Latest from Saira Peesker
Hamilton council votes to restart ban on tents in parks starting in March
Hamilton councillors and the mayor voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to end the city’s encampment protocol, rules dictating where people in tents could stay and not be forced to move. The vote was on a motion by Ward 14's councillor that noted an Ontario court found clearing park encampments doesn't violate Charter rights.
As tiny homes arrive in Hamilton, councillors ask why city bought made-in-China units for $35K each
When City of Hamilton staff agreed to buy 40 tiny homes from a Brantford, Ont., company, they say they didn't know MicroShelters was a new corporation that would go through an American company to order the tiny homes from China.
Even with new shelter spots in Hamilton, barriers to leaving tents remain, say encampment residents
Encampment residents say lack of availability isn't the only thing keeping them out of the shelter system. Many say they face barriers to using shelters that include fear of theft and lack of knowledge about the new sites.
Want to stop scrolling? New app by and for McMaster students aims to curb device time
LockIn founders say their app helps increase focus and eliminate distractions, while rewarding users with discounts at real-life venues near the Hamilton university.
Community rallies around 70-year-old transgender actor who lost teeth in attack near 2SLGBTQ+ bar in Hamilton
Lisa Stroud went without many teeth — and as a result, acting gigs — for seven months after being attacked in March outside The Well, Hamilton's only bar marketed to the local 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Hamilton staff to try 'experimental treatments' to reduce harbour's stinky, toxic algae blooms
City staff are working on long-term plans to prevent toxic and smelly algae blooms at the Hamilton harbour – and short-term plans to mitigate blooms when they happen – but are cautioning residents that it’s not the type of problem with a quick fix.
Keddy Access Trail, built after cyclist killed there, among Hamilton bike lanes up for provincial review
A separated bike lane up Hamilton Mountain’s Claremont Access – built after a kindergarten teacher was killed while cycling there – is one of at least 16 bike lanes that could be up for review by the province after it passed a bill aimed at protecting car lanes last week.
Hamilton man charged in 2022, 2023 sexual assaults after extradition from U.S.
A 22-year-old Hamilton man who was recently extradited from the U.S. to Canada has been charged following a two-year investigation into sexual assaults — one on a trail in 2022 and another during a 2023 home invasion — after forensic evidence found a link between the two.
Overnight warming bus service cancelled by Hamilton councillors, as they opt for new drop-in
A transit bus designated as a moving, overnight warming centre is unlikely to be on Hamilton streets this winter, after councillors voted unanimously Wednesday to replace the program with a 25-person overnight drop-in centre and additional permanent shelter beds.
Council won't ask the province to use notwithstanding clause to clear encampments
Hamilton council has defeated a motion that would have seen it join others in Ontario asking the province to override sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in order to ban encampments in parks and public spaces.