Canada Day long weekend: things to do in Hamilton

Canada Day fireworks display

Hamilton is lighting up at Bayfront and Pier 4 parks on Tuesday with fireworks display for Canada Day. The annual event draws 30,000 people to Hamilton's waterfront.

For how to get there, what to bring, what to wear and more, here are some things you need to know.

Time: Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Bayfront Park and Pier 4 Park.

Cost: free admission.

Day of Dance

Have you always wanted to try dance but don't know where to start or which style to try? Join Nuvitzo for Day of Dance on Sunday, June 29. The Hamilton dance studio is hosting free dance classes and workshops all day long. Stop by for a class or stay all day to try the following:

• Jazz Open: 10a.m.
• Contemporary Open: 11a.m.
• Salsa Open: 12:30p.m.
• Bachata Open : 1:30p.m.
• Cha Cha Open: 2:30p.m.

Time: Sunday, June 29.

Location: Nuvitzo Dance, 150 James St. S.

Cost: free.

DMC Hamilton DJ battle

Hamilton's local DJs and their counterparts from across the country will converge in This Ain't Hollywood on Saturday to compete in the 2014 Rane DMC Hamilton DJ battle. Established in 1985, the DMC DJ Competition is the longest running global DJ championship.

DJ Fresh Kils, from Toronto, is visiting Hamilton for the 2014 Rane DMC Hamilton DJ battle. (Sunnie Huang/CBC)

Each DJ will perform a six-minute set to showcase how they can use their turntables to mix, scratch, cut, beat juggle and even perform body tricks. The first-place DJ will advance to the National DMC Championships in September in addition to thousands of dollars in prize.

Among the competitors are Hamilton locals DJ Kryme Won, DJ Fed'N'it and DJ Rix. Other DJs are travelling from as far as Montreal.

For more information, contact Amir Handan at Canada@dmcworld.com.

Time: Saturday, June 28. Doors open at 9 p.m. Show starts at 10 p.m.

Location: This Ain't Hollywood, 345 James St. N.

Cost: $10 general admission

It's Your Festival

Celebrate Canada's birthday with It's your Festival, the oldest and biggest Canada Day festival in Canada and one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario. More than 150,000 people attended the festival in 2013.

The 45th edition of the festival is putting on four fun-filled days at Gage Park. There will be performances in the park throughout the long weekend. Iron Man will also make a guest appearance every day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.itsyourfestival.ca

Time: Events start at noon from June 28 to June 30 and at 2 p.m. on July 1.

Location: Gage Park.

Cost: free admission.

5th annual Oh Canada Ribfest

Come out for the ribs and stay for the live music. The five-day festival will celebrate Canada Day, local artists and, of course, tantalizing ribs. Also check out vendors in the Rotary Marketplace and family activities.

All proceeds will go to projects sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Flamborough AM and Waterdown.

For more information, visit www.ohcanadaribfest.ca

Time:

• Friday: 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Monday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: Memorial Park, Waterdown

Canada Day military tattoo

Celebrate Canada's birthday with an evening of free music at Dundurn Park. The Regimental Band of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Pipes and Drums will perform in front of Dundurn Castle. Catch a glimpse of the red coated defenders of Canada West during the Fenian Raids as the 13th Battalion Ceremonial Guard takes the field.

For more information, visit Dundurn National Historic Site's website. 

Time: 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Dundurn Park.

Cost: free.

Canada Day Pier 8 skate jam

Skate to some old school, funk and R&B music from local DJs and guest DJs at Pier 8's outdoor rink to celebrate Canada Day. 

Floor guards will be on site to guide inexperienced skaters on and off the rink if needed. A colouring station will also be available for the little ones who can't skate.

Make sure you show up in style, as there will be a prize for best dressed boy and girl.

For more information, visit the event page or call 289-808-7877

Time: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Waterfront Outdoor Rink at Pier 8, 47 Discovery Drive.

Cost: free.  

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Pedestrians narrowly escape disaster at Smithville Poultryfest

An out of control vehicle was in danger of slamming into police and pedestrians at Smithville Poultryfest over the weekend.

Instead, the car plowed into a tree on a front lawn.

It happened around 7 p.m. on Saturday, Niagara police say. Officers were directing traffic at the Poultryfest concert at the Smithville Fairgrounds when a car going east lost control coming around a bend. It skidded off the road, over the sidewalk and onto the front lawn of a home, where it hit a large, old tree and then spun into a chain link fence, police say.

"With so many pedestrians in the immediate vicinity, this collision could have been much more serious," said Sgt. Les Vuyk.

The driver, who was alone in the car, was arrested for impaired driving and taken to West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby for non-life threatening injuries. A blood sample was seized to determine the man's blood alcohol concentration, police say.

A 27-year-old Hamilton man was charged with impaired driving and dangerous operation of a vehicle.

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Live chat with expert gardeners Monday at 12:30 p.m: June 30

Get your garden growing with a live call-in conversation with Ontario Today's Ed Lawrence at 12:30 p.m.. On Monday June 30th we'll have expert gardeners Jon Peter, Claudette Sims and Marie Clarke-Davies ready to help. Join us online or by phone at 1-888-817-8995 or do both.

No gardening problem is too big to be solved by our panel of experts. Think you can stump the pro's? Give it a shot.

Every Monday at 12:30 p.m. our experts can help you with everything from stopping that critter that keeps digging up your acorn squash to getting rid of the Japanese Beetles infesting your grape vines. Plenty more too. Listen live to Ed Lawrence on Ontario Today right on this page at 12:30 p.m. Monday and and join the online conversation too.

Meet the gardeners

Our rotating group of online panelists will include Jon Peter, Curator and Manager of Plant Documentation
Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton-area master gardeners Claudette Sims and Donna Parker as well as master-gardener-in-training Marie Clarke.

Jon Peter

Jon L. Peter has diplomas in horticulture from the University of Guelph and from the prestigious Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture. Since graduating, Jon has worked at some of the finest botanical institutions in North America, including the Arnold Arboretum, The Morton Arboretum & the New York Botanical Garden. Jon is currently Curator & Manager of Plant Documentation at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Claudette Sims

Claudette Sims, a retired educator, has been a member of Halton Region Master Gardeners since 2005 and is proud to be Vice President of Master Gardeners of Ontario. She is passionate about gardening and loves to attract and observe wildlife in her garden. Over the years, she's gained a better appreciation of the role and beauty of native plants in our gardens. 

Donna Parker

Donna Parker, a retired educator with a background in Environmental Science, has been a Master Gardener since 2000.
She has worked with woody plants at Sheridan Nursery and had her own garden design and consultation business in the greater Hamilton area. She volunteers on the gardening hotlines at the Royal Botanical Gardens and for Halton Master Gardeners. Donna gardens in Ancaster and loves the challenge of designing and creating beauty among the wonderful old trees.  

Marie Clarke-Davies

Marie Clarke-Davies, an executive producer at CBC News and has been involved with Halton Master Gardeners since 2009. Her passions are creating bird—and pollinator—friendly gardens and working with native plants, though she admits to a weak spot for the garden designs of Japan and Italy. 

Send us your questions in advance through email at hamilton@cbc.ca or ask our panelists live using the comment box on this page on Monday at 12:30 p.m. at cbc.ca/hamilton. Your garden will love it if you do.

Did you know?

Master Gardeners in Ontario are experienced gardeners who have studied horticulture extensively and continue to upgrade their skills yearly through technical training. Master Gardeners start out as master gardeners in training until they complete the educational and volunteer component of the mandate.

Master gardeners and master gardeners in training provide free garden advice to the public by participating in volunteer activities such as garden advice clinics, answering questions via email and now in online chats!

Need help? Ask an expert

Live Blog Live gardening chat June 30

 

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How to stay safe on the water during boating season

Despite the busy scene at Hamilton Harbour where dozens of boats were docked for Canada Day weekend outings, Const. Marty Bushell's weekend patrol aboard The Alliance I seemed routine and quiet on a balmy Saturday. 

His partner Tom Bennett occasionally read out the water depths on the plotter to remind Bushell to avoid shallow water. The sound of the engine and the fan quickly drowned out small talk between the two Hamilton police marine unit officers. 

Mayday vs. Pan-Pan

It is not uncommon for the Mayday call to be abused. Someone once called Mayday for sea sickness, Bennett recalled. For non-life-threatening situations, people can use the phrase "Pan-Pan," which means "I need help but it's not urgent," Bushell said. 

Then a Mayday call came.

Bushell slowed down the boat, adjusted his hat and took a sip of water, as he waited for radio communication. 

"Roger. How many people are on board your vessel? Over," the coast guard was heard asking someone on the radio.

Silence. 

"Roger. Are you in any immediate danger? Over," the coast guard continued. 

Silence.

"Roger. Do you have a GPS position? Over."

More silence.

The one-way conversation, Bushell explained, suggested that the boat in distress was too far away for The Alliance to pick up its radio transmission. 

As the call appeared to come from another jurisdiction and the coast guard was responding, The Alliance resumed its patrol. 

Bushell is one of the four full-time constables of Hamilton police's marine unit. With the help of four other part-time members including Bennett, the unit provides police visibility along Hamilton's waterfront and performs search and rescue if needed.

