Tim Hortons Field: Fire won't affect construction efforts, police say

The early morning fire at Hamilton's Tim Hortons Field won't affect whether the stadium will be ready for Monday's Labour Day Classic between the hometown Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts, investigators have concluded. 

A fire broke out in a mechanical room on the third floor of the venue's west stands early Saturday, said Dave Christopher, a spokesman for the Hamilton Fire Department. Overnight security staff called firefighters to the stadium, located at 75 Balsam Ave. N, around 3:40 a.m., he said. 

Crews extinguished the flames "within a few minutes," Christopher said. While no one was injured, the fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damage. 

However, on Saturday afternoon, as workers scurried to prepare the stadium for Monday's game, authorities announced that the fire won't have hampered construction efforts. 

"There was no structural damage that will affect Monday's game," Hamilton police Staff Sgt. Greg Doerr told CBC News. 

The Ontario Fire Marshal is still investigating the cause the fire, but said the incident is "non-suspicious." 

Ticats still planning to host Monday's game

Saturday's fire has raised further questions about whether the Tim Hortons Field will be ready for Monday's game. Safety inspectors still have to issue an occupancy permit for the stadium. That won't happen until at least Sunday afternoon, city officials say.

'At this point in time, we don't believe there will be impact in any way on game preparations at the stadium, including any of the inspections," —Mike Kirkopoulos, City of Hamilton

But both Tiger-Cats management and the city say the fire won't affect the rush prepare the venue for CFL action.

"At this point in time, we don't believe there will be impact in any way on game preparations at the stadium, including any of the inspections," Mike Kirkopoulos, a spokesman for the city, said earlier on Saturday. 

Glenn Gibson, the Tiger-Cats' president of business operations, called the fire "a small event" and said it won't affect the team's plan to host the Labour Day Classic on Monday.

"Nothing's changed from what was being said yesterday," said Gibson, who noted that dozens of workers were at the site Saturday morning working on the stadium. 

Backup plans are in place if $145-million stadium isn't ready for the 1 p.m. kickoff. The Ticats have said the game could be postponed until 7 p.m. or held instead at Toronto's Rogers Centre, the home field for the Argonauts as well as the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Even if the city grants an occupancy permit, Tim Hortons Field, which will eventually have permanent seating for 24,000 spectators, won't be running at full capacity. Sections of the stands that will house around 6,000 seats will still be off-limits, the team says, and a number of VIP and entertainment areas won't be ready either.

Plagued with delays

Tim Hortons Field was originally slated for a June 30 opening. But the surprisingly cold winter and problems with building subcontractors have resulted in delays.

Ontario Sports Solutions told city officials earlier this month that they modified the stadium's design during construction, but said it's hard to tell whether the changes led to any delays.

Postponing the opening of the stadium has forced the Tiger-Cats to play three home games this season at McMaster University's Ron Joyce Stadium.

That facility has permanent seating for 6,000 people and can accommodate an additional 6,000 temporary seats. 

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Labour Day 2014: What's open and closed in Hamilton

Whether Tim Hortons Field will be ready for the Labour Day Classic isn't the only question troubling Hamiltonians this long weekend.

Surely, many of you will be wondering which businesses, government services and recreation centres will have the day off on the holiday Monday. On that front, we have answers. 

To help you plan the rest of your weekend, consult the following roundup of what's open and closed on Labour Day in Hamilton.

City-run libraries, museums and recreation centres

Government offices will be closed Monday, as will all of Hamilton's public libraries and city-run museums.

All city recreation centres, arenas and indoor pools will have the day off. Wading pools will be closed, except for the one at Dundas Driving Park. However, several outdoor pools are holding special holiday hours.

To consult the swim schedule, go the city's Labour Day recreation page. 

Transportation

The HSR will be running a Sunday/holiday schedule on Monday. GO trains and buses will be operating on a Sunday schedule. 

DARTS will be operating on holiday service hours on Monday. All subscription trips, with the exception of those for dialysis patients, are cancelled for the day. Otherwise, if passengers wish to travel on Monday, they must make a reservation in advance. 

Waste collection

There will be no household waste collection on Monday. Pickup this week will occur on the day after your regular collection date. 

Banks, stores and other amenities

Banks, most major grocery stores and lots of other businesses will be closed. Jackson Square, Lime Ridge and Eastgate Square malls will closed as well. None of Hamilton's LCBO or The Beer Store locations will be open. 

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City of Hamilton confident Tim Hortons Field will host Monday game

With less than two days left until kickoff, Hamilton city officials say they expect Tim Hortons Field will be ready for the annual Labour Day Classic between the Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts.

"Contractors have advised us that they will be completing all the key construction pieces over the next two days, and getting final sign-off this weekend," said Gerry Davis, the city's manager of public works, in a written statement sent to Tiger-Cats management.

"These assurances give us confidence that the Labour Day game will proceed."

Team officials say they're heartened that the city is confident the game will be played in Hamilton.

"It's great to hear assurances from the contractors and confidence from the City of Hamilton that the Labour Day Classic will proceed as scheduled at Tim Hortons Field," Ticats owner Bob Young said in a statement sent out by the team. 

In order for Monday's CFL contest to go ahead, public safety inspectors will have to issue an occupancy permit for the stadium. That won't happen until at least Sunday afternoon, the city has said.

Even if the city grants an occupancy permit, Tim Hortons Field, which will eventually have permanent seating for 24,000 spectators, won't be running at full capacity. Sections of the stands that will house around 6,000 seats will still be off-limits, the team says, and a number of VIP and entertainment areas won't be ready either.

Backup plans are in place if $145-million stadium isn't ready for the 1 p.m. kickoff. The Ticats have said the game could be postponed until 7 p.m. or held instead at Toronto's Rogers Centre, the home field for the Argonauts as well as baseball's Toronto Blue Jays. 

An inspector with the Ontario Fire Marshal was at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday investigating the cause of a fire in one of the stadium's mechanical rooms. (Cory Ruf/CBC)

The city's statement comes only hours after police said that a fire in one of the venue's mechanical rooms won't affect whether the stadium will be ready for Monday's games.

The Ontario Fire Marshal was at the scene investigating the cause of the Saturday morning fire — which was isolated to a room on the third floor of the stadium's west stands — while dozens of workers prepared the complex for Monday's showdown.

Tim Hortons Field was originally slated to open on June 30, before the Ticats' first home game of the 2014 season. But a bitterly cold winter and problems with building subcontractors led to unexpected delays, forcing the team to play three games at McMaster Univesity's Ron Joyce Stadium.

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Ontario colleges set to vote on tentative agreement with employer

A tentative agreement has been reached between Ontario's colleges and the union representing its faculty, just in time for the start of the school year. 

Faculty members at all Ontario colleges will vote on the agreement reached with the College Employer Council. Details of the agreement will be released when it is ratified.

A spokesman for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union — which represents more than 12,000 full-time and partial-load faculty members across the province — says it was a productive round of negotiations.

In a statement issued at the start of negotiations in June, the union noted that college workers were concerned about the effect of years of under funding in post-secondary education.

There's still no indication whether there has been movement on a new agreement between Queen's Park and the province's elementary school teachers, whose contracts expire at the end of this month.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has stressed there will be no new money for salary increases.

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While ISIS destroys, Hamilton man battles to preserve historic texts

A group of librarians led by a Hamilton man is racing against time to preserve inscriptions of centuries-old artifacts and documents currently threatened by ISIS's destruction across much of Iraq and Syria.

In June, for the first time in 1,600 years, no Christian mass was celebrated in Mosul, Iraq.

"For the first time in the history of Mosul, church bells didn't ring," said Colin Clarke, founder and director of the Canadian Centre for Epigraphic Documents at the University of Toronto. "That's including invasion by the Mongols, by the Arabs, by the Persians, but still this tradition continued. That stopped a month ago."

