General Issues Committee

That the agenda for the April 15, 2026 General Issues Committee meeting, be approved, as presented.

That the March 25, 2026 minutes of the General Issues Committee, BE ADOPTED, as presented. Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 2 of 38

That the following delegations respecting Report PED24163(e), Final 10- Year Downtown Hamilton Revitalization Strategy (City Wide) (Item 8.6), BE RECEIVED: (a) Susie Braithwaite, International Village BIA (In-Person) (Item 6.1(a)) (b) Emily Walsh, Downtown Hamilton BIA (In-Person) (Item 6.1(b)) (c) Greg Dunnett, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce (In-Person) (Item 6.1(c)) (d) David Hudson, Hamilton Arts Council (In-Person) (Item 6.1(d))

That the delegation from Andrew Selman, respecting a call on Council to provide a transparent accounting of the full financial cost of the 2024 cyberattack and its downstream costs and impacts, BE RECEIVED.

That the delegate BE PROVIDED with an additional 5 minutes to complete their delegation. Result: MOTION,

That the delegation from Jennifer Bonner, The HUB, respecting unsheltered homelessness, BE RECEIVED.

That the delegation from Jovan Popovic, Break First Entertainment Inc., respecting the Route 905 Festival, a large-scale 2-day country music Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 4 of 38 event, at the Ancaster Fairgrounds on July 24-25, 2026 (In-Person), BE RECEIVED.

That the delegate BE PROVIDED with an additional 3 minutes to complete their delegation. Result: MOTION,

That the delegation from Paul Takala, Chief Executive Officer, Hamilton Public Library; Gagan Batra, Board Chair, Hamilton Public Library; and Sue Phipps, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Mental Health Association, Hamilton Branch; respecting the Opioid Crisis and the Hamilton Public Library, BE RECEIVED.

That the following delegations respecting Item 9.5 - Supporting the Role of Trustees in Maintaining an Accountable and Transparent Education System, BE RECEIVED: (a) Abby Zaitley (In-Person) (Item 6.7(a)) (b) Amanda Fehrman, HWDSB Trustee (In-Person) (Item 6.7(b))

That the delegation from Chris McLaughlin, Bay Area Restoration Council, respecting Report PED26082, Biodiversity Action Plan Agreement and Progress (Item 8.4), BE RECEIVED.

That the following delegations respecting the Opioid Crisis and the Hamilton Public Library (Item 6.6), BE RECEIVED: (a) Kelly Oucharek (In-Person) (Item 6.9(a)) (b) Greg Voisin (In-Person) (Item 6.9(b))

That the following delegation respecting Item 9.3, Winter Response for People Living Unsheltered in the City of Hamilton, BE RECEIVED: (a) Evan Ubene (In-Person) (Item 6.10(a))

That the General Issues Committee RECESS at 1:00 p.m. until 1:40 p.m.

That Report HSC26029, respecting User Fee Framework Project Update and Current State Analysis (City Wide), BE RECEIVED.

That the Correspondence from Viv Saunders, respecting Report HSC26029, User Fee Framework Update and Current State Analysis (City Wide) (Item 7.1), BE RECEIVED.

(a) That Report HSC23076(b), respecting 2025 Ending Chronic Homelessness Performance Update and attached appendices BE RECEIVED for information; and, (b) That the Outstanding Business List Item GIC-11/20/24-10.4, respecting the number of individuals that have transitioned out of tent encampments to social housing, residential care facilities, transitional housing, and shelter beds BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE and REMOVED from the listing.

That Report HUR26006, respecting Labour Relations Activity Report and Analysis – 2021-2025 (City Wide), BE RECEIVED.

That Report PED26018(a), respecting Ensuring Pedestrian Access at Jackson Street West and MacNab Street South (Ward 2), BE RECEIVED.

That Report FCS26023, respecting 2026 Municipal Election and Municipal Use of Resources Policy (City Wide), BE RECEIVED.

That Report PED26078, dated April 15, 2026, respecting A By-Law to Authorize the Imposition of a Special Charge under the Better Homes Hamilton Pilot Program – Batch 2 (City Wide), BE RECEIVED and the following recommendation BE APPROVED: (a) That the by-law attached as Appendix A to Report PED26078, being a by- law to authorize the imposition of a special charge under the Better Homes Hamilton Pilot Program, BE APPROVED. Result: MOTION,

That the Light Rail Transit Sub-Committee Minutes LRTC 26-001 - March 31, 2026 BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein, BE APPROVED. Result: MOTION,

That Report HSC26020, dated April 15, 2026, respecting Housing Focused Community Liaison Group (City Wide), BE RECEIVED and the following recommendation be approved: (a) That the Housing and Homelessness Advisory COMMITTEE BE DISSOLVED and; (b) That the Housing Services Division and the Housing Secretariat BE DIRECTED to continue community engagement through existing City-led community tables. Result: MOTION,

