City Service Impacts

Services experiencing temporary disruptions

While the City is working to restore and recover from the cybersecurity incident, some services are experiencing temporary disruptions. This page is updated regularly as new information becomes available. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issue.

Accounts Payable Information for City Vendors

Vendor payments are currently in progress. The City’s Accounts Payable department is currently using Plooto as their short-term payment platform while the City transitions to a permanent solution. Plooto is a well-established, secure, and reliable platform. 

Please note, you may notice some changes in the appearance of your payments. For example, payments made by cheque will feature “Plooto” branding, along with City of Hamilton branding, and electronic fund transfers will include “Plooto” on your remittances, along with City of Hamilton branding. Rest assured that these changes will not affect the amounts you receive.

City of Hamilton Accounts Payable Payment Platform - Plooto

Vendors who have questions or require further assistance can reach out for vendor support at [email protected] or by calling Accounts Payable at 905-546-2424 ext.4633

Building & Planning

All public counters remain open including the third, fifth and sixth floors of City Hall.

Most phone lines are currently not operational; however, some have come back online:

• Building Inspection can be reached at 905-546-2424 ext. 7777
• Building General Inquiries can be reached at 905-546-2720

Staff can be reached by email, including individual work email addresses and our various general inquiry email addresses.

For general inquiries, staff can be reached at:

• Building Division: [email protected] or phone 905-546-2720
• Planning Division: [email protected]
• Development Engineering: [email protected]
• Development Construction: [email protected]
• Transportation Planning: [email protected]
• Development Charges: [email protected] 

CityHousing Hamilton

City Housing Hamilton is available.

City Housing Hamilton’s main office is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 181 Main St W 3rd Floor.

Service Disruptions:

• Phone 905-523-8496 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) and for emergencies that require immediate service, call: Answer Plus 1-844-937-2943.
• Staff have limited access to emails but will sort through non-emergency emails on a priority basis.

Payments:

• In-person payments:  CHH (CityHousing Hamilton) can accept cash, cheques, debit and money orders at our main office 181 Main St W 3rd Floor.
• Online banking payments through your financial institution are accepted.

Cemeteries

Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries Offices are currently open, and most services are available. Staff remain available to help.

Service Disruptions:

• Phone lines are currently not operational. For assistance, call 905-973-4064 for Sales or 365-378-5641 for Administrative requests.
• Genealogical information is currently not available.
• There may be some delays experienced related to services, such as burials and sales, because all transactions and contracts must be processed manually.

Child Care

Most Child Care Services remain available, and staff remain available to support.

The Child Care Fee Subsidy office located at 28 James Street North is open and available for in-person appointments. Existing Child Care Fee Subsidy clients can continue communicating with their Fee Subsidy Worker through the My Child Care Account.

Service Disruptions:

• Therapeutic referral for child care intake cannot receive faxed forms at this time. Please send therapeutic referrals by email to [email protected].
• The online Child Care Registry is not available. Please send an email to staff at one of these emails to learn more about child care programs across Hamilton:
  • Hamilton West - [email protected]
  • Hamilton East - [email protected]
  • Hamilton Mountain - [email protected]

Council & Committee Meetings

The City has returned to scheduled Council and Standing Committee meetings. Schedule of meetings is available at hamilton.ca/meetingsagendas

Meetings will continue in a hybrid fashion going forward, and requests to speak to a Committee of Council can be submitted here: Request to Speak Form 

Additional information respecting City Council is available at hamilton.ca/city-council, by contacting the Clerk’s Office at 905-546-4408, or by emailing [email protected]. 

Customer Contact Centre

The Customer Contact Centre is operational and able to take phone calls from residents at 905-546-2489 (CITY).
We ask for the public’s patience as some delays may be experienced.
Please feel free to email [email protected] for any non-urgent requests or general inquiries.

Dog Licenses

New dog licences and renewals of existing ones can be processed in person at all Municipal Service Centres, as well as at the City of Hamilton Animal Services located at 247 Dartnall Road. Please note that purchasing new licenses or renewing existing ones online is not an option at this time. Payments can be accepted over the phone.

All late fees for license renewals are currently being waived and will continue to be waived until 30 days after the City’s online renewal portal is restored.