To Clarke, the silence suggests a harrowing situation.

Islamic State (ISIS) militants have targeted Christian homes, places of worship and businesses in recent months. Of great concern to Clarke and his colleagues: malicious destruction of engraved buildings, art pieces and architecture that had survived for centuries.

"Being only copies, when these inscriptions are lost, the message that they hold is permanently lost," he said.

'One tries not to dwell on it'

Some of the photographs and rubbings in the collections the centre is processing could be the last remaining evidence of some of the inscriptions and, in some cases, the buildings that housed them. Some of the inscriptions date back to the 7th century.

Clarke works with a team of library scientists, language experts and academics, all of who volunteer for the centre's work. The centre started four years ago to catalogue and conserve the largest collection of Ancient Greek inscriptions in Canada.

Last year, the centre began working on a collection of Syriac documents. Syriac is an international language that was once used throughout much of the eastern world, being transported along the Silk Road. The dialect is related to Aramaic, the language Jesus reportedly spoke.

A 16th-century inscription from the Chaldean Church of al-Ṭahra in Mosul, Nineveh in Iraq, where ISIS has been targeting Christian buildings and businesses in recent months. (Courtesy of the Amir Harrak collection at the Canadian Centre for Epigraphic Documents)

Many inscriptions convey Christian thoughts and poems. One key collection of Syriac documents comes from a University of Toronto professor and Mosul native Amir Harrak, an expert in Iraqi Syriac inscriptions.

Last month, ISIS seized a 4th-century monastery and reportedly threatened the monks with execution. Soon after, they destroyed the Virgin Mary Church. Another mosque ISIS destroyed in Mosul, in the province of Nineveh, was said to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions.

That ISIS would overtake the monastery shocked Clarke. Even the Mongols had apologized in the 13th century for ransacking the sacred place, Clarke said.

Clarke grows quiet as he reflects on the destruction.

"One tries not to dwell on it," he said.

If we had the inscriptions, 'they wouldn't be in danger'

This type of conservation carries inherent challenges. Most of the texts the centre is working to catalogue were carved or etched right into stone or walls.

"I was asked before if we have the inscriptions," Clarke said. "If we did, they wouldn't be in danger."

Even before ISIS's latest move into Iraq, Clarke was already working with copies of inscriptions that no longer exist.

'I was asked before if we have the inscriptions. If we did, they wouldn't be in danger.'—Colin Clarke, director, Canadian Centre for Epigraphic Documents, University of Toronto

Last summer, Clarke and a colleague had been working all day going through a collection of Harrak's photographs – taking notes on what the photographs depicted and what the inscriptions said, and sliding them into envelopes.

At the end of the day, as they looked at the last photograph and the last envelope, Harrak came in.

"He saw what was in my hand, and he got quite excited," Clarke said. "He said to me, 'Colin, that's exactly what I was telling you about! That inscription in your hand, that no longer exists. This is the only copy.'"

Harrak went on.

"The church in the photograph, that also no longer exists," Clarke remembers Harrak saying. "So what we may actually have in that photograph is the only record of the architecture of that building."

For someone whose training teaches a reverence for rare collections and information, the feeling leaves him speechless.

"Indescribable. Absolutely indescribable. One of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had."

Next month, Clarke will travel to India to present at a Syriac conference and to see collections of more Syriac documents. 

Clarke lives in Hamilton and works part-time as a virtual reference librarian for 11 Ontario universities.

The centre operates without funding, Clarke said — a situation he hopes will change soon.

"Everybody involved is doing it because it's the right thing to do." 

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Ticats stadium ready or not? We won't know until Sunday

City officials expect it'll be Sunday afternoon before they issue a partial occupancy permit for Tim Hortons Field.

But that's still two days after the Hamilton Tiger-Cats say they have to let the Rogers Centre know if they'll play the Labour Day Classic there.

Building inspectors will be on site at the new stadium throughout the weekend to issue last-minute approvals for the health and safety issues necessary to allow fans in for the Labour Day Classic, said Ed VanderWindt, the city's director of building services.

• Check out the video at the top of this page to get an early look of what the new stadium is like from the inside.

For example, VanderWindt said, the stadium has four kilometres of guard and handrails, and some still have to be installed before the permit is issued.

That won't be finished until Sunday afternoon, he said. So city officials can't approve it until then.

Monday is a key date for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who are scheduled to play the Toronto Argos in the new stadium on Labour Day. It has two back-up plans — play the game in the new stadium on Tuesday, or play it at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday.

The Tiger-Cats want to let the Rogers Centre know by late Friday if they'll play the football game there, Ticats CEO Scott Mitchell said.

"I think it's fair to say (Friday) we can probably communicate with the Rogers Centre folks on what needs to happen or what could happen on Tuesday."

Despite the gap in the timing of the two steps, Mitchels said he doubted the team would be in a situation where it had both Rogers centre and Tim Hortons Field lined up.

"No I don't think so. You know, honestly I'm really focused on this situation here at Tim Hortons Field, so as I said , those folks have been unbelievably accommodating and we'll be very respectful."

To host the game, the Rogers Centre would have to convert the stadium following the Toronto Blue Jays game on Sunday, said Jay Stenhouse, vice-president of communications with the Rogers Centre. He doesn't have a definitive time when the Rogers Centre needs to know if it's hosting the game.

The $145-million stadium was originally supposed to open on June 30, but has been delayed several times since. The Tiger-Cats have played their last three home games at McMaster University.

The construction consortium Ontario Sports Solutions is building the 22,500-seat stadium under a contract with Infrastructure Ontario. Under the agreement, the Ticats get $1 million for each home game missed.

The estimated substantial completion date is Oct. 2.

If the city issues an occupancy permit on Sunday, here are the parts of the building that will be inhabitable:

• The east stands (three levels, 11,500 seats)
• The first three of seven levels of the west stands (6,500 seats). That leaves the levels for group sales, VIP/private boxes, media and more general seating (6,000 seats) outstanding.

City building officials are testing fire alarm and sprinkler systems on Thursday, said VanderWindt. Staff are purposely setting off fire alarms throughout the stadium to make sure the alarms work.

In addition to handrails, crews will focus on fire separations this weekend, he said.

"They have five crews on Saturday and some on Sunday to finish that work. If that work is done, that's a major hurdle for them."

Three building inspectors and two fire prevention officers are on site Thursday, he said. It has not taken away from the department's other work.

Builders had to change the structural steel design of the project throughout its construction, and the city hired an independent engineering firm to inspect the safety of the design. That's common, said Gerry Davis, general manager of public works.

"It's a design build, which means the steel is prefabricated," he said. "On every design build project, you have modifications."

As for hiring the engineer, "we planned on doing it."

VanderWindt says it's unlikely the modifications contributed to the delay.

On Tuesday, the city's public works committee will vote to spend $60,000 to keep MHPM Project Managers on as project manager for the stadium. The original project management contract ended on July 31. The city has spent about $530,000 so far for MHPM services.

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West Nile virus found in Hamilton mosquitoes

Public health officials have put out a warning after mosquitoes in Hamilton tested positive for the West Nile virus.

These are the first positive results of 2014, the city said in a Thursday news release.

City staff set mosquito traps each year to detect the presence of the virus. Samples collected on Aug. 26 showed that mosquitos found in two of the city's 30 traps tested positive for West Nile. The infected mosquitoes were captured in the lower city.

Humans contract the virus via mosquito bites, but the city says the risk to residents is currently "low to moderate."

Health officials say that up to 80 per cent of people who become infected with the West Nile virus never show any symptoms. However, the remaining 20 per cent develop a fever or more severe complications such as brain inflammation. Individuals with weakened immune systems and seniors are particularly vulnerable.

As a result, the city has issued a list of tips on how to avoid mosquito bites:

·      Use a bug repellent that contains DEET. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

·       Wear long-sleeve and light-coloured clothing while outside.

