Here are five items of note on the agenda:
- A petition to make Hamilton Public Library branches “safe drug consumption sites.”
- An update on the City’s extreme heat strategy.
- A report on alcohol usage statistics and response.
- A motion to embed “health equity methods and analysis” across public health reports.
- A motion to ‘mobilize public health knowledge to maximize positive health impacts.”
The full meeting agenda is here.
Preview Stories
The committee received the delegation for information and took no further action.
One hundred fifteen (115) people signed a petition calling on Council to designate public libraries as “safe drug consumption sites.” Tyler Dhaliwal is registered to delegate on behalf of the petitioners who are asking the City to build bus stop like heated shelters for drug use outside libraries.
There are two delegations opposed, with many letters of opposition, and the Hamilton Public Library has officially stated that it does not support the idea.
Notes on Other Agenda Items
All agenda items were either received or approved unanimously.
Banning Tailgate Parties: Staff are including a new clause in the City’s alcohol response plan that “prohibits Tailgate Events on municipal properties” defined as a “Public Event that is held in connection with and in proximity to a live professional, semi-professional, or post-secondary sporting event, and where attendees 19 years of age or older may bring their own alcohol for consumption within a permitted area.”
No Misting Stations Yet: The City will not install misting stations in parks and public spaces. “In 2024, Public Works did not install any misting stations and plans a status quo approach for 2025.”
140 Households Received Air Conditioner Subsidy in 2024: City staff report that 133 households receiving social assistance payments, as well as seven low-income households, accessed the City’s new air conditioner purchase subsidy program in 2024.
The program provides a $350 payment towards the purchase of an air conditioning unit.
Motions
Committee Member Ameil Joseph made two motions, both of which were passed.
1) “That Hamilton Public Health Services require the collection of and analysis of sociodemographic, health equity data in all future health reports where immediately applicable and prepare and present a plan for the collection of such data where relevant health equity data is currently absent with a community engaged approach.”
2) “That Hamilton Public Health Services explore and report back on a strategy to share, on a regular basis, relevant and important public health information to the Hamilton Community, via online, print, campaigns, to mobilize current, factual, Hamilton Public Health information with the goal of countering the negative health consequences of misinformation and disinformation.”
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. on Monday inside Council Chambers. It will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Production Details
v. 1.3.0
Published: April 24, 2025
Last updated: April 28, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
v. 1.1.0 correction of headline error
v. 1.2.0 added info from additions to the agenda.
v. 1.3.0 post-meeting summary updates.
Correction, April 24, 2025 15:17: The original headline incorrectly stated April 29.