Emergency Services

Emergency Services remain operational. Please call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing an emergency or crisis.

Computer Aided Dispatch for Fire is functional again as the back end systems have been restored.
Burn Permits - Available to purchase at Municipal Service Centres. For more information visit the Open Air Burning Permits 

Service Disruptions:

• Fire Prevention Service Requests

Engineering Services

Service Disruptions:

• Public Requests for Municipal Act water and/or sewer connection are unavailable.
• Online Drawing Requests through SPIDER are unavailable.
• Right-of-Way Permitting review times are delayed due to associated online tool availability; however, permits are still being processed for the following:
  • Road Closure Permits, Occupancy Permits, Truck Oversize Permits, Access Permits, Encroachment Permits
  • Municipal Consent (Utility Installations)
  • Special Utilities Program (Utility Installations)
  • Excavation Permits (Road Cuts)

Forestry Horticulture

Service Disruptions:

The Memorial Bench and Tree Program is paused; however, staff can still take requests through [email protected]

Freedom of Information

The City continues to accept FOI applications by mail and in person at City Hall.

Payment of the $5 application fee can be made by cheque, payable to the City of Hamilton or by cash at City Hall. 

Services Disruptions:

• The City may not be able to be able to respond to your FOI application within the prescribed timelines. We are continuing to log all requests.
• Responses may be delayed. We appreciate your patience.

Garbage & Recycling

Garbage, Green Bin, Bulk Pick Up and Leaf & Yard Waste collection programs are operational.

All Transfer Stations/Community Recycling Centres are now accepting all forms of payment.

The 2024/2025 Recycling & Waste Information Guide along with 12 green trash tags were recently mailed out to residents. To request a guide or to request your additional 14 trash tags, please visit a Municipal Service Centre or City Hall, or call 905-546-2489 (CITY). Please be advised the online form to request additional trash tags is not available at this time.

Service Disruptions:

The following online tools for waste and recycling are down:

• Replacement Green Bin or Blue Box Online Application
• Waste Special Consideration Request
• Ordering Additional Trash Tags Request
• Request Bulk Pick Up Online Form

GIS Systems (City mapping)

Service Disruptions:

All City of Hamilton GIS systems are currently down. The City’s website mapping is unavailable, including access to:

• Interactive Zoning Mapping
• Find My Ward

Hamilton Public Library

All Hamilton Public Library branches are open. Most services, programs and online resources are available. Visit www.hpl.ca for service, event, and program updates.

• Public Wi-Fi is available at most branches except the Ancaster Branch
• Website log-in, the HPL app and online catalogue is available
• Online Holds can be placed
• Online eResources are available
• Some Makerspace services are available at select locations
• Automatic check-ins are operating
• Photocopying is available at all branches except for Central Library and the Terryberry, Concession, and Dundas Branches 
• Printing is available at Ancaster, Barton, Central, Concession, Dundas, Locke, Kenilworth, Mount Hope, Parkdale, Saltfeet, Sherwood, Stoney Creek, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park, Waterdown, and Westdale Branches
• Public computers are available at Central Library's First Floor, Barton and Sherwood Branches. Testing is underway at all Branches at this time
• Extended Access is now available at the Carlisle, Freelton, Greensville, and Lynden branches.

Library Staff is available by email at [email protected], online chat or phone 289-779-7588

Service Disruptions:

These library services are currently not available:

• Public computers at all locations except Central Library First Floor, Barton and Sherwood branches.
• Photocopying is available at all branches except for Central Library and the Terryberry, Concession, and Dundas Branches. Scanning is not yet available.
• Some Makerspace services 

New! Housing Services

• Home Individuals and Family Information System (HIFIS), a database that supports the day-to-day operational activities of agencies across the local homeless-serving sector to ensure coordinated service delivery by allowing access, collection, and sharing of real-time client information so that individuals and families needing support are prioritized and referred to appropriate services, has been restored.
• Housing Services can be reached by phone 905-546-3901, Fax 905-546-2762 and email [email protected]

Job Postings & Recruitment

Our online job applications portal is now active, and we are accepting resumes for a variety of opportunities.