·       Remove standing water from your property at least weekly.

For more information, go to the city's West Nile information page. 

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Experimental aircraft crashes near Brantford airport

An experimental, lightweight aircraft crashed near the Brantford airport Friday morning, fire officials say, sending two men to hospital with serious injuries.

Firefighters were called to a tobacco field just west of the airport around 7:45 a.m., Deputy Fire Chief Geoff Hayman told CBC Hamilton. They found two people in serious need of assistance after their aircraft had plummeted to the ground. "They were banged up pretty bad," Hayman said.

"From what I understand, there was an error in landing and they came down short."

The aircraft was created by Solar Ship Inc., says Darryl Gilbert, who runs Gilbert Custom Aircraft. His company is in the building next to Solar Ship at the Brantford Airport.

Solar Ship did not immediately respond to calls or emails about the crash. Solar Ship builds "hybrid aircraft" with a bush plane base and an airship top with solar panels on top of it.

This type of aircraft is built as a means of delivering supplies short distances in places without easy access to runways like Africa, Hayman says. He likened it to a "hang glider with helium-filled wings, solar panels on top and driven by an electric motor." The aircraft is about two to three times the size of a standard fire truck, he says.

The two men inside the aircraft were taken to a Hamilton hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries, police say. One of them had to be cut out of the aircraft.

Hayman couldn't say how high in the air the plane had been flying before it hit the ground.

The Transportation Safety Board is sending an investigator to the crash site, officials say, to assess what happened.

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Is this Hamilton's lobbyist registry's last chance before the election?

Hamilton's city councillors will debate again next week — possibly for the last time — whether to implement a registry that will let the public see when they meet with lobbyists.

Councillors will vote at a general issues committee Thursday to implement a lobbyist registry, an issue that has dragged on at city hall for seven years.

It's one of the last chances for the current council to implement the registry before the Oct. 27 municipal election, when several new people will be elected, said Don McLean, a lobbyist registry advocate and head of Citizens at City Hall (CATCH).

"The clock is probably in favour of those who would not be in favour of a lobbyist registry," he said.

"I think that will be the way it plays out. That may be the way some people would like it to play out."

The idea of a lobbyist registry, which exists in Toronto and Ottawa, has been ongoing for more than seven years. In 2007, city council struck an accountability and transparency subcommittee, and one of its mandates was to establish a registry.

That subcommittee presented a draft bylaw to council last year, but it wasn't included in the city's 2014 budget. That makes it seem like council wanted to bury it, a former subcommittee member said in April.

In June, Coun. Brian McHattie of Ward 1 brought it back with a motion to implement the registry in March 2015, which would cost up to $100,000 to implement and about $115,000 per year to operate.

The city held a 45-day comment period in June. But council still wanted to know more. It asked the city about a code of conduct for lobbyists, which staff will advise against on Thursday.

McLean worries that after the election, the issue will disappear from view. In June, council had a "shopping list" of concerns, and will likely have more on Thursday.

"The likelihood of getting a final document out of next week is probably challenged by that," he said.

Issues such as the lobbyist registry don't automatically disappear with new councillors, McLean said. But the political will could change.

At least four council seats will change hands this fall because the incumbents aren't running. McHattie is locked in a heated race for mayor against Stoney Creek councillor Brad Clark and former mayor Fred Eisenberger, among others. 

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Canada Post honours Canuck comedians with new stamp series

Five Canadian faces who put their stamp on the comedy world now appear on a series of limited-edition stamps. 

Canada Post released its Great Canadian Comedian series on Friday. The collection features powerhouse laugh-masters Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Catherine O'Hara, who all have roots in the Toronto area, Quebec legend Olivier Guimond and Hamilton's Martin Short.

"It's super exciting. Part of our mandate at Canada Post is to honour Canadian heroes," said Jim Phillips, Canada Post's director of stamp services. "What better heroes do we have than our comedians, especially our comedians who have made their way south of the border?" 

Canada Post issued a stamp featuring the late comedian John Candy in 2006, said Phillips.

After the success of that run, the postal service was inspired to develop a series featuring a number of comedy luminaries, he said. 

Phillips said Canada Post's research department gathered a list of comedians who could be featured. "We had to make some tough decisions" to narrow down the field down to five, he said. 

Many of the comedians who didn't make the cut this time may appear in a future series, said Phillips. He mentioned Hamilton's Eugene Levy and Ottawa-born Ghostbusters star Dan Ackroyd as possible honourees. 

"If it goes well, we'll do another one," Phillips said. 

The collection —which includes five booklets containing a total of 50 stamps — retails for $42.50. A single booklet costs $8.50.

Canada Post won't be reprinting the series once it's sold out, Phillips warned.

"It's not a joke, but they're going to go really fast."

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Hamilton weather, traffic and more: Daystarter Thursday

Updated

• All lanes re-open after three-vehicle crash closed eastbound 403 at Mohawk Rd.

Thursday is an important day in human rights history.

On Aug. 28, 1833, British parliament passed a bill to abolish slavery in the United Kingdom as well as its colonies overseas. The legislation came into effect just less than a year later, on Aug. 1, 1834.

Many Commonwealth countries, including Canada, observe the anniversary of what's known now as Emancipation Day every year.  

Ontario Provincial Police are reporting the following collisions on highways in the Hamilton area:

• Toronto-bound 403, all have re-opened after three-vehicle collision closed the highway at Mohawk Rd., 9:03 a.m.
• Toronto-bound QEW on the downside of the Burlington Skyway: two-vehicle collision blocking the left lane, no injuries, 7:36 a.m. 

GO Transit isn't reporting any major delays on its train and bus routes running in and out of Hamilton. 

Environment Canada says Thursday will be mainly sunny, with a high of 22 C. A relatively cool overnight low of 10 C is in the forecast.

Expect another pleasant one on Friday. A mix of sun and cloud and a high of 24 C are in store for the day. 

These were supposed to be heady days for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Coming off an appearance at the Grey Cup last year and with a new stadium on the way, the team had raised hopes for a memorable 2014. But now, the Ticats' starting quarterback is out with an injury and whether Tim Hortons Field will be open for Monday's Labour Day Classic is still up in the air. Reporter Jeff Green writes about the Tabbies' dual woes.

You can quit smoking, eat healthier and exercise more to lower your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death. But avoiding heart disease risk factors is only as important as the quality of healthcare available to you, according to a new international study by McMaster University researchers published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Get up close and personal with Twitter user A Tireless Raconteur's photo of the fountain in Gore Park. 

Today's video hasn't gone viral, it isn't particularly cute or funny, and it's definitely not short. But it does offer a glimpse into just how big Hamilton is. Filmmaker Nathan Fleet took a drive around the perimeter of the entire city and filmed the whole thing using a hood-mounted GoPro camera. The journey is three hours long, so we don't suggest you watch the whole thing while at work. 

Perimeter Hamilton from nathan fleet on Vimeo.

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Healthcare quality as important as lowering heart disease risk: study

You can quit smoking, eat healthier and exercise more to lower your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death.

But avoiding heart disease risk factors is only as important as the quality of healthcare available to you, according to a new international study by McMaster University researchers published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In low-income countries where people have the lowest risk for cardiovascular disease, researchers found the highest number of major cardiovascular events, like stroke or heart failure, and death.

But high-income countries where people have greater risk of cardiovascular disease had a lower rate of death and severe heart problems.

"There is a real paradox," said Dr. Salim Yusuf, who led the study from the university's Population Health Research Institute.

"We have found that richer countries with higher risk factors have less heart disease and once people have a heart attack or stroke, the risk of dying is substantially less compared to poor countries," Yusuf said.

'You can't get the treatment you need'

Research has shown the death rate from cardiovascular disease in some high-income countries has dropped off significantly since the mid-1970s, due to lowered risk factors and improved medications and medical management of the disease.

