Federal government pauses unpopular plan to block public from Burlington Canal piers

The federal government has backed off plans to block public access to the Burlington Canal piers - at least for now.

Liberal Hamilton MP Bob Bratina told residents at a virtual public meeting Thursday that Transport Canada has agreed to pause the planned installation of steel gates that would have prevented pedestrians from using the 321-metre concrete walkways into Lake Ontario.

The barriers had been scheduled to go up as early as next week.

Bratina said the government has promised not to construct any obstructive devices" until ongoing negotiations over how to safely manage the popular-but-wave-battered piers are resolved.

In December, The Spectator first reported Transport Canada's controversial plans to fence off the piers that flank the shipping canal into Hamilton Harbour over safety worries. Bratina said specific liability concerns are linked to a fall injury lawsuit from 2017.

The impending ban outraged residents on both sides of the canal that splits Hamilton and Burlington, spurring the creation of a Save Our Piers group and a House of Commons petition that now has nearly 1,900 signatures.

Group founder Matt Francis called the reprieve huge news for the community" - but also just a first step" toward permanent public access. We're not letting this go," he said after the meeting.

Other residents shared stories at the meeting about why they value access to the piers.

Ruth Van Horne said she walked to the end of the piers last fall to spread the ashes of her husband, Philip, in the lake at his request.

The 82-year-old said the piers were a special place" for Philip, who fished smelt from the concrete walkways from boyhood and enjoyed boating through the shipping canal.

He absolutely loved it when the (lift) bridge had to raise just for our little sailboat to go through," she recalled with a laugh. I know exactly where I was standing when we spread his ashes and that's where I will go to remember him ... For me not to be able to go down there would be just terrible."

Signs urging pedestrians to stay off the concrete walkways are already posted, but Bratina said he intends to keep fighting to maintain what he called an important historical legacy" of public pier access.

A wild card in the ultimate fate of the piers is the possible transfer of ownership to the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority.

The port has previously acknowledged very preliminary" talks about a possible pier takeover.

It has also previously sought citizen feedback about a prospective public access makeover for the entire Fisherman's Pier" canal area that could include food stands and entertainment.

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com