Mayor’s Breakfast Address to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Sellout Crowd of 530, Mayor Calls for Business to Join Lobbying Effort for Provincial Funding
Tuesday morning, Mayor Andrea Horwath addressed a sell-out capacity crowd [530 seats] at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Breakfast.
Much of her speech was listing recent decisions and accomplishments, speaking at length on the issue defining this Council term: housing, homelessness, and encampments.
Two-and-a-half minutes into her remarks, Mayor Horwath made her first ask to the assembled business leaders.
“Even if it’s a little bit early in my remarks for an ask, I know that there are folks in this room today that have personal connections with these ministers and many others,” the Mayor said. “So my ask is to give them the Hamilton nudge every single time you get a chance.”
Mayor Horwath says it is “essential” to have a “Team Hamilton approach where community partners, businesses, residents and elected representatives collaborate.”
Horwath also asked the audience to push on issues such as Light Rail Transit, saying business lobbying is “especially crucial for transformative projects like our LRT. And let me be clear the LRT is happening. Keeping this project on track is one of my top priorities.”
On Stage With Joe Mancinelli
At the end of Mayor Horwath’s prepared remarks, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada Joseph Mancinelli took the stage to introduce the ‘chat’ portion of the program.
Mancinelli’s recently posted an unsubstantiated claim that his workers “witnessed a bus dropping off homeless people on the side of st Paul’s church, also a drug injection site” on Facebook. It was the latest salvo between the Mayor and LiUNA regarding the homelessness and encampments issue.
They only gave minimal acknowledgement of each other, and then avoided eye contact as Mancinelli gave his introduction of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Dunnett.
Dunnett joined the Mayor on stage to ask a series of questions.
Following the breakfast, as people left, many commented on the seemingly awkwardness of Horwath and Mancinelli sharing the stage.
Questions from the Chamber
Dunnett asked about safety in the downtown, concerns from the business community about new stormwater rates and development charges, and how to get more housing built,
Mayor Horwath on the Need to Charge Users for Stormwater Infrastructure
“I know you raised the issue, and I’m not going to skate over it. The issue of stormwater management fees,” Mayor Horwath began. “The City has been looking to put in place stormwater management fees for over 20 years now.”
“Many cities have already done it. The climate crisis that we’re in is real. And it was, we were unable to put together a financing plan, on the property tax base that would address the climate crisis.”
“There are big-picture things that we as a city need to address,” the Mayor continued. “SStormwater management fees are not something that are really going over well in some cases, but the bottom line is we have no choice.”
“Twenty years ago, we might have been able to kick it down the road, 15 years ago we kicked it down the road. But this council said we can’t kick it down the road anymore.”
“If it’s going to give us heat, we have to have broad shoulders, take the heat and do the right thing to make sure that we have, what we need to protect this city, its residents and its businesses from the changing climate that we’re facing.”
“At the end of the day, we have stormwater management fees in place because we need them.”
McMaster’s Lobbying at the Event
Five city councillors attended the event: Maureen Wilson, Tammy Hwang, Mark Tadeson, Craig Cassar, and Ted McMeekin.
Four of them were guests of McMaster University and sat with university officials.
Clr Maureen Wilson purchased her ticket to the breakfast, from her personal funds, and sat at one of the rear tables in the banquet hall.
Committee of Adjustment Meeting
ADU Denied Despite Applicant Request to Table
The owner of 28 Starling Drive’s application for an Additional Dwelling Unit was denied by the CoA in out-of-the-ordinary circumstances.
In summary, the owner wanted to install a driveway to provide parking for the ADU.
City planning staff recommended denial due to concerns about flooding risk in removing landscaping in front of the house, which would not be in character with the area.
Staff stated they would support a variance exempting the new ADU from the parking requirement.
Today, the owner asked for a tabling to have further discussions with planning staff. CoA member Melvin Switzer quickly moved to deny the application, saying the staff recommendation will not change. Chair Dale Smith noted that the CoA’s practice is usually to grant tabling.
However, with the denial motion already moved, and Switzer unwilling to withdraw the motion, the CoA had to vote.
3-2 was the result in favour of denial.
Laverne Gaddye Returns to CoA – Noteworthy Following Controversy Over Not Renewing Last Terms Members
Laverne Gaddye is back on the Committee of Adjustment. Council appointed him on September 11 to fill a vacancy.
This is noteworthy because a recent Integrity Commissioner investigation confirmed that this term’s City Council decided not to reappoint CoA members from the previous term [except for the Chair].
A city councillor [likely Tom Jackson] leaked this information to one of the incumbent CoA members. Integrity Commissioner David G. Boghosian’s report can be read on CanLII.
In his first meeting back on the Committee, Gaddaye displayed his trademark attention to detail and good process.
Speaking with me after the meeting, Gaddye says he is happy to be able to contribute again.
Noted and Other Links
Production Details v. 1.0.1 Published: September 24, 2024 Last updated: September 24, 2024 Author: Joey Coleman Update Record v. 1.0.0 First post - Committee of Adjustment [2:20 p.m.] v. 1.0.1 minor updates to CoA story and formating on Mayor's breakfast. [6:00 p.m.] v. 1.1.0 end of the day updates [11:00 p.m.]