Meanwhile, cardiovascular disease has been picking up in some low- and middle-income countries. The researchers undertook the study as they tried to figure out why 80 percent of deaths each year from cardiovascular disease happen in low- and middle-income countries.

The problem appears circular in the lower-income countries.

"You can't get the treatment you need to control the risk factors, and then when you have the heart attack or stroke, you may not make it to hospital or you may not get all the life-saving treatments that might be available in a high-income country," said Dr. Sonia Anand, one of the McMaster researchers.

Another finding from the study showed difference in disease risk and death depending on whether people in low- and middle-income countries lived in urban or rural areas. As populations move to cities from rural areas, the chances they're working more sedentary jobs go up, as does their risk for developing heart disease. But they're also closer to hospitals and health care options.

So even though rural residents in low- and middle-income countries were at lower risk for developing heart disease as their urban counterparts, they were at higher risk for heart attacks and strokes and death.

Work to do no matter the income

Both ends of the income spectrum have work to do, the study suggests. The richer countries should maintain their quality healthcare systems while also encouraging people to avoid risk factors – like smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, obesity, diabetes, not eating enough fresh produce and low levels of exercise.

Poorer countries also should avoid those risks, but it's not enough to have low risk factors. Those countries need to "substantially improve their health care," Yusuf said.

The study followed more than 156,000 people, living in both rural and urban areas in 17 countries on five continents. The study focused a four-year period, but researches plan to continue to follow the population. 

The low-income countries studied were Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. The 10 middle-income countries were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Iran, Malaysia, Poland, South Africa and Turkey. And the three high-income countries were Canada, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.

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Father, daughter rescued after hours clinging to capsized boat in Lake Ontario

With a couple of soggy $20 bills in his pocket, all Alun Phillips wanted was a floating Tim Hortons to buy his daughter dinner as they clung shivering to their capsized boat in Lake Ontario Tuesday night.

He and his daughter Morgan had been in there for close to six hours, after a routine afternoon boat trip went sour and his 18-foot catamaran sailboat capsized in the water off Stoney Creek.

'I'm never going to complain about paying my income tax ever again.'- Alun Phillips, rescued father

"We were overdue for hours," the Oakville man told CBC Hamilton. "I was making her laugh by saying 'mom's not going to be too happy with me about this one.'"

Phillips – who says he is an experienced sailor and catamaran racer – left the Burlington Beach Catamaran Club with his 13-year-old daughter early Tuesday afternoon and sailed down past the lift bridge to Baranga's on the Beach restaurant where they had lunch.

But the wind was a little stronger than he'd anticipated, and in the couple of hours they were ashore, it picked up even more. Once they left to head back to Burlington, the combination of a strong wind and swinging the back of the boat capsized them.

No phone, no radio

It shouldn't have been a big deal. The 400-pound, small, twin pontoon boats can capsize pretty easily – Phillips even calls it fun. But when a catamaran capsizes, the sail usually hits the water and stays buoyant. Then it's only a couple of minutes of work to right the boat and be on your way.

But Phillips's boat totally turtled, with the mast pointing straight down in the water. He figures it was because of a leak on a seal on the mast. But whatever the case – once that style of boat flips, there's no getting it back up, he says. "I was just in complete disbelief. It had never happened to me before," he said. Neither of them had a phone or radio on them.

Phillips's catamaran split when rescue crews tried to pull it to the water Tuesday. "I had this thought of 'hmm, maybe this wasn't as secure as I thought it was,'" he said. (Phillips family)

The two spent hours perched on the upside down boat, singing songs, telling jokes, and generally working to keep their spirits high. "She was just a superstar," Phillips said. He wasn't worried that they'd never be found – but some fear did start to creep in about shipping traffic in the water. If the father and daughter were still out there when darkness fell, a larger ship would never see them, and could run them over.

"We had prepared ourselves for a cold, uncomfortable night on Lake Ontario," Phillips said. "Thankfully it didn't come to that – seeing as he "married a worrier."

By this time, his wife Carolyn had realized something was wrong. She went to the sailing club and saw his vehicle, but not him. She called police, and a search was started.

Found on radar

It didn't take long for the coast guard to find Phillips's boat on radar and track them down – though what turned out to be rescue at first seemed ominous. "I see this light come out of the darkness and that's my worst fear," he said. "I was afraid I was going to get hit."

Instead, it was a coast guard crew, who found them around 10 p.m. They hoisted the pair aboard, gave them warm clothes and got them into the hands of Halton police, who brought them ashore. The search also included a C-130 Hercules airplane from CFB Trenton.

Phillips says he's eternally grateful for the fantastic work done both by the coast guard and police to help his family. "I'm never going to complain about paying my income tax ever again," he laughed. While he and his daughter got home safe, the boat wasn't so lucky – it split in two when coast guard tried to hoist it out of the water.

As for his wife? "She was just in pieces," Phillips said. "You know how wives are. She's been hugging my daughter and me ever since."

"But it was her being exceptionally worried that got us out of this mess."

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Collaros, Tim Hortons Field, both questionable for Labour Day Classic

The Ticats practice at the new stadium for the first time 1:21

The Ticats practice at the new stadium for the first time 1:21

The advent of home field advantage for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats was supposed to be the big psychological boost the slumping Hamilton Tiger-Cats needed going into the Labour Day Classic.

But the return of starting quarterback Zach Collaros brought even more attention to practice Wednesday, their first-ever at Tim Hortons Field.

Neither, though, are guaranteed to be ready to go Monday. Collaros is day-to-day. The stadium, it seems, is the same.

Earlier this week, officials estimated there was an 85 per cent chance the stadium would be ready for the game to be played.

Ticats coach: 'It doesn't matter what field we're on'

"We're preparing to win a football game," said head coach Kent Austin, trying to dismiss the where and when the Labour Day game will happen as a regular distraction. "It doesn't matter what field we're on."

Ticats CEO Scott Mitchell said the venue and day was out of their hands and more than vague when asked for updates on the progress of the stadium, and whether there's a time the team needs to make a decision logistically for the league and players, and for fans and ticket-holders.

"The latest update is that they continue to make progress. You know again, it's a process we're not in control of at all. We continue to get updates like everybody else. We've not heard of anything that's been a setback. All we hear about is the checklist that continues to be augmented and improved upon."

The Ticats have a pair contingency plans in place if the Monday 1 p.m. game doesn't happen. The first is pushing the game to Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The second is moving the game to Toronto to play Tuesday.

Occupancy permit not the only hurdle

Mitchell cautioned that even if the Ticats received an occupancy permit from the city, that largely hinges on safety regulations and doesn't take into account things like broadcast needs to host a game.

"Just because you (get an) occupancy doesn't mean necessarily mean you have all the needs for it to put on a game," Mitchell said.

Collaros: 'Which doctor?'

Collaros, who took snaps today after he was removed from the six-game injury list, said the coaching staff hasn't advised the team on contingency planning. The six-foot-two, 216-pound Collaros has been out with a concussion since a July 4 28-24 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.

Asked what the doctor has told him, Collaros joked, "Which doctor?"

As for the injury, Collaros said doing nothing — not working out, practising or studying film — was the hardest part.

"It's an injury you can't rehab, you kind of just have to do nothing," Collaros said. "That was tough for me."

Austin said it should become clear soon if he'd have Collaros in the lineup.

"We're going to have to get some assurance … that the probability [he'll be cleared to play] is high or else I'll have to get reps to other players," Austin said.

As for the field, that's still up in the air. While there's no indication from practice Tim Hortons Field will be ready to host a game Monday or Tuesday, there was one positive from the stadium: the players like having a home.

"It felt great, the field felt amazing and obviously we were just juiced to be out there," said defensive lineman Brian Bulcke. "Honestly it's a really good field. There's a lot of space on the sidelines … really, it's great to play on. It's fast."

