Sound check. 1 2 3. Sound check. 1 2 3. and welcome to Can folks hear me in the room? >> Do we need to pump up the volume? >> Pump up the volume. >> We can do that. >> Is this when I need the gabble? I will never take away the joy out of council work. Um, okay. Good afternoon. Welcome to public works committee meeting for today, August 31st, 2026. We have quorum present today. Um, virtually joining us is councelor Francis, councelor Kretch, councelor Spataphora, and councelor Alex Wilson. Joining me in room 264 here in city hall is councelor Moren Wilson, councelor Mark Tatison, councelor and vice chair Craig Kazar, and councelor Huang. Um, a reminder for everyone to please turn your electronic devices to a nonaudible function so that they don't disturb committee proceedings. And want to begin by acknowledging coming up later this month, we have rail safety week taking place across Canada from September 21 to September 27, 2026, which is an important opportunity to raise awareness about safe practices around railway properties, crossings, and tracks. In 2025, Canada recorded 252 railway crossing and trespassing incidences, resulting in 69 fatalities and 60 injuries, many of which were preventable and hits close to home for me as my nephew was one of those fatalities. Through education and public awareness, communities can help reduce these incidents by reminding pedestrians and motorists to stay off the railways right away. Remain alert near tracks and crossings, and obey all traffic signs and signals. Yeah. The City of Hamilton public works committee supports the efforts of Operation Lifesaver CN and their many partners in promoting rail safety across Canada. By working together with governments, law enforcement, and the rail industry, educators, and community organizations, we can help prevent injuries, save lives, and encourage responsible behavior around railways. Rail Safety Week serves as an important reminder that safety is a shared responsibility and that increased awareness can make our communities safer for everyone. And with that, I'll move to approval of the agenda. Um, before we do get a mover and seconder over to LC uh Macintosh, are there any changes to our agenda? >> Chair Nan, there are no changes to the agenda, but if committee wishes to go into close session to discuss item 12.1 LS26013, the legal advice regarding waste collection services citywide. Um, if they do, they'll have to defer consideration of item 9.5, report PW26077, the waste collection services contract extension negotiation until after the close session. >> Thank you for that. So, at the appropriate time, I'll check with my colleagues if anybody wants to go on camera, in which case we'll we'll follow through with those instructions. Uh, can I get a mover and second or to approve the agenda, please? Councelor Casar, seconded by C um Councelor Huang. Um, all those in favor, please show hand vote. Does that carry? Carries. Thank you. Declarations of interest, colleagues, any none online. Thank you. Okay, we'll move on to adoption of the minutes of our previous meeting which was held on July 27th, 2026. Could I get a mover and seconder to adopt the minutes? Moved by councelor Casar, seconded by councelor Hang. Any discussion on the minutes from our previous meeting? Seeing none, we'll move on to delegations. Before we begin, our delegations for today. U members are reminded that questions are for clarification purposes only and not for debate. A note to our delegates that you have 5 minutes to complete your delegation and you will hear a tone after the 4-m minute mark at which point you'll have a minute to finish up. We have two delegates for today's meeting. Um, first up is Jamal Pierre from Keeping Six, respecting closing the access gap as a cost-effective hub to hub HSR or yeah, HSR rule expansion pilot in person. So, at this time, I'll call on Jamal. Pierre hasn't joined us virtually. I don't see Jamal in room 264, but I will call for a second time. And if Jamal is making their way in from somewhere inside of city hall or from the city, um we'll give them an opportunity to speak after the next delegation is received. So we'll go on to 6.2, which is Shane Buckingham, the Canadian Beverage Association, respecting item 10.2, which is a request for the expansion of Ontario's deposit return program. This is a virtual delegation. And delegate Buckingham, are you with us? >> Yes, I am. >> Excellent. Thanks for testing your microphone. So when you are ready, please proceed. >> Okay. Hopefully you can see my screen. So I'm Shane Buckingham and I'm here representing the Canadian Beverage Association to provide an update on beverage container recycling. I'll try to get through these slides as quick as I can. So um the Canadian Beverage Association is representing the non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing sector. It's a major contributor to Canada's gross domestic product, over $5 billion a year and supports 20,000 direct jobs in the country. What we are here to talk to you today about is deposit return. So across Canada, deposit return systems are used for non-alcohol beverage containers with great performance reaching rates of as much as 85% recovery of beverage containers. However, Ontario stands alone as the only province in Canada that doesn't have a separate beverage container recycling program. There is uh one province, Manitoba, which uses a public space recycling program to complement its curbside recycling program, but the other eight provinces are using deposit return systems. So, the results speak for themselves. deposit return uh is getting an average 78% recovery rate of beverage containers about 75% for plastic bottles. Whereas Ontario's approach of relying on a residentialonly curbside bluebox recycling system has left the beverage recovery rate stalled at 50%. The reason for that is beverage products are many times consumed on the go. as much as 30% of beverage products are disposed outside of the residential sector. And so if you don't have a recycling program that can collect outside of the residential sector, you'll continue to have low results in the system. I can go over uh the financing of this system perhaps in the question and answer portion, but essentially every deposit program is funded through three main revenue streams. You have your commodity revenue from the sale of materials. So the collected plastic bottles, the glass and aluminum. You have producer fees that are used to offset uh the costs between commodity and unredeemed deposits. And then you have a revenue stream coming from unredeemed deposits. So if consumers do not take their beverage containers back to a depot for redemption, that revenue remains in the system. What we're seeing in the province right now is our existing deposit return program for alcohol containers is going through a major transformation with the government's um you know change in allowing for more alcohol sales at grocery and convenience stores. And we've seen the current collection network that's operated from the beer store go from 440 to 300 locations. And as a result, the return rate is starting to slip down from about 80% to 74%. If we were to include more beverage containers into the deposit return system, taking it from 1.6 billion to 6 billion containers, we could have more sustainability of that deposit system and grow the collection network to ensure that we have a greater recovery rate in the system. So, we know deposit return is highly effective at achieving as much as an 80% uh recovery rate. It's convenient when you have enough depot locations to support the consumer. It's cost-effective and the CBA has a plan to be able to meet an 80% target over a five-year period. Just give you a quick note here. When you collect a clean stream of uh beverage containers outside of a curbside comingled system, you get a higher rate of return. you're seeing on PT bottles just under 10 bucks a ton there when it's co-mingled and curbside collected versus a clean stream of beverage containers that could be collected through a deposit return system which provides more revenue back into the system. So we're seeing strong support amongst Ontarians as much as 80% in all the polling that we've done to support the expansion of the deposit system to collect not only alcohol containers but also non-alcohol. and we're starting to see that support grow amongst municipal organizations and municipalities including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario uh and other major cities and regions. So, thank you very much for the opportunity to present to you today and I'd be happy to answer any of your questions about the CBA's plans on deposit return. >> Thank you for your delegation, committee members. Uh speakers, this first up is vice chair Casar. >> Thanks Chair Nan and thank you very much Shane for the presentation. He was uh chair very instrumental in helping my office prepare the motion that is on today's agenda to which he just spoke to 10.2. Uh just one question. You had some limited time there. So Shane, maybe if you were able to just expand a little more on why the general public should be interested in supportive as they are, but just maybe teasing that a little more why what the benefits are to the public if Ontario were to de develop a deposit return process. >> Yeah, absolutely. It's improved recovery rates. We've had a stalled recovery rate of 50% for quite some time in the province. And you know, uh I serve on the board of the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation. uh that program has a recovery rate from 82 to 85% um each year just depending on the year. Also another um you know major uh component of a deposit system is its support for litter reduction. So as I mentioned if you have 30% of beverage products like you know bottles of water or pop that you would take on the go um it helps to reduce that litter in public spaces as well. So we see a sharp decline in litter rates and then we see a higher increase in the recovery of beverage containers as consumers are incentivized to take the container back to a depot and get their uh deposit redeemed. >> Thank you very much Shane. I appreciate that answer. Thank you chair. No more questions for me. >> Thank you. No questions virtually either. So um thank you delegate Buckingham for your