That Report PED26082, dated April 15, 2026, respecting Biodiversity Action Plan Agreement and Progress (City Wide), BE RECEIVED and the following recommendation BE APPROVED: (a) That the General Managers of Planning and Economic Development and Public Works, or the designate of either General Manager, BE AUTHORIZED and directed to: (i) EXECUTE, on behalf of the City of Hamilton, the Biodiversity Action Plan Implementation Agreement (the “BAP Implementation Agreement”) in substantially the form attached as Appendix A to this Report, which includes the Terms of Reference in substantially the form attached as Schedule “A” to the BAP Implementation Agreement; (ii) NEGOTIATE, enter into, and EXECUTE, on behalf of the City of Hamilton, all agreements, amendments, extensions, renewals, applications, letters, City led or Collaborating Agency led grant applications, or any other documents ancillary to or respecting the BAP Implementation Agreement, the Biodiversity Action Plan (“BAP”), or any BAP related actions, including but not limited to permissions to authorize BAP related work on City owned lands, letters of support, and grant applications and agreements, provided same are on terms satisfactory to the General Managers of Planning and Economic Development and Public Works and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor; and, (iii) APPOINT and PROVIDE DIRECTION to the City of Hamilton’s member for the Management Committee and the Steering Committee as required by the BAP Implemen

That the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Liaison Committee Minutes PBLC 26-001 - April 2, 2026 BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein, BE APPROVED. Result: MOTION,

That sub-section (a) to Report PED24163(e), Final 10-Year Downtown Hamilton Revitalization Strategy (City Wide), be amended, as follows: (a) That the 10-Year Downtown Hamilton Revitalization Strategy, contained in Appendix “A” to Report PED24163(e) BE APPROVED in principle and costs for 2027 and beyond be referred to future budget year(s) processes; Result: AMENDMENT,

WHEREAS, as of December 2025, the number of unhoused people living in the City of Hamilton is approximately 1980; WHEREAS, of those 1980, approximately 338 are unsheltered, meaning they are not staying in emergency shelters or other temporary accommodations; Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 19 of 38 WHEREAS, the City of Hamilton provides, operates, and partners with community agencies to offer several drop-in, shelter, and warming spaces for individuals who are unsheltered, with expanded services during winter months; WHEREAS, drop-ins offer temporary accommodation, access to basic necessities, as well as supports both onsite and in the community to meet immediate and longer-term needs related to overall health, wellbeing, and the ability to acquire housing; WHEREAS, the current homeless serving system, including winter response overnight drop in and warming spaces, are not sufficient to meet the needs of all people living unsheltered; and, WHEREAS, people with pets and couples are not accommodated in the current drop-ins. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: (a) That staff BE DIRECTED to bring forward a report to General Issues Committee in Q2 2026 outlining a winter response strategy for the 2026/27 winter season that addresses any service gaps in the current system, and details the funding required to operationalize the enhanced service; and (b) That the report I

WHEREAS, a Municipal Price Index provides a tool for measuring the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services; WHEREAS, a Municipal Price Index differs from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) because it measures the cost increases to a representative basket of expenditures such as asphalt, steel and cement, that a municipality makes compared with that of the CPI which measures the prices that consumers face when buying a basket of goods for their household; WHEREAS, municipalities such as Ottawa and Milton have utilized MPI as one tool that helps inform the City’s budgetary process of external economic conditions that the City will face; WHEREAS, the development of municipal price indexes can assist in creating an understanding of how the patterns of local government spending can be different than those of the average household; WHEREAS, a Municipal Price Index can be used to explain increases in annual budget expenditures attributable to inflation; and WHEREAS, a Municipal Price Index can aid in the more accurate development of current and multi-year City budgeting forecasts. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 21 of 38 (a) That staff BE DIRECTED to determine the feasibility of developing a Municipal Price Index for the City of Hamilton for incorporation into the Annual Budget Process and report back to the Genera

That the General Issues Committee meeting of April 15, 2026, be permitted to extend past the 5:30 p.m. curfew, up to 6:40 p.m. Result: MOTION,

(a) That the following Items BE

WHEREAS; there is a substantial growth to the need for food caused by financial insecurity related to food costs, high housing costs and inadequate Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Supports; WHEREAS; the Flamborough Food Bank (Carlisle) and Food with Grace (Waterdown) continue to struggle to meet the food security needs of the local community; and, WHEREAS; the Tastebuds nutritious lunch program at Waterdown District High School has had a dramatic increase in students participating in the program. THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: (a) That a grant BE PROVIDED to the Flamborough Food Bank and funded from the Ward 15 Non Property Tax Revenue Account (3301609615) at an upset limit, including contingency, not to exceed $12,000; (b) That a grant BE PROVIDED to Food with Grace and funded from the Ward 15 Non Property Tax Revenue Account (3301609615) at an upset limit, including contingency, not to exceed $12,000; (c) That a grant BE PROVIDED to the Waterdown District High School Tastebuds Student Lunch Program and funded from the Ward 15 Non Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 28 of 38 Property Tax Revenue Account (3301609615) at an upset limit, including contingency, not to exceed $5000; and, (d) That the Mayor and City Clerk BE AUTHORIZED and DIRECTED to approve and execute all required agreements and ancillary documents, with such terms and conditions in a form sati