• New jobs are posted every Thursday and close on Wednesdays at 4 pm.
• If you applied for a job the week before the incident, it is likely that your resume has not yet been reviewed by Human Resources. Please watch for our job opportunities in the coming weeks as we continue to resume our recruitment activities.

Licensing

The City of Hamilton recognizes the inconvenience this situation has caused residents. Where possible, the City will be waiving any late fees.

• Phone: 905-546-2489
• Email: [email protected]

Service Disruptions:

• Online Dog Licensing (new & renew)
• Business Licensing/Permit Payments
• Online Marriage Licence Applications

Long-term Care Homes

Macassa and Wentworth lodges are fully functional with all aspect of care occurring.

Service Disruptions:

The lodges are unable to receive phone calls via their main lines. Residents, families and all others are asked to please contact either:

• Macassa Lodge reception at [email protected] or call 905-973-3954 (Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm)
• Wentworth Lodge reception at [email protected] or call 365-323-3828 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)

Marriage Ceremonies and Licenses

Weddings at City Hall are continuing to be performed with no disruptions during regular hours – Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

• Manual marriage licenses available – Municipal Service Centres and Citizen Service Centre (City Hall) Monday – Friday 8:30 am until 4:30 pm (Dundas and Flamborough closed on Fridays).

Municipal Addressing & Street Name Changes

Service Disruptions:

• Phone lines are currently not operational. For questions or address/street name change requests, please email [email protected].
• Please note that response times may be delayed.
• Addressing / Street Name Change requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Preliminary Address Notification Letters may be issued in certain situations.
• Official Address Notification Letters cannot be issued at this time but will be once services are back online.

Municipal Parking Lot Permits Pre-Authorized Payments (PAP)

The Hamilton Municipal Parking System has resumed pre-authorized payment (PAP) withdrawals for most PAP Municipal Parking permit holders on a revised payment schedule. 

Due to the cybersecurity incident on February 25, 2024, pre-authorized payments were temporarily suspended as City staff could not access permit holder records. We thank Municipal Parking permit holders for their patience and cooperation. Now that records have been recovered, the City of Hamilton can restart pre-authorized payment withdrawals. 

To ease the transition, Hamilton Municipal Parking System has developed a revised payment plan to catch up on the missed pre-authorized payments in staggered intervals, helping to minimize financial hardship for pass holders. The last withdrawal should have been made on February 1, 2024, prior to the cybersecurity incident. The revised schedule is provided below.

Revised Schedules

Payments for new and existing permit holders: 

• August 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on August 19
• September 1 withdrawal will now be withdrawn on September 3
• October 1 withdrawal will now be withdrawn on October 15
• November 1 withdrawal will now be withdrawn on November 12
• December 1 withdrawal will now be withdrawn on December 9

Catch-up payments for existing permit holders:

• March 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on September 16
• April 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on September 30
• May 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on October 28
• June 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on November 25
• July 1 deferred withdrawal will now be withdrawn on December 23

Regular withdrawal schedules will resume in 2025, with payments processed on the first working day of each month.

Insufficient Funds 

For Bank accounts that do not have sufficient funds to cover the PAP withdrawal amount, an automatic reattempt withdrawal will occur within 7 to 10 business days. If you cannot deposit the necessary funds in your account in time for the second withdrawal attempt, you will incur an NSF fee from your bank. The City will credit your permit for NSF charges for the revised PAP withdrawal schedule period from August 19, 2024 and December 31, 2024.

Cancelled/New Permits 

For cancelled permits or new permits, the Hamilton Municipal Parking Systems will only deduct payments for outstanding amounts owed based on the permit’s start date. Please refer to the revised schedule for the withdrawal dates. 

For more information, please email [email protected] or call 905-546-2489.

Municipal Service Centres and Citizen Service Centre (City Hall)

Municipal Service Centres and the Citizen Service Centre are open and offering service, with some limitations.

Examples of available services include parking tickets, administrative penalties and provincial offence payments (within the due date), blue bins, trash tags and waste calendars, marriage licences, taxi scripts and Presto, burn permits,  and migrant farm payments.

Service Disruptions:

• Marriage licences, burn permits, and animal licences are being completed manually.

Museums & Heritage Facilities

Museums and Heritage Facilities are fully operational. Museum programming and tours continue uninterrupted.