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No takers for Hamilton police heroin amnesty

RAW: Lethal heroin press conference 10:25

RAW: Lethal heroin press conference 10:25

How does it feel to be hooked on opioids? 3:57

How does it feel to be hooked on opioids? 3:57

Hamilton has avoided more overdose deaths caused by a batch of extremely lethal heroin circulating in the city, Public Health says, but interest in both the city's new overdose prevention kits and police's heroin amnesty has been almost non-existent.

Police offered an amnesty on criminal charges earlier this month to anyone who turned over drugs for chemical analysis – they even said they'd pick up the drugs from users at their door. Public health also pushed new overdose prevention kits containing the drug naloxone, which helps keep someone who is overdosing alive.

But neither campaign has been a success. Even so, the deaths have stalled, says Julie Emili, an associate medical officer of health with the city. "I haven't seen any notifications of further deaths," Emili said.

But officials are no closer to figuring out just what was killing people. To date, not one person has stepped forward to police with drugs for analysis, police say. Const. Claus Wagner told CBC Hamilton that vice and drug detectives are still investigating and "continuing to monitor" the situation. Police denied interview requests with detectives for this story. Toxicology reports from the coroner taken from three people suspected of overdose aren't due back for roughly two weeks.

Overdose kits not flying off the shelves

Public Health also hasn't seen a rise in people accessing overdose prevention kits. Here are the number of kits that have been distributed each month since the program began:

• 15 in May
• 14 in June
• 23 in July
• 15 in August

Emili says she isn't shocked that it's taking more time for users to adopt the kits as part of a harm reduction strategy. She says Public Health's media blitz from a couple of weeks ago helped make people more aware of the issue and to change their drug use habits, "but the behaviour change to get them in for a kit takes longer."

"The reality is – as with all harm reduction materials – you have to engage the public where they're at," she said. "And the less you ask of people to do additionally, the better."

That means people are more likely to pick up the kits when in for an existing service – like an STI test or for a needle exchange. "It's life. People have other priorities and we have to link up with those," Emili said.

But Debbie Bang, the manager of St. Joseph's Healthcare Womankind addictions service, says the problem runs even deeper than that. A person who is addicted to opioids spends so much time ensuring their next high is in place that the rest of their life often falls by the wayside.

"Part of the difficulty here is this is a full time job for people who are using opioids," she said. "And they don't necessarily value themselves enough to take that time to do what's good for them."

Bang also isn't surprised that this recent media blitz hasn't done much to get overdose prevention kits out there. "It doesn't exactly leave them with a whole lot of time to be watching the news or listening to radio."

Trust a factor, Bang says

The same goes for no one taking the police up on their offer to bring in heroin for testing, even if it is no questions asked. "It has to do with that trust piece," Bang said. "There are all kinds of examples of people wondering if that policeman is safe and non judgmental."

But simply leaving the kits where people could pick them up also isn't an option, Bang says, because a health care worker needs to explain how to use them properly. "And yes, you could make the argument that 'well no one taught them how to use heroin,' but in reality, someone did."

Emili says Public Health will continue to do what it can to get these kits out to the people who need them. "We would hope that people's behaviour has changed," she said.

Bang agrees that persistence is key. "We just have to be patient and keep at it."

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OPP searching for sex offender with ties to Hamilton

Daniel Kirkey, 55, wanted for breaching bail conditions

CBC News Posted: Aug 27, 2014 10:47 AM ET Last Updated: Aug 27, 2014 10:47 AM ET

A convicted sex offender who has multiple convictions for sexual assault with a weapon may be in Hamilton after breaching his bail conditions, Ontario Provincial Police warn.

Daniel Kirkey, 55, is wanted for failing to comply with a recognizance of bail. He has 16 criminal convictions, including five for sexual assault with a weapon, police say.

His last known address was in Kirkland Lake, Ont., near Timmins. Police say he left that area late last week.

Kirkey has contacts in the Hamilton and Niagara regions and may have travelled here, police say.

The OPP is warning Kirkey could pose a risk to public safety and is asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to call police at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Here are the Tiger-Cats's 2 back-up plans for the Labour Day Classic

They hope the new stadium is finished by the Labour Day Classic, but in case it's not, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have released two back-up plans for the annual CFL tradition — and one involves Toronto.

The first option — and preferred one — is playing the game at Tim Hortons Field at 1 p.m. on Monday.

But in case the work isn't done in time for the city to grant an occupancy permit, here are the other two:

1. Playing the game at Tim Hortons Field on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. This will happen if the occupancy permit is delayed by one day. All tickets will remain valid for the game. Fans who can't attend on Sept. 2 will be credited for the tickets.
2. If the occupancy permit still isn't issued by Tuesday, the game will be at Rogers Centre in Toronto at 7 p.m. on Sept. 2. All Labour Day Classic ticket holders will get complimentary tickets to the Rogers Centre that are equal to the tickets they held for Tim Hortons Field.

"We are doing everything we can as an organization to be playing our game at Tim Hortons Field on Labour Day," the club said in a fan update on Tuesday.

The team has been anxiously awaiting the new $145-million stadium, which the consortium Ontario Sports Solutions is building through an agreement with Infrastructure Ontario. The stadium, which will also host soccer games for the 2015 Pan Am Games, was originally due to open on June 30. The opening has been delayed several times, and city building officials are on site all this week ready to issue an occupancy permit.

The delay has caused the Ticats to miss three home games so far, playing them instead at a smaller McMaster University facility. Under the lease agreement for the 22,500-seat stadium, the Ticats receive $1 million for each missed home game.

The team has already contacted fans with tickets in displaced section of the stadium. Anyone with tickets in a displaced section who hasn't been contacted should call 905-547-2287 before 10 a.m. on Thursday. The seats will be released and your account will be credited for the tickets, the club says.

Anyone with questions or concerns should call 905-547-2287.

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Hamilton police release footage from gas bar robbery

CBC News Posted: Aug 27, 2014 9:32 AM ET Last Updated: Aug 27, 2014 9:32 AM ET

Hamilton Police have released security camera footage from a Canadian Tire gas bar robbery that happened in Stoney Creek earlier this month in the hopes of tracking down a suspect.

It happened on Aug. 15 at 12:50 a.m. at the Canadian Tire Gas bar at Barton Street and Winona Road. Police say a man went inside and wandered around for a while before approaching the clerk and demanding money. The man said he had a weapon.

The clerk turned over some cash before the man ran out of the store and was last seen running northbound through the Centre Mall parking lot. The clerk wasn't injured. He called police, but a search of the area didn't turn up any suspect, police say.

Police are still investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-546-2991.

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Hamilton hit hardest in Canada by tighter EI rules

Of all the unemployed in Hamilton, just 21.6 per cent of them are receiving employment insurance (EI) benefits, according to a new report that shows Hamilton has been the hardest hit city when it comes to tighter rules to access EI benefits. 

The numbers, published by Press Progress, an arm of the progressive think-tank, Broadbent Institute, also show that Canada has hit a new low in terms of access to EI benefits at 36.6 per cent.

Stricter rules, introduced by the Liberals 1998 and reinforced by the Conservatives more recently lead the charge. So too does precarious employment, and an EI system linked to unemployment in census management areas (CMAs).

Precarious employment driving rate of unemployed, and ineligible for EI

"Precarious employment in our community have skyrocketed," said Deirdre Pike Senior Social Planner, Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton. "The jobs that are replacing the former good jobs are short contracts, shorter hours, less pay - all the things that are the markers for EI.

"They can't build up those hours and so they'll never be eligible for EI… That's why so many end up on social assistance instead," Pike said.