"If there's no deterrent out there, all kinds of shenanigans are going on," Bushell said, referring to drinking and the behaviours that come with alcohol abuse. "We really don't get that here, because people see us out every day."

Proper-fitting life jacket

Nonetheless, ahead of the Canada Day celebration and the peak of the boating season, Hamilton police's marine unit wants to send a message to the public about boating safety: Wear life jackets that fit properly and stock up on adequate safety equipment. 

"Life jackets are meant to be worn," he told CBC Hamilton.

The bulky, orange life jackets invented in the 70s can be quite uncomfortable, Bushell said, but now there are better-fitting options.

In addition, choosing the right size is essential. The label inside the life jacket will show the height and weight it's designed to hold.

"A couple of times we have found people on vessels [and] while they did have life jackets, they didn't have the appropriate sizes for the people on board," Bushell said. 

An ill-fitted life jacket will easily come off when someone falls into the water, he added. 

OPP alarmed by fatalities

The lack of life jackets is also a big concern for the Ontario Provincial Police, following a spike of fatalities in recent boating incidents.

To date, there have been 11 boating deaths this year within the OPP jurisdiction, compared to five at this time last year.

The majority of these deaths were preventable, OPP said. Nine of the 11 victims were not wearing a personal floatation device (PFD) or a life jacket. Alcohol was a factor in at least three of the incidents.

"Our officers have come to expect that when they recover deceased boating victims, the overwhelming majority of them will not be wearing a PFD or life jacket," said deputy commissioner Brad Blair, commander, OPP traffic safety and operational support, in a news release.

When they're not worn, PFDs or life jackets are useless safety equipment, he added.

"Boating incidents come up very suddenly and afford no time to reach for a PFD let alone put it on before tragedy strikes."

OPP advise passengers to ask for a PFD or a life jacket before they board the boat. If the operator doesn't provide one, they say, don't go out onto the water.

Invest in proper equipment

In addition to life jackets, Bushell advises operators to stock up their nautical emergency kits with proper equipment. While a generic flare gun with a small, 12-gauge launcher meets the safety requirement, it only goes up several hundred feet. The higher the flare goes, the higher your chance of being seen.

Const. Bushell explains how a parachute flare works. (Sunnie Huang/CBC)

For night time use, Bushell recommends a parachute flare that can shoot up to 1000 feet and burn intensely until it hits the water.

For day time, an orange smoke canister is likely the only option. Pull it and throw it in the water in the event of an emergency and it will emit a cloud of orange smoke that's visible in daylight.

Operators should also check the kit for expiry dates and restock accordingly, Bushell added. 

"It they are not up to date, it's the same as not having them," he said. 

"If you are willing to spend big money on a boat, let's step it up and buy some really good equipment."  

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Vintage B-17 bomber to visit Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton is offering a chance to get up close and personal with one of World War II's iconic American bombers, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.

The museum is hosting the 1940s-era aircraft, nicknamed the Sentimental Journey, from June 30 to July 6. Visitors will have an opportunity to tour the inside of the plane, and a limited number of tickets are also being sold for flights.

It's the plane's second appearance in Hamilton, and this year's visit is part of a North American tour that runs until October.

"She's fully restored to how she would have looked [in WWII] and beautifully maintained - we're really proud to be able to bring her to Hamilton again," says crew member Laz Tollas.

To commemorate the era when it was in military service, the Sentimental Journey's nose art is a painting of pinup girl Betty Grable. (Courtesy CAF)

The vintage four-engine B-17G bomber is owned by the Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving aviation history. The Sentimental Journey is based at Falcon Field in Mesa, Ariz.

About 12,000 B-17s were built between 1935 and the late 1940s, but only 10 are still flying. The CAF's B-17G is one of the few that has been returned to its original wartime condition.

One of the workhorses of the U.S. Air Force in WWII, the unpressurized Flying Fortress played a major role in the battles for Europe, the Mediterranean and the Pacific. The 36,000-pound B-17G could carry nearly 30,000 pounds of fuel, crew, ammunition and bombs.

The Sentimental Journey was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in March 1945, and went into service in the Pacific region.

After the war it did a number of jobs, Tollas says, ranging from photo-mapping the Pacific, to acting as the "mother ship" for a group of remote-controlled B-17s that measured blast and thermal effects from atomic bomb tests.

The Sentimental Journey also did search-and-rescue work after it was decommissioned from the military, and was used to fight forest fires in California.

It was bought by the CAF in 1978, which spent seven years returning the Sentimental Journey to its original WWII configuration, complete with machine gun turrets and working bomb bay doors. To commemorate the era when it was in military service, the plane's nose art is a painting of pinup girl Betty Grable.

The Sentimental Journey was bought by the U.S.-based Commemorative Air Force in 1978, which spent seven years returning the B-17G to its original WWII configuration. (Courtesy CAF)

The Sentimental Journey arrives at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton on Monday afternoon, and will go on display July 1. The public can see the plane between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily until July 6 as part of the museum's regular admission fee.

The CAF is selling tickets to tour the inside of the plane while it's at the museum. The proceeds from the $5-per-person fee will go towards the continuing maintenance and operation costs of the aircraft.

"It's a donation we ask for to help keep this aircraft in top condition," says Tollas.

The CAF will also be selling a limited number of tickets for flights on the B-17. Starting July 4 there will be two mid-morning half-hour flights and two more in the mid-afternoon, taking eight passengers each. The aircraft will be back on display at the museum each day when it isn't in the air.

"They're low-altitude flights, it's a spectacular view," says Tollas.

The seats in the waist and radio room area of the B-17 are $425 US, and the two seats in the nose where the bombardier and navigator would sit are $850 US each. They can be booked by calling 587-338-8817.

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Hamilton Canada Day fireworks: what you need to know

Hamilton's Canada Day fireworks celebration is back for another year on Tuesday, July 1. Every year, the event draws over 30,000 people to Hamilton's waterfront. Here's what you need to know:

Where

Bayfront and Pier 4 Parks. Fireworks will be launched from the northwest point of Bayfront Park, which means a section of the park will be closed on Monday, re-opening on Wednesday at noon.

How to get there

Public parking is limited in the area. The city is encouraging residents to walk, bike or take the free HSR shuttle to the event to minimize traffic.

The shuttle bus service starts at the east side of John Street (just north of King Street) and ends in Pier 4 Park. Shuttle service begins at 6 p.m.

Look for signage at bus stop locations. For more information on routes, visit www.hamilton.ca/hsr.

When

Local entertainers will perform throughout the parks starting at 6 p.m.

A dozen Ontario food trucks will also be there from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Choose from Southern BBQ, Greek specialties, poutine, grilled cheese, tacos, hot dogs, ice cream and more.

Fireworks display will start at 10 p.m.

If high winds or other severe weather conditions prevent the fireworks due to safety concerns, the celebration and related transit services will take place on Wednesday.

What to bring

• Lawn chars or blankets.
• sunscreen and hat.
• Show your Canadian spirit by wearing red and white on Canada Day. Bring flags or wear shirts or hats sporting the maple leaf.
• This year, the public is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to support the Welcome Inn Community Centre's Emergency Food Bank, which serves over 14,000 people in the city every year. Food donation can be dropped off at the Information Tents in Bayfront and Pier 4 Parks

What you need to know

No personal fireworks (including sparklers), barbeques or alcohol is allowed in parks. Also, smoking is prohibited in all city parks.

With the exception of registered service animals, all dogs are recommended to stay at home since it will be extremely busy and crowds and fireworks are stressful for most dogs.

Where to find more information

For more information about Hamilton's Canada Day celebration, including shuttle schedule, visit the event page or call Tourism Hamilton at 905 526 2666.

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Hamilton MP speaks of family torn apart by alcoholism, mental illness

As Wayne Marston prepares to drive to Hamilton, he chooses a song from his vast repertoire.

Every week the NDP MP clocks more than a thousand kilometres back and forth from Parliament Hill to his Hamilton riding, where he lives with his wife, Barb.

He picks one of his favourite Bobby Darin tunes and Fly Me to the Moon is soon wafting through the car.

For Marston, music was an escape from the grinding poverty of his early life.

'Every MP that comes here has to bring with them who they are and how they evolved to who they are.'—Wayne Marston, NDP MP

"I had one set of clothes," he laughs. "So when I washed them I had to wait until they dried, or there was nothing to wear."

In the 1950s, poverty was not rare in the small community of Plaster Rock, N.B., so that did not make him stand out.

What did was the dramatic family dysfunction around him.

In August 1949, when Marston was a baby, his 10-year-old sister was strangled. It is believed she was killed by their mother. Marston was in the room when it happened.

Wayne Marston grew up amid poverty and tragic family dysfunction in this home near Plaster Rock, N.B. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

"I didn't live the incident because I was only two years old," he says. "But I lived the after-effects of it, so that went a long way to defining me.

"Every MP who comes here has to bring with them who they are and how they evolved to who they are," he says.

Family torn apart by mental illness

His mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and sent to an institution for 10 years. She then went to live with relatives. Marston only learned what happened from his father when he was 12 years old.

"He decided when he was drinking one night to tell me the story of what happened to my sister."

Wayne Marston is pictured in 1957. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

Marston did not have a relationship with his mother until he was 42. He will never forget their first visit.

