The Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) and the City of Hamilton have reached a long-term agreement regarding the future of the animal serving charity in relation to the City’s bylaw animal services.
Both the City and the HBSPCA have operated out of a joint facility since 2003, reflective of the SPCA’s previous role as Ontario’s animal welfare law enforcement agency. The joint facility enabled both the City and HBSPCA to benefit from providing joint services, as the roles of enforcement and the municipality’s responsibility for animal control overlapped.
In early 2019, an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled the SPCA’s enforcement role was unconstitutional. The Ontario Court of Appeal overturned the decision. However, the lower court decision served as a “catalyst” for the Ontario SPCA to decide to end its law enforcement role and focus solely on its work as an animal welfare charity.
This created a dilemma for the joint Hamilton-HBSPCA facility because municipalities are now more directly involved in enforcement and have increased space requirements as a result.
Following years of negotiation, both parties issued statements last week, announcing that they’ve reached an agreement on the future of the Dartnall Road facility.
The HBSPCA will remain at Dartnall Road, and the City will build a new animal services facility in the coming decade.
The City of Hamilton has not provided any cost estimates or conceptual plans for the new animal services facility.
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Published: May 27, 2025
Last updated: May 27, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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