delegation. No further questions at this time. Uh, so we'll move back to item 6.1. We have Jamal Pierre here from Keeping Six, Respecting Closing the Access Gap, a cost-effective hub to hub HSR rule expansion program here to delegate in person. Jamal, a reminder that uh you have four five minutes to speak at the four-m minute mark. You won't hear a ding, but you're going to keep an eye out over here. Unlike chambers, we don't have the ability to send you a little tone. Um, but we'll let you know when you got a minute left with a with a one finger up. Um, and before you begin, if you could just test your microphone by turning it on. It's the little icon with the uh person with the mouth. Yeah. >> Testing. One, two, three. >> Yep. Okay. Proceed when you're ready. >> Okay. Hello. Uh, my name is Jamal Pierre. Um, I just came from International Awareness Day Gauge Park. I was hosting. Um, so this is going to be a little bit rough. Um, but I was doing some research into Hamilton and I realized that we've absorbed about 23 rural communities. um making 2/3 of Hamilton uh rural. So with that um I also noticed that the bus system hasn't really changed uh too too much and um I am probably going to come uh back with some more uh stronger points and back up on this. Um, obviously I think that the bus system would need to change and need to expand to include our rural communities because if all these people are a part of Hamilton, we'd want them to be able to enjoy the festivals um and Super Crawl and really just uh celebrate our our new found uh mega city. Um, so I know a couple of the uh rural communities that we've absorbed, but I probably can't list all of them off the top of my head, but I do know that includes like Troy, Straban, Alfreda, um, Black Heath, uh, Flamro, um, just to name a few. Um, so re really I guess it's more of um an inquiry rather than a suggestion, but I just wanted to know what the city's plans were um as per expanding um the bus service so we can really um so all of Hamilton uh can commute and travel and we can all experience Hamilton uh together because I think it's a beautiful city. Um and some of the rural places that I've been to like Milro and Freton are amazing and I'm very happy to have them included in our community. Um so I just want to see how we are going to move forward um in really um bridging the gap for those. I believe that's all. >> That's it. Thank you. I appreciate your delegation committee members. Any questions for our delegate? Seeing none. Thank you so much for coming in today to delegate on an important topic of making sure transit is available uh for our rural community as well. Um okay. At this point, I'll take a mover and seconded to receive both delegations. Thank you, Councelor Tatison and Councelor Hang. Uh, and for the rest of committee, that'll be a show of hand vote. And that passes. Thank you. And, uh, acknowledging a good afternoon to councelor McMaken and councelor Cooper who've joined us as well. Councelor Hang first, then I thought I saw a hand up for councelor McMaken. >> Thank you. Um, just wanted to follow up on councelor I mean, sorry, uh, delegate uh, Jamal's question. Perhaps we could ask uh just a quick overview as to how we are connecting rural communities into the HSR network just so that delegate Pierre has a little bit of uh additional context on some of the good work that HSR is doing. >> Thank you, chair. >> All right. Through the chair, my name is Jeff Pjansky. I'm the manager of fleet maintenance for transit acting director um covering for Nancy Purser. Um so we have with the HSR next platform a plan in place for the next seven years to expand HSR transit to different areas. Um we do have restrictions based on the urban boundary of where we can offer our services to. Um, so we do not have any services to some of those far-reaching rural areas like Troy and Flamro as you mentioned right now. >> Thank you. And then just as a quick um reference uh we do have an HSR website that is speaking about HSR next. Is that correct? Through you chair. >> Through the chair. That is correct. You can find more information on our HSR website and the again the growth plan is called HSR next and there's lots of details there about the root mapping and expansion program. >> Thank you. Those are only questions. Thank you Jeeoff. >> Thank you councelor H. Next up we have councelor Tatison. >> Could maybe uh staff expand upon the my ride on demand service which does serve some of the rural areas and um explain that as well. >> No problem through the chair. Um, so for my knowledge right now, I do not have the all of the details of which year HSR next will expand to each rural pocket, but I do know we serve areas like the edge of Flamborough, which is a top of highway 5 and six with an ondemand pilot. That ondemand pilot provides service when you call in and then it connects you to fixed route service, which is the rest of the HSR network. There are plans in place to serve the Stoner Creek area um in the future. Again, I would have to go back and point you to the website for the further exact details of which pieces those on demand expansions and when those are what years those are going to be implemented on. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh any further questions? Seeing none, appreciate the clarity me being made public about um what the city is currently doing. Okay. Uh now we vote to receive No, we already did vote to receive the delegations, right? Okay, moving on to items for information. First up is 7.1PW26073, which is Hamilton Waters Quality Management System 2025 annual summary report. Um director of Hamilton Water, Nick Winters, is available if you have any questions. Um could I get a mover and seconder to put the um item on the floor? Councelor Hang. Thank you. Seconded by Councelor Tatison. Any questions, committee members? Okay, first up we have councelor Wing, we're doing pretty good. Have we uh ever I mean in years gone by, we have won awards for our water. Have we put our water in for any awards recently? >> Through your chair Nick Winters, director of the Hamilton Water Division. Um to the council's question, uh we certainly have um and as highlighted uh in the last three uh water budget presentations uh to council, uh we do like to talk about where our staff are doing award-winning work. Uh we do have a number of applications uh being considered this year um particularly for the Canada Water Awards which are coming up in September. So, we hope to have some good news to share with council, uh, the community, and the Hamilton water team that does all that great work a little later this fall. >> Excellent. Thank you, chair. I was in Ottawa recently. I got to say our water is eons ahead of what Ottawa's water was like. >> I'll just leave it at that. Thank you. Thank you, Nick, for your hard work. >> No shade celebrating us, right? Yeah. Um, okay. So, it's been moved and seconded. Councelor Casar. >> Thanks, Chairan. I don't have a question, but I thought I'd just take the opportunity to uh thank Director Winters and the team. You know, this is a report that clearly didn't get a lot of questions. Uh they do a lot of solid work. It's behind the scenes, unglamorous, but it's so essential. Uh we all hear city staff and counselors here from the public when things go wrong, they're unhappy, service levels aren't being met. Don't really hear that a lot about water. We take it for granted. And I know I personally take it for granted that we have great tasting safe water. So I just wanted to highlight that there's a lot of hard work that goes on by the water team. It's not very interesting which is great and it doesn't become interesting to the public from a public persp It's not entertaining um because it's behind the scenes. we don't see it's it's largely below ground uh from when we're talking about pipes or at our Woodward um uh plant and maintenance facility. So just wanted to highlight that give a little spotlight to them and say thank you. So thank you very much. >> Much appreciated. Thank you councelor Tison. >> I recently toured our wastewater water management system in a tour the other week on the weekend. It was it was well well attended by citizens of Hamilton and uh we did a little took a little bus tour around. Anyways, my question was seemed very um like we're currently operating below the capacity of the water that we could deliver. So with the ongoing um issue of urban expansion facing our city, are we ready for that urban expansion right now with the water um I guess with the with the system that's in place at this time? So through you chair to the councelor's question um I'll answer that I'll answer that two ways. Um from a treatment capacity perspective uh we're currently projecting that we have enough treatment capacity at the water treatment plant uh to support us to 2038. Uh we do have a capacity expansion uh project that is within the 10-year budget uh to start in and around 2032 from an engineering phase with construction to follow. Uh and that project will ensure that there's treated drinking water capacity for the city of Hamilton taking us through to 201 uh and beyond. The other part of capacity though is the distribution system and the pipes um that are going to move water from one place to another and serve those expansion areas uh whether um they are in the urban boundaries or intensification uh within various areas of the city. Uh and those are assessed uh through our water wastewater storm water master plans. Um and uh public works committee will receive a update on the finalization of a integrated master servicing strategy actually at the next public works committee on October 2nd. Uh that speaks to the work that's done to project those growth needs and the capital projects that are associated with ensuring that we're going to be able to deliver to those areas as well. And a follow-up question, will we be able to still service the um neighboring jurisdictions that that we currently service out in Halddederman and wherever else? >> Through the chair, yes, all the infrastructure is in place as well as agreements to serve uh Halddaleand uh Halton region and we receive water actually from uh from Ginsby for one area of lower Stony Creek. >> Thank you very much, director. No more questions. Any other questions? Seeing none, it's been moved and seconded and it's before committee for receipt. So, it's a show of hand vote, please. And that passes. Carries. Yeah. Um on 267.2, which is PW25078A, our fleet management improvement, utilization, and optimization review. An update on the progress report there. And we have manager of fleet services available to answer any questions. First, could I get a mover and seconder to put the report on the floor? Councilor Casar, was that hands up? >> Cooper. >> Cooper, sorry, I'm looking at you and I say Casar. Sorry, my apologies. >> Uh, can move by councelor Cooper, seconded by councelor uh Wang. Thank you both. Uh, any questions on this report? Okay, councelor Cooper. >> Thank you, chair. um through you just when I was looking at the report on recommendations. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting this correctly, so feel free to give me some enlightenment on this, but I see a reference number. It sounds like 2024 and I guess about maybe the fourth one down on page 105. It references a draft service level agreement talks about concept of short-term and it says we're 5% done. So, I'm just wondering when we talk about this in terms of short-term, long-term, immediate, um, some of the immediate actually 0% it looks like completion. How what's the time frame for short-term, medium, and long-term? Like what what what does all that mean? >> Did I get it? >> Sorry. >> Yeah, I got it. Sorry. uh Tom Kadanis, manager of fleet services. Nice to meet Tom. >> Um so yeah those uh those the interpretation of some of those timelines are dependent on several things. Uh to give you an example uh we are currently working on implementation of our enterprise asset management system and that a lot of the uh requirements in this report are dependent on the implementation the successful implementation and upgrade to some of those functional requirements of the EAM system. So although uh we would like them to be immediate less than a year uh it really dependent on some of the outside factors that will determine when we can actually put them in place. >> Would it be possible to maybe um put the implementation timeline more as a date as opposed to a short medium? Because like I say when we go through some of these let's say in medium we got 0% done and it looks like a reference date of 2024. you know, I'm not sure how to read the chart, you know, and so if we could maybe put a sense of what that delivery date might be going forward and just might provide a little more clarity on the report if that's something we could do. >> Yeah. Through the chair, that's definitely something we could do. It probably be more of a range than an actual date there. But yeah, that thank you. And you feel good about where this is all going? >> Uh, in many of the areas, yeah, I do feel good about where it's going. There's some areas that we could do some better work in some of those um you know critical functional requirements area. I'd like to see those move a little bit quicker, but again there's a lot of additional requirements that have to happen to be successful in those areas. So uh we're doing well. >> Is there anything that could be done to help you move this forward a little quicker or is that you pretty much got everything you need? >> Uh that through the chair that's uh that's a difficult question. Again, there are a lot of things that are going on with the implementation of this with the um consolidation of locations. Not an easy thing to happen. There are many factors that um are contingent on us being successful in in implementing those things. And unfortunately, some of those things are going to be measured in years, not uh in months or a single year. So, I wouldn't say there's anything uh any singular factor. our software system would would help us. So implementation of the software system I'd like to see happen sooner than later. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for what you're doing. >> Thank you. Next up we have councelor Tatterson. >> I was just seeing in one of the um statements said that the advantage of consolidation would be that we would be um better to schedule work and reduce outsourcing. So, do we have any indication of, you know, how much those savings will be percentage- wise or monetarily, like year-over-year? >> Through the chair, I I wish I could answer that question because that comes up a lot. Uh, and to have the supporting data would make me feel so much more comfortable in presenting these reports in front of committee and council, but um the reality is um our our data just isn't uh sufficient enough at this point. uh we're building it as as we go forward. Um but that's a question that comes up all the time and unfortunately we just don't have the level of data and and hope to get it with the new system that we can present that can give us some solid numbers >> and and I'd like to just say that some of our biggest critics of change are people that actually work for us and who are currently working, you know, near proximity of one of those closing yards. so that they would need that data because then they call their counselor and say, "Hey, what's going on?" So that's much appreciated and if you can, you know, generate some of that at some time, it helps with that change process for staff who are having to deal with the changes as well. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Seeing no further questions, uh, it's been moved and seconded before committee for receipt. Um, show a hand vote, please. All those in favor? That carries. Thank you. Uh, next is items for consideration 9.1 is PW260001E which is our August 2026 intersection control list with impacts toward 5 and 10. Could I get a mover in councelor Francis and seconded by councelor Tatterson um to put the report on the floor and open it up to see if there's any discussion. Seeing none, it's before committee and this one is an electronic vote. carries. Thank you. Next up is 9.2260. Amendments to solid waste management bylaw number 20-22 or 221 citywide. Could I get a mover and seconder to put this report on the floor? Moved by councelor Hang, seconded by councelor Tatison. Any discussion? And we do have director of waste management Angela Story here to answer any questions you have. Okay. Councelor Moren Wilson. Thank you, Chair. Just uh a question on a definition that is set out in appendex B on the first page. Yeah. Um public space litter container. A new definition has been added. A container provided and maintained by the city. So would that include containers um that we contract with >> through the through the chair Angela Story, director of waste management. I'm thinking about the creative outdoor advertising bus bench. Uh that would not be included in that definition. Right now it would be the Jubilee style um on the street side that would be included in that definition. >> Thank you. Seeing no further questions, then it's been moved and seconded and before committee for electronic vote to approve the recommendations. That carries. Thank you. 9.3 PW26061 McQueston Park Active Transportation Bridge Municipal Class Environmental Assessment in Ward 7. Um there is a staff presentation for this one. Yeah. And we're going to need expanded time or is 10 minutes sufficient? >> It'll be like 10 minutes and 10 seconds. >> Okay. Okay, I'm going to take the ch liberties or the chair of the no the liberty of being chair to say that's fine. Uh we don't need a vote to extend for 10 seconds. So uh pass it over to staff to please take us through the presentation. >> Good afternoon chair and members of the committee until Megan uh Estim Salvuchi turns on the presentation. I'll just introduce the report till then. Uh so before you is uh PW2601 the McQuiston Park active transportation bridge principal class environmental assessment. This is in ward 7. Um as we all know Lincoln Alexander Parkway which is as we refer to as link is a high volume controlled access parkway where pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited that creates a hard barrier to north and south travel in this part of the mountain. Today, the only walking or the cycling connection between the TB McQuiston Community Park and the Limebridgeidge Road East is the sidewalk along Upper Benward Street through an interchange with the uncontrolled crossing and a heavy turning movement. The need for a great separation crossing isn't new here. It was identified in the recreational trail master plan in 2016 and then again in the cycling master plan update in 2018. This study was completed as a schedule B municipal class EA. A public information center was held on February 10th. Uh the war counselor, indigenous communities, agencies and even the land owners have been engaged throughout the process. The class D cost estimate is approximately $7.75 million for the construction of the McQuiston Park Bridge. About 77% of that around $6 million is already covered through the federal investing in Canada infrastructure program. With the remaining of the balance will come through a future tax supported capital budget request. We are anticipating the construction to be in 2030 2031. And with that I have SPM Salvi and Steven Ogue who will take us uh through the presentation. >> Thanks Tanker. Good afternoon everyone. Um as Tanker said my name is Megan Salvuchi. I'm a senior project manager within engineering services and the purpose of today's presentation is to walk you through the highle overview of the planning process and recommendations coming from the McQueen park active transportation bridge environmental assessment. So through the course of the presentation today I'll provide an overview of the study area and walk through some of the key planning considerations. We'll go through the municipal class environmental assessment process that took place and the recommendations that stem from it and then we'll wrap up with the next steps for the project. Before getting into the technical elements, I wanted to go over the purpose of coming to committee today. So, but a touch point at this stage of the process allows us to bring awareness to the fact um that technical findings from the project including all data collected and analyzed over the course of the project is planned to be publicly released. So, everyone will have access to all information. This touch point also allows us to ensure