Hamilton City Council approves Roadside Memorial Policy

HAMILTON, ON – Earlier today, Hamilton City Council approved a new roadside memorial policy that will allow roadside memorials to be in place for a maximum of 18 months, as long as they do not pose a public safety hazard.

The City of Hamilton recognizes that the placement of roadside memorials at or near an accident site to commemorate victims of tragic events occurs and that the creation of these memorials can aid grieving family and friends to respectfully honour a victim’s memory.

The City of Hamilton did not previously have a policy related to roadside memorials. The creation of this policy allows for consistent and transparent requirements and expectations around the type, size, location, and duration permitted for roadside memorials.  

Memorials would have to be in a location where individuals passing by or visiting the memorial are not at risk. The memorials must meet maximum size requirements and not have any materials that can shatter or illuminate the area (such as glass, candles, solar lights, etc.) They must also not interfere with the maintenance and operation of infrastructure.

The policy outlines how the City will respectfully and transparently manage the identification, inspection and removal of memorials when required.

As per the policy, prior to removal (or alteration due to non-compliance), the City will contact and coordinate with the stewards of the memorial and in circumstances when a public contact cannot be found then the location of the memorial will be physically marked with City contact information and the date of removal. All non-perishable materials will be stored by the City at a central location for a period of 60 days.

Residents responsible for the creation of a roadside memorial are asked to provide the City with their name and contact information in case maintenance or removal of the roadside memorial is required. Residents can contact [email protected] or via phone 905-546-4376.