FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2019
Environment Hamilton shocked & dismayed over AMD appeal of Ministry Order
Environment Hamilton is shocked and dismayed to learn that ArcelorMittal Dofasco appears to be putting its corporate interests ahead of the health of the community and the environment. In our regular scan of the on-line listing of hearings scheduled before Ontario’s Environmental Review Tribunal, we noticed a posting for an appeal filed on March 14th by a company listed as ‘AMDMP’ against a Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks (MECP) Director’s Order. We have confirmed that the company is ArcelorMittal Dofasco and that they are appealing an MECP Director’s Order issued on March 5th, 2018.
We requested and now have copies of that Director’s Order and associated Provincial Officer’s Report. The company is appealing a Provincial Director’s Order that was issued in the aftermath of the horrible blast furnace upset that took place on February 25th of this year (see photo below). The documents also reveal that another incident occurred at the same blast furnace on February 1st. The purpose of the order was to acquire additional information from the company regarding the root cause analysis of the upset in order for the MECP, as the regulator, to be able to take steps to ensure that another such incident does not occur, as explained in the Provincial Officer’s Report:
As a result of two incidents in one month, it is necessary for the Ministry to have information related to the cause of these events in order to determine and assess appropriate measures to prevent reoccurrence of a discharge from the #4 blast furnace that may cause an adverse effect including particulate fallout on residential areas causing loss of enjoyment of normal use of property or other adverse effects.
The MECP explains further that:
As a result of these incidents, the Ministry requested the Company provide supporting information into the cause(s) of the events including what actions caused the furnace to slip and details on actions taken by the Company in response. The Company responded with some information that the Ministry requested on the events however claimed that the root cause analysis for the events is privileged and cannot be provided to the Ministry. (emphasis added)
The company’s failure to provide the root cause analysis combined with their subsequent response to the Director’s Order – to appeal it rather than provide the information the MECP needs to do its job – is extremely disturbing. Environment Hamilton will be seeking status in the appeal hearing in order to ensure that community voices are heard as part of this process and we will be encouraging other community organizations and community members to do the same.
For more information contact:
Lynda Lukasik, Environment Hamilton
TEL: (905) 549-0900
EMAIL: [email protected]
*Copies of the Director’s Order and Provincial Officer’s Report are available on request
Photo provided by a Hamilton Beach Community Member
Friendly Streets Hamilton Toolkit
For Immediate Release
February 27th, 2018
A project of Environment Hamilton and Cycle Hamilton, Friendly Streets Hamilton has been working in the neighbourhoods of Beasley, Gibson & Landsdale (GALA), and Keith to engage residents, businesses, and community institutions in dialogue and action to create better conditions for walking and biking, particularly for vulnerable road users, as well as improve street vibrancy in these areas.
As part of this year-long pilot in 2017, a toolkit for community engagement has been developed which focuses on creating better streets for those who walk, bike, or have other mobility concerns.
"The Friendly Streets toolkit really pulls together what we've been exploring all of last year, that is, the best methods of engagement to enable community members, collaborators, and organizational stakeholders in sharing their concerns and figuring out solutions together, as neighbours," says Beatrice Ekoko, Project Manager.
“We are very excited about the potential of this toolkit because it provides practical tools for community members,” says Elise Desjardins, Project Manager. “There has been a lot of interest in the project and toolkit because Hamiltonians want and deserve streets that are safe and enjoyable to experience. A lot of people have been working to address small pieces of the larger picture, so we’ve worked hard to bring together diverse stakeholders in order to collaborate and achieve a common vision.”
Friendly Streets heard from over 200 community members: residents, neighbourhood associations, businesses, people who walk or bike to commute or for pleasure, community organizations, City of Hamilton staff, and major community institutions. Many tools that were tested to engage these groups were developed by the Friendly Streets team and other collaborators, but many were also existing tools that were adapted to better serve the context of active transportation in Hamilton.
The toolkit is divided into 14 modules and includes sections on understanding the City's traffic calming and management policies, building support for your friendly streets ideas, case studies, an interactive "desire map," tips for business owners, additional active transportation resources, and tips to start your own neighbourhood working group like a "Friendly Streets Cafe”.
It is a living document that will be frequently updated with additional tools, information pertaining to city services or plans, and resources.
Download the Friendly Streets Toolkit here.
Background
Friendly Streets works towards:
- Gaining a better understanding of community challenges and opportunities related to neighbourhood mobility in Hamilton’s downtown core
- Identifying the best engagement tools to bring together community members and stakeholders to share concerns and explore solutions together
- Creating a strong foundation for long-term partnerships with a broad network of stakeholders and residents of all backgrounds, abilities, and age groups
- Developing a web-based toolkit to share the most effective tools to engage and empower people in the creation of more walkable, bikeable, and vibrant neighbourhoods through dialogue, collaboration, and action
The project was made possible by the generous support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Funding to support the project into the next phase, as well as expand it beyond these neighbourhoods and into others across the city, is in the works. Visit the project blog for more information on the project.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Elise Desjardins, Project Manager (Cycle Hamilton)
905 549 0900
Beatrice Ekoko, Project Manager (Environment Hamilton)