that the next steps for the project are clear, including approval stages. Furthermore, our outreach at this stage allows for counselor preparedness in the event of constituent or resident questions that come in, whether it's within or outside of the designated commenting period for this project. Um, and then lastly, it also gives advanced notice of items that may show up in future budget requests through the typical budget cycle. The other thing I would like to highlight before jumping in um is one of the key drivers for this project as Deoner mentioned was the investing in Canada infrastructure program opportunity. Um so this is a funding opportunity that has both federal and provincial contributions. In 2019, we received approval through the public transit infrastructure stream uh with $6 million being dedicated towards active transportation connections to support transit use. As part of this um application, the area of McQueen Park and Limebridgeidge Road were flagged as a priority area. Um and so this application kind of enables that work to to look at implementation of that solution. Uh the last note on this is there is a spending timeline of construction and spending due by 2033. The McQueen at Park Active Transportation Bridge Environmental Assessment looked at options for an active transportation connection between Mcqueston Community Park and Limebridgeidge Road. This area crosses the link as Deoner mentioned where there is no active transportation connections along or to it. Um, and the closest one um to cross this area is along Upper Wineworth where there is no cycling facilities. It's a curbside sidewalk and it requires users to cross the on and off ramps going to and from the parkway. Looking at the surrounding areas, there are two significant destinations being McQueen Park to the south and Limebridgeidge Mall to the north. Both destinations have high volumes of visitors ranging in um demographics from children to seniors and everyone in between. Limebridgeidge Mall also has a transit terminal um which further emphasizes the importance of active transportation connections to allow users to get to and from that terminal. The need for an active transportation connection in the area was formalized in both the city's recreational trails master plan and the cycling master plan. Um these plans identified a general area for the improvements which is shown on the screen. This was then um carried through the 2019 application for the um federal and provincial funding opportunity. As we look uh at the solution for this connection gap, uh we carried out a schedule B municipal class environmental assessment. The schedule B process consists of two planning phases and then an implementation phase um that covers both detailed design and construction. Phase one of the planning process is the development of a problem and opportunity statement. So looking at this area um looking at existing conditions, previous studies, so those master plans and previous technical work, we did identify a few key areas for improvement. The first being improvements to active transportation user safety. Um the absence of cycling facilities does not create a safe opportunity for cyclists to cross the link. Um the location of a curbside beside an arterial road requiring users to cross ramps is less than ideal. The second opportunity is that there is an opportunity for synergy between the two destinations, the park and the mall. Um, creating an easy connection between the two will allow visitors and residents to visit both or either. Um, and the surrounding area consists of residential uses, meaning that cycling and walking are very viable re ways of getting to these destinations. The last area of opportunity is the connection to the Limebridgeidge Mall Transit Terminal. Uh this is connected to both of the previous points. The safer and more convenient it is to get to and from the terminal, the more likely we are to have user growth and residents choosing to use transit as an option. For phase two of the planning process, which is the development and evaluation of alternative solutions, three options were considered. The do nothing option, an eastern connection option, and a western connection option. Both of the connection options consisted of a new bridge. Uh these options were developed um based on what was feasible for new infrastructure implementation. Um we looked at minimizing impacts to adjacent properties and land uses and then also just what was logical in order to provide that connection to the transit terminal. These options were then evaluated against 17 different criteria which can be categorized into the natural environment, socioultural environment, technical and financial environment and this resulted in the preliminary recommendation to go ahead with the eastern alignment option. This was then carried forward through the public engagement process as Deoner mentioned which consisted of a public meeting, a public commenting period and having all relevant materials posted online where they can still be found today. Over the next few slides, I'll go over some benefits of this option. The first is that the implementation of the eastern option allows for improved safety for all active transportation users. A properly designed, separated facility is the safest option, and this option would allow for the inclusion of updated safety standards and features such as rails and proper grading. This location ensures that there's enough space on either end of the bridge to have ramp access. And due to the significant role that this bridge will play in connecting the park to the mall and the transit terminal, we're planning for year- round maintenance, meaning that there's a safe option regardless of season. The eastern option is second change. There we go. Um option also has the most benefits. So to the surrounding existing uses in terms of natural environment, we're able to minimize impacts to trees for the social environment. Uh this new structure would create significantly improved access to the park, to the mall, and to the transit terminal. It also allows us to avoid any impacts to the park itself and nicely aligns with the existing trail system through the park. The last area to highlight uh is the opportunity for design. From the technical perspective, the eastern option is less complex than the western one. Uh it's significantly shorter than the western option. um meaning that it's more cost-effective and it also doesn't require the inclusion of another peer in the bridge design. In terms of aesthetics, um the examples on the screen range in types of bridges that could be candidates for this project. Uh ranging from more basic on the left to more elaborate on the right. Uh this project did focus on the solutions development. So we didn't progress into the actual design options for our bridge. Uh however, the premise of this project and the associated funding provide a huge opportunity to create a sense of place, sense of character, and to provide a gateway feature to the city. Knowing that this is a hightraic area between users along the link, users at the park, the mall, the transit terminal, and just residents in the area, uh the structure would be highly visible and could serve as a prominent feature to let everyone know that they've entered Hamilton. This has led to the final recommendation being for a new 80 meter long active transportation bridge following the eastern alignment um with consideration for aesthetic design options. This solution improves safety, encourages transit and active transportation use and has the potential to contribute to city placemaking. Uh the other thing to include here is just the recommendation for efficient implementation to align with the funding timelines for the investing in Canada infrastructure program. And that brings us to the next steps. So right now we're at the public works committee and council stage. Uh should approval be received to proceed with the final stages of the environmental assessment process, we will issue a notice of completion and proceed with the 30-day public review period. Following completion of that period, the ministry then has their own review period. After that period, and pending any section 16 order requests, we will then be able to progress the project to detailed design and construction, going through the appropriate budget cycles for each stage. Thank you. Thank you for that overview. Uh, always great to see new public realm infrastructure, especially as it meets better pedestrian access and uh, mobility. Before we move to a speaker list, I do see councelor Quang. I think there was a couple of other hands up first. I'll have councelor Casar move it and myself second it. I know that councelor Paul's would be veently up for moving this uh, but unfortunately she wasn't able to get here in time to do so. So, uh, now that it's been moved and seconded, first up is councelor Hang. Anybody else please indicate so I can make put you on the speakers list. Thank you. Uh thank you for that presentation. Super exciting. Would love to see more in terms of uh going on to the next stage. So can you help me with understanding the ISIP funding? So it's 6 million. That's for the whole project, right? So, how would we I know that you're nowhere near the design stage, and I know that you're not even really contemplating whether it's a basic, modified, or even aesthetic um option, but have you got a sense in terms of buckets of dollars for those three type options? And I know that we still have to make a decision on eastern or western. So, I know that there's a lot of things. I think I just want to understand the the dollar values that might be assigned to each of the different cases. through the chair. I believe we took a middle-of the road approach knowing that there could be range and at this stage it was only a class D cost estimate meaning that it could be plus or minus 50%. So we know there's a range. I believe if we took the middle approach it would kind of hit that 7.75 million mark. If we did something a little bit more simpler maybe it would be less. If we did something more it could be a little bit more. But you're 100% right is that we would flush that out as we progress through the detailed design stage. >> Okay. And then as we are um trying to make a decision, the fact is