The following are the liveposts published by Joey Coleman during the City Council ratification meeting on May 13, 2026. The posts have been lightly edited for formatting and spelling errors. The timestamps link to the original posts as published on Bluesky.
The TPR meeting preview story is here – Hamilton Council Meets Today: No Audit Statements Before Election, GM Investigation, and Safari Road Closure
[May 13, 2026 at 9:34 AM]: Good morning, Hamilton City Council’s ratification meeting is underway.
On Time: Mayor, 2,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14
On Time (video): 4
Not present at roll call: 1,3,15
[May 13, 2026 at 9:43 AM]: Financial secrecy, planning conflicts, and road decisions top agenda; Council also considers development charge relief and Youth Wellness Hub
https://thepublicrecord.ca/2026/05/hamilton-council-meets-today-no-audit-statements-before-election-gm-investigation-and-safari-road-closure/
[May 13, 2026 at 9:45 AM]: City Council just moved up, and approved, an urgent closed session “Sport Training Facility Development Update” confidential approval. The approval was needed before an “imminent announcement” that is occurring today. The Professional Women’s Hockey League is expected to announce today.
[May 13, 2026 at 9:47 AM]: Council is now celebrating the Children’s International Games. This is a ceremonial activity.
[May 13, 2026 at 9:55 AM]: Hamilton City Council has previously approved paying the hosting fee for the 2028 International Children’s Games. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 9:55 AM]: Council has also pulled an item out of the Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee. City’s Fair Wage policy will now have a one-year implementation period for vendors to meet new building trade union contract rates. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 10:05 AM]: Council votes to approve Angela McRae as the new Deputy City Clerk. This is an internal promotion. McRae has proven herself on numerous occasions. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 10:07 AM]: Now onto committee reports. First, Public Works Cmte.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:07 AM]: Most contentious item from PW meeting was a 6-5 vote to have staff study closing ~2.5 km of Safari Road running through a provincially significant wetland complex — home to Species at Risk including Prothonotary Warbler, Least Bittern, and Blanding’s Turtle. Instead of raising the roadway.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:14 AM]: Ward 6 Clr Tom Jackson says he cannot support the Committee decision due to the cost of expropriating properties that would become landlocked by the road closure. Those residents are not in favour of closure. Council has received a lot of correspondence in favour of closure for the wetland.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:14 AM]: Ward 13 Clr Alex Wilson, who represents the area, states the motion to study is just that – a study. The City is moving forward with environmental assessment and work that would be needed to raise the road. This is not a vote to close the road, it is a study, Wilson stresses he wants more info.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:25 AM]: Clr Brad Clark asked a series of questions regarding process. Clr McMeekin agrees processes could be better.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:26 AM]: Clr Craig Cassar says Council needs to make “tough decisions” and they will become “tougher” because of the City’s multi-billion infrastructure deficit. Council needs to know the lifecycle costs of Safari Road, which is continuously flooded. The motion is to get that info, he supports more info.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM]: Clr Alex Wilson says once Council makes a decision on Safari Road, it needs to commit to funding the plan. He stresses impacted residents have been dealing with flooding issues for years.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM]: Clr Rob Cooper says he cannot support the motion today because he is hearing concerns that soil dumping as been the cause of flooding, and that the City needs to address ‘root causes’ of the issues in this area of rural Flamborough.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:33 AM]: Clr Cameron Kroetsch asks the City’s Director of Water Nick Winters to confirm what the found causes of flooding are. Insufficient culverts (number and size), beavers, and other environmental factors. Soil dumping is not the root cause of these issues.
