As reported last week, the City of Hamilton did apply to Ontario’s Superior Court for an injunction against unsanctioned gatherings to address expected problems during this upcoming weekend’s McMaster University Homecoming celebration.
Superior Court Justice John Krawchenko granted the injunction yesterday. It authorizes Hamilton Police to support City of Hamilton bylaw officers to enforce the City’s ban on nuisance parties.
In recent years, McMaster students have taken over Dalewood Avenue South and surrounding streets to hold massive street parties. The events have included nuisance activities, vandalism and destruction of public spaces, and even the flipping of a car.
These events have cost the City of Hamilton hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency service response costs and post-party cleanup.
Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson has called on McMaster to “own this annual community debacle” and pay “the bill for all policing, paramedic & clean-up costs.”
In 2022, responding to the repeated problems, Hamilton City Council passed a nuisance party bylaw to enable municipal bylaw officers to issue Provincial Offences Act administrative penalty fines against nuisance party participants.
Fines under the bylaw range between $500 and $25,000.
Nuisance party bylaws have been used by other cities to decrease the number of incidents associated with problematic homecomings.
Last year, three individuals were issued fines under the Nuisance Party Bylaw.
McMaster Welcoming Non-Student Guests This Year
The Homecoming football game is scheduled for this Saturday (September 20) afternoon. A large concert will occur Saturday evening in the centre of the campus. McMaster is permitting enrolled students to bring guests to the concert.
Following these events, it is expected that thousands of McMaster students will again take over nearby City streets to ‘celebrate their McMaster spirit.’
Hamilton Police and the City of Hamilton have contingency plans in place to try to prevent the gatherings, and, if they occur, plans to manage the safety of participants.
Hamilton’s paramedic service is prepared for calls resulting from extreme intoxication and injuries from falls that have been occurring each year during the McMaster Homecoming parties.
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Published: September 17, 2025
Last updated: September 17, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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