Dozens of delegates have their say on Hamilton’s budget

Brock Bodo learned to swim at the Valley Park Community Centre. He won his first recreational hockey game at the Mohawk 4 Pad Arena. He was taught how to read and write at Janet Lee Elementary School.

I love Hamilton," Bodo, a lifelong Ward 9 resident, told councillors Monday. But the debt I have really makes me scared that I'm not going to be able to live in this city after I graduate."

The 19-year-old was one of several young speakers who urged council to give a contingent of city workers - particularly summer students - a living wage of $16.45 per hour during a budget feedback session.

Councillors voted not to increase the $14-an-hour minimum wage pay of non-union, part-time casual employees and non-union full-time summer students last March, arguing such a change would be too costly for taxpayers.

But several delegates told councillors another rejection of a proposed wage hike would be detrimental to the city's economic growth.

Living wages help cultivate worker retention," said Sharoni Mitra, a social scientist and president of CUPE 3906, which represents more than 3,000 academic workers at McMaster University. (This), of course, is valuable and a positive benefit towards the sustainability of Hamilton employers and businesses."

Aiden McIlvaney, 18, told councillors the thought of incurring thousands of dollars in student debt - and without the option of a well-paid, city job to help pay that off - keeps him up at night.

It puts people like myself off from going to post-secondary school," he said. Just because students are students, doesn't mean they should be paid less than workers who aren't students."

More than 40 delegates were on hand to address council during Monday's virtual general issues committee.

The majority expressed support for the Just Recovery for Hamilton policy, an extensive document which boasts more than 150 recommendations for how the city can bounce back from the pandemic.

The policy, spearheaded by 11 community organizations, is spread over nine themes like affordable housing, disability and mobility justice, investing in women and tackling systemic racism, among others.

A just recovery for Hamilton must focus on the communities in the city that are experiencing the pandemic's disproportionate negative effects," said Kojo Damptey, executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion.

One recommendation Damptey pointed councillors to is a restructuring of the board of public health to include members who are women, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and those of low-income and racialized communities.

Council also heard from dozens of delegates who urged officials to reduce Hamilton police's $171-million budget by 20 per cent or about $34 million.

I am frustrated to see the continued overfunding of the police while much-needed community services and organizations are underfunded," said resident Jamie Stuckless.

Stuckless further implored council to review its community engagement process around the annual budget.

We have only this one day where community members can make delegations to council," she said, adding council should provide multiple ways for the public to chime in on budget deliberations. These engagements could occur as early as the spring or summer ... allowing feedback early in the budget process."

Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com