City of Hamilton to close additional facilities and redeploy staff to help with COVID-19 vaccine effort

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton will be closing all museums, all remaining recreation centres, municipal service centres (except City Hall) and some public service counters to redirect staffing resources to aid with vaccination efforts in the face of surging COVID-19 infections.

The closures, which will begin on December 22, are being made to give the City the staffing capacity it needs to expand booster dose vaccination capacity and protect essential services that could be impacted by expected staff illness and potential isolation/quarantine periods as COVID-19 case counts rise across the province.

These closures/cancellations come into effect on Wednesday, December 22 and include:

• All Municipal Service Centres (except City Hall)
  • Dundas Municipal Service Centre closed today due to staffing shortages
• All Recreation Centres and all indoor programming
  • Arenas are still operating at this time.
• Gage Park Greenhouse
• All Museums, including Dundurn National Historic Site
• Hamilton Business Centre counter at City Hall
• Licensing service counter at 330 Wentworth St N
• Hamilton Water service counter at 330 Wentworth St N

Residents can still access municipal services in-person at City Hall, including those at the municipal service counter, and the planning counter. Clerks Services (marriage licenses, death certificates, commissioning services, etc.) require an appointment. Residents can call 905 546 CITY (2489) for an appointment. Residents are encouraged to access municipal services online where available: www.hamilton.ca/city-council/contact-us/municipal-service-centres

“We are committed to maintaining and supporting critical services within the City of Hamilton, while simultaneously expanding resources to ensure a robust vaccine distribution is rolled out across the city. These adjustments will allow for critical resource allocation as the vaccine distribution program expands over the coming weeks.”

- Mayor Fred Eisenberger