Hamilton City Council tackled multiple pressing issues at their March meeting, from managing over-tourism at the city's 154 waterfalls to addressing a homelessness crisis that saw an emergency warming center spiral out of control. The meeting revealed significant tensions around how the city handles vulnerable populations, with staff reporting unprecedented levels of drug use and behavioral issues at shelters. Council also approved changes to streamline affordable housing development and heard concerns about toxic air quality in Ward 9, where readings of total reduced sulfur compounds reached nearly 18 times safe limits.

Topics Discussed

EMERGENCY WARMING CENTER CRISIS: The city's emergency warming center at Benetto Recreation Center, opened during extreme cold weather, quickly became unmanageable due to severe drug use and behavioral issues. The facility served approximately 90 people overnight and cost over $100,000 for roughly 8-9 days of operation. City staff experienced overdoses, inappropriate behavior, and situations that "fell outside of their comfort level," with Hamilton police commenting "it was beyond some of the things that they had seen in the past." The center displaced regular recreation programs including swimming lessons, youth sports, and seniors programs. Director Michelle Baird reported a broader crisis: "The situation is worsening across the city and beyond...Shelter providers report they are now simply keeping people alive rather than supporting people through their housing journey." The facility was located between two elementary schools, raising safety concerns from residents. Council members emphasized that the city spent $128 million on homelessness and housing last year while the province contributed only $28.5 million.

DANGEROUS AIR QUALITY IN WARD 9: On July 3, 2025, air monitoring at Green Life Environmental Incorporated Lagoon showed total reduced sulfur compounds ranging from 28.1 to 177.6 parts per billion over a 10-hour period—up to nearly 18 times the provincial 1-hour safety criteria of 10 ppb. Paramedic respiratory distress calls in Ward 9 increased 65% from 265 calls in 2019 to a peak of 438 calls in 2022. Health officials identified long-term exposure effects including reduced lung function, chronic bronchitis, and increased sensitivity to sulfur-based compounds. A critical enforcement gap was revealed: air sampling data collected by GFL on their property cannot be used as enforcement evidence by the province's Investigation and Enforcement Branch. Residents reported experiencing nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and loss of enjoyment of their property. Councilors accused the Ministry of Environment and GFL of "gaslighting" residents by dismissing odor complaints.

WATERFALL TOURISM MANAGEMENT PLAN: Hamilton is shifting from unlimited to managed access at its waterfall sites, reducing focus from 154 sites to 40 priority sites that can handle visitor capacity. The plan addresses severe over-tourism problems including parking chaos, garbage accumulation, trail damage, and safety incidents. In summer 2016, Albion Falls alone required 30 rope rescues due to visitors being "careless, reckless, and sometimes disoriented," leading to $75,000 in emergency fencing installation. The plan prioritizes "ecology first, managed access not unlimited access" and aims to protect the environment before inviting more tourists. Geo-fencing technology revealed that waterfalls attract visitors from 2-3 hours driving distance. The Hamilton Conservation Authority reports over one million visitors annually to conservation areas. The plan does not rely on city funding and is not tax-based, instead utilizing alternative revenue structures including tourism reinvestment mechanisms and partnerships.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT STREAMLINED: Council approved removing certain consent requirements for low-risk housing providers under Part 7.1, allowing organizations like Victoria Park Community Homes to leverage their own equity without requiring city funding. Victoria Park plans to add 1,000 to 1,500 affordable housing units by 2030 and is opening over 370 units next year, including 261 units at the Caladon project and 107 units at Stone Church. The organization raised over $150 million in grants and funding in 2024, plus an additional $70 million from CMHC. Hamilton is the first community in the province to implement a risk-based evaluation matrix for social housing providers. The changes aim to balance the city's need to maintain affordable housing supply while enabling faster redevelopment.

CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE TRANSITION: The Climate Change Advisory Committee will transition to a "Climate Change Community Liaison Group" effective October 1, 2026. The committee requested to remain as an advisory committee until the end of the current council term to maintain continuity and "keep the existing transparency and reporting structures." Hamilton has achieved a 36% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 to 2023 across the city, though commercial and residential sectors have shown no change. Staff acknowledged "no one's on track for 2050 net zero right now" and emphasized that Hamilton cannot achieve net zero alone without federal and provincial cooperation. The Better Homes Hamilton program was highlighted as addressing gaps in home retrofit financing.

Motions

Passed: - Approval of meeting agenda with additions (unanimous) - Receipt of Climate Change Advisory Committee annual update (unanimous) - Receipt of Transit Area Rating Review Subcommittee minutes (unanimous) - Approval of Business Improvement Areas 2026 Budget (12-0) - Approval of Environmental Remediation Grant for 115 and 121 Vance Mart Avenue, Ward 4 (12-0) - Approval of tax grant applications for 299 Main Street East, Ward 3 (12-0) - Approval of changes to housing provider consent requirements under Part 7.1 (unanimous) - Approval of 2026 tax policy and farmland tax reductions (12-0) - Direction to City Manager to review Housing Secretariat and Housing Services Division for potential redundancies and overlaps (12-0) - Approval of land acquisition in Ward 15 (12-0) - Approval of GFL legal strategy update for Ward 9 (12-0) - Receipt of confidential report on emergency warming center health and safety implications (12-0)

Deferred/Notices Filed: - Motion on review of contract work (Councilor Crunch) - scheduled for April 15 - Motion on winter response for unsheltered people - scheduled for April 15 - Motion on municipal price index investigation - scheduled for April 15, staff report expected Q3 2026

Attendees

Present: - Deputy Mayor Jeff Bey (presiding) - Mayor Horvath - Councilor Cooper - Councilor Esther Pauls - Councilor Brad Clark - Councilor Tom Jackson - Councilor Alex Wilson - Councilor Cameron Crush - Councilor Ted McMinn - Councilor Marine Wilson - Councilor Narender Nan - Councilor Tatison - Councilor Casar

Note: Councilor Cooper announced she would be stepping away from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, potentially impacting quorum.