Hamilton City Council Meeting - June 3, 2026

Hamilton City Council met June 3, 2026, with Deputy Mayor Cameron Kroetsch presiding and full council present. Councillors discussed Indigenous terminology in city engagement, recognized an award for emergency water infrastructure work, debated heritage and planning matters, and spent significant time on recreation priorities, including whether to study a 50-metre pool while other community pool projects remain unfinished. Council also discussed Ontario Works administration, relocation of a food distribution program from Ferguson Station, and municipal authority over zoning matters related to supervised consumption sites.

Topics Discussed

Indigenous terminology in city engagement

During the land acknowledgement, council noted that the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation have asked not to be described as "stakeholders." Deputy Mayor Cameron Kroetsch said, "they want to be called not stakeholders, but treaty holders and rights holders."

Water main repair award

Council recognized a 2026 Ontario Public Works Association award for the emergency carbon fibre reinforced polymer rehabilitation of the Woodward Greenhill transmission main. City Manager Marnie Cluckie said the project "preserved a critical transmission asset that serves approximately 60% of Hamilton residents while avoiding failure, major service disruption, and large scale surface reconstruction."

Planning and heritage matters

Council considered several planning and heritage items, including 84 York Boulevard, demolition permits for 974 and 980 Upper Paradise Road, and designation of 71 Claremont Drive.

On the Claremont Drive designation, staff said the objection came from a private resident, not the property owner. Alyssa Golden, culture and heritage program lead, told council: "So, this is a schoolboard property. The objection is coming from a private resident. The school board has been consulted throughout the designation process and is not objecting."

Council also discussed broader heritage protection concerns. Councillor Craig Cassar said, "One of the very first steps we can take is designating them. And that allows us to protect the process and protect the building."

Recreation priorities and the 50-metre pool discussion

Councillors debated a motion related to a potential 50-metre pool and whether staff time and city resources should instead focus on local community pools.

Councillor Mark Tadeson argued that neighbourhood facilities should come first, saying, "Hamilton needs more community pools where local seniors can go for a daytime swim or aquafit, a place where children can learn safely to swim all year long before we start worrying about sending athletes to the Olympics." He also said, "Winona, Glamrook indoor pools need to be prioritized first before we look at using our financial resources and staff capacity to support an Olympic size pool."

Other councillors framed the matter as a longer-term planning question rather than immediate construction funding. Councillor Tadeson also summarized his position by saying, "my focus, my long-term goal here is is to ensure that the community pools are our priority."

Ontario Works, food service relocation, and municipal authority questions

Council discussed Ontario Works administration, including overpayment recovery, fraud concerns, and employment outcomes for recipients.

Councillor Tom Jackson asked staff whether the city was "putting as much resources as we can to get people off OW get them trained get them meaningful employment." He also said the public perception is that the city is "soft on trying to get that hardearned taxpayer money back" in cases involving suspected fraud.

Staff explained how overpayment files are handled after a case closes. Director Boomer said, "As of October 1st, 2024, cases that close with an overpayment, um we then uh two months following the case closure, uh refer the overpayment amount to the financial services unit of the ministry."

Council also discussed the relocation of a food distribution program from Ferguson Station because the current site could no longer safely accommodate the number of people using it. In a separate discussion about supervised consumption sites, City Solicitor Lisa Shields said, "the city still has jurisdiction over zoning," and that any zoning change would require city approval.

Motions

Passed: - PWC 26007 - Public Works Committee minutes from May 25, 2026 - 2026-2050 Hamilton Solid Waste Management Master Plan - PLC 260007 - Planning Committee minutes from May 26, 2026 - 84 York Boulevard - Ontario Land Tribunal appeal and settlement discussions - Heritage designation for 71 Claremont Drive (PED 26092 / item 9.4.4, roman numeral 28.3) - Housekeeping amendment on food security funding / Social Planning Council conduit for Taste Buds Program - Motion regarding confidential reporting / intergovernmental requests framework - Battle of Stoney Creek reenactment event funding ($10,000 for drone light show and fireworks) - Stoney Creek BIA beautification funding (up to $5,000) - AMO 2026 conference attendance for six representatives - Ontario Works / ECS 26-00004 committee report - Item 12.5 - Direction to staff regarding property acquisition in the City of Hamilton - Item 12.6 / CM26013 - Staffing update received confidentially - Bylaws 26095-26102

Defeated: - Pool partnership motion under General Issues Committee 260007

Attendees

Full council quorum was present.

Councillors listed in the meeting materials: - Andrea Horwath, Mayor - Cameron Kroetsch, Deputy Mayor - Tom Jackson - Mark Tadeson - Esther Pauls - Rob Cooper - Alex Wilson - Jeff Beattie - Mike Spadafora - Ted McMeekin - Brad Clark - Craig Cassar - Tammy Hwang - Maureen Wilson - Matt Francis - Nrinder Nann