Hamilton is a standout in the report for having the biggest drop in unemployed accessing benefits since 1997, going from 40.1 per cent to 21.6 per cent in June 2014. The report says the numbers were calculated by Angella MacEwen, a Broadbent Institute policy fellow and senior economist with the Canadian Labour Congress. They combine Statistics Canada numbers on the work force and EI beneficiaries in CMAs. 

Pike says Hamilton "stands out" because its CMA includes Burlington and Grimsby. By combining the cities, the unemployment rate drops and the barrier to access EI in Hamilton, in terms of hours that need to be worked within the last year, skyrockets.

'This is beyond a backlog in applications' says poverty activist

Laura Cattari, who sits on the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction and runs Advocacy Hamilton, paints a tough picture for Hamilton's unemployed. 

"You went from anywhere from 180 to 300 hours (in the past 52 weeks) needed to qualify (for EI)…Now, especially if you're in a very low unemployment rate area, you need up to 700 hours to qualify."

"This is beyond a backlog in applications. This is far worse than anything I anticipated," Cattari said.

She, like Pike, returned to the problem of precarious employment and the markers to qualify for EI benefits.

"What do the other 80 per cent (of unemployed) do? They turn to social services," Cattari said. "I don't think the EI system, the way it's set up, is set up the needs of anyone with precarious employment. That's just not within the realm. If you're not working full time and haven't been working full time for, obviously, more than a couple of years, EI just isn't working for you."

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Hamilton man who fell from off-duty cop's Jeep dies in hospital

Charges against Brantford police officer Ryan Grant will be upgraded to impaired driving causing death, after 27-year-old Joey Flaherty, a passenger who fell out of Grant's Jeep in early Tuesday morning incident, has died in hospital. 

Hamilton Police made the announcement Wednesday morning, confirming the charges of impaired operation causing bodily harm and impaired operation over 80 mgs​ would be upgraded. Flaherty was 2014 first passenger fataity. 

Brantford Police announced earlier the officer was off-duty at the time, and has been suspended with pay and may be looking at possible Police Act charges as well as criminal charges. In Ontario, police services are mandated to suspended officers with pay during an ongoing investigation.

Police and ambulance crews were called to Emerson Avenue near McMaster University around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, and found a 27-year-old Dundas man with serious head injuries lying in the roadway.

He and the driver – a 33-year-old Dundas resident  – had been driving in a white Jeep with the doors taken off. "It does not look like he was wearing a seatbelt," said police Const. Claus Wagner. No collision had taken place, he added.

After the passenger fell out, the driver of the jeep circled back to where the passenger was lying and waited for police to arrive, Wagner says. Crews arrived and rushed the man to hospital.

In a written statement Tuesday, Brantford police said they can't share specific details of the incident as criminal charges have been laid and Hamilton police are investigating. On top of the criminal charges, Acting Police Chief Dave Wiedrick has launched an internal investigation to determine if the officer should face discipline charges under the Police Services Act.

Several roads in the area were closed for the investigation, but have since reopened.

The police collision reconstruction unit is investigating and asks anyone with information to call 905-546-4755.

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Careless smoking fire guts east end Hamilton home

Careless smoking aided by an open door caused a fire that ravaged an east end home early Tuesday, fire officials say.

Firefighters were called to 69 Martha Street by Oriole Crescent just after 3 a.m. They found a two storey home with flames and smoke shooting out of the second floor, says public information officer Claudio Mostacci.

"The suspected cause was careless disposal of smoking materials," Mostacci said.

The fire actually started downstairs near the back of the home. When the tenant opened a back door and saw fire, he immediately ran to get his family out safely without closing the door, Mostacci says. That allowed the fire to quickly move through the rest of the house.

"Just like a chimney, it went right up to the second floor," Mosttaci said. "It's amazing how much a door can contain a fire. It's totally amazing the difference it makes."

The man and his family got out safely, and no one was injured – but the home was damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Fire officials are estimating damages around $150,000.

The home is subsidized and owned by Ontario Housing, Mostacci says.

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Brantford police officer charged after man falls from jeep

A Brantford police officer has been arrested on impaired driving charges and a Dundas man is in hospital with life threatening injuries after falling out of a jeep in the city's west end early Monday.

The officer was off duty at the time of the incident. Brantford police said Monday he has been suspended with pay and the service is looking at possible Police Act charges as well.

Police and ambulance crews were called to Emerson Avenue near McMaster University around 1:30 a.m., and found a 27-year-old Dundas man with serious head injuries lying in the roadway.

He and the driver – a 33-year-old Dundas resident  – had been driving in a white Jeep with the doors taken off. "It does not look like he was wearing a seatbelt," said police Const. Claus Wagner. No collision had taken place, he added.

After the passenger fell out, the driver of the jeep circled back to where the passenger was lying and waited for police to arrive, Wagner says. Crews arrived and rushed the man to hospital.

The driver was arrested on charges of impaired operation causing bodily harm and impaired operation over 80 mgs. He was held for a bail hearing.

In a written statement, Brantford police said they can't share specific details of the incident as criminal charges have been laid and Hamilton police are investigating. On top of the criminal charges, Acting Police Chief Dave Wiedrick has launched an internal investigation to determine if the officer should face discipline charges under the Police Services Act.

The officer has been suspended with pay pending the investigation.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured male and his family at this time," Wiedrick said.

Several roads in the area were closed for the investigation, but have since reopened.

The police collision reconstruction unit is investigating and asks anyone with information to call 905-546-4755.

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Hamilton under heat warning Tuesday

Weather could feel near 40 degrees in the afternoon: Environment Canada

CBC News Posted: Aug 25, 2014 3:58 PM ET Last Updated: Aug 26, 2014 8:44 AM ET

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for the city of Hamilton for Tuesday.

The combination of heat and humidity as measured by the Humidex could make the weather feel near 40 degrees in the afternoon, the agency expects. Environment Canada issues heat warnings when temperature or humidity is high enough to cause a greater risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

The hot and humid airmass's stay in the region should be short-lived. Meteorologists expect a cold front to sweep across the Golden Horseshoe and southwestern Ontario Tuesday night, bringing temperatures back to normal for the rest of the week.

Anyone can develop heat illnesses in extreme heat. Drink plenty of water before you feel thirsty to ward off dehydration.

According to Environment Canada, the risk of heat-related health impacts is greatest for:

• older adults
• infants and young children
• people with chronic illnesses such as breathing difficulties, heart conditions or psychiatric illnesses
• people who work in the heat
• people who exercise in the heat
• people without access to air conditioning and
• homeless people

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Why Hamilton has had zero smog days in 2014

Breathing easier this summer?

A summer free of smog days will do that.

Along with no 30-degree days yet this summer, Hamilton hasn't had any days warranting official smog warnings yet in 2014.

Neither has anywhere else in Ontario, for the first time in the province's data stretching back to 2003. 

"In a province used to seeing 20-25 days with smog, we've had none," said Dave Phillips, a climatologist at Environment Canada.

"Last year even with a kind of normal summer there were only two smog days (in Hamilton)," he said. "But in 2012 there were 18 of those suckers. It was unhealthy."

Local air quality consultant Denis Corr said the region has made "amazing advances" over the past three decades.

But he cautioned the dearth of smog days could be more of a fluke from that cooler weather than anything.

"Even though part of a welcome long-term trend to reduce air pollution, one would not expect this to continue," Corr said. "It could go completely the other way next summer, unfortunately."

Cooler, wet days are not the conditions that typically create dense smog. One significant air pollutant, ozone, is a result of existing chemicals in the air reacting with sunlight. Without as much sunlight, there's tends to be less ozone in the air, Corr said.

The cooler temperatures "haven't been able to cook the chemicals," Phillips said.

Weather aside, a few factors may be contributing to the drop in smog days, said Lynda Lukasik, executive director of Environment Hamilton.