I'm a little worried because there are so many options. Like I am not at all concerned about whether this should happen or not. I think it should. Um what I'm concerned with is a lot of choice and then with giving that so much choice it ends up um almost muddying or um confusing what are the paths forward. So I wonder as you have your recommendation on the eastern one and the shorter version, have you also got a sense as to whether you would think a basic modified or aesthetic would be a a better uh path forward >> through the chair. I think that conversation will continue to happen. I think the ideal would be something that again if we're promoting a gateway feature or a sense of place that we probably won't go for the baseline. However, when we're going through the the process of budgeting, of planning, of seeing what inflation costs by the time we get to it, um that might dictate where we go, um but I think we would do a call out for or different ideas and options for that bridge design. >> Okay. Excellent. Last question, which I had two seconds ago, that might have left now. >> I don't. >> Well, you're thinking I can go. Okay. Thanks, Councelor Tennyson. Go ahead. >> Just looking at and and I know that this will come up. Um, we look at option one, option two. Option one's further east, but there is a green space to the to the east of and I'm assuming that's the Jify Lube um place right there. And is that green space is that um inaccessible? Is that like a hydrocord or something? And that's why we're not using that space >> through the chair. It is a hydrocord. So I think initially through the um recreational trails master plan and the cycling master plan I think that was the primary option for the location. However, through discussions since then it's become unfeasible to do. So we've looked at other options in that general vicinity to progress with >> can I ask why it's unfeasible? through the chair. Um, Hydro One standards for the time and placement of infrastructure near their towers uh especially with consideration with how far back the bridge would have to go to have ramps on either side. >> Okay, I appreciate that. And then my last question would be what's the height of the bridge going to be above the roadway and is it similar to the ones that are I guess crossing at the Red Hill and um the other one that's over I think it's by G maybe through the chair. I believe it's about 8 meters, but it would be on standard with the other bridges and structures we have along that corridor. >> Okay, one more question. I saw flat base will be flat or do are we looking at an arch >> through the chair? It'll depend on the final design. So, we just have minimum grades in order to achieve accessibility that will have to be maintained depending on the steepness and area back for the ramps. that'll help determine that um gradient over the bridge. >> Thank you very much. No more questions. >> Oh, council Tatison. Um acting director. >> Yeah. Uh acting director, I just wanted to add once this process is done, we'll go through that detailed design process and that's where we will hash out the aesthetics of the bridge and we will probably do a public information center to gather some feedback and that's how the final design recommendations will go forth. Thank you. >> Thank you. And councelor Pauls, you've joined us. Um I'm not sure if you had a chance to review the presentation. Um see you on the speakers list. Please go ahead. >> Thank you. And I just came back from a great news, a groundbreaking Victoria Park 104 affordable housing. And I just walked in. So I was hoping I could uh say a few things about the the bridge, which is exciting. I just wondering if the staff uh can say the real reason we're putting there's obviously safety and connectivity. Can you uh elaborate a little bit more the reason uh why we need this bridge? Thank you >> through the chair. One of the other key elements for it is that connectivity piece to the transit terminal. So it really enables transit use in the area. It supports movement for residents, visitors, and that's also connected to the ISIP funding opportunity, which is an exciting opportunity for this new infrastructure piece. Thank you. >> Thank you for that. And uh how long has this been in process? How uh many years? >> Through the chair, IP um the ISAP funding opportunity was approved in 2019 and I believe we started the environmental assessment project for McQueston Bridge in 2025. That's good. Uh thank you for that. I I the reason I asked for it because uh uh talking to people around the most of them uh think it's great and we do need it. I was wondering do you know if uh even when we built the link was that part of the plant that one day we would have a bridge? I just want uh if you know anything about that because people were saying when we built the the link uh why didn't they automatically build uh in different areas bridges to cross over >> through the chair transportation options have evolved over time. So depending on the direction of the city of council of residents at the time um a lot of those streets crossing over the link were designed with certain uses in place. That's why we have major arterial, minor arterial. It changes the function of the street design. When the link was being designed, I think a lot of the priority was focused on vehicle traffic and since then we've moved in a different direction where we're trying to allow other modes to also have a chance at being successful in the area including active transportation. Thank you. >> Thank Thank you. And the last question, and again, I'm sorry for being late, but uh I had to be there at uh Victoria Park, but I'm just wondering uh can you tell me the cost that IP that the federal government is uh giving uh towards the bridge >> through the chair? The ISP amount is $6 million in total. that includes contributions from the federal government, provincial government, and our own preliminary contributions at the time of the ISIP award. Thank you. >> That's great. Uh this is good news and I know that uh uh we did have meetings and people were able to um state their opinion. The last actually I should I said the last question is was there any when we had the meeting anybody um opposing or having uh some negative u view on it >> through the chair not necessarily negative about this project but we did get a lot of questions about why at this location I have blank location that I want to bridge at um so there's a lot of interest in improving that north south connection across the corridor >> thank you very much uh my main concern concerned with safety. I know McQueen Park when people want to go uh the other side of the link uh they there's been three four accidents in that those corners. So I I know safety is number one for me and also the connectivity to HSR to uh the mall to so many things. So I really think this is a great idea and I'm looking forward for the future of it. Thank you. >> Thank you councelor Pauls. Next up, we have second time councelor Hang who remembers her question. >> I remember my question now. Um, the ISIP funding was awarded in 2019. We didn't start this until 2025. You said that we have a spend by date of 2033. So, is there an opportunity to stack additional funding on top of that in case we do want to go with say the more expensive option? mostly because I'm thinking about this as a as a landmark opportunity um but also to try and reduce the the added tax implications as per very emphatic councelor Tatison's gestures. So through the chair, while our team doesn't explicitly own that account it's coming from, I am aware for the active transportation connections segment of ISP, there are a number of projects that fall within it. Some work that has been completed to date. So there's not a lot of flexibility obviously with those projects. Um but as we approach the timeline, there could be movement within that grouping of active transportation connection um to reallocate money to different projects. So, I think perhaps I might direct this to GM Kennedy because we did hear about the Building Canada Stronger Fund from AMO um and the fact that it is a significant amount of dollars. Um would something like this be eligible for any of the BC um SF funding? General uh Jackie Kennedy, general manager of public works. uh we we're always on the lookout for these funding opportunities and looking at what the best projects are to put forward, how they work with the existing funding that we have and whether they can be stacked. Um so it's a great question. We can we can take that offline and look at whether this one would fit within any of the other opportunities that we've got. Um I don't have the details answered. There's so many different opportunities and the nuances of them. Um, I would I would want to look at that offline, but appreciate appreciate the idea. >> Thank you. Those are all my questions. