Timeline of Events

Approvals and permitting for the Red Hill Valley Parkway occurred in 1985, with the remaining planning, consultation, and construction occurring over the next 20 years. The Red Hill Valley Parkway itself opened to the public on November 17, 2007.

Issues that led to the Red Hill Valley Parkway Judicial Inquiry extend back to 2013, when an independent consulting firm, Tradewind Scientific Ltd, conducted friction testing. This testing and its results were later delivered as a consultant’s report to a City staff member in 2014 and then became available to members of Hamilton City Council in 2019.

On April 24, 2019, Hamilton City Council formally requested that the Chief Justice of Ontario appoint a Superior Court judge to investigate issues related to the failure to disclose the consultant’s report in a timely manner.

Detailed timeline of events

December 6, 2023 - City of Hamilton staff recommended next steps on response to Red Hill Valley Parkway Judicial Inquiry’s final report to Hamilton City Council.

November 29, 2023 - Red Hill Valley Parkway Judicial Inquiry final report released.

March 22 & 24, 2023 - Parties deliver oral closing submissions. The City of Hamilton and other participants to Inquiry submit closing submissions on the key issues following Phase Two.

February 2023 - Phase Two of the Inquiry’s Hearing is completed, related to expert evidence.

November 3, 2022 - Phase One of the Inquiry’s Hearing is completed, focusing on fact-based evidence. Evidence from 69 fact witnesses is received over the course of 78 days.

May 17, 2021 - City of Hamilton reduces the speed limit on both sides of the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) between Dartnall Rd and Greenhill Ave to 80km/hr. This change means that the speed limit on the entire length of the RHVP will now be 80km/hr between the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway and the Queen Elizabeth Way.

July 13, 2020 - The City of Hamilton completes its document production process.

January 9, 2020 - Public gathered for a meeting to hear more about the Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry from Commissioner Mr. Justice Wilton-Siegel and Inquiry counsel.

July 2019 - Repaving is completed on Red Hill Valley Parkway.

May 2019 - Repaving begins on Red Hill Valley Parkway.

May 2019 - The Honourable Mr. Justice Herman J. Wilton-Siegel is appointed to preside over the Inquiry.

April 24, 2019 - City Council passes a resolution requesting the Chief Justice of Ontario to appoint a Superior Court judge to investigate matters related to the disclosure of the friction report. The resolution establishes the Inquiry.

March 20, 2019 - Hamilton City Council decided to pursue a Judicial Inquiry as the preferred route to investigate the matter of the Tradewind Scientific report assessing friction on the RHVP and how it came to the attention of Council and the public.

February 6, 2019 - City Council receives information regarding a report by Tradewind Scientific Ltd. related to friction testing on the Red Hill Valley Parkway. The Report states that the friction levels are below the investigatory level based on guidelines from the United Kingdom and recommend further investigation and potential remedial work in the future. Council is advised that the public and Council may have received inconsistent information regarding the Tradewind Report in the past in the face of speculations regarding slippery conditions on the Red Hill and its impact on collisions.

2015 - CIMA, a consulting engineering services firm and the City of Hamilton’s safety consultant, completes a detailed safety review of the Red Hill Valley Parkway. CIMA identifies potential countermeasures to improve the safety performance of the Parkway. The majority of countermeasures are implemented over the following two years. CIMA concludes a combination of high speeds and wet surface may be the primary contributing factors to collisions on the Parkway. The City implements immediate measures to combat excessive speeding on the Parkway, including signage and police enforcement.

2015 - Deaths of Jordyn Hastings and Olivia Smosarki.

End of 2014 - City of Hamilton determines review of the entire Red Hill Valley Parkway by CIMA, its safety consultant, necessary.

2014 - Deaths of Aaron Haire and Kristine Williams.

2014 - City of Hamilton receives Tradewinds Report related to friction testing on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

2013 - Tradewind Scientific Ltd., completes friction testing on Red Hill Valley Parkway.