"She hugged me," he says. "I looked out of the side of my eye and I could see her wanting to kiss me. She did a very quick one. That's an important memory." Marston stops, tearing up and is unable to continue for several minutes.

But it was his father's addiction that was even more painful. In Plaster Rock, population of about 1,000 inhabitants, being the town drunk was an ignominious title.

"When I was 12 years old, I used to pick him up and drive him home, because it was safer for the community to get him off the roads."

Marston says that his troubled background scarred him as a young man.

"I had no personal self-esteem until I was 30 years of age," he says. "I remember going to pick up a girl for a date one time and being told, 'No, you are the Marston boy, you can't go out with our daughter. We know about your family.'"

Bit by bit, events happened to boost his confidence.

A path to empathy and politics

He was picked by his fellow Bell Canada workers to be the shop steward.

He pulled a man out of a burning car in 1986 and was awarded a bravery medal by Gov. Gen Jeanne Sauvé.

Wayne Marston was awarded a medal for bravery by Gov. Gen Jeanne Sauvé in 1986, for pulling a man from a burning car. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

He ran unsuccessfully against Liberal Sheila Copps several times and then finally broke through in 2006, defeating Liberal Tony Valeri in Hamilton East–Stoney Creek. He's been re-elected twice and now serves as the NDP's critic on consular affairs and human rights.

Marston finds his background often bumps up against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's tough-on-crime agenda.

He's against mandatory minimum sentences and is opposed to reopening any debate on capital punishment. He understands the concept "not criminally responsible" because of his mother's mental illness.

"I have a great empathy for people as a result of where I came from."

He spoke early in June, before the House recessed for the summer, on a bill of rights for victims, arguing for more compassion for offenders.

"It is to come to that place of understanding of what motivates and creates these situations and to pre-empt them from ever happening in the first place. In our family's case, it was the mental illness of a family member," he said to fellow MPs.

Marston is philosophical about his background.

"I don't have any sense of embarrassment about my past — those were things that happened around me."

"I have a sadness for my mother and father, for the way their lives turned out."

But his life now, he says, is "perfect."

"I'm in a place where it's very rewarding here."

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Hamilton mom fed-up over autistic son's long commute on DARTS

It's 8:45 a.m. and 23-year-old Ryan Ives takes one last look at his mother and boards the para-transit bus on yet another lengthy commute into downtown Hamilton.

"My name is Ryen. I may not speak but convey my wish to arrive at my program on time. It starts at 9:30. Thank you, blessings," reads the handwritten letter-sized note Ryen's mom Jill has taped to her son's shirt.

The mother of four is fed-up with Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS)—the city's non-profit taxi transit service for the disabled, mentally ill and elderly. Ryan is autistic which in his case means he's non-verbal.

Jill said it frequently takes DARTS well beyond a reasonable amount of time to take her son from their Stoney Creek home to his five-day-a-week his program at L'Arche on Main Street.

"Within DARTS time frame they have an hour to take him," she said. "Sometimes on a Friday he won't get home until 5 o'clock - his pickup time is three."

Complaints filed

On any given month Jill files up to 10 complaints - only some of the 1,230 complaints given to the city's Accessible Transportation Services (ATS) department as of May.

"The problem is not being fixed - there's multiple offences and it's just not changing," she said, the morning after councillor Brad Clark read her letter in the council chambers demanding action on the part of the city.

"So why is it acceptable when we have the most vulnerable population to get away with what they're getting away with," she said. "I think the drivers themselves are overwhelmed."

DARTS executive director Mark Mindorff said the city's 2.25 rides-per-hour performance measure has contributed to a strain on the system.

The non-profit door-to-door transit program has shown an increase in riders but needs to increase its fleet of vehicles to properly service the demand.

"We're working to put more service out there on the roads," Mirdoff said. We are at capacity so it's a matter of putting more service on the road - that means hiring drivers, configuring vehicles and getting the service expanded without running a budget deficit."

In three years, DARTS has gone from 75 vehicle to over a 100 today.

Mirdoff said getting another 10 to15 vans on the road would make a difference on "the problem of service to denied passengers."

"So we try to carry as many people as possible, the issue is that people really want to get to where they want to go the shared ride is the option,"

DARTS audit

A full audit of DARTS is currently being completed and is expected to be presented to the city in the fall.

"I think the auditors have found it's a pretty complicated process to schedule 2,000 people a day on 100 buses," Mindorff said, adding the the results might be "a learning experience for all parties how complicated effectively running a service is..."

Ives said she'd like immediate improvements to the para-transit service and wants the city to take initiative.

"Council needs to step up...I think it's inhumane justice to these folks and it needs to stop and it needs to change," Jill said.

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Police target impaired, speeding drivers Canada Day long weekend

Distracted and aggressive driving will also be addressed

CBC News Posted: Jun 28, 2014 9:25 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 28, 2014 9:25 AM ET

Hamilton police are targeting impaired driving and speeding from Saturday to Tuesday for the Canada Day long weekend.

The message for this long weekend is "Compliance is free," police say.

In 2013, there were 828 alcohol-related driving offences. There were 121 collisions that involve alcohol.

Police will also address high-risk behaviours involving distracted and aggressive driving.

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Canada Day long weekend: things to do in Hamilton

Canada Day fireworks display

Hamilton is lighting up at Bayfront and Pier 4 parks on Tuesday with fireworks display for Canada Day. The annual event draws 30,000 people to Hamilton's waterfront.

For how to get there, what to bring, what to wear and more, here are some things you need to know.

Time: Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Bayfront Park and Pier 4 Park.

Cost: free admission.

Day of Dance

Have you always wanted to try dance but don't know where to start or which style to try? Join Nuvitzo for Day of Dance on Sunday, June 29. The Hamilton dance studio is hosting free dance classes and workshops all day long. Stop by for a class or stay all day to try the following:

• Jazz Open: 10a.m.
• Contemporary Open: 11a.m.
• Salsa Open: 12:30p.m.
• Bachata Open : 1:30p.m.
• Cha Cha Open: 2:30p.m.

Time: Sunday, June 29.

Location: Nuvitzo Dance, 150 James St. S.

Cost: free.

DMC Hamilton DJ battle

Hamilton's local DJs and their counterparts from across the country will converge in This Ain't Hollywood on Saturday to compete in the 2014 Rane DMC Hamilton DJ battle. Established in 1985, the DMC DJ Competition is the longest running global DJ championship.

DJ Fresh Kils, from Toronto, is visiting Hamilton for the 2014 Rane DMC Hamilton DJ battle. (Sunnie Huang/CBC)

Each DJ will perform a six-minute set to showcase how they can use their turntables to mix, scratch, cut, beat juggle and even perform body tricks. The first-place DJ will advance to the National DMC Championships in September in addition to thousands of dollars in prize.

Among the competitors are Hamilton locals DJ Kryme Won, DJ Fed'N'it and DJ Rix. Other DJs are travelling from as far as Montreal.

For more information, contact Amir Handan at Canada@dmcworld.com.

Time: Saturday, June 28. Doors open at 9 p.m. Show starts at 10 p.m.

Location: This Ain't Hollywood, 345 James St. N.

Cost: $10 general admission

It's Your Festival

Celebrate Canada's birthday with It's your Festival, the oldest and biggest Canada Day festival in Canada and one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario. More than 150,000 people attended the festival in 2013.

The 45th edition of the festival is putting on four fun-filled days at Gage Park. There will be performances in the park throughout the long weekend. Iron Man will also make a guest appearance every day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.itsyourfestival.ca

Time: Events start at noon from June 28 to June 30 and at 2 p.m. on July 1.

Location: Gage Park.

Cost: free admission.

5th annual Oh Canada Ribfest

Come out for the ribs and stay for the live music. The five-day festival will celebrate Canada Day, local artists and, of course, tantalizing ribs. Also check out vendors in the Rotary Marketplace and family activities.

All proceeds will go to projects sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Flamborough AM and Waterdown.

For more information, visit www.ohcanadaribfest.ca

Time:

• Friday: 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Monday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: Memorial Park, Waterdown

Canada Day military tattoo

Celebrate Canada's birthday with an evening of free music at Dundurn Park. The Regimental Band of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Pipes and Drums will perform in front of Dundurn Castle. Catch a glimpse of the red coated defenders of Canada West during the Fenian Raids as the 13th Battalion Ceremonial Guard takes the field.

For more information, visit Dundurn National Historic Site's website. 

Time: 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Dundurn Park.

Cost: free.

Canada Day Pier 8 skate jam

Skate to some old school, funk and R&B music from local DJs and guest DJs at Pier 8's outdoor rink to celebrate Canada Day. 

Floor guards will be on site to guide inexperienced skaters on and off the rink if needed. A colouring station will also be available for the little ones who can't skate.

Make sure you show up in style, as there will be a prize for best dressed boy and girl.

For more information, visit the event page or call 289-808-7877

Time: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.

Location: Waterfront Outdoor Rink at Pier 8, 47 Discovery Drive.

Cost: free.  

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Hamilton MP speaks of family torn apart by alcoholism, mental illness

As Wayne Marston prepares to drive to Hamilton, he chooses a song from his vast repertoire.