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you, councelor. Next up, we have councelor Casar. >> Thanks, Chair Nan. I wanted to build off of councelor Paul's comments around safety, and I know that Megan will likely not be surprised by my question, having worked together on a few projects. Uh, and it may be well, I know it's outside of the scope of the EA, but just wondering if more broadly in the city, we have any other future plans. So, specifically north of the link. So whether you're coming from the the bus terminal to the bridge or vice versa, the most direct route is private property and it's you know several acres of parking lot uh which is not safe for transit and would require um anyone using it to go all the way out to upper Wentworth and then come in at the entrance which is also the vehicle entrance. So just high level at this point is there any next steps around solving that problem and I would characterize that as a significant problem. Thanks >> through the chair the property property owner has been actively engaged. Um it's the same owner that we'd be purchasing the property from south of Lime Range Road. Um so they are aware of this gap and obviously this improved connection to the mall benefits them as well. And so I think those conversations as we progress through the design will continue to happen and that's something we will push for is having that safe route. The last little bit from the edge of the bridge to the mall or to the transit terminal. >> Yeah. Well, thank you. That's encouraging. And just a comment on that because no matter what great infrastructure we put in place, if it's not connected from origin to destination, uh it's not useful for many people, especially the most vulnerable users. So yeah, that's encouraging. Thank you for the answer. Great. I see no other speakers on the speakers list. Uh since council Paul's is here, maybe councelor Pauls, are you good with moving the motion then? Um vice chair can second. Excellent. Uh so it's moved and seconded and before committee for approval. Uh electronic vote, please. That carries. Thank you. On to 9.4, which is amendments to our outstanding business list. May I please have a mover and secondary to put the amendments on the floor? Moved by Thank you, Councelor Wang. Second by councelor Tison. Any discussion on the Obl items? Okay, seeing none, then it's before committee for electronic vote. >> Councelor Pauls, are you able to vote? That carries Huh? Okay, we're back. We've got the rest of our committee colleagues in the room virtually on the screen. Uh so 9.5 which is PW260 077 contract C11-55-9 waste collection services contract extension negotiations. So could I please get a mover and then a seconder so we can put the report on the floor. Moved by councelor Wang. Thank you. Seconded by councelor Crutch. Thank you. Um any questions? Okay, councelor Casar. >> Uh maybe just start with a brief overview for public consumption, then I'll have a question if that's okay. >> Uh great. Angela Story, director of waste management. Thank you for the question. Uh to count through the chair to councelor Casar. Uh so basically we are in a collection services contract right now with GFL environmental. It started in April of 2021 and it currently uh will expire in the end of March in 2029. >> Great. So, it will expire at the end of 20 or in April of 2029. Uh what we're looking at in this report is to be able to negotiate with our current contractor for a few reasons. Uh we're looking for a two-year extension that will a allow us to um work with the province on the producer responsibility items such as the bluebox transition. As you all know, the regulation, although it's not new anymore, still continues to evolve. We're concerned in a new RFP that some of the biders may um include an element of risk because in the last uh few years we've had to open up the contract a couple of times to renegotiate some of the terms. So we're thinking um if that continues to happen, we may need to continue to do that. Any new biders may include some funding um because we might be changing things. The second item is, you'll recall we brought back the master plan in May uh May of this year and there's a number of large items that were action items from the master plan. A couple of really big ones would be bi-weekly collection and automated card collection. Uh so we want to take the opportunity to bring you back or bring council back uh reports specific to those items with business cases for going forward, not going forward with some alternatives. uh without extending the contract, we likely won't be able to do a wholesome job on those report backs and therefore we would just have to include everything in the next RFP and it would be you know a big catalog of of things that come back. The third item is really about financials. It's about deferring a large new contract expense uh into future years. Uh right now we are as I mentioned utilizing a contract that was established in 2021. uh although there is escalation built into that uh contract every year for things like CPI uh we believe that we would have a better price to negotiate for two extra years rather than go out for RFP for a new 7 8 9 contract. Um anecdotally out in the market it is suggested that a new collection contract could be 50% higher than than what you're paying now. Generally, that's because of cost of equipment would be in there amortised over the number of of years in that contract. So, by extending the current contract, we would be able to utilize the same equipment that the contractor has, pay a little bit more for maintenance, I imagine, because the trucks are older. But basically, we're hoping that it would would garner some savings and be able to defer those financial impacts. I will also just note that the recommendation is to allow us to negotiate. we would bring back the findings before then uh the extension would be offered or approved. >> Yeah, thank you very much and through you chair that's very helpful. I think it was worth um allowing the public to hear the director speak to those items and just a couple comments. So the third part there around fiscal responsibility. So there is a lens here to be fiscally responsible and then the other parts about the master plan and and these this direction would not uh impede the master plan but actually would allow some more time to do a thorough job. So those are the two things that I wanted to have highlighted and they were. Thank you chair. >> Thank you vice chair. Um any other speakers? >> Seeing none then it is before committee for approval. Electronic vote please. Council Paul is a thumbs up. Thank you. >> And that carries. Thank you. On to motions. First up is 10.1 strategic alleyways management policy and management program revised. Councelor Huang, if you could please introduce your motion and your second. >> Thank you, chair. Moved by myself, seconded by councelor Paul's. This was uh fresh off of I think last public works where we had a delegate speak about some of the alleyways management and in particular it was speaking more appropriately about the unassumed alleyways. So in that time, councelor Paul's and I had had a meeting with uh director Sparza and his team about what is it about these alleyways? Why are only one-third assumed and then why is it 2/3 that are unassumed and what are the maintenance levels? And so this is the result of that meeting um asking director Sarza to and his team to come forward with a more filome um policy because we already do have an alleyways policy but I think that that's where the gray area kind of comes in. So speaking to the therefore be it resolved that the transportation division in consultation with other departments as needed explore the feasibility of an alleyways management policy and program for unassumed alleyways including possible service level options related um for unassumed al related estimated needs and costs for a scheduled maintenance and report back to the public works committee with findings and recommendations. and B that staff considered alternative community-led options for unassumed alleyways management that support safe and thriving neighborhoods including providing vibrant public spaces and ensuring people can safely and efficiently move around and um at this point there is no sort of uh report back date because it would be after the election but it's something that I think that both um councelor Paul's and I would be uh on director's sort of radar to make sure that we when new council commences that this is still back on the radar and continued to be on the OVL list. So, um it is for committee's consideration. Again, this is meant to just help with um cleaning up some of the gray area when it comes to unassumed alleyways. Thank you, chair. Thank you, councelor. I'll open up speakers list. First up is councelor Paul's. Um and just before you go, councelor Pauls, is there anybody else who wants to speak on this item? Seeing none, I'll add myself on the list and at that time, I'll pass the chair. Go ahead, Councelor Pauls. >> Thank you. Thank you, chair. Uh, first of all, the last public meeting I was with the children's game away, so I wasn't there, but so uh I want to thank councelor Wang for uh after we had the meeting uh that she brought this up. It is a problem because I've had in my ward, ward 7, I have a lot of unassumed uh alleyways and people are saying enough is enough and they need to be looked after. uh even if it's once uh uh every 2 3 months in the summer because of certain things like ticks um poison ivy and other things. Uh so I want to thank council one for bringing this up. I wish we could have the report sooner so we could get it done but I know it's election year so it's a there's a lot of things going on. So, I want to thank uh counselor for putting it on and we must solve this problem because we do have quite a few alleyways and we have to figure it out how to take care of them or maybe not take care of them. We need to know the finance and all that. So, I want to thank that uh counselor. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor Pauls. I'll pass the chair over to vice chair Casar. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you. Through you if I could. Um and thank you to both councelor Hang and Paul's for putting the motion on the table. Uh questions to staff. Um so unassumed alleyways I think it's probably you know seasonally becomes one of the hot topic issues uh for many of us who have uh alleyways in our communities and neighborhoods. There are the issues uh seasonally related in terms of snow ice accumulation. um I would say associated safety to traverse said alleyways as a result of those winter conditions. And then there is the spring conditions and then summer conditions in terms of excess growth of foliage that causes a lot of barriers for people to be able to use the unassumed alleyways um safely in terms of a a pathway for children specifically. If I could through you um vice chair get a sense from staff like what are the primary issues and concerns that staff are hearing from our residents when it comes to unassumed alleyways >> u through the chair uh Vince Fratzo director of transportation um the comments or questions or concerns that we are receiving either through the counselor's office or directly through us are with respect to overgrown vegetation um possibility of any noxious weeds um and also with respect to simply access way through uh the actual alleyway itself. Um so those are the primary concerns that we've received um either again through the council's office or directly from residents. >> Thank you for that and through you vice chair. Um councelor Hang made an emphasis on safety and thriving neighborhoods. I know in W three and we've