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Hamilton Spectator
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton councillors balk at offering online voting in 2026 election
Some Hamilton councillors are balking at the idea of offering online voting during the upcoming Ward 8 byelection and the 2026 municipal election. A recommendation to consider offering online ballots as an alternative voting option was effectively voted down by a city committee this month on a 4-4 tie vote. But the idea can still be resurrected and debated at a full council meeting July 16. The city had previously authorized the use of online voting as an alternative during Ward 4's school board trustee byelection earlier this year. However, city councillors opposed to the idea raised the possibility of vote coercion, the cyberattack on the city last year — and concerns about trust in the election results. Coun. Jeff Beattie said he was originally 'bullish' on online voting — supporting the idea for the recent Ward 4 vote — but has since changed his stance, citing the cyberattack and a recent report that found 80 per cent of Hamiltonians lack trust in city hall . For his part, Coun. Brad Clark said he was opposed to the idea due to concerns about verifying and auditing the results of an online vote. While he admitted making voting accessible is important, he argued mail-in balloting provides some of that accessibility — and can be verified. City clerk Matthew Trennum told councillors even if the proposal had been approved as an alternative, there was no guarantee it would be used in a future election. He said the city's IT department would conduct an assessment on the system and decide if it was a safe, secure and feasible alternative before proceeding. Trennum added there were no concerns around voter coercion or fraud raised during the public school board trustee byelection and it met the 'extremely high threshold' IT staff had for the technology. 'Everything worked the way it was supposed to,' he said. Coun. Cameron Kroetsch spoke in favour of online balloting, adding he had heard from many Ward 2 residents with accessibility challenges who said the option would make it easier for them to vote. He added there isn't any evidence to support concerns around vote coercion or security threats. Coun. Tammy Hwang also spoke in favour of online voting, arguing it would provide convenience for residents. She noted the Association of Municipalities of Ontario did a roundup following the 2022 municipal elections and found 217 of 444 municipalities offered online voting. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
11-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Stoney Creek residents demand protection from spiking levels of landfill ‘cat pee' odour
Neighbours of a stinky Stoney Creek landfill are demanding government action to protect their health after levels of 'rotten egg' pollution spiked well beyond legal limits last week. The province has told landfill operator GFL to hold a public meeting explaining how it will fix its stinky garbage juice treatment lagoon — but area councillor Brad Clark says he plans to ask for a review of potential health impacts on residents. Late last week, a monitoring station near the landfill's pond for leachate twice registered spikes of total reduced sulphur (TRS), a mix of gaseous air pollutants that include hydrogen sulphide — the culprit behind the 'rotten egg' sulphur smell. In an angry email chain, some landfill neighbours complained about the smell of cat pee and '100 dirty litter boxes' leaving them sleepless and breathless at 3 a.m. Desperate residents also brought their concerns to federal Conservative MP Ned Kuruc in a town-hall meeting last weekend, even though landfill regulation is a provincial matter. 'It was seeping into our homes with the windows closed … it was just awful,' said landfill neighbour Susan Chapman in a later interview. Even after the worst overnight smell subsided, it was 'impossible' to spend time outside during the day without gagging, she said. 'We would like the medical officer of health to take another look at the effects of what we're experiencing.' A leachate pond for the Stoney Creek landfill is apparently to blame for spiking 'rotten egg' odour. The measured pollutant levels topped 170 parts per billion over a short period early in the morning on both July 3 and 4, which is more than 10 times the Ontario air standard. It is also above an 'upper risk threshold' set by the province that triggers an automatic notice to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. An after-hours environmental response officer visited the landfill lagoon and confirmed odour problems and 'exceedances' of total reduced sulphur, said ministry spokesperson Gary Wheeler by email. Wheeler said the province directed GFL to come up with a plan to deal with the lagoon issues — which are reoccurring this year — and also to schedule a public meeting to deal with neighbour questions and concerns. That virtual meeting is slated for July 24 at 6 p.m. The Spectator has reached out to GFL for comment repeatedly in recent weeks about landfill complaints but has not heard back. However, residents received an email acknowledgment from the company of more lagoon problems shortly after the odour levels spiked. 'GFL is experiencing issues with the leachate pond located within the (Heritage Green) dog park, which is causing odours,' reads the message. The company said it stopped the flow of garbage juice into the pond for an investigation and is undertaking 'mitigation measures,' including adjusting the leachate treatment process. 