Every week the NDP MP clocks more than a thousand kilometres back and forth from Parliament Hill to his Hamilton riding, where he lives with his wife, Barb.

He picks one of his favourite Bobby Darin tunes and Fly Me to the Moon is soon wafting through the car.

For Marston, music was an escape from the grinding poverty of his early life.

'Every MP that comes here has to bring with them who they are and how they evolved to who they are.'—Wayne Marston, NDP MP

"I had one set of clothes," he laughs. "So when I washed them I had to wait until they dried, or there was nothing to wear."

In the 1950s, poverty was not rare in the small community of Plaster Rock, N.B., so that did not make him stand out.

What did was the dramatic family dysfunction around him.

In August 1949, when Marston was a baby, his 10-year-old sister was strangled. It is believed she was killed by their mother. Marston was in the room when it happened.

Wayne Marston grew up amid poverty and tragic family dysfunction in this home near Plaster Rock, N.B. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

"I didn't live the incident because I was only two years old," he says. "But I lived the after-effects of it, so that went a long way to defining me.

"Every MP who comes here has to bring with them who they are and how they evolved to who they are," he says.

Family torn apart by mental illness

His mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and sent to an institution for 10 years. She then went to live with relatives. Marston only learned what happened from his father when he was 12 years old.

"He decided when he was drinking one night to tell me the story of what happened to my sister."

Wayne Marston is pictured in 1957. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

Marston did not have a relationship with his mother until he was 42. He will never forget their first visit.

"She hugged me," he says. "I looked out of the side of my eye and I could see her wanting to kiss me. She did a very quick one. That's an important memory." Marston stops, tearing up and is unable to continue for several minutes.

But it was his father's addiction that was even more painful. In Plaster Rock, population of about 1,000 inhabitants, being the town drunk was an ignominious title.

"When I was 12 years old, I used to pick him up and drive him home, because it was safer for the community to get him off the roads."

Marston says that his troubled background scarred him as a young man.

"I had no personal self-esteem until I was 30 years of age," he says. "I remember going to pick up a girl for a date one time and being told, 'No, you are the Marston boy, you can't go out with our daughter. We know about your family.'"

Bit by bit, events happened to boost his confidence.

A path to empathy and politics

He was picked by his fellow Bell Canada workers to be the shop steward.

He pulled a man out of a burning car in 1986 and was awarded a bravery medal by Gov. Gen Jeanne Sauvé.

Wayne Marston was awarded a medal for bravery by Gov. Gen Jeanne Sauvé in 1986, for pulling a man from a burning car. (Courtesy of Wayne Marston)

He ran unsuccessfully against Liberal Sheila Copps several times and then finally broke through in 2006, defeating Liberal Tony Valeri in Hamilton East–Stoney Creek. He's been re-elected twice and now serves as the NDP's critic on consular affairs and human rights.

Marston finds his background often bumps up against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's tough-on-crime agenda.

He's against mandatory minimum sentences and is opposed to reopening any debate on capital punishment. He understands the concept "not criminally responsible" because of his mother's mental illness.

"I have a great empathy for people as a result of where I came from."

He spoke early in June, before the House recessed for the summer, on a bill of rights for victims, arguing for more compassion for offenders.

"It is to come to that place of understanding of what motivates and creates these situations and to pre-empt them from ever happening in the first place. In our family's case, it was the mental illness of a family member," he said to fellow MPs.

Marston is philosophical about his background.

"I don't have any sense of embarrassment about my past — those were things that happened around me."

"I have a sadness for my mother and father, for the way their lives turned out."

But his life now, he says, is "perfect."

"I'm in a place where it's very rewarding here."

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Police target impaired, speeding drivers Canada Day long weekend

Distracted and aggressive driving will also be addressed

CBC News Posted: Jun 28, 2014 9:25 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 28, 2014 9:25 AM ET

Hamilton police are targeting impaired driving and speeding from Saturday to Tuesday for the Canada Day long weekend.

The message for this long weekend is "Compliance is free," police say.

In 2013, there were 828 alcohol-related driving offences. There were 121 collisions that involve alcohol.

Police will also address high-risk behaviours involving distracted and aggressive driving.

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Steel Committee takes aim at province over pension supports

Hamilton council's Steel Committee wants to remind the provincial government it will be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in pension support payments if U.S. Steel fails to meet its pension obligations.

By taking aim at the provincial purse, the city his hoping the province will help them force the federal government into solving the dangerously underfunded pension fund of U.S. Steel. That fund could be as much as  40 per cent short if the steelmaker was shuttered overnight.

'You would hope that would encourage them to work with us.'- Coun. Brian McHattie

"The Province of Ontario now knows what we know:  Approximately how much they're in for if they were to apply their pension fund to its fullest capability," said Ward 1 Councillor Brian McHattie, touting a city report that outlined the $977-million funding shortfall of the former Stelco pension fund.

"You would hope that would encourage them to work with us to put pressure at the feds (to fix the pension fund), because the province is not going to want to pay either."

The city report, presented to a sparse Steel Committee that failed to make quorum ahead of the Canada Day holiday, also outlined the potential impact to the municipal tax base if U.S. Steel were to mothball the plant at the end of 2015.

Potential impact

It's part of an attempt to asses the potential economic impact to the city when U.S. Steel's obligations to operate (part of a deal with the federal government which allowed Stelco to be sold to U.S. Steel) expires at the end of 2015. 

The other part is reminding the province that they'll be on the hook to fill out the shortfall under the Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund (PBGF). That's the leverage the city is hoping to draw on for help understanding what deal exists between the federal government and U.S. Steel past 2015.

Recently re-elected Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter, who handles the pension portfolio for the province, turned away interview requests from CBCHamilton. 

"What happens in 2015?" asked Steel Committee chair and Ward 7 Councillor Scott Duval. "There's an agreement between the feds and U.S. Steel that's confidential… How are they going to pay (pensioners)?"

Making the case

According to the city report, the  $977 million shortfall in the pension, amounts to roughly $102,000 per pensioner. 

The PBGF kicks in a certain amount based on how much each pension is. For someone expecting a $2,000 pension per month, the projection is U.S. Steel will be 40 per cent short. The PBGF kicks in half of that to recover some losses. 

"With (this city report), that gives us the details we need to make to the case the federal government that they need to live up to their responsibilities that they talked about with U.S. Steel behind closed doors and they need to deal with the pension issue at the federal level," McHattie said.

How much the Province may have to plan for, however, is unclear. Estimates from Local 1005 put the value around $300 million, however some estimates are as high as $780 million. 

Taking aim at the provincial purse

The city is hoping that by highlighting the pension issue, the province will be more inclined to find out about the closed-door deal the federal and provincial government made with U.S. Steel.

Also hanging in the balance, according to the city report, is $9-million in annual property tax from the plant.

The same report showed if the plant were mothballed, it would have an overall  $22-million impact on the local fthe tax base, based on revenue from pensioners and the 329-hectare facility.

Hamilton tax base would also take a hit

That money would have to come from somewhere, explained McHattie.

"If they shut down tomorrow, we'd be out $9-million in property taxes from U.S. Steel," he said. 

"I think that's close to a one per cent tax increase… If you think think of our last couple years, we've come in at 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 per cent (tax increase), and that's with the taxes we have today. You add another 0.9 (per cent increase) on that, and that's a significant increase to all the rest of the folks who are paying taxes in Hamilton."

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Hamilton mom fed-up over autistic son's long commute on DARTS

It's 8:45 a.m. and 23-year-old Ryan Ives takes one last look at his mother and boards the para-transit bus on yet another lengthy commute into downtown Hamilton.

"My name is Ryen. I may not speak but convey my wish to arrive at my program on time. It starts at 9:30. Thank you, blessings," reads the handwritten letter-sized note Ryen's mom Jill has taped to her son's shirt.

The mother of four is fed-up with Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS)—the city's non-profit taxi transit service for the disabled, mentally ill and elderly. Ryan is autistic which in his case means he's non-verbal.

Jill said it frequently takes DARTS well beyond a reasonable amount of time to take her son from their Stoney Creek home to his five-day-a-week his program at L'Arche on Main Street.

"Within DARTS time frame they have an hour to take him," she said. "Sometimes on a Friday he won't get home until 5 o'clock - his pickup time is three."

Complaints filed

On any given month Jill files up to 10 complaints - only some of the 1,230 complaints given to the city's Accessible Transportation Services (ATS) department as of May.

"The problem is not being fixed - there's multiple offences and it's just not changing," she said, the morning after councillor Brad Clark read her letter in the council chambers demanding action on the part of the city.

"So why is it acceptable when we have the most vulnerable population to get away with what they're getting away with," she said. "I think the drivers themselves are overwhelmed."

DARTS executive director Mark Mindorff said the city's 2.25 rides-per-hour performance measure has contributed to a strain on the system.

The non-profit door-to-door transit program has shown an increase in riders but needs to increase its fleet of vehicles to properly service the demand.

"We're working to put more service out there on the roads," Mirdoff said. We are at capacity so it's a matter of putting more service on the road - that means hiring drivers, configuring vehicles and getting the service expanded without running a budget deficit."

In three years, DARTS has gone from 75 vehicle to over a 100 today.

Mirdoff said getting another 10 to15 vans on the road would make a difference on "the problem of service to denied passengers."

