HSR planning for possible service disruptions beginning November 4

HAMILTON, ON – As the City implements the next phase of the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Verification Policy, HSR anticipates potential service disruptions related to employees who have not yet fully complied with the policy.  At this point, HSR expects up to 10 per cent of bus operators in Hamilton to be potentially out of compliance with the policy beginning as early as November 4, 2021.

The City of Hamilton and HSR remain committed to promoting vaccination against COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of all members of our workforce and the community. To this end, HSR continues to encourage employees to comply with the policy by getting vaccinated or participating in the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program as directed.

Beginning next Thursday, November 4, all City employees who have not submitted proof of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination will enter the City’s COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program.

In order to prepare for potential service disruptions caused by employees who have not yet complied with the City’s policy, HSR is conducting contingency planning. If required, HSR will:  

• Prioritize service at the start and end of the day to ensure customers can get where they need to go
• Identify high frequency routes that may be modified where required
• Continuously monitoring affected routes to protect service

During this time, customers are encouraged to download the HSRnow app on their devices for up-to-date information and to monitor HSR’s social media channels for updates.

“The Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Verification Policy is meant to promote the benefits of getting vaccinated and ensure a healthy and safe work environment for all City staff as well as those residents visiting our facilities or interacting with City staff. As we look implement the City’s COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program, those employees who have chosen not to become vaccinated or not disclose their vaccination status to the City will need to submit their rapid test results starting on November 4. Our policy has provided City employees with a choice, while allowing the City to continue safely delivering services to the residents of Hamilton.” - Lora Fontana, Executive Director, Human Resources

“The health and safety of our staff, customers and community remains our top priority. For this reason, HSR continues to encourage employees to comply with the policy by getting vaccinated or getting tested regularly to ensure a healthy and safe environment. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause our customers and commit to sharing up-to-date information with them as soon as it becomes available.” - Maureen Cosyn Heath, Director of Transit, Hamilton Street Railway