Hamilton City Council's May Meeting: Fair Wages, Environmental Assessment, and Youth Services

Hamilton City Council's only regular meeting in May moved two items forward for early consideration, approved changes to the city's fair wage policy, advanced the Safari Road to Valens Road environmental assessment process with further reporting, approved development charge indexing with a temporary offset, extended one-year funding for rural gender-based violence services, and backed work toward a Hamilton youth wellness hub.

Topics Discussed

1. FAIR WAGE POLICY

Council moved up Audit, Finance and Administration Committee item 9.1 for early consideration after Councillor Cooper said, "There's people here today for this issue and if they sit through the day, they're going to miss half a day of work."

Council then approved changes to the fair wage policy for construction trades. Councillor Crutch said the city had fallen behind provincial rates, stating that "at one point the policy was six years behind the ICI prevailing provincial rates." He argued, "We should be using exactly the same number the province has." Councillor Cassar said the change would benefit construction workers broadly. The motion passed 16-0.

2. SAFARI ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Council debated the Safari Road to Valens Road municipal class environmental assessment, including whether to place the environmental study report on the required 30-day public review and whether staff should report back on another alternative.

Councillor Jackson opposed permanently closing the road, saying she was "shocked and dismayed" at the idea of telling the seven households on Safari Road, including "generational families" on large farms, to "look for some other place." Councillor Clark said, "I have concerns about this process. I'm not sure I can support it," and also questioned how staff would mitigate wildlife movement and water flow.

Staff said filing the report would not commit council to construction. Senior Project Manager Salvuchi told council, "If we do not place the environmental study report on public review, then we will not be able to deem the environmental study report complete," and added that the report "is not saying council must implement it." Staff also said choosing a different alternative later could require additional documentation. Council approved the amended motion 9-4.

3. DEVELOPMENT CHARGES

Council discussed annual indexing of development charges and a temporary increase in the existing exemption. Staff said the 2026 indexing increase would be 4 per cent and that raising the temporary exemption from 20 per cent to 24 per cent through May 31, 2027 would offset that increase during that period.

Councillors focused on the cost to taxpayers and the lack of reporting on how incentives affect housing prices. Councillor Crutch said, "there hasn't been evidence provided directly from the development industry to this council saying here are the credits that were provided. Here's exactly how they were applied. Here's how the homeowner benefited." Councillor Nann asked when "the tax impact in terms of property taxes would be felt by property taxpayers."

Staff said the city would have to provide the discount up front to qualify for a possible grant program. Jim Skar said, "The risk is that municipalities proceeding with discounting development charges with the hope that those funds will be offset." General Manager Garrick added, "A municipality will have to have already decreased DCs in order to be considered as part of this program."

4. RURAL GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE SERVICES

Council approved a one-year funding agreement of about $250,000 for Interval House's rural outreach program for April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. The funding supports mobile service delivery, safety planning, counselling, advocacy, and navigation services for women and gender-diverse people experiencing gender-based violence and intimate partner violence in rural Hamilton.

Councillors described the service as essential in rural areas where residents cannot easily reach urban supports. Councillor Tadeson said, "Interval House was forced to lay off staff to get by on less than adequate funding," which severed relationships between counsellors and vulnerable clients. Councillor Hall said, "lives are at risk and we have to do something about." Council approved the funding unanimously.

5. YOUTH WELLNESS HUB

Council approved a motion titled "Collaboration and Advocacy for a Hamilton Youth Wellness Hub." The motion directs staff to work with the Hamilton Child and Youth Network and other organizations on a local hub model and directs the mayor to seek provincial support.

Mayor Andrea Horwath said, "I believe that we're at a moment in time where our city needs to respond to the growing challenges facing children and youth with urgency, with compassion, and with coordination." She said the motion asks the city to collaborate with "the child and youth network, the very robust one that we have already and other community partners to explore exactly what this is going to look like."

Councillor Pauls supported the motion, saying, "our kids need purpose and they need a dream," whether through sports, arts, or music.

Motions

Passed: - Agenda amendment to lift items for early consideration - Minute Item 11.4 from GIC (HSC26038A) - AFNA Minute Item 9.1 - Sports Training Facility Development Update (HSC26038A, open session portion) — 16-0 - Fair Wage Eligibility Timeline Adjustment / Fair Wage Policy changes — 16-0 - Safari Road to Valens Road Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (amended; filing EA for public review and staff report back on alternative assessment) — 9-4 - Development charge indexing at 4% with temporary exemption increase from 20% to 24% through May 31, 2027 - Tactile walking surface indicators / accessibility standards item (AFNA26-00006) — 15-0 - Snow removal policy referral to GIC for broader review — 16-0 - One-year funding agreement for Interval House rural outreach / WARES program — 16-0 - Separate gender-based violence funding vote — 15-0 - Mohawk Sports Park / Bernie Arbour Stadium 10-year operating and maintenance agreement - Royal Canadian Legion Battlefield Branch 622 Centennial Enhancement Project — unanimously approved - Barton Branch Library reinvigoration funding ($190,000) — 15-0 - Ward 3 Community Resilience Grants ($38,000) — 12-2 - Collaboration and Advocacy for a Hamilton Youth Wellness Hub — unanimously approved - Motion to dispense with notice for Councillor Nann's private/confidential motion — 16-0 - Motion to dispense with notice for Councillor Tadeson's private/confidential motion — 15-1 - Public participation in land use planning process (Item 12.5) — unanimously approved - Confirmation bylaws 13.1086 through 13.7092 — 15-0

Did not pass: - Motion to reconsider confidential land-use planning matter (LS24020A)

Attendees

The notes identify the following councillors as present or participating:

• Andrea Horwath, Mayor
• Matt Francis
• Tammy Hwang
• Brad Clark
• Craig Cassar
• John-Paul Danko
• Maureen Wilson
• Nrinder Nann
• Esther Pauls
• Maria Pearson
• Ted McMeekin
• Tom Jackson
• Alex Wilson
• Mark Tadeson
• Jeff Beattie
• Matt Cooper
• Mike Spadafora
• Councillor Wang (participating online)