Development of Hamilton’s first out of doors shelter — together with 40 tiny properties to accommodate about 80 individuals this winter — has been halted by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour.
Town was issued an order to conform final week by the ministry. The province obtained a grievance about how work was being carried out on the Barton-Tiffany lands in central Hamilton, in accordance with a Nov. 22 workers communication replace to councillors and the mayor.
The order requires town to register the undertaking with the ministry, rent a normal contractor, compile a listing of “designated substances” that staff might be uncovered to on the job, and appoint a supervisor, the final of which town has been executed, the workers replace stated.
“Town has taken instant motion to adjust to the ministry’s order,” stated the replace.
However within the meantime, “all work on web site has been paused” whereas workers “work expeditiously” to be in compliance with provincial laws.
Council authorised the out of doors shelter in September to offer short-term housing to individuals experiencing homelessness by December. It can price about $7 million to arrange and supply helps and providers there for a 12 months.
Grievance made about substance listing
Mayor Andrea Horwath pushed for the initiative to roll out shortly, hoping it will cut back the variety of tents in parks and accommodate {couples} and folks with pets who’re much less more likely to discover indoor shelter area.
Earlier than the work was stopped, town had been getting ready the in any other case vacant and contaminated land, together with putting in fence posts, hiring safety guards and finishing a web site plan, the replace stated. Subsequent steps embody ending the fence and laying asphalt to behave as a barrier for contaminated soil earlier than establishing the tiny properties and shared facilities.
The positioning close to the CN rail yard sat empty on Nov. 25, 2024. (Justin Chandler/CBC)
The ministry’s order stated an inspector visited the property at 259 Caroline St. on Nov. 19 and met with town’s housing director, two company safety managers and two foremen putting in the fence.
The undertaking was about one per cent full, famous the order, posted to town’s web site.
The go to was prompted by a grievance in regards to the metropolis not creating a listing of designated substances earlier than starting building, the order stated.
Designated substances are chemical substances or organic brokers hazardous to employee well being. They embody mercury, lead and arsenic.
Whereas town had performed an environmental examination of the positioning, it hadn’t ready a listing to distribute earlier than looking for contractors to bid on the undertaking, the ministry’s order stated.
It additionally discovered town hadn’t registered the undertaking with the ministry earlier than beginning. It is required to take action for all tasks valued over $50,000, the order stated. The deadline to conform is Dec. 23.
