The City of Hamilton’s new event fees schedule has levied parking metre compensation charges against Remembrance Day Ceremonies, creating a last-minute scramble to fund this added cost.
The policy, which mandates payment for municipal parking metres blocked for special events, means the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 36 (Dundas) faces a bill of over $1,000 due to metres blocked by road closures required for the well-attended November 11 ceremony.
Ward 13 Councillor Alex Wilson, who represents Dundas, confirmed his office will cover the expense this year.
“Remembrance Day is an important civic event,” Councillor Wilson stated. “It’s remembering not just the foundations of how Canada was made, and those conflicts that have happened in the past, it’s really thinking about the conflicts we’re in right now, the sacrifices that both veterans have made, their families have made, and how are we honouring that legacy?”
Councillor Wilson added he is “working with staff on an appropriate funding source,” confirming that if necessary, he would use his ward’s discretionary funds.
“If it needs to be the Ward 13 cell phone tower fund for this year, that’s the funding source,” he said.
The charge for the Ancaster commemoration ceremony will be approximately $200 to $300. The City’s culture and tourism division will use funds allocated for events coordinated by the Hamilton Veteran’s Committee.
Major (retired) Mike Rehill, the Chair of Hamilton’s Veteran’s Committee, wants the fee removed.
“I don’t think it’s a great idea to have anybody charged for parking metres on Remembrance Day,” Rehill stated during the October 1 Veteran’s committee meeting. “Especially with all the other things we do for veterans, like free buses and parking, and everything else, it doesn’t make sense.”
The committee plans to formally debate the issue after this year’s ceremonies and will likely move to request that Council amend the fee policies to permanently exempt Remembrance Day ceremonies.
The other parades across Hamilton are not affected because their road closures occur on streets without municipal parking metres.
The Downtown Hamilton Garrison parade occurs on Sunday, November 9, when parking metres are free of charge.
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Published: October 4, 2025
Last updated: October 4, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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