The ventilation system in a portion of Hamilton’s new $400-million HSR Bus Maintenance and Storage Facility is not up to Canadian standards, leaving the City dealing with delays in gaining occupancy of the facility, and questions about how much it will cost to fix and who will pay for the repairs.
General Manager of Public Works Jackie Kennedy says the ventilation system for the indoor natural gas fuelling station is “not up to code” and “there are some components that need to be added that were not installed at initial installation.”
“The ventilation system is unique in this facility because we have a [compressed natural gas] fuelling station inside,” Kennedy said yesterday (Sept. 25).
“This is a unique feature of the facility and requires different components of a ventilation system than would be typical.”
“Some additional components are required to be compliant with building code to make it safe for occupancy.”
Kennedy said this issue will delay the substantial completion date for opening the facility, commonly called the “bus barn” by the public, by approximately two months. However, there should be no noticeable impact on HSR transit operations.
The building is now scheduled for substantial completion on June 29, 2026.
The City says the cost overruns from this issue will be covered within the existing cost contingency allowance.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the cost at this point because the negotiations with the contractor are still underway,” Kennedy stated. “We’ve got the contingency available to work with the contractor and the consultants to review it and make sure that it’s an appropriate additional fee.”
Kennedy stated the ventilation changes are “additional safety measures” to ensure people in the facility have safe air exchange that ensures the removal of any gases that escape during the refuelling process.
Kennedy’s staff issued a memo to City Council on Thursday which partially outlined the issue.
Initial City Council Reactions
City Council members learned of the issue on Sept. 15, but were not provided any details beyond being told there was a serious ventilation issue.
Mayor Andrea Horwath and Ward 9 Councillor Brad Clark both publicly expressed concern.
Video: Horwath’s comments
Horwath stated she is “concerned” about an issue of a “lack of ventilation” in the new facility and “who pays” for fixing the issue and the resulting delays.
Video: Clark’s comments
Clark stated, “To Mayor Horwath, I couldn’t agree more with you with your frustration regarding the bus barn… I do not know how anyone could design a giant bus barn and forget ventilation… I don’t know how that happened.”
There is no scheduled date for the next council update regarding the issue.
Clark stated, “To Mayor Horwath, I couldn’t agree more with you with your frustration regarding the bus barn… I do not know how anyone could design a giant bus barn and forget ventilation… I don’t know how that happened.”
There is no scheduled date for the next Council update regarding the issue.
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Published: September 26, 2025
Last updated: September 26, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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