"So we try to carry as many people as possible, the issue is that people really want to get to where they want to go the shared ride is the option,"

DARTS audit

A full audit of DARTS is currently being completed and is expected to be presented to the city in the fall.

"I think the auditors have found it's a pretty complicated process to schedule 2,000 people a day on 100 buses," Mindorff said, adding the the results might be "a learning experience for all parties how complicated effectively running a service is..."

Ives said she'd like immediate improvements to the para-transit service and wants the city to take initiative.

"Council needs to step up...I think it's inhumane justice to these folks and it needs to stop and it needs to change," Jill said.

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Hamilton Canada Day fireworks: what you need to know

Hamilton's Canada Day fireworks celebration is back for another year on Tuesday, July 1. Every year, the event draws over 30,000 people to Hamilton's waterfront. Here's what you need to know:

Where

Bayfront and Pier 4 Parks. Fireworks will be launched from the northwest point of Bayfront Park, which means a section of the park will be closed on Monday, re-opening on Wednesday at noon.

How to get there

Public parking is limited in the area. The city is encouraging residents to walk, bike or take the free HSR shuttle to the event to minimize traffic.

The shuttle bus service starts at the east side of John Street (just north of King Street) and ends in Pier 4 Park. Shuttle service begins at 6 p.m.

Look for signage at bus stop locations. For more information on routes, visit www.hamilton.ca/hsr.

When

Local entertainers will perform throughout the parks starting at 6 p.m.

A dozen Ontario food trucks will also be there from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Choose from Southern BBQ, Greek specialties, poutine, grilled cheese, tacos, hot dogs, ice cream and more.

Fireworks display will start at 10 p.m.

If high winds or other severe weather conditions prevent the fireworks due to safety concerns, the celebration and related transit services will take place on Wednesday.

What to bring

• Lawn chars or blankets.
• sunscreen and hat.
• Show your Canadian spirit by wearing red and white on Canada Day. Bring flags or wear shirts or hats sporting the maple leaf.
• This year, the public is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to support the Welcome Inn Community Centre's Emergency Food Bank, which serves over 14,000 people in the city every year. Food donation can be dropped off at the Information Tents in Bayfront and Pier 4 Parks

What you need to know

No personal fireworks (including sparklers), barbeques or alcohol is allowed in parks. Also, smoking is prohibited in all city parks.

With the exception of registered service animals, all dogs are recommended to stay at home since it will be extremely busy and crowds and fireworks are stressful for most dogs.

Where to find more information

For more information about Hamilton's Canada Day celebration, including shuttle schedule, visit the event page or call Tourism Hamilton at 905 526 2666.

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5 ways to change the toxic culture at HSR – for good

Don Hull: "I should have taken it more seriously from day one" 1:41

Don Hull: "I should have taken it more seriously from day one" 1:41

The HSR management shakeup this week is part of the fallout of a report last fall that showed a female HSR staff member was sexually harassed by a supervisor for years.

The city's director of transportation, Don Hull, will remain in his post but will focus on duties outside HSR. A new management position will be posted and there will be additional changes.

But how can HSR create real and positive lasting change that addresses the prevalent culture of misogyny? Aaron Schat, associate professor of organizational behaviour and human resources management at McMaster University, says the management shuffle is a good start.

There'll be a shakeup in senior management at HSR following a sexual harassment suit settled last year. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)

"At the very least it's a potentially positive sign in that the issue is being taken seriously such that a restructuring of roles is taking place," he said. "You just hope that's genuine concern."

1. Leadership matters to send a message

Leaders do set the tone, he says. When they take action after witnessing harassment, express concern for the victim, hold the alleged harasser accountable and truly investigate the incident – that is what is most critical.

Schat says it's up to leaders to manage the so-called little things. Seemingly little incidents can appear minor and are often dismissed, he says.

"An accumulation of minor indignities can cause a significant cultural problem. In this instance, for women, who are a minority in the HSR organization, that can become a toxic work environment."

2. Change our cultural concerns

"When allegations are made they must necessarily and consistently be followed up on, because there seems to be some suggestion that management 'protect their own,'" Schat said.

If an alleged harasser is friends or buddies with a manager, there's a risk that the message sent is that the primary concern is to protect a buddy, not to protect the victim.

"That creates a culture where this is more likely to occur – where victims are not the first priority," he said.

3. Manage the moment

The most critical thing that needs to be done on the ground, day to day, is to address the behaviour the moment it takes place.

"When an incident occurs and others witness it there is discomfort, but if no one does anything in that moment or the moments after, the implicit message that it sends is, 'This is ok.'"

There needs to be action taken and real consequences for harassment, Schat says. "Serious harassment is legitimate cause for termination. And it has to come from the top. Managers have to stand up in the moment and say, 'No. That is not tolerated here.'"

4. Education and shared responsibility as part of broader strategy

In addition to tangible education like addressing an incident when it occurs and to signal intolerance of it, more formal training should be part of what leads to long-term change and change on the ground.

Plus, developing a work environment that is healthy and is free of harassment is a shared responsibility of all. The most important responsibility belongs to the management, but it is shared. If everyone takes some responsibility in creating a healthy culture and supporting alleged victims of harassment, that can go a long way.

"Everyone in an organization should continue to bring it up so things do not get swept under the rug. Employees need to hold accountable those they put in place to lead," Schat says.

5. Sustained commitment for long-term change

"Generally culture change takes a long time, so we are probably talking about a matter of months and even years – not necessarily in a short period of time," Schat said.

"However, if there is a change in structure and leadership and a clear, concerted effort from the organization to say, 'Starting tomorrow this is going to change,' serious change can take place more quickly."

The risk here, he says, is that when the story becomes front-page news a company may make changes that are very visible that it can point to, and make sure the right things are said, but then when things quiet down nothing changes on the ground.

"Changes at the top need to be backed up with actual behaviours that signal certain things won't be tolerated anymore." 

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Hamilton cyclist in serious condition after collision with van

Police still investigating

CBC News Posted: Jun 27, 2014 10:56 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 27, 2014 10:56 AM ET

Hamilton police are still investigating a collision that sent a cyclist to hospital with serious injuries on the Mountain Thursday night.

It happened around 7 p.m. near East 38th Street and Mohawk Road East. A man was riding his bike going south into the intersection when a Dodge Caravan going west on Mohawk ran into him, police say.

The impact threw the man to the ground and he was seriously hurt, police say. Ambulance crews were called and they transported the 47-year-old man to hospital.

The driver of the van stayed at the scene, police say. Officers are still investigating the crash. No charges have been laid.

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Retrofit of brand new artist building will cost city $200K

The city is spending about $200,000 to retrofit a brand new community arts space in downtown Hamilton, even though it has never been used and was built to the city's own original specifications.

Everything at the CityHousing Hamilton building at 95 King Street East is brand new, but crews will soon rip out parts of the bottom floor and start renovations for a new community performance and art space operated by Sonic Unyon Records that's set to open in July.

'There may well have been things we could've done differently, but this project has evolved.'- Coun. Brian McHattie

The city-owned housing agency's adaptive reuse project was highly touted during its restoration — but the city couldn't find a tenant to run the bottom floor arts space before the original construction project was complete. Now it has a tenant, but they want an entirely different space — and that lack of focus in the planning stages has forced the city into the costly retrofit.

The additional costs were only ever discussed in closed-door, in-camera board meetings and never made public.

City officials say costs like this are expected when a tenant moves into a space, but CityHousing board of directors president Coun. Brian McHattie says there are "some throwaway costs" attached to the project that could have been avoided if the city had "done things differently the first time."

He admits that if the city were to do a project like this again, they would approach things differently.

"But I'm not sure we could've envisioned this early on," McHattie said. "There may well have been things we could've done differently, but this project has evolved."

An expensive evolution

It's that "evolution" that is now costing the city. The original vision for the building was as a mostly visual arts centre with a multipurpose gallery and event space, eight artist studios, a meeting room and 12 loft apartments on the upper levels. That plan was crafted without a specific tenant for the main floor arts space in mind, and so the area was originally capped at a 44-person capacity. That number was reached through a series of arts community consultations, the city says.

'We're going to work super hard to make this work for the community.'- Tim Potocic, Sonic Unyon

No tenant for the main floor space materialized until February, when news broke that Sonic Unyon records was working out a deal with the city to run the lower floor gallery space. But Sonic Unyon's vision for the space included other elements of the city's art scene like music, theatre and dance. The original 44-person capacity setup wouldn't be large enough for that.

"The space wasn't being created with anyone in particular in mind. [The city] didn't have a tenant," Sonic Unyon owner Tim Potocic told CBC Hamilton. "Generally when you're building for a project you have a tenant, but they didn't. But that's nobody's fault."

To double the building's capacity in order to accommodate bigger shows, several things need to be changed or upgraded — like fire exits, air conditioning units, electrical and mechanical upgrades and installing more bathrooms. The city is footing the bill for those improvements, says CityHousing senior project manager Vimal Sarin. The cost of the contractor is $185,000, permits are another $900, and there are additional fees that could be incurred on top of that, he says.

Sarin says it's "standard practice" for a landlord to make changes to a building space in situations like these. "Nobody knows how it will all turn out — but provisions like this are always in any commercial lease," he said. "Any kind of cost that you incur involves renting it out and making it suitable for a tenant."