'We thank you for your patience during this time as we take active steps to resolve odour issues and strengthen our mitigation efforts,' reads the message. Wheeler said the company has 'voluntarily' complied with directions from the ministry to try to resolve the issue, but added the ministry is 'evaluating' recent odour measurement data 'and assessing the need for additional compliance actions.' The city's public health department previously commissioned independent air testing near the landfill in response to the infamous 2023 'summer of stink,' but those point-in-time test results did not show any direct health risks. Via email, the department said it reached out to the ministry to learn more about the recent odour incident, but noted the province is the responsible regulator for air quality. The latest spate of measurably high odour pollution, however, prompted Coun. Clark to put forward a notice of motion this week seeking to ask for a review of the potential impacts of 'public exposure' to the sulphurous spike. The notice also asks staff to examine what appears to be a growing number of ambulance calls to the ward involving respiratory distress. Councillors will consider the motion at a future general issues committee meeting. So could the overwhelming rotten egg stench literally make residents sick? It's not as simple a questions as it sounds, said Matthew Adams, a University of Toronto professor and air quality researcher who is studying hydrogen sulphide impacts in Hamilton, including around the landfill. Adams said while the recorded spike in stinky pollutants represents a 'very clear exceedance' of the ministry's protective threshold levels for odour, the concentrations are still not high enough to cause 'direct, serious health impacts.' But Adams emphasized that level of hydrogen sulphides would guarantee 'a very noticeable odour' — and that has 'real, meaningful impacts' on those exposed. 'In talking to this community, it is clear people are stressed out. The odour issue is affecting their sleep patterns, it is affecting their mental health.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Associated Press
30-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SPYGLASS CELEBRATES SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AS NORTHEAST OHIO TOP WORKPLACE WINNER
SpyGlass, an industry-leading provider of technology expense management (TEM) audits, wins the Top Workplaces 2025 honor six years running! 'We're committed to investing in our people and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth.'— Brad Clark, Co-founder and Co-president, SpyGlass CLEVELAND, OH, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2025 / / -- SpyGlass, an industry-leading provider of technology expense management (TEM) and telecom audits, has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2025 honor by Northeast Ohio Top Workplaces. This is the sixth consecutive time SpyGlass has received this recognition. 'Being recognized as a Top Workplace six years straight is a tremendous honor, and it's a direct reflection of our incredible team,' said Ed DeAngelo, co-founder and co-president of SpyGlass. 'Our employees are the heart of this organization, and their dedication to serve as trusted technology advisors through innovation and collaboration makes this a great place to work.' 'We are proud and honored to be voted Top Workplace for the 6th year in a row by our employees,' said Brad Clark, co-founder and co-president of SpyGlass. 'Our team and culture are the biggest part of who we are as a business. We're committed to investing in our people and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth.' The Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few. 'Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,' said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. 'That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure they're allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.' ABOUT SPYGLASS SpyGlass is an industry leader in technology expense audits and managed services. Thousands of clients from a wide variety of industries across the U.S. and Canada trust our risk-free technology expense SnapShot Audit®, SpyCare® managed service, and technology advisors. The SpyGlass team of technology expense experts provides invaluable industry-specific insight to avoid technology cost overcharges for today and tomorrow. MEDIA CONTACT Ed DeAngelo [email protected] 440.348.9360 direct office Co-President, SpyGlass Ed DeAngelo SpyGlass +1 440-348-9360 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Forgot to declare if you're living in your Hamilton home? City extends deadline for vacant unit tax
The City of Hamilton is extending the April 30 deadline for anyone who has yet to declare if their property is vacant or not. All homeowners now have until May 30 to inform the city, as part of the new vacant unit tax (VUT) program. The new deadline was approved by council Wednesday. This the first year of the VUT, which will see the city impose a one per cent levy on a home's assessed value if no one was living there for more than half of 2024. Mike Zegarac, general manager of finance, told council that as of Wednesday, the city has received declarations for 94 per cent of Hamilton's 180,000 homes. Staff are working "with compassion and in an effort assist property owners," he said. The tax is designed to discourage investors from buying homes and letting them sit empty instead of renting them out to long-term tenants. Any revenue generated from the program will go toward increasing affordable housing supply, the city says. City setting up appeal process The city mailed letters to all homeowners informing them of the process. Some councillors have had concerns not all residents would be aware of the VUT, miss the declaration window, and be inadvertently penalized. If the city doesn't receive a response from homeowners, staff will assume the property is vacant and issue the tax. "What about the little old ladies who don't read their mail?" Coun. Brad Clark asked staff Wednesday. "Folks who were snowbirds and out of town? There could be a death in the family. There's a whole list of reasons why people might not be paying attention to their mail." Clayton Pereira, director of revenue services, said staff have worked "tirelessly" to create an appeal system to handle complaints. "Ultimately our goal here is to educate the residents and make a decision that's fair," he said. Homeowners need the roll number and access code found on the declaration notice letter from the city or their most recent property tax bill. They can make declarations online or by phone, email or in person.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Hamilton's outdoor shelter costs balloon $5.1 million over budget