WHEREAS, Flamborough Connects is a registered charity proudly providing free and low-cost Seniors Service and Community Service to residents of Flamborough. We serve residents who may be geographically isolated, socially isolated, vulnerable, physically challenged, financially disadvantaged or new to Flamborough, encouraging them to be engaged, active and empowered; WHEREAS, the Flamborough Connects’ free Income Tax Program supports low income Flamborough residents by providing no-cost tax preparation and filing for individuals earning under $40,000 and couples under $55,000 with simple tax situations; WHEREAS; many of the people served rely solely on Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS), often living on less hen $20,000 annually – some on under $10,000 – making the cost and complexity of filing a significant barrier; WHEREAS, by partnering with the Canada Revenue Agency’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, we help residents remain compliant while Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 29 of 38 ensuring they can access critical benefits such as GST and Trillium rebates, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and maintain eligibility for subsidized housing; WHEREAS, with the average Canadian appending $130 annually to file taxes, this program removes a financial and technological barrier for vulnerable residents, man

WHEREAS, the Healthy Education About Relationship project at Waterdown District High School continues to attract a lot of students’ attention; WHEREAS, the Program has continued to focus on value-based engagement to promote healthy nongender violence and awareness of youth dating violence; WHEREAS, engaging young males has historically been a challenge; WHEREAS, McMaster Social Psychology department students have evaluated male engagement in the HEART program determining the need for a targeted Pilot entitled GUYS WITH HEART; WHEREAS, this pilot will sponsor monthly Lunch and Learn sessions featuring key influencers identified by W.D.H.S. students; WHEREAS, the curriculum will move beyond gender-based violence talks to include a focus on Healthy Masculinity, Mental Health and a Business Base for healthy relationships (while building strong connections and enhance success); and, WHEREAS, the overall objective is to create a safe male space to explore and discuss the root causes of gender-based violence. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: (a) That a grant BE PROVIDED to Healthy Youth Network (HEART) in support of Guys with Heart and funded from the Ward 15 Non-Property Tax Revenue Account (3301609615) at an upset limit, including contingency, not to exceed $10,000; and, (b) That the Mayor and City Clerk BE AUTHORIZED and DIRECTED to approve and execute all required agreements and ancillary documents, with such terms and conditions in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. Result: M

WHEREAS, the Waterdown District High School (W.D.H.S.) continues to collaborate with Indigenous partners through Ontario’s only high school Treaty Study Program, WHEREAS, this partnership finds expression in two major led projects, namely; the Museum of Hope and the Souharissen Natural Area, a nationally recognized 55-acre space established in Waterdown by the Mississauga’s of the Credit Nation and students from W.D,H.S., WHEREAS, the natural was originally dedicated by Chief Byran Laforme and Lieutenant Governor David C. Onkey on August 21st, 2014 and has once been visited by many dignitaries, including Chiefs and Lieutenant Governors, WHEREAS, the previous “Ponds Program” enhanced the historical significance of the Trail and was re-dedicated by Chief Sult and Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor the Honourable Edith Dumont, WHEREAS, the W.D.H.S. students are continuing to work collaboratively through the Treaties Studies Program, Rick Hill Sr. (aabbwad) 6 Nations and the Mississauga’s of the New Credit, desire to create a sit down gathering please for reflection and ongoing dialogue, WHEREAS, this Gathering Space will be facilitated by the placement of four directional benches; and, WHEREAS, the Ward 15 Community Council continues to endorse the importance of this historic and sacred spaces. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: (a) That a grant BE PROVIDED to support the installation of four (4) benches through the City of Hamilton Bench Program funded from the Ward 15 Please refer to the A

WHEREAS, the Flamborough Archives, a voluntary group, continues to provide a valuable service to the people of Ward 15 and beyond; WHEREAS, the Archives is managed by a full-time volunteer professional archivist; WHEREAS, the Community is wanting to continue the existing partnership relationship with the Waterdown District High School student sponsors of the award-winning Museum of Hope (a veteran’s memorial); WHEREAS, it is of continuing importance to affirm the ongoing and developing interests in local history in both the student and broader community; WHEREAS, the reduction in the provision of Federal grants is placing additional challenges to the ongoing work of the Archives making the provision of important and necessary archival work with student support even more important; Please refer to the April 22, 2026 Council minutes for the disposition of these matters. General Issues Committee April 15, 2026 Minutes – GIC 26-006 Page 33 of 38 WHEREAS, infrastructure changes are impacting the phone and computer services previously available causing unanticipated fiscal pressures on both Flamborough Connects and Flamborough Archives; WHEREAS, that acquisition of two new computers to replace the two units and monitors owned by the library and to provide for the installation of new Bell Canada services as well as an upgrade to the Windows 11 Pro system is necessary to enable the ongoing work of the Archives; and, WHEREAS, the hiring of the traditional student summer employee is pi

That the Rules of Order BE SUSPENDED to allow for the introduction of a Motion respecting Opposition to Provincial Consolidation of Conservation Authorities – REVISED. Result: MOTION,