"Whether it's $185,000 or $210,000, we don't really know for sure yet," Sarin said.

The gutted materials from portions of the building that were never used are also worth about $10,000 to $25,000, sources say.

'We're trying hard to finish what needs to be done'

Sonic Unyon is also contributing over $100,000 to the renovations, Potocic says. "The costs are fluctuating, but substantial," he said. Sonic Unyon will cover upgrades to the stage space, lighting and electrical, sound dampening, installing a bar, and more.

The city's original budget for the project was $3.3 million. Sarin says "some of that money" wasn't used in the original overhaul, and he "thinks" the city saved about $150,000 from that budget, but isn't sure. Any funds that weren't used the first time around would have been reallocated back to the city for other projects.

CityHousing has also applied for leaseholder permits for the space, but hasn't received them yet. "We're trying hard to finish whatever needs to be done," he said.

Then there's the matter of privacy. It's not uncommon for the details of business deals with the city to be negotiated during private in-camera sessions, but McHattie says there is "no reason" the cost of the retrofitting project shouldn't have been made public after the fact. "It stayed in-camera as part of the lease discussions, but it never came back to the board. So that's probably why it never stood on its own," he said. "But I have no problem with it being public."

Making it work for the community

McHattie also said any critical look at the funding costs for the building should be done while also looking at all the good the project could do for the arts community and the area. Seeing as this building was once a boarded up old strip club, the adaptive reuse project being implemented here is a boon for the city, he says.

Sonic Unyon is also doing everything they can to use the space to enhance the city's art scene, Potocic says. "We're doing exactly what everybody wanted. This is a community event space," he said. The main floor studio spaces in the building that are on the same floor as the main gallery space are all currently leased to community groups, he says – including the Fringe Festival and some artists. Basement spaces will also be available for rent on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

"Just an art gallery is not going to satisfy the needs of the entire art community," Potocic said. "When we think community and collaborative, we think everything."

"We're going to work super hard to make this work for the community."

Disclaimer: CBC Hamilton reporter Adam Carter lives in one of the apartment units above the artist space at 95 King Street East.

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Cell phone caused rollover crash, police say

CBC News Posted: Jun 27, 2014 10:54 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 27, 2014 10:54 AM ET

A car rollover early Friday on the Mountain was caused by distracted driving and a cell phone, police say.

A man lost control of his car at Miles Road and English Church Road around 12:45 a.m., police say. The car was found on its roof and the man was found on the side of the road. Police believe the collision was because of a cell phone.

A 22-year-old Hamilton man was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries.

He has been charged with careless driving.

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Hamilton Food bank donations drop in summer, but need is high

Summer is the hardest season for food banks. Local operations like St. Matthew's House and Hamilton Food Share see fewer donations this time of year coupled with an increase in the number of people who need food.

There is a 25 per cent increase in the number of people who access food banks, which rely heavily on donations, in the summer, according to St. Matthew's House social services manager Karen Randell. 

'Kids being out of school for the summer puts a strain on people.'- St. Matthew's House social services manager Karen Randell

"Kids being out of school for the summer months puts a strain on people," she said. "Parents have to pay for care. Donations being down could be due to vacations."

There's also no major organized food drive in the Hamilton area in the summer months -- unlike around holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, and the Ancaster Community Food Drive in February.

St. Matthew's House sees an average of 19,250 pounds of food donated monthly from September to June, but the average for the months of July and August are only 8,700.

Other emergency food programs (food banks and hot meal lines) in the Hamilton community include the Good Shepherd Centres, Mission Services of Hamilton, Neighbour to Neighbour, Wesley Urban Ministries, Living Rock, Welcome Inn, Stoney Creek Food Bank and the Salvation Army.

Click through the photo gallery above to see which items food banks need the most.

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Downtown fire closes mustard mill

By Adam Carter, CBC News Posted: Jun 26, 2014 11:09 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 26, 2014 11:09 AM ET

Hamilton fire crews were working to douse the flames licking the ceiling of an industrial building Thursday morning in downtown Hamilton.

Firefighters were cutting through a section of the roof at the G.S. Dunn Mustard factory just after 10 a.m., trying to find the source off the flames. Everyone got out of the building and there were no injuries, fire information officer Claudio Mostacci said.

"It's isolated from the main building, so hopefully we can contain it here," he said. Nine fire units were sent to control the flames.

It was too early for Mostacci to say how the fire started, or estimate what the cost of damages to the business will be.

Police say Park Street North is closed between York and Vine as firefighters work to get the flames under control.

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New Bombers QB Drew Willy faces Argos vet Ricky Ray to open season

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea knows exactly what the Toronto Argonauts and quarterback Ricky Ray can do to an opponent.

And he says Ray certainly isn't all the Bombers have to worry about.

"They've got a lot of weapons," said O'Shea, Toronto's former special teams co-ordinator until he got the top coaching job in Winnipeg.

'We'd like to come out there and be as physical as we can and set a standard, set up a minimum standard for us and keep building from there.'- Blue Bombers coach Mike O'Shea on Thursday's season opener

"It just so happens that the ball always travels through Ricky first. But, obviously, I'm quite familiar with all the guys they have and what they can do offensively."

The Bombers play the Argos in the CFL season opener Thursday at Investors Group Field (8:30 p.m. ET).

"We'd like to come out there and be as physical as we can and set a standard, set up a minimum standard for us and keep building from there," said O'Shea. "We're going our there to win and set a pace for the season."

If the Bombers want to see how rookie starting quarterback Drew Willy performs under pressure, they couldn't ask for a better opponent.

3-time champion

Ray has thrown 3,780 completed passes for 251 touchdowns and three Grey Cups over 11 seasons in the league with Edmonton and Toronto.

Willy has completed 101 of 147 passes for nine touchdowns in two seasons as a backup in Saskatchewan. During that time, he has only made four starts.

The Bombers are staking a lot on Willy as they try to appease fans turned off by recent struggles, while the Argos want to get back to the Grey Cup after stumbling in last year's East final.

Willy says keeping Ray off the field as much as possible is going to be a key for the Bombers Thursday.

"We definitely need to be efficient," he said of the offence. "We need to make sure our drives take some time."

Oh, and scoring touchdowns rather than field goals would also be good, he noted.

One thing Willy brings to the table is durability. He says he has only missed two games due to injury in his career, a hand injury in practice that cost him two games when he was in his sophomore career at the University of Buffalo.

Guaranteed effort

Veteran lineman Glenn January couldn't promise a win, but he did promise a lot of effort come Thursday night

"I think we're going to be a passionate team and we're going to be a well-prepared team," he said.

"The way that you win games is by winning each individual play."

The Argos also bring former Winnipeg head coach Tim Burke back to Investors. He was sacked after last year's disappointing 3-15 finish, is now defensive co-ordinator for the Argos and January said he will likely bring a lot to this game.

The Argonauts finished 11-7 in the regular season last year but then fell to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East final.

They beat the Bombers all three times last season and also beat them in their first pre-season game this year, 24-22.

"If we go out there and we do stumble and don't get the win, it's not the end of the world," January said. "It's an 18-game season."

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Inspection blitz targets hundreds of neglected homes

Three weeks after a toddler was pulled from a derelict city-managed home that had not been inspected in nearly two years, the city has patched up a loophole that left it and almost 300 other homes out of sight. 

The incident prompted a change in inspections policy by CityHousing Hamilton, the city's affordable housing corporation, and also prompted it to immediately launch an inspection blitz to make sure neglected residences that had fallen through gaps in the inspections program had been examined. That blitz has just been completed.

In the course of that blitz, CityHousing Hamilton's manager of operations said it had found "a few" hoarding homes, that have been tagged for follow up. But he said none were like early June's case that found a three-year-old living in squalor among 19 animals, including two dead cats and a decaying bird. All but three dogs were euthanized because of their condition. 

"This was definitely a gap," said Ramana Ganesaratnam, the operations head of the arms-length agency, CityHousing Hamilton (CHH). 

No follow up policy for "no access" homes

Inspectors neglected to enter a two-storey home near Parkdale Avenue North and Melvin Avenue for nearly two years. It was one of nearly 300 homes that staff hadn't entered for an inspection. Staff won't go in if residents ask them not to, or if there is a dog in the home.

Zoey was among 19 animals, some dead, taken from an east end home last week. The Terrier mix was recently adopted by the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA. (Hamilton-Burlington SPCA)

But there was no policy to follow up with the residents to find a time when they could secure their animal and staffers could complete their inspection. It left a potentially deadly gap to allow problems to grow, including cases of hoarding such as June's case, a home the Children's Aid Society (CAS) described as unfit for humans. 

Residents complained weeks before the child was removed by CAS with flea bites on his body, but no formal investigation was launched at that time. 

In a city report that went to CHH's board of directors on June 19, a new three-step processes has been developed and implemented to process homes that inspectors don't enter so they're not neglected in the future. 

Child in good condition

As for the three-year-old found in the home, CAS has taken custody of the boy from the mother and grandmother who were in the home when he was sized.

"The child continues to do well in our care," said CAS director Dominic Verticchio. 

Right now, the case remains under investigation, said Verticchio, who added the status of where the boy goes next is up to the courts.

