Hamilton back on track to open outdoor shelter in December after province stopped work, city says

Construction will start back up at Hamilton's first outdoor shelter after the Ministry of Labour ordered it to stop last month, says the city. 

Staff met all requirements as of Friday, says a communication update to council. Work is expected to resume on Monday with the city aiming to have the shelter open by Dec. 20. 

Located at Barton-Tiffany lands in central Hamilton, the outdoor shelter will include 40 tiny homes to temporarily house about 80 people.

It will cost about $7 million to set up and provide supports and services there for a year. 

The city faced a potential setback when the ministry issued an order after an inspector visited the property at 259 Caroline St. on Nov. 19. 

The order requires the city to register the project with the ministry, hire a general contractor, compile a list of "designated substances" that workers could be exposed to on the job, and appoint a supervisor. 

Since then, the city has hired Rankin Construction Inc. to lead and register the project, says the update. The city has also provided it with a list of all designated substances workers could be exposed to on the contaminated site. 

The Ministry of Labour received another complaint about signal work being done nearby, the update says. 

An inspector went to that site at the corner of Caroline and Barton Streets on Nov. 26, 2024, and found it was a separate issue that required no orders, says the city update.

Ongoing work in the area also includes signal and pedestrian upgrades at Barton and Tiffany Streets and Caroline and Stuart Streets, as well as resurfacing of Caroline Street.

Next steps at the shelter site include finishing the fence and laying asphalt to act as a barrier for contaminated soil before setting up the tiny homes and shared amenities.