Hamilton City Hall has green-lit an expansion aimed at helping low-income people stay cool this summer. City council approved the eligibility for a $350 subsidy to help the vulnerable purchase an air conditioner.
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During Monday’s public health meeting, council members voted to expand the eligibility of an Ontario Works, air conditioning program meant to assist low-income households at risk from summer heat as part of the city’s heat response strategy.
The program will offer a subsidy of $350 to help purchase a unit.
Ward 2 councillor Cameron Kroetch said, “I’m not going to get onto a soapbox here and say ‘this is a solution to a great problem,’ we know it’s not. It’s going to be many millions of dollars to do something like this.”
Ward 8 councillor John-Paul Danko took exception with the plan.
“My understanding is we would be handing out $350 cheques to people that qualify with no oversight that it’s actually spent on air conditioners.”
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Danko was the lone councillor who rejected expansion, over concerns including further strain on future taxpayer budgets.
However, before the vote, arguments ensued over consultation of the plan and communication between councillors and city staff when it came to presenting the motion.
“It’s inappropriate to suggest that staff are somehow supportive of motions that they are forced to write, that come forward to this table and it’s happened a number of times,” Danko said.
“This is the 4th time now it’s been suggested I’m ‘forcing’ staff to do something, the word force was used again. The point of order is about our code of conduct and about continuing to have the actions I’ve taken be described in a disparaging manner,” Kroetch said.
Mayor Andrea Horwarth responded with, “so I think the word force is the offending word. So if you could just withdraw that word force.”
Danko said, “Obligated? Required?”
Ward 1 councillor Maureen Wilson put forward an amendment for city staff to further analyze the air conditioner program, which includes tracking the money being spent on units.
Councillors also voted in favour of making Hamilton free from for-profit companies from operating centres that collect blood for pay.
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