Verticchio said CAS did not tag along with CHH inspectors as they blitzed the roughly 300 homes that fell through procedural gap. 

All remaining homes inspected

Ganesaratnam said that all the remaining homes were inspected over a two-day period and the "no serious cases" had been found, although he said "a few" hoarders have been identified and have follow up inspections scheduled. 

CHH planned to inspected 7,035 homes in 2013, a process Ganesaratnam said they manage in three large blitzes. Teams of three can inspect 150 homes a day. To complete the monumental task, each home is notified 24 hours ahead of time, and if no one is home, inspectors can enter with their master key. They do not, however, enter when an animal is present. 

"CityHousing Hamilton staff attempt to enter all units but are sometimes not able to enter units for various reasons," read the report to the city. "These units are tracked as "no access" units. There has been no follow up plan in place to re-enter these units."

A new, three-step policy that creates a follow up appointment, then later an eviction notice if a third appointment can't be made for an inspection. 

Verticchio said the gap exposed by the three-year-old boy's case had "certainly heightened the awareness of being more diligent." 

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HSR gets management shakeup after sexual harassment scandal

Don Hull: "I should have taken it more seriously from day one" 1:41

Don Hull: "I should have taken it more seriously from day one" 1:41

The city's director of transportation will get to keep his title, but will lose responsibility for Hamilton's transit system after a damning sexual harassment case at the city last year.

Don Hull will remain in his post, but will focus on duties outside HSR. The city will hire a director specifically for HSR, and replace another senior manager in the coming weeks.

City manager Chris Murray made the announcement following a lengthy closed-door meeting with city council Wednesday evening.

The shuffle is part of the fallout of a labour relations adjudicator's report last fall, which showed a female HSR staff member was sexually harassed by a supervisor for years. The harassment included lewd emails, unwanted touching and insults that included calling her an "Irish skank."

The harassment went on for years, the adjudicator found. The city did too little to help the woman, the decision said, and failed to take "even the most basic substantive measures to protect her." It also cited a prevalent culture of misogyny at HSR. The woman was awarded $25,000.

Senior officials at HSR also gave the supervisor, Bill Richardson, glowing references, helping him get a job with Guelph Transit. That agency dismissed him after learning of his harassment case.

Hull acknowledged in a media conference last year that he "should have taken it more seriously from day one." With Wednesday's change, Hull will focus on other aspects of his work, including transportation planning and mobility.

Hull is an expert in his field and has worked on many pivotal city reports, including the Rapid Ready transit plan, Murray said.

"Don is a very well respected transportation professional in a national context."

Murray wouldn't give details on the management position that will be "posted in the coming weeks," only saying that there will be changes.

There will be additional staffing changes, he said, but he wouldn't get into details. Personnel discussions about identifiable individuals at the city are kept behind closed doors, he said.

Some members will see this as a promotion for Hull, said Eric Tuck, vice-president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107. But he understands that Hull is valuable, particularly for future rapid transit negotiations with the province.

"I can understand the city wanting to retain him where they are right now," he said.

"Certainly his technical skills are a good thing."

Murray wouldn't comment on if Hull's salary will remain the same. Hull earned $160,535.06 in 2013.

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Finger Eleven, Ronnie Hawkins to headline Festival of Friends

Burlington's Finger Eleven, Canadian rock pioneer Ronnie Hawkins, country artists Pam Tillis and Doc Walker and rap rock act Down With Webster will headline the Festival of Friends this year, organizers announced Thursday.

There will be 40 other acts announced soon for the three-day festival spread over four stages at the Ancaster Fairgrounds, organizers say. Concertgoers can also expect food trucks, a haunted house, crafts and the festival museum on site.

Finger Eleven is best known for the song One Thing from the band's self-titled 2003 release. Hawkins is known the world over for hit songs like Who Do You Love and Hey Bo Diddley.

In March, city councillors voted to withhold funding to the festival until it handed over audited financial statements for 2012. The festival ended 2012 about $81,000 in the hole, largely because torrential rainstorms dampened crowd attendance.

The festival could have provided audited financial statements, organizer Loren Lieberman said at the time, but didn't know it was necessary.

For more information on the lineup, visit the Festival of Friends website.

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Hamilton's beatbox ambassador hits the road

For years, Hamilton beatboxing phenom Jason Hachey has been a one-man show — layering beats and melodies into a wash of sound on Hamilton stages.

This July, he's taking that show on the road all on his own. No road crew, no tour van, not even a sound tech — it's just Hachey the MouthPeace and a suitcase full of loop pedals, grabbing rides on buses and heading from show to show across the country.

It's not an easy gig. "But if it wasn't hard, how would I feel good about it in the end?" he asks.

Audiences can expect Hachey's patented blend of percussive beats, synths, whammy sounds and scratches at each show, all powered by his voice and crafted into songs on the spot. The whole thing is mesmerizing to watch, and has earned him a slew of accolades, like the 2012 Hamilton Music Award for special instrumentalist of the year and the MuchMusic Beatbox Championship in 2013. Check out a sample of what Hachey can do on the fly in the video above.

He has a new EP on the way later this summer, but for now, audiences in Hamilton can check out Hachey the MouthPeace at his 2014 Western Canadian tour fundraiser at Club Absinthe on King William Street on Saturday, July 5 at 10 p.m.

For more information and tour dates, visit Hachey the MouthPeace's Facebook page.

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How dancing makes your baby more helpful: McMaster study

Moving your baby to the beat may make them more helpful, according to new research out of McMaster University. 

Looking at 14-month-old toddlers, the study found that babies who made a connection by 'dancing' with researchers would help their new friend later on.

But if the baby and researcher didn't move in time, don't expect a helping hand from the toddlers.

"We don't know how long the effects will last," joked lead author Laura Cirelli. 

A baby that dances in time, helps out later

Working in pairs and using a front-facing chest-strap, the babies bounced either in time or out of sync with the Cirelli for two-and-a-half minutes. Later, they would watch Cirelli attempt to hang laundry and "accidentally" drop a clothes pin, a test they repeated nine times. Babies who bounced in time with Cirelli helped her pick up the half of the clothes pins she "accidentally" dropped, as opposed to 30 per cent of objects from babies who didn't dance in time. 

"Theoretically we expected it to happen based on the fact music is a social thing for adults," explained Cirelli. She said the altruism test works on people as young as 14-months, and shows a difference for when the researcher throws the object down, as opposed to dropping it accidentally, demonstrating the toddler's ability to recognize "goal-directed behaviour."

"If a 14-month old understands the person wants the object because they need it to complete this goal, then they should only hand it back when it's accidentally dropped… This is the youngest age group that you can use this (test)."

Bouncing helped form a social bond

Cirelli, who worked on the study with fellow doctoral student Kate Einarson out of Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior at McMaster, said the research shows how toddlers can connect with people through music and dance, forming a bond even in a short period of time. 

The research has further implications on the impact of actively listening to music, how long that "helpfulness" connection may last, and if the kids can understand social networks and extend that helping hand to those within their group.

"Groups that would use musical behaviour like dancing together and singing together, might then work better together in other regards, in a non-musical context. It kind of builds this group feeling together after engaging in musical behaviours," said Cirelli. "Does dancing with Person A in synchrony only make the baby only more helpful towards that person, or does it also make them more helpful to other people?" 

The study does not, however, take into account how well a person dances.

"People generally underestimate their ability to dance," joked Cirelli.

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Ticats will play in unfinished stadium for most of the season

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be playing in an incomplete stadium for nearly the whole season, as construction is now acknowledged to be more than three months behind schedule.

But officials say none of the outstanding work will be a "show stopper," and fans will still have a good time.

'The difference might be that getting beer in cans instead of beer from the tap. It's going to be a safe, quality site.'- John McKendrick, Infrastructure Ontario

But on opening day, fans at the new Tim Horton's Field will have to do so without a scoreboard and the full complement of washrooms.

The new stadium will still be a construction site when fans file in for their first glimpse at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats home opener on July 26. Its new "substantial completion date" is in early October, a few weeks before the end of the CFL season.

The original substantial completion date was June 30. But officials said Tuesday that weather and the bankruptcy of a subcontractor caused the delay. 

"In order to play a game, we need a field, we need seats, we need lights and we need an occupancy permit, a temporary one," said Glenn Gibson, president of the Ticats. "And that implies the premises is safe to conduct a game. I don't see any show stoppers here unless some trucks get held up at the border with our turf on them."

Tuesday's announcement was the latest in a series of acknowledgements the project was falling behind schedule, dating back to January. At that time, the stadium was said to be two weeks behind. By the end of March, the project was said to be at most six weeks behind schedule.

No scoreboard

Opening day will be missing a scoreboard and a full set of washrooms. Outdoor landscaping won't be finished, and there may be incomplete air conditioning and concession stands.

Gibson and city officials gave an update on the progress at a media conference at city hall Tuesday morning, assuring people there will be football in Hamilton on July 26.

'The difference might be that getting beer in cans instead of beer from the tap.'- John McKendrick, Infrastructure Ontario

It will still technically be a construction site on that date, said Gerry Davis, the city's director of public works.

"It will be a temporary use. Get the game in there, get out and the contractor goes back in," he said. "The finishings won't all be there but the guts of it…are very critical."

