Wednesday’s Council agenda includes a motion to appoint Councillor Cameron Kroetsch to the Joint Stewardship Board (JSB), indicating that council members either came to an understanding on the issue, or Clr Matt Francis decided not to seek the seat after all.
Three weeks ago, Council was on the verge of appointing Clr Kroetsch when Clr Francis unexpectedly announced an interest in the role.
Clr Francis stated he wanted to consider if joining the Board would assist in his goal of advocating for expanding lanes on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
The JSB was created in 2003 when the City and Haudenosaunee signed a series of agreements. For the City, the agreements enabled the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP).
The JSB operates by consensus. Tensions have risen in recent years and boiled over in the past year.
Clr Brad Clark and Francis resigned from the JSB in October 2024, leaving Clr Tammy Hwang as the City’s sole representative.
The City began studies to expand the RHVP without consulting the JSB, violating its agreements. In 2022, Clr Clark issued a public apology because the City completed an early environmental assessment in January 2021.
In recent years, the Haudenosaunee representatives have sought to review all City projects and work related to the Valley, and expand the JSB’s role to include reviewing developments across Hamilton. The Haudenosaunee Development Institute, the development arm of the Haudenosaunee confederacy, is seeking payment for reviews, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars.
City Manager Marnie Cluckie will fill the other City of Hamilton seat on the JSB.
Cluckie says her focus is rebuilding relationships and friendships with the Haudenosaunee.
“We’re going to start from a place of building trust,” she stated three weeks ago.
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Published: May 6, 2025
Last updated: May 6, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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