The City of Hamilton’s new event fees schedule has levied parking meter compensation charges against Remembrance Day Ceremonies, creating a last-minute scramble to fund this added cost.
The policy, which mandates payment for municipal parking meters blocked for special events, means the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 36 (Dundas) faces a bill of over $1,000 due to meters 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 meters 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 meters.
The Downtown Hamilton garrison parade occurs on Sunday, November 9, when parking meters are free of charge.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: October 4, 2025
Last updated: October 4, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
While you are consistent, you are incorrect in your usage of “parking metre”. The correct spelling is ” parking meter”. Metre is a measurement of distance, while meter is a device.
Thank you!
I absolutely support the city looking for another funding source. We should support our veterans for what they did and what they continue to do to remind us of the sacrifices they made. Having travelled to Europe and visited many areas related to the wars, I believe we should be thankful for not only what they did but also how they remind us that we should work hard to never be at war again.
Or, why not just pay for our parking?
Just because we’re veterans doesn’t mean we should be exempt from the same fees as anyone else. If the city council needs my few bucks, then shame on their poor financial management skills.
So council has put the city in such a desperate situation that they can’t find $1000 too cover this? Funny they can find $1.3 million to put a new roof on a park bathroom that is only available to use a couple months a year have no problem giving the police $12 million outside of their budget. Taking pay raises while raising property taxes
This is the worse council Hamilton has ever had they should all be ashamed they should all resign.
For all the veterans that served their is no excuse to lay charges on Remembrance Day for the people attending the ceremony my opinion is the mayor and city council should be fired for thinking it
So sad Canadians give there lives for us and they City of Hamilton is charging money for it shame on this City
This is one of those unintended outcomes of a policy change.
The goal of the policy is to ensure the City does not lose revenue, at a time when the public is demanding the City address property tax increases.
The BIAs rely on their portion of metre revenue to fund activities, etc.
Then this situation arises.
The City is working to address it. Ward 13 Clr Alex Wilson is ensuring the Dundas Legion does not have to bare this cost, and at some point it appears Council will amend the policy before next year’s ceremonies.