Hamilton's first outdoor shelter is $5.1 million over budget. Capital costs have almost tripled from what city staff first pitched and council approved last September — from $2.8 million to $7.9 million, says a report to council's general issues committee Wednesday. Staff revealed in the report there's been a number of issues with site contamination and the 40 tiny homes, which were delivered not up to code. These issues drove up costs for a project already plagued with controversial decisions and delays. "I have to say, I was shocked by everything that occurred, sincerely," Coun. Brad Clark told staff. "I could not believe this has happened in the manner it did and we had a full slate of people involved in this process." North-end resident Kelly Oucharek, who's been opposed to the outdoor shelter's location from the start, delegated to councillors wearing a shirt that said, "If I had $5.1 million" — a play off the Barenaked Ladies song, If I Had $1000000. "I along with many Hamiltonians are dismayed this project is 300 per cent over budget," said Oucharek. Gessie Stearns, a researcher on homelessness and advocate, told the committee that the city's decision to build the outdoor shelter on contaminated land for millions of dollars wasn't done in consultation with people experiencing homelessness or the cash-strapped community groups who support them. "If you gave 10 organizations in the community $500,000, it would've been unprecedented," Stearns said. "Here, $5 million has evaporated like it's nothing." Last summer, Mayor Andrea Horwath used strong mayor powers, which allow mayors to take quicker initiative on some issues, to direct staff to create some kind of "sanctioned" encampment site. She wasn't present at the meeting Wednesday due to an accident. By September, staff had proposed an 80-person temporary outdoor shelter — intended to house couples and people with pets — that would open by December in time for winter. It is a temporary site, and will only be operational for up to two years, but the "exit strategy" has yet to be announced, Grace Mater, general manager of healthy and safe communities, told councillors. 'A small subdivision in under 4 months' The city knew the land was contaminated when the project began, but soon discovered it would cost millions dollars more to deal with than budgeted, said Mater. The site needed grading, erosion control and other work to address the pollution, and the city had to hire architects, engineers and environmental experts to guide and sign off on the process, the report said. Mater defended city staff's management of the project on a tight timeline. "We've basically built a small subdivision in under four months," she said. "As with all projects of this magnitude, there were challenges along the way." There were also issues with the tiny homes ordered from MicroShelters Inc., staff said. The decision to buy them from the fledgling Brantford, Ont., company was already controversial, but then staff learned the units weren't up to code. The electrical wiring didn't meet Canadian standards and had to be completely replaced, said the report. The city also had to pay for architectural validation of MicroShelter's documents to make sure they met occupancy standards. The fire department had concerns about the layout of the overall shelter and individual tiny homes, and the city had to make design changes for safety reasons, the report said. In total, the city spent an unexpected $400,000 to make sure the tiny homes were safe for people to live in, Mater said. Coun. Craig Cassar said it was "very surprising" the "vendor did not deliver what was promised" and described the tiny homes as "defective." The city's legal team said it is assisting staff in trying to recoup some money from MicroShelters. MicroShelters did not respond to a request for comment, but director Jeff Cooper previously said in an email, "all aspects of its business are proprietary and confidential. Under advice of our lawyer we decline comment." Hamilton's auditor general is reviewing the contract between MicroShelters and the city, said Mater. Lawsuit filed against MicroShelters MicroShelters was incorporated weeks before council approved the project and used images on its website identical to those used by another tiny home company, Foldum Corporation. MicroShelters then imported the tiny homes from China through U.S. company Global Axxis. Foldum is now suing both MicroShelters and Global Axxis in California court, alleging they "conspired" to make a profit by using Foldum's proprietary information. Foldum's complaint says MicroShelters "falsely" advertised Foldum's housing and past projects as its own, "misleading Hamilton and other potential buyers" and then charging the city "a significant price." The allegations have not been proven in court. Global Axxis told CBC Hamilton, through a lawyer also named in the complaint, that it denies Foldum's allegations. Neither Foldum nor MicroShelters provided comments for this story. Before the lawsuit and budget overrun, city staff admitted they'd not done a thorough check on MicroShelters before awarding them a contract worth millions of dollars. Because of the short timeline, staff selected the company through a non-competitive process. Mater previously told CBC Hamilton she didn't know if MicroShelters had ever fulfilled any other similar contract before choosing it and wasn't aware they'd be importing the units from China. She said it was the only company the city could find to deliver foldable tiny homes big enough for two people in short order. The units ended up arriving weeks later than anticipated, in January. Manager says she could've told council sooner Several councillors, including Cameron Kroetsch, Matt Francis and Mike Spadafora, asked staff why they were not told of the ballooning costs or site challenges until now. "Staff had instructions to move forward extremely fast," Spadafora said. "But I think the disconnect is staff should've come back and said, 'It's not going to work, the site's a dump, it's going to cost millions of dollars and we're not going to be able to get people in before the snow flies.'" Kroetsch said if he had known the site would cost $5.1 million more and not be ready in time for winter, he wouldn't have supported it. Mater took responsibility for not "reporting back in a timely manner" but said the challenges and costs were "coming at us at a very rapid pace." The committee told staff to report back with a detailed breakdown of all the project costs, as approved in a motion from Francis. Mike Zegarac, general manager of finance, said staff would pull the additional $5.1 million from federal and provincial funding already secured for the project. Coun. Tammy Hwang defended the project, saying staff were given "an impossible task" to build the outdoor shelter in a matter of months. "This is the admirable and amazing way they have showed up and given their all," she said. "I'm thankful for the work done and respectful of the mistakes made. We need to figure out how do we talk about this and share lessons learned."
