Hamilton’s Public Works Department 2019 budget presentation highlights

Hamilton, ON – Earlier today, Hamilton City Council’s General Issues Committee considered the 2019 budget from the Public Works department. General Manager, Dan McKinnon, outlined how Public Works provides services that bring Hamilton to life – including corporate facility management, infrastructure rehabilitation, roads operations, parks and green space maintenance, transit, and waste management, which are essential to the lives of residents and visitors to the City. The presentation also included a summary of 2018 accomplishments, measures of success, and a look ahead at major initiatives in 2019. 

The preliminary 2019 operating budget request showed an increase of 4.6 per cent or $10.6 million, which includes an increase of $9.2 million for Transit.

Highlights of major initiatives in Public Works in 2019, pending Council approval, will include implementing year four of the 10 Year Transit Strategy, a major rehabilitation project on Locke Street, resurfacing of the Red Hill Valley Parkway, implementation of year seven of the 10-year Emerald Ash Borer program and year two of the Gypsy Moth Control Program, rehabilitation of six bridges, and upgrades to the road and cycle track on Cannon Street.

Quick facts about Public Works in 2018

• Rehabilitated 17km of sewers and 5.4 km of watermains
• Completely rehabilitated 15.7 lane kilometers of roadway and paved almost 260 lane kilometers – including $12 million in road resurfacing “shave and pave” projects
• Converted 16,834 street lights from high pressure sodium to LED
• Installed 24 new AODA compliant audible pedestrian signals
• Completed the first year of the Gypsy Moth Control Program
• Undertook major facility projects at the Provincial Offences Administration Offices, the Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre, the Gage Park Tropical Greenhouse and the J.L Grightmire Arena
• Completed construction of stage 3 at the Glanbrook Landfill
• Constructed 20 new hectares of parkland
• Installed six new and four replacement play structures in City parks
• Planted 11,731 trees as part of the City-Wide Tree Planting Program
• Beautified 313 floral traffic islands, 73 roundabouts, 120 perennial medians, 79 civic buildings, 794 hanging baskets, and grew 250,000 plants

Council is expected to consider approval for the final operating budget in March.

Additional Resources

• Read more about the focus of the 2019 Budget