Ontario Sports Solutions, the consortium building the $145-million stadium, doesn't anticipate any issues when it applies for an occupancy permit on July 15, said John McKendrick, executive vice-president at Infrastructure Ontario. 

Cost effective

If all goes well, the city will grant the permit by July 21. McKendrick couldn't recall a time when one of his projects wasn't granted a permit.

The stadium will be "cost effective" and "high quality," McKendrick said.

"Most fans won't notice it," he said of the unfinished parts. "The difference might be that getting beer in cans instead of beer from the tap. It's going to be a safe, quality site." 

The Ticats have a contingency plan if they can't play in the stadium, Gibson said. But he's not saying what it is because he's confident the team won't need it.

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High school staff mistake World Cup flag for weapon

CBC News Posted: Jun 24, 2014 12:26 PM ET Last Updated: Jun 24, 2014 6:33 PM ET

Police were called to Ancaster High School on Monday after staff saw what they thought might be someone with a weapon on the school's roof.

The staff member saw a young person on the roof with a "long object protruding from a backpack," Hamilton police say.

Officers went to the high school around 4:35 p.m. on Monday, securing the school as they investigated. But the youth wasn't there anymore.

They found a World Cup flag on the roof.

Police are considering the matter closed.

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McMeekin gets municipal affairs portfolio in Wynne cabinet

Ted McMeekin serves as minister of municipal affairs and housing (Michael Gregory/CBC)

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has named Hamilton-area MPP Ted McMeekin as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The position means the veteran Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale politician is in a key post for issues important to Hamilton, such as infrastructure and provincial downloading.

Wynne and her revamped cabinet are being sworn in this afternoon as they prepare to implement their agenda with a strengthened majority government.

The key Transportation file, which includes the Hamilton's LRT decision as part of the Liberals multi-million transit investment plan, has been taken from Glen Murray and given to Steven Del Duca 

Wynne is breaking apart the massive finance portfolio in a move that appears to signal her resolve to eliminate a $12.5-billion deficit.

Charles Sousa is staying on as finance minister, but will have some big files taken off his plate, as newcomer Mitzie Hunter — the new associate minister of finance — will be in charge of setting up a made-in-Ontario pension plan by 2017.

Veteran Deb Matthews has been installed as president of the Treasury Board and will be taking on tough negotiations with public sector workers to freeze wages.

Wynne is also putting a fresh face on the troubled health portfolio, with Eric Hoskins — former minister of economic development, trade and employment — taking over the file.

But Hoskins will have an extra hand with associate minister Dipika Damerla in managing a ministry that's been raked over the coals for the spending scandal at the province's Ornge air ambulance service.

Del Duca is moving up to the front benches to take on another top priority: administering a $29-billion fund over 10 years to build transit and transportation infrastructure across the province.

His predecessor, Glen Murray, is minister of environment and climate change, freeing up Jim Bradley — one of the longest serving MPPs — who'll still sit in cabinet as chairman.

Brad Duguid also took on a bigger role as minister of economic development, employment and infrastructure, Michael Coteau was put in charge of the 2015 Pan Am Games as well as tourism, culture and sport, while Michael Chan transfers to citizenship, immigration and international trade.

Helena Jaczek takes over McMeekin's old job at community and social services.

David Orazietti moves to the revamped government and consumer services ministry.

Several minister will keep their old jobs, including Liz Sandals in education, Bob Chiarelli in energy, Madeleine Meilleur as attorney general, Michael Gravelle at northern development and mines, Kevin Flynn in labour and David Zimmer at aboriginal affairs.

Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Yasir Naqvi will add government house leader to his title with Bradley as deputy.

Wynne will hand over her role as minister of agriculture and food to Rural Affairs Minister Jeff Leal, but will keep her job as minister of intergovernmental affairs.

The next step is bringing the legislature back on July 2 and re-introducing the same budget that triggered the snap June 12 election.

With a majority of seats in the legislature, Wynne now has the power to ram through the budget that triggered the June 12 election and pass government legislation more quickly.

The $130.4-billion spending blueprint aims to stimulate the economy with big spending, including $2.5 billion in corporate grants to lure businesses to Ontario and better wages for workers in health care and education.

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The Book of Negroes miniseries to debut in Cannes in October

The Book of Negroes, the anticipated TV adaptation of the award-winning novel by Canadian writer Lawrence Hill, will have its premiere in Cannes on Thanksgiving Day.

The miniseries will debut at the Palais de Festivals in Cannes on Monday, October 13 as the opening night gala of the 30th annual MIPCOM television and entertainment festival, producers announced in Paris today.

Actors Aunjanue Ellis, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Lou Gossett Jr., screenwriter-director Clement Virgo and producer Damon D'Oliveira are slated to attend the premiere screening and participate in a Q&A afterwards.

The internationally co-produced, six-part miniseries recounts the story of an African woman named Aminata Diallo who is kidnapped from Africa and sold into slavery in the southern U.S. She later makes her way to Halifax and back to Africa and finally, to England at the turn of the 19th century.

Hamilton, Ont.-based writer Hill's 2007 novel, which was published in some countries under the title Someone Knows My Name, earned widespread praise.

It sold nearly a million copies worldwide and also won a host of honours, including the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for best overall book and the 2009 edition of CBC's Canada Reads. It was also set to music by the Nathaniel Dett Chorale in 2012.

The Book of Negroes will air on CBC-TV during the winter 2015 season.

Aunjanue Ellis is seen in character as Aminata Diallo in the upcoming miniseries The Book of Negroes, which will premiere in Cannes on Thanksgiving Day. (CBC)

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What's in that cloud over ArcelorMittal Dofasco?

The coke oven gases being released by ArcelorMittal Dofasco this week as it upgrades its plant contain a range of carcinogenic chemicals, warns a McMaster University professor.

The company advised community stakeholders Friday visible emissions might occur this week as it embarks on the next stage of its coke plant restoration project, but environmentalists say what was supposed to be intermittent has actually been constant.

"We understand the need to flare," said Lynda Lukasik, Environment Hamilton's Executive Director. "But this is constant. There's a disconnect from what was described and what we're seeing."

'I think a lot of companies look at these fines as a cost of doing business.'- Jim Quinn, McMaster University professor

The emissions that can be seen this week as black smoke over the plant are happening because the company is replacing the pipes at one of its byproducts plants. As a result, the coke oven gas that is normally consumed at the byproducts plant is being flared through the two batteries at its No. 2 coke plant instead.

Coke oven gas is a "very complex mixture of chemicals," McMaster University professor Jim Quinn told CBC Hamilton. The main family of chemicals found in that cloud is called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or PAHs for short. PAHs, such as benzene, are compounds made up of carbon, and larger molecules are carcinogenic and linked to mutation in lab tests on rats.

Coke oven gas also contains some of the same components in tobacco smoke that have been linked to lung cancer, Quinn says. "This sort of pollution definitely has a local footprint," he said. "Anyone downwind will be exposed to some of the contaminants."

Representatives from ArcelorMittal Dofasco could not be immediately reached for comment Monday. Jim Stirling, the company's general manager of environment, told community stakeholders Friday that "all efforts will be made to minimize the environmental impact of the flare."

The Ministry of the Environment is aware of the planned work, Stirling added.

Matters resolved

The steel company announced Friday these emissions would be seen this week – the same day that Environment Hamilton accused the Ministry of Environment of giving the company a free pass on pollution for the next five years as it undertakes an $87 million upgrade to its operation.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco was fined $390,000 in May after pleading guilty to a series of environmental charges for violating air quality standards.

"I think a lot of companies look at these fines as a cost of doing business," Quinn told CBC Hamilton Monday.

Friday, Environment Hamilton revealed an email exchange with the ministry in which a spokesperson said they wouldn't pursue further investigation into the coke plant during the upcoming five-year period in which the company has promised to fix the problems.

The spokesperson wrote, "the guilty plea resolves these matters."

However late Friday, in response to the accusation, the ministry it said it would monitor the company's progress and "would continue to investigate and prosecute where appropriate."

Guilty pleas

The pipework repair is part of the company's $87 million investment in major restoration at its No.2 and No.3 coke plants over the next five years. An order from the Ministry of the Environment compels the company to undertake much of the work and meet prescribed deadlines for key elements of it.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco's Hamilton facility has three coke plants, where coal is used to produce coke, a fuel for the facility's three blast furnaces. It is in the process to phase out its No.1 coke plant by March 2015. Shutting down the 56-year-old plants with three batteries and 105 ovens would result in permanent improvement in local air emissions, the company said.

The No.2 coke plant, commissioned in 1971, has two batteries and 106 ovens. The No.3 coke plant, commissioned in 1978, has one battery with 35 ovens.

The facility also houses three byproducts plants, which are responsible for the production of coke oven gas, tar, light oil and ammonia sulphate, as well as the removal of ammonia.

The Ministry of the Environment laid 13 charges against the company in March 2013 for air emission violations at its coke plants between April and August 2012. The ministry alleged that the company exceeded visible emissions (opacity) levels set by the province. 

The outcome came after more than a year of delay-plagued court proceedings. The company pleaded guilty to six out of 13 charges. The remaining seven charges were withdrawn.

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