Budget
General Issues Committee - February 6, 2026
General Issues Committee - February 13, 2026
City Council - February 19, 2026
This year, I put forward four motions during the budget process to amend the Mayor’s 2026 budget. I won’t explain each one in detail, as the motion text will make that much clearer (they’re all pretty straightforward). Here are the vote breakdowns for each of them, including links to each motion, from the February 6 budget meeting (votes didn’t change at the special Council meeting on February 19).
Extension of Non-Residential Blue Box Collection
In favour (15) - Beattie, Cassar, Cooper, Francis, Horwath, Hwang, Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin, Nann (seconder), Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Against (1) - Clark
Adjustment to the Hamilton Public Library Board of Directors Budget
In favour (9) - Cassar, Francis, Hwang, Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin (seconder), Nann, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Against (7) - Beattie, Clark, Cooper, Horwath, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson
Adjustment to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market Board of Directors Budget
In favour (16) - Beattie, Cassar, Clark, Cooper, Francis, Horwath, Hwang (seconder), Jackson, Kroetsch (mover), McMeekin, Nann, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Increase to the City Enrichment Fund Budget
In favour (3) - Kroetsch (mover), Nann, A. Wilson, M. Wilson
Against (13) - Beattie, Cassar, Clark, Cooper, Francis, Horwath, Hwang, Jackson, McMeekin, Pauls, Spadafora, Tadeson, M. Wilson
Barton-Tiffany Temporary Outdoor Shelter
General Issues Committee (Special) - February 10, 2026
City Council - February 11, 2026
A special meeting of the General Issues Committee was called for February 10 to discuss the concerns raised surrounding the funding allocated to the Barton-Tiffany Temporary Outdoor Shelter (TOS). Council heard delegations from critics and supporters alike, some focusing on the financial fiasco and others speaking to the success of the program. I listened to the delegates, read the reports, and considered the auditor’s feedback. In short, the construction of the TOS did not follow the City’s established best practices and there were serious mistakes made. What I also heard were some very compelling success stories. City staff have been held accountable for the mistakes that were made and I expect these mistakes won’t be made again. When projects like this, a first for the City, don’t follow best practices and fuel mistrust they risk our ability to protect some of the most vulnerable in our community. I’m hopeful City staff have learned what they can from this situation and will be able to move on with those lessons top of mind. Council trusted their advice and our votes were informed by the recommendations staff presented. That trust is essential to the proper functioning of municipal government and when it’s undermined it risks putting the City at serious risk. The urgency of the homelessness crisis in our country, Province, and city can’t be overstated - it’s not going to be resolved anytime soon. In the meantime, we will need to continue to come up with innovative solutions to prevent as much harm as possible.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
This section lists upcoming Ward 2 public meetings including town halls happening over the next few months. Some of this information may change closer to the meeting dates, including times and locations.
To read Committee and Council Agendas and Meeting Notices, please subscribe to updates directly through the City’s website or visit the City’s Committee Calendar.
For more on what’s happening in the downtown community, check out event listings from The Vibe Hamilton, Hamilton City Magazine’s regular events listing, and the Ward 2 website’s Community Meetings page.