The province has shifted in recent years away from coal-fired power plants. And Lukasik said she wonders if there have been some changes south of the border, where pollution floating in from the Ohio Valley has caused significant issues in Hamilton in the past.

"We're all sort of surprised at what's going on," she said. 

But she said the zero smog days belies the daily air some Hamilton residents breathe.

"Despite the fact that we are seeing these wonderful improvements at a higher level, that doesn't eliminate the need to monitor very localized air quality impacts closer to the industrial core," she said. "You sort of have to think about both."

Indeed, Hamilton shouldn't let its guard down in light of the zero smog days this year, Corr said.

"The fact is we still have 180 deaths every year, and 2,000 deaths every year in Toronto," Corr said.

"We're making gains, but we have to keep doing better and better."

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Stay away from west Hamilton harbour's 'green scum': Public Health

Hamilton Public Health is telling people to avoid swimming in the west end of the harbour because of green surface scum.

Blue-green algae has been detected in the water and so Bayfront Beach has been closed to swimming. This is the second warning Public Health has issued about this area in a week.

"Residents are advised not to eat fish caught in these areas and not to let children or pets come into contact or drink from the water," said Dr. Matthew Hodge, Hamilton's Associate Medical Officer of Health. "Blue-green algae can be present in the water even in the absence of a visible scum and not all surface scums are toxic since they can be also caused by other, non-toxic algae."

Blue-green algae produces toxins that have been detected at the western shortline of Bayfront Beach, and the Bayfront Park boat launch and Pier 4. Algae blooms "could be present or could arrive shortly" at other swimming areas in the harbour, public health says.

Some varieties of blue-green algae produce toxins and can irritate the skin. Adverse health effects are mostly caused by drinking the water, though skin contact with contaminated water can cause irritation and itching. Enough exposure to blue-green algae toxings can cause headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, skin rashes and mucous membrane irritation.

Anyone who has recently been in the water in the western areas of Hamilton harbour and is experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their doctor, Public Health says.

"It must be emphasized that the safety of Hamilton's drinking water supply is not affected by this situation," Public Health said in a news release. The health agency is continuing to monitor the presence of algae toxins in the harbour.

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Collision kills 2, demolishes truck on Highway 6

A crash between a pickup truck and a transport truck killed two people and sent a third to hospital in Caledonia early Monday, police say.

Crews were called to the crash site at Highway 6 near 5th Line around 1:45 a.m.

The truck and the pickup collided in the intersection of a four way stop, Const. Mark Foster told CBC Hamilton. The pickup truck was "demolished," he said, while the transport truck sustained moderate damage on its broad side.

The impact sent the pickup into the south ditch, and the transport truck came to a stop on the shoulder of highway 6. The male driver and male passenger in the pickup were killed and pronounced dead at the scene, police say. Their identities are being withheld until next of kin is notified.

A third male passenger in the pickup was pulled from the wreck by the Haldimand County Fire Department and was rushed to hospital by paramedics.

Foster could not yet say if alcohol was a factor or if anyone was wearing seat belts.

"That's all being looked at, but I can't say one way or the other right now," he said.

The OPP's technical traffic collision investigator is assisting with the investigation.

Highway 6 is closed to through traffic from Argyle Street to 4th Line. "We expect to be here for another hour or two," Foster said.

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Bidding war homebuyer beware: Appraisers may not be as eager

Competitive homebuyers in Hamilton's hot housing market are often facing a critical disagreement as they try to buy a house – the property appraiser doesn't share their opinion about how much the house is worth.

And that can leave homebuyers without the financing they need to close the deal. 

The tension, between eager buyers and sellers and often conservative appraisers and bankers, is arising more in the hot market, local real estate experts said. ​

Lately, some homes for sale have been attracting "five, six, seven" offers, said veteran local appraiser Bob Schinkel, who owns Schinkel Appraisals, a local firm. The winners may be blinded by their victory.

"There's a good chance that they're so excited about getting the house that they're willing to pay more than market value," he said.

'Things like this can set a crux in the deal'

The appraisal is typically the most the mortgage bank will allow a buyer to borrow on the house. If they couldn't pay their bills tomorrow, and the bank had to foreclose, the bank wants to know it could sell the house to cover the debt.

So when the appraisal comes in under what the buyers have agreed to pay, they may have to scrounge up thousands of dollars more for their down payment, or back out of the deal entirely.

Here's, roughly, how it works. For the sake of round numbers, say a house is on the market for $200,000. A buyer finds out she has approval from the bank to get a mortgage for $160,000, so she offers $200,000 on the house, planning to pay a $40,000 down payment.

But before agreeing to the deal, the bank hires an appraiser to go take a look at the property, to analyze the house and to compare it to other houses in the same neighbourhood of similar size and quality. The appraiser's report goes back to the bank, along with a price he thinks it's worth. If that price is less than the $160,000, the bank will most likely only grant a mortgage for that amount, even though the buyer was approved to borrow more. 

"They're hoping to get 80 percent financing but the bank will only lend on the lower of the two, the purchase price or the appraisal," said Bill Boros, a residential appraiser at Pocrnic Realty Advisors.

The roadblock is popping up more in an escalating market, said Suzanne Boyce, a local mortgage broker who owns the Personal Mortgage Group. 

She said it's important for buyers to make sure they've completed their full application for a mortgage before making an offer, not just submitted initial pre-approval paperwork. 

"It's something that the public should know about when they're purchasing," she said. "Things like this can set a crux in the deal."

Sometimes buyers try to increase their competitiveness by making their offer "firm." But if they've gone into the offer without making it conditional on their loan coming through, they could be in trouble – facing a "lawsuit or loss of their deposit or both," Schinkel said.

'You always feel that pressure'

The situation underscores a few characteristics of Hamilton's housing market.

There aren't a lot of homes on the market, and the low supply increases demand. More homes sold in July than any July for the last 10 years, according to the Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington. But the inventory of homes for sale at the end of the month was 8.4 percent lower than the same month last year.

The fever inspires some homebuyers to seek out charming homes, sometimes fixer-uppers, in previously less popular neighborhoods. But appraisers may not be able to find supporting sales of similar diamonds in the rough nearby to support their estimate of the home's worth.

The market is seeing an influx of buyers from elsewhere, like Toronto, who are surprised to see such "low" prices compared to their previous cities and may not balk as prices rise in a bidding war.

Realtor April Almeida with City Brokerage had an experience recently where an appraisal came in several thousand dollars lower than a client's offer.

"They can walk away or they have to basically come up with the difference," Almeida said. 

Almeida's client ended up switching to a mortgage broker instead of taking a loan from the client's bank. But Almeida said the hiccup was frustrating.

"We're seeing more of it here, and it's making me nervous that [appraisers are] trying to quash this market," she said. "Or are they giving into this perception of this bubble thing." 

The client ended up switching banks and finding a new loan through a mortgage broker.  

Boros said appraisers know their estimates may disappoint some people, but he said his duty is to the lender, not to the buyer.

"You always feel that pressure," he said. "People are trying to buy a house. It's a matter of explaining to them: We have to base it on the market."

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Morrow changes tune on waterfront waste-to-energy plant

It's still not clear whether the waste-to-energy gasification project's proponents will pursue city zoning permission, or stick with their contention that their project is on Port Authority lands and therefore won't need the city's OK.

But while those conversations continue, at least one city councillor has changed his mind about a proposed waste-to-energy gasification plant proposed for Hamilton's industrial waterfront.

A few months ago, Councillor Bob Morrow said he'd ask the city to formally oppose a waste-to-energy gasification plant proposed for the waterfront in Ward 3, which Morrow represents.

Now he's been keeping that motion in the wings, postponing but not withdrawing it.

And in the meantime, after sitting through four information meetings and presentations, Morrow's changed his mind about the project.

Morrow's concerns have been "overcome largely" during the proponents' presentations, he said.