Service Disruptions:

• Tour tickets for Museum and Heritage Facilities must be purchased online through the Hamilton Civic Museums webpage
• At this time, we are currently not able to accept debit or credit payments in person
• Please call 905-978-1443 for bookings or information

Online City Services

Service Disruptions:

Ontario Works and Special Supports

All Ontario Works offices, including the Special Supports program, remain open to the public.

Monthly payments are being issued as scheduled.

Ontario Works staff can now respond to messages and documents submitted through MyBenefits.

Contact Information:

• Ontario Works: 905-546-4800 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
• Special Supports: 905-546-2590  8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday or email [email protected] for any questions and/or if you require a Low Income or Fare Assist Program Application.
• The City of Hamilton Subsidy and Support Programs Application website is now available, including the Low Income and Fare Assist Program applications. Apply online at specialsupportsbenefits.hamilton.ca

Service Disruptions:

• Communications through direct phone extensions are impacted.
• Faxes are not available.

Property Taxes

The instalment due dates of July 2 and September 30, 2024 remain unchanged.

Taxpayers can make payments at their bank (at their branch or through online banking) or by mail. Payments by cash or cheque can also be made at the City's Municipal Service Centres.

The City of Hamilton has resumed pre-authorized withdrawals on all Pre-Authorized Payment (PAP) plans. Taxpayers will have their taxes withdrawn based on the PAP plan they are on.

Service Disruptions:

• Lawyers requiring tax certificates for closings will need to plan to readjust after closing once the disruption has been resolved.

The following online property tax tools for taxation are down:

• eBilling Portal
• Property Inquiry Tool
• Tax.Hamilton.ca

For any general property tax inquiries please email [email protected] or phone 905-546-2489.

For property ownership changes please email [email protected]

Provincial Offences Administration Office

The Provincial Offences Office at 50 Main Street East is open.

• To check the status of your ticket or fine, please visit Ontario.ca/ticketsandfines.
• Payments can be made in person, by mail, by phone or online at Paytickets.ca. 
• Courts are running as scheduled.
• The POA phone lines are now active. Please call 905-540-5592 to speak to a court Administration Clerk.

Public Health Services

Most Public Health Services' programs, services and intake lines have been restored. For contact information and to connect with specific programs, please visit Public Health Services , or call the Customer Contact Centre at 905-546-2489 (CITY).

Our health care partners can continue to follow the Medical Advisories that have been issued about reporting infectious diseases, vaccines, and environmental health issues.

Service Disruptions:

• Public Health Services continues to experience a delay in web-based reporting of disease statistics and inspection disclosures.

Recreation/Senior Centres, Arenas, Golf Courses

Recreation / Senior Centres and Arenas are fully operational, and Customer Service counters are now able to process card payments in addition to payments by cash and cheque.

Admission fees for Recreation drop-in programs (e.g., drop-in pool, skating, basketball, etc.), membership sales and renewals have resumed.

For questions about recreation programming or should you need assistance, please visit a recreation facility directly.

Red Hill Family Centre

The Red Hill Family Centre is fully operational.

Service Disruptions:

• The main phone line for the Red Hill Family Centre is currently down. Please contact the onsite Supervisor directly should you need assistance.

Transit

Transit Services are operational.

Service Disruptions

• Effective June 23, on-board bus stop annunciators are working again. If your bus does not have a functioning annunciator, please let the Bus Operator know and request help if you need it. 
• Effective July 12, we are pleased to let you know that real-time trip-planning information has been restored on third-party trip planning tools like Google and Transit. Trip planning in the Apple app will resume shortly, once enabled by Apple.
• The HSRnow App is currently unavailable.
• The Bus Check phone line 905-527-4441 is currently not operational.
• Current bus schedules are now available on third-party trip planning tools like Google, Apple and Transit. 

Water and Wastewater

• The City’s water, wastewater and stormwater operations are unaffected by the cybersecurity incident.
• Some delays to some Hamilton Water programs and support services should be expected.
• Water bills for some customers may be processed using estimated values for metered water consumption
• Customers with questions about their water bills should contact Alectra Utilities at 1-833-ALECTRA (1-833-253-2872).