2013 - CIMA, a consulting engineering services firm and the City of Hamilton’s safety consultant, completes safety review of a segment of the Red Hill Valley Parkway. Evidence from the report indicates that no urgent or significant safety issues are identified during the review, and that the portion reviewed for the study was operating safely. The City implements countermeasures to improve the safety performance of the Parkway. Following CIMA’s review, the City continues to monitor collisions on the Parkway.

November 17, 2007 - The Red Hill Valley Parkway opens to the public.

October 16, 2007 - The Ontario Ministry of Transportation conducts friction testing on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

October 11, 2007 - The Lincoln Alexander Parkway and Red Hill Valley Project Sustainability Plan is finalized recommending skid resistance testing should take place every two years and that there should be a surface condition survey completed annually. 

August 13, 2007 - Dufferin Construction Company completes the Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) paving on the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

June 5, 2007 - A Red Hill Valley Parkway information update is sent to City Council, with a status of paving and outlines that the project involves perpetual pavement.

May 29, 2007 - Dufferin Construction Company commences paving.

July 12, 2006 - The Committee of the Whole of City Council recommends awarding the Red Hill Valley Parkway mainline paving contract PW-06-243 (RHV) to Dufferin Construction Company as the low bidder. The paving contract was to be completed by October 26, 2007.

May 10, 2006 - City of Hamilton issues an addendum to contract no. PW-06-243 (RHV) requiring approval of a trial section prior to placement of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) or Rich Bottom Mix (RBM).

April 25, 2006 - City of Hamilton releases the notice of tender and tender for contract (PW-06-243 [RHV]) mainline paving – Mud Street Interchange to QEW interchange with a closing date of May 25, 2006.

December 2005 - The Ontario Ministry of Transportation sets out its concerns with freshly laid Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) on the Red Hill Valley Parkway due to low initial friction values with recently constructed SMA.

May 2005 - City of Hamilton officially changes the name of the Red Hill Creek Expressway to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

January 2005 - City of Hamilton moves forward with third party (Golder) feasibility study on using perpetual pavement on the Red Hill Valley Expressway.

March 25, 2003 - Red Hill Valley Parkway’s project charter (first version) sets out the roles and responsibilities of City of Hamilton staff involved in planning and construction.

April 2, 2002 - City Council establishes the Expressway Implementation Committee (renamed in 2005 to the Parkway Implementation Committee) and appoints seven councilors to the Committee. The Committee is to work with City staff on the implementation of the detailed design, construction and monitoring phase of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

2002 - The Federal Government announces it will not pursue the case to the Supreme Court.

2001 - The Federal Appeal Court upholds the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth’s legal position that it was too late to apply the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to the Expressway project.

1999 - The Federal Government subjects the Expressway to a Panel Review under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. In response, the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth initiated a judicial review application.

1997 & 1998 - The Region of Hamilton-Wentworth completes the Red Hill Creek Watershed Plan and circulates a series of draft technical/summary reports for public/government comment.

1997 - The Ontario Minister of Environment and Energy issues the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth a declaration order that supported their impact assessment process that aims at reducing the environmental and social consequences of the Expressway design approved in 1985.

1997 - The Lincoln Alexander Parkway, the east-west leg, opens.

1995 - Provincial funding was reinstated for the north-south leg of the Expressway.

1993 - The Provincial Government retains a third party to develop a more ecologically sound alternative to the Red Hill Valley Expressway. The proposal involves building a four-lane controlled access arterial along the Valley, employing cut and cover design where possible, connects the new roadway to a four-lane Woodward Avenue. The Region of Hamilton-Wentworth dismisses the proposal citing environmental, transportation and financial concerns.

1990 - The Region of Hamilton-Wentworth initiates physical Expressway construction in Red Hill Valley. Later in 1990, Provincial funding was withdrawn for the north-south leg of the project. Funding for the east-west leg remained.

1987 - The Ontario Cabinet approves funding for the project.

1985 - The joint Ontario Municipal Board and Environmental Assessment Board approves the Expressway and ordered all relevant approvals and permits to be issued by agencies of the Provincial Government.