had really good exchange with road staff who have to from a service level perspective put it at the bottom tier of priority in terms of uh staffing hours dedicated towards clearing those unassumed alleyways that have been reoccurring problem areas not because of vegetation not because of seasonal issues but from a safety perspective tons of illegal dumping like unimaginable amount of illegal dumping. kind of uh quite uh remarkable to see um when staff do come and check it out with uh the neighbors. And then there is the safety component as it relates to the kind of activity that can get attracted to unassumed alleyways that aren't lit well that don't have regular eyes on them and then sometimes because of that overgrowth of vegetation can harbor some sometimes criminal activity, sometimes otherwise unsafe activity. Could staff comment on those kinds of hotspot uh emerging and unfortunately reoccurring issues? >> Y again through the chair. So at the moment when it comes to any form of maintenance, uh it's only the assumed alleyways where we provide a reactive level of service. and the assumed alleyways being those that have a hard surface whether it be ashvault or concrete and it provides a uh a connecting service either between a neighborhood or a BIA or whatnot. Um so when it comes to unassumed alleyways um unless there is a significant health or safety issue um city staff do not in any way address or maintain those particular uh locations. It's only the assumed alleyways where we have a reactive level of service. >> Thank you. Thank you. And then through you vice chair looking at the therefore be it resolved in the direction to staff then um any and I appreciate this will come back in the full wholesomeness of the report back but just um in terms of some preliminary thinking um will this enable city staff to put together a response rate based on some of the things that we just discussed in terms of um being able to rank health and safety as by being a priority by which there could be potential potential for response to unassumed alleyways. What are what are some of the ways in which you might want to contemplate uh a system of prioritization for the report back? >> Well, let's go through the chair. Um yes, we're going to have to assess um how a service can be provided not just relative to assumed rallies or unassumed alleyways but also to other infrastructure um roads, sidewalks, cycling and recognizing that there is no dedicated staff at the moment when it comes to servicing alleyways. So we'll have to look at not only in isolation amongst alleyways but how it relates to other infrastructure and the needs and but also the fact that other infrastructures are regulated. We do have to meet provincial uh mandated levels of service and with that will come a certain level of priority that we'll have to weigh against um other infrastructure which do not have any legal obligation to it whatsoever. So I guess my answer at this point would be is that we can't just look at it um within itself. We'll have to compare and determine exactly what criteria relative to alleyways but also to other forms of infrastructure and also to the time of year. Um alleyways are not serviced during the winter. We do not salt, we do not plow assumed alleyways at all during the winter. So we'll also have to look at the resources required if any uh if this council would be willing to consider any winter maintenance for alleyways whether it be assumed or unassumed. >> Thank you. Final question through you vice chair. Would there be an opportunity to do consultation with um either public health or other divisions outside of transportation um to help identify some of that criteria for priority when it relates to you know I think about B specifically speaking to supporting safe and thriving neighborhoods. Um appreciating from a transportation perspective there's guidelines but then there's other guidelines when it comes to safety. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I see this as an opportunity to collaborate and consult with other city divisions. >> Excellent. Thank you. No further questions. Um, thank you, Councelor Casar. Um, take back the chair and it's councelor Morin Wilson next. >> Thank you. Uh, very appreciative of the movers of this motion. Um I'm wondering if the director would able be able to comment on the possibility of also in the report back informing um kind of the land use particulars around these alleys. And if I could make my my case gently, um some of the feedback that I hear back is uh particularly in the lower city uh which is uh enjoying um the encouragement of missing middle housing. Um but they see the alleys unassumed and otherwise as an opportunity to perhaps further facilitate that increase in density. But then the condition of them doesn't uh exactly perhaps align with that objective. So the most simplistic example being on street parking. Um if we're enabling forplex by right, yes, we're trying to move and enable multimodal connectivities. We're not doing that overnight. Um would you be able to perhaps discuss with or um overlay uh density and land use provisions uh with those alleyways through the chair? >> Okay, I will try to answer this question. Uh I think that that really goes into another whole area of review that would probably be um planning related um and so more collaboration would be needed. Um, I think the focus of this motion, as I understand it, is on existing infrastructure that's there and how it could be um what would be involved with um changing levels of service to respond to concerns that we hear about. Um, we can talk more about what you're looking at um offline and and probably with planning as well if I understand where you're going with it. Um I think it's related but an extension or a slightly different conversation than what this motion is as my read on it >> through the chair. I I don't want to do anything to frustrate movement on this motion. Um however um I do think there is definitely a near future opportunity for us to talk about um as I always say land use and transportation are like peas and carrots. And so if we are pushing um towards density yet we're not yet at the point where we're providing the infrastructure for people who are living in more dense environments then these alleyways um become really valuable for us to to meet those objectives while also not alienating those who are already in the neighborhood. But I will take your counsel and um uh have that conversation elsewhere. Thank you. >> Thank you. Councelor Wilson, is there any other speakers? Seeing none, um it is now before committee for uh vote electronically. That carries. Congratulations. Next up, we have uh 10.2, which is the request for the expansion of Ontario's deposit return program. Councelor Casar, if you could please introduce your motion and second. >> Thank you very much, Chair Nan. It's moved by me, seconded by councelor Wang. Uh we did have a delegate Shane Buckingham from the Canadian Beverage Association speak to this motion. So I won't go over all the details again, but this uh simply asks that the city of Hamilton urges the province to immediately implement a deposit return program to manage non-alcoholic beverage containers. uh a lot of the context and benefits are listed in the motion and as I mentioned we're covered by our delegate and the motion would also distribute it to u specific individuals at senior levels of government as well as AMO Hamilton area MPPPS and all municipalities in Ontario. So I'll leave it there. >> Thank you. Speakers list is open. Seeing no other speakers uh then we'll move to electronic vote. That carries. Thank you. On to 10.3, which is review of Hamilton's community food garden policy and practices. Councelor Moren Wilson, if you could introduce your motion and seconder, please. It's moved by myself, seconded by councelor Wang. Uh, this is calling for a review of our food garden policy and the practices. Our present policy I believe is 16 years of age and there is an intersection between um a growing food insecurity um realization of um the importance of familiarity with the growing season and our earth with respect to climate uh and I think it would be a timely opportunity for us to review. In addition, we have in many parts of this city uh a waiting list for these community gardens. So I think the opportunity is now. It's been on your agenda. The report back is for the end of next year to enable staff um to be have time to work with community during next year's uh planting and and gardening season so not to crunch them up too much. Thank you. >> Thank you. It's open for questions or comments. No one's indicating. So it's before committee for electronic vote. Council Pauls. Thank you. That carries on to 10.4 comprehensive key performance indicators framework for roads and sidewalks. Council Marine Wilson. It's moved by myself, seconded by councelor Craig Casar. Um, this is asking for staff to report back firstly um with a report on the feasibility of providing such a framework which would enable us to identify and subsequently measure our activity. Um, this council has uh identified the need of the importance of investing in primary assets. We've also identified the fact that we um have lagged in that over the last 20 years. This council has um made a concerted effort to improve that performance and therefore I think it would be timely for us to be able to to measure uh different things. I've included uh some possibilities for my colleagues. If you'd like to add or subtract, uh please feel free to do so. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, it's open for questions, feedback, comments. Councelor Quang, >> just a question to the mover. When it comes to section B and the therefore be resolved in the very end resident satisfaction score, how did you um envision that that kind of KPI would be represented in this report? >> Yeah, it's a good question. Um there is a resident satisfaction already determined in our uh forgive me I forget the name of the survey our future or our city or >> there is a survey that we do and there is a satisfaction rate um that is measured I'm not sure um there's also uh an opportunity as been as has been expressed during um the budget consultation uh that was practiced uh the last get-go go uh folks were asked about their priorities um uh and the levels of investment the rate of investment that they would prefer. So I'll leave that to the experts to define if possible. Thank you. >> Okay. Um what about um adding an additional KPI around res resident or pedestrian usability or some sort of user user um interface or some I think about it from a use perspective and how do we measure that because there are some sidewalks you take for example in Ward 4 where say a hydropole is right in the middle of a of a sidewalk walk. So, how would you how would we how would we identify something like that? So, that's why I looked at that very last one, the resident satisfaction score, and I wanted to understand if there was that level of detail to talk about it from a user interface or user um user interface sort of perspective. Mhm. Yeah, I think that's a really good point and I'm familiar with those um experiences where there is a a hydrop pole in the middle of the sidewalk. Although um I think it's the practice and policy now for those um hydro or electricity agents to be moving them although it's a slow go. Um, also perhaps, uh, to your point, there are some parts of our city with full sidewalks, but, uh, vulnerable users don't use them because they're right adjacent to extremely fastmoving live lane traffic. So, we have an asset that we've paid for >> that we update and um, the user can't use it. Mhm. So, um I think if I could through the chair to uh councelor Wang, um I I think that's a really good point. I think uh staff who are in the room have heard you and perhaps I I'd leave it to them to answer the question of do we test that satisfaction presently? How do we do that in our measures and is there perhaps that would be the report back uh any improvement in that regard? Sorry. >> Um I think through you chair I can take this offline. I'm happy with the with the content as is, but perhaps I before council I'll connect with councelor Wilson um and staff to see if there's a way for us to um just further narrowly define the user experience uh and how that might translate into a KPI. And I'm not really sure if that last point of the resident satisfaction score would really hit that mark. So I think if there is an opportunity for us to even do a survey or something like that anyway that is left offline until um council next week. Thank you. >> Thank you councelor Fang. I'll pass the chair to vice chair Casar. >> Go ahead. >> And through you question to the mover and then question to staff. Um if you could counselor clarify when you have infrastructure quality listed as the third item under B. Is that the quality of the repair or the quality of the status of the road or sidewalk? >> I've heard from residents on both. >> Okay. So, it would be inclusive of both is what you're looking for in the direction. Okay. Thank you. And then through you, vice chair. Um over to staff. If I could just get some clarity from staff around what's currently measured when it comes to sidewalk and road work and are any of these items part of what staff's deliberation is? Although I completely appreciate the motion's intent which is to publicize to make public some of these KPIs so that we're providing those measurements and outcomes um as an accountability piece but also an opportunity for f further uh improvement. And so if I could get some response from staff on >> what are we currently doing that might help >> uh through the chair to the counselor. Um so we have a very robust program when it comes to measuring the condition of the roads uh measuring the condition of the sidewalks and all over uh the condition of the infrastructure within the rightway. Um we measure the condition of the roads in two ways. uh one is the roughness of the road and second is in plain language is the number of potholes that it has. Uh in addition we do inspections for underground assets um that is our subsurface water assets. In combination then there is also a sidewalk inspection that is done through a maintenance folks. uh a combination of all three of them result into a a life cycle analysis of different assets. Combination of these life cycle analysis for different assets result into uh coordinated projects. Um so the way we report into backlogs, the way we report into forecasted um capital needs are using those inspections. So that's part one of it. If I may as well uh through the chair uh we also measure our compliance with respect to service levels as it relates to maintaining potholes and also deficiencies within the sidewalk. So there are some uh timeline requirements that the city of Hamilton must comply with when it comes to uh attending or making the area safe. So for instance, a pothole on a local residential road has a 30-day service level requirement. So we do measure by the time we receive a complaint, the time we attend to it. In addition, we also do the same thing when it comes to sidewalk deficiencies. And as the punker mentioned, uh we undertake a annual sidewalk inspection. So uh we do inspect um each kilometer of sidewalk annually to ascertain um deficiencies and also areas where there may be issues of safety. >> Thank you vice chair. Appreciate those responses as it relates to measurement of the asset. Um but in terms of repair times, in terms of budget, you know, we often get the question as counselors, why are projects not happening on time and on budget? Where is the public accountability around on time and on budget? And then the other is around I think it speaks a bit to the procurement process, but in terms of the satisfaction from a municipal standard to the final product, which we also sometimes hear varying reviews from our residents once the work has been done. So two questions there. One is around the procurement side and what currently exists in terms of staff's measurement and reporting of projects occurring on time and on budget >> uh through the chair to the counselors u through the capital budget process. Uh one of the undertakings that is done is a beer report that is reported to council. Uh internally in public works we have uh coordination meetings. We also have project reviews uh that we undertake. Uh at the end of every single project we have lesson learned documents that we go through uh collectively uh within the public works department. We uh when we say when I say we it means engineering services, transportation, asset owners uh the whole team sits together and reviews what we have learned through the project. Um and then just going back to um how projects are reported to council and these are done through different financial reports like the beer like the brick report that is presented here. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you vice chair. Um thank you councelor Wilson for bringing the motion to the floor. Um big fan of a lot of the items that are outlined here. also similarly hear a lot from residents, especially when we've had a very busy term of a lot of infrastructure work in the ward related to roads and sidewalks. Um, and because it's such an active season of construction, people's eyes are really paying attention. Um, I'm also hearing it from folks outside the ward in their neighborhoods, uh, across the city, too, where they're seeing projects. And it it is interesting. I think the list does capture the common um feedback that we're getting from our residents. So really appreciating the comprehensive nature of some of these KPIs and look forward to the report uh for the future term of council to review. Uh no further questions at this time. I'll take back the chair. Anybody else have questions? Okay, it's before council or committee for a vote electronically. And that carries Nexus 10.5 review and report on City of Hamilton advertising bench contract. Back over to you, Councelor Wilson. >> Thank you. Um, this is asking uh staff uh to come back uh prior to the completion of the um contract which has already previously been extended um on on the contract itself. um in terms of how we're monitoring the deliverables. Uh the current the terms and conditions as they relate to um and this motion relates to uh benches and waste disposal items um that have advertising on it and uh the maintenance and the operation of those assets is provided by a third party as I understand it. um and to identify the standards um and how they may differ for these assets across the city um and how these assets as they presently exist in overseen and delivered how they uphold uh uh our existing city priorities and strategic directions. If I could just give an anecdotal experience to illustrate one small question. Um there was recently in uh Ward One um a lovely um concrete pad put down at an HSR stop. Um I would call the stop a moderately used stop, valuable but not the busiest. And there is um a lovely public bench right near the HSR stop that is about 8 ft in length. And then near the end of the uh concrete pad was placed um at a distance from the HSR stop itself uh a bench with advertising on it and they are always intentionally turned in such a way uh to give visibility to the advertisement. So arguably they are a billboard as much as a seating area. So I'm not quite sure uh why that bench was there. Um I'm not quite sure why it differs from the existing city bench that is there. And I'm just trying to understand um and to make sure that these uh bins for example are fully accessible uh with folks uh who may have some mobility issues along with the bench uh itself. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um and you did mention your second was sorry, councelor crutch. Thank you. Um any questions? Seeing no hands going up, then it's before committee for electronic vote. Council Corals, are you still with us? Okay. And that carries. Thank you. Uh are there any notices of motion committee members? Seeing none, then we'll go to private and confidential. And since committee didn't want to go into private and confidential to deal with report LS26013, then may I please have a mover and seconder for the following that report LS26013 respecting legal advice regarding waste collection services be received and remain confidential. Move >> crutch. >> Moved by councelor Crutch. Thank you. Seconded by councelor Hang. And that's an electronic vote. Thank you. That carries and that exhausts our agenda items and we are officially adjourned. Thank you everyone.