[May 13, 2026 at 10:40 AM]: Mayor Horwath: Says the Safari Road is complicated, “it does not need politicalization.” Says the City needs to be diligent and thoughtful, get more info. Will support motion for more info. Vote is about to occur
[May 13, 2026 at 10:45 AM]: Procedural issues – Councillors sorting out exactly what they are voting for, what a yes/no vote means. Now a discussion of splitting the item into separate votes. Concerns that voting down the road closure issue with the other matters bundled will create a procedural mess. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 10:53 AM]: VOTE: Safari Road, staff to report on costs of road closure option. PASSES 9-4. The individual votes were not disclosed by the City. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 10:55 AM]: The following is my best assessment (UNCONFIRMED) of how councillors voted on Safari Road based on their statements, and who was in the room. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: Other Public Works Cmte decisions were ratified without debate, including: – the Highway 52 / Powerline Road intersection improvements Environmental Assessment – $250,000 to begin the redevelopment and design of Broughton East Park
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: More PW approvals: – accessible portable toilets at five parks: Eastwood Park, Warden Park, Fairgrounds Community Park, Mount Hope Park, and Mark Anthony Graham Olympic Park – contingency extension for the Grindstone Creek Bridge 451 replacement, $1.3M approved after asbestos discovery, other costs
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: Quick ratification of the Planning Committee items. – 471 Moxley Road, Greensville: DENY an application for a commercial development of seven buildings. Staff recommended approval. This is likely going to the OLT – Melville-Park West Heritage Conservation District designation passed
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: Council quickly approved the General Issues Committee report. One discussion, Clr Mark Tadeson discussed the position of the Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities regarding tactile sidewalks. Tadeson is one of the more diligent council members, does a lot of behind scenes work
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: Council is now debating development charges. At Committee, it was a 7-2 vote to add a four per cent temporary DC exemption to the already existing 20 per cent temporary exemption. thepublicrecord.ca/2026/05/coun… https://thepublicrecord.ca/2026/05/council-poised-to-approve-more-development-charge-relief-amid-housing-downturn/
[May 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM]: More Planning Cmte approvals: – to proceed with an OLT appeal of a Committee of Adjustment decision at 117 Lowden Avenue, Ancaster (Ward 12)
[May 13, 2026 at 11:15 AM]: Discussion around the Council horseshoe is acknowledging the current economic situation broadly. Council wants the federal and provincial governments to provide funding to cover the City’s sought revenue losses from development charges. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 11:35 AM]: Discussion is continuing. Thus far, the statements are what is expected, council members restating previous positions, with calls for the federal and provincial governments to provide funding.
[May 13, 2026 at 11:55 AM]: We are now at the vote. All statements were expected.
[May 13, 2026 at 11:58 AM]: VOTE – development charges Extending development charge temporary exemptions to include this year’s 4 per cent inflationary increase PASSES 13-3. Kroetsch, Nann, Alex Wilson opposed. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 12:06 PM]: Council is now on the Emergency and Community Service Committee. – approved a Seniors Advisory Committee report asks staff to study better enforcement of Hamilton’s Snow Removal By-law – 10 year operating agreement for the Hamilton Cardinals baseball club
[May 13, 2026 at 12:07 PM]: Councillors now voting on continuing funding ($250,000 for the year) of the Interval House WEARS Program to Address Gender Based Violence in Rural Hamilton #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 12:16 PM]: Ward 9 Clr Brad Clark is speaking emotionally, with deep rooted pain, about his mother’s own experience with intimate partner violence 60 years ago. He is trying to hold back tears, using a tissue to wipe tears. Says the City needs to step up to support IPV services. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 12:33 PM]: The IPV funding was approved. Council is now on lunch break.
[May 13, 2026 at 1:06 PM]: Council is resuming. Now on Motions #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 1:21 PM]: Council now discussing Mayor Andrea Horwath’s motion calling on the provincial government to create a Hamilton Youth Wellness Hub, and to increase funding to youth serving agencies. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 1:44 PM]: Passes unanimously. Mayor Andrea Horwath’s motion calling on the provincial government to create a Hamilton Youth Wellness Hub #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 1:45 PM]: Council is now on an item, walk-on from Clr Nann, entitled “Public participation in land-use planning processes” Council votes to allow it as a walk-on, suspending the rules. The motion is not read, it will be done in closed session. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 1:46 PM]: Council also suspends the rules to allow for a walk-on closed session motion regarding the Upper West Side Landowners Group urban boundary expansion matter that is currently in front of the Ontario Land Tribunal. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 1:51 PM]: Council will now go into closed session.
[May 13, 2026 at 4:03 PM]: Council has been in closed session for two hours now. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 4:33 PM]: Council has now been in closed session for over 2.5 hours. A few minutes ago, a bunch of Director-level staff left the Chamber. My guess is Council is just now beginning to discuss the Toronto Star revelations regarding the GM of Planning and Economic Development. #yhmcc https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/he-oversaw-development-approvals-in-markham-now-this-former-official-is-accused-of-pocketing-more-than-140000-from-a-developer/article_f8423f07-dba2-479e-9ca5-ffc6b17390e5.html
[May 13, 2026 at 5:08 PM]: Council is returning to open session, following approximately three hours in closed. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 5:16 PM]: Meeting is adjourned. #yhmcc
[May 13, 2026 at 5:15 PM]: Council voting to keep all matters in closed session confidential. The City Clerk advises that a reconsideration motion regarding the UWSLG urban boundary expansion OLT matter did not pass during the closed session. #yhmcc
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: May 13, 2026
Last updated: May 13, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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v. 1.0.0 original version