"Personally, if I were all by myself I would support it," he said Friday. "I think it's good science and I think it's good for the community, jobs, taxes, everything else."

But, he said, there's an important caveat: He will represent what he perceives to be the majority opinion among his constituents.

"But I also am required to represent the people of the ward until December," he said.

'I plan on fighting this project,' Merulla says

Councillor Sam Merulla in neighbouring Ward 4 expresses none of that equivocation. He fought the city's SWARU incinerator and a biomass gasification plan proposed by Liberty Energy. He said he's looking forward to the "battle."

"I plan on fighting this project just as strongly," he said.

Hamilton's airshed is already at its pollution limit, he said.

"I've never been in support of any gasification initiative," he said. "Anything that contributes to [airshed emissions] even in a so-called minor way exacerbates that issue," he said.

"Regardless of what they claim to be state of the art technology, we have no capacity remaining for any type of emissions whatsoever," he added.

If the project proponents would allow the city's public health department to monitor the site in real time and shut it down should it give off any hazardous emissions, Merulla suggested he may reconsider his stance.

Otherwise, he's staunchly opposed. And if Morrow won't bring the motion forward asking the city to oppose the project, Merulla will do it himself next month, he said.

Bob Clark, project head for Port Fuels and Materials Services, spoke in July to a group of Sherman neighbourhood residents about the proposed waste gasification plant. (Kelly Bennett/ CBC)

Mayor Bob Bratina supports the project because it wouldn't incinerate garbage and could relieve the city's landfill of some of its burden, said Bratina's chief of staff, Peggy Chapman. 

"The mayor is hoping with some education, that might be able to calm any fears," she said.

Morrow said his personal opinion should not be taken necessarily as how he'll vote.

"Everything I have heard points to a good project here but again I'll be waiting and watching and listening," he said.

Project head Robert Clark said his team is continuing its environmental permitting applications and completing "about a dozen" site-specific studies for the proposed location. He said expects "positive results" to come from discussions between the city and the Port, which would be the project's landlord.

Ward 3 candidates on the plant

Since Morrow could be out of office by the time any vote on this project comes to a city vote, CBC Hamilton asked candidates for Ward 3 in October how they line up on the project.

AGAINST:

"This is as much about perception as it is emissions," said Bob Assadourian. "Ward 3 and the greater Hamilton for that matter, should not be perceived as a garbage dumping and or burning grounds."

Drina Omazic, also running in Ward 3, said she's skeptical of the proponents' claims about the plant's emissions.

"Until we have more information, we are concerned by a facility that may very well add to the existing air quality burden in the neighbourhood," she said.

Another candidate, Matthew Green, suggested the project would send the city backwards. While proponents have said there are no immediate plans to process toxic waste in the plant, some vocal residents fear the plant will move on to that hazardous waste later in the plant's life.

"With the city having already spent millions to commercially redevelop piers 4 through 8, I can not see how the potential for processing toxic waste fits into our future vision of our waterfront," Green said.

Mark DiMillo, also running for Ward 3, echoed that assessment.

"The stigma attached to this type of facility does not fit the progressive planning initiatives of our city moving forward," he said.

Ward 3 candidate Brian Kelly took a more measured stance -- he endorses the technology, but he thinks it's too early in that neighbourhood's revitalization to commit to the project. He rejects the argument that the plant would be "another SWARU." 

"I reject this argument completely as the technology is very different but this does say something about the legacy that that operation has etched in peoples' minds and the promoters of the project must respect that," Kelly said.

FOR:

Opposing them, candidate Ralph Agostino said he's convinced the project won't give off any emissions that would impact the city's air quality. He supports the project as a job and tax revenue-generator.

"After carefully studying the gasification plant I believe it's a win-win situation for the city," he said. 

Tim Simmons, also running for Ward 3, supports the project for its jobs and tax creation. 

"We would see 30 to 50 new jobs as well as spinoff jobs to support families," Simmons said.

Ward 3 candidates Sean Gibson and Carlos Pinho did not respond to request for comment Friday.

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Live chat with expert gardeners: August 25, 2014

Click on the image to listen live.

Get your garden growing with a live call-in conversation with Ontario Today's Ed Lawrence starting at 12:30 p.m.. We'll also have expert gardeners Donna Parker, Jon Peter and Linda Hugli. Join us online or by phone at 1-888-817-8995 or do both. Either way, your weeds don't stand a chance!

With this impressive arsenal of gardening talent you can be sure someone will have a bright solution for any problem your garden can throw at you. Don't think so? We dare you to try and stump our panellists.

Starting on Monday at 12:30 p.m. our experts can help you with everything from the right way to get rid of bindweed, how to fertilize your roses, how to grow tomatoes in containers and much more. Listen live to Ed Lawrence on Ontario Today right on this page at 12:30 p.m. Monday and join the online conversation too.

Live Blog Live gardening chat August 25, 2014

 

Meet the gardeners

Our rotating group of online panelists will include Jon Peter, Curator and Manager of Plant Documentation at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton and Toronto-area Master Gardeners Claudette Sims, Tena Van Andel and Donna Parker as well as Master-Gardener-in-training Marie Clarke. From Sudbury, we have Master Gardener Linda Hugli.

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 2011. 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.

Linda Hugli

Linda Hugli has been a Master Gardener in Sudbury, Ontario for almost 20 years. She served on the Master Gardeners of Ontario Board of Directors for 5 years, and during that time was Webmaster of MGOI.ca . She also coordinated  Landscape Ontario's 'Ask an Expert' website forum. Linda's extensive home gardens include more than 200 varieties of perennials, shrubs, and trees. She gardens in Zone 4 in Ontario's mid-north.

Tena van Andel

Tena van Andel is delighted to have been a Toronto Master Gardener since 2003. She enjoys her role as Past Coordinator for Toronto and as Event Coordinator on the board of the Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc. She will talk to anyone about anything horticultural, although orchids, large trees and the exotic bring a special gleam to her eye.

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!

READ MORE

Need help? Ask an expert

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McMaster rises in world university rankings

McMaster University is moving up the ranks of the world's universities, the school announced Monday.

The Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities moved McMaster up to 90 from 92 on its world ranking list of 500 universities. McMaster is the fourth-highest ranked Canadian school, behind the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia and Montreal's McGill University. U of T is the top ranked Canadian school on the list.

"This ranking serves to confirm what other rankings have established over the years – that McMaster University is consistently considered to be among one of the best in Canada, and in the world," said McMaster president Patrick Deane. "Only three other Canadian cities have a university in the Top 100. It is certainly a strong way to help Hamilton build its national and global reputation and to attract innovators and new business opportunities to our city."

The ranking put 21 Canadian universities among the world's top 500, which is a drop from 2013, when there were 23 schools on the list.

Harvard University and Stanford University topped the list at one and two, respectively.

McMaster's social science programs also ranked 48th in the world. The Hamilton-based university says offerings like the DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and its nuclear reactor help draw students in.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Center for World-Class Universities has released an annual ranking of the world's top 500 universities since 2003.

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Burlington Skyway crash: Driver to plead not guilty

The lawyer for the Brampton man who caused traffic mayhem earlier this month when he drove a dump truck with the bucket raised into the Burlington Skyway says his client plans to plead not guilty.

"Right now we'll start with the assumption he's pleading not guilty and we'll go from there," said Toronto-based lawyer David Locke outside a Hamilton courthouse Friday morning.

Sukhvinder Singh Rai, 34, did not appear in court Friday as his lawyer was just receiving initial disclosure in the case, which includes witness and police statements. It takes three to four weeks to go through those statements, Locke said.

"We're not getting into any details right now. We want to see what the allegations are and take it from there," he said. "He and his family are taking this matter very seriously."

"He's very upset right now with this whole unfortunate situation and he's going to deal with it as best he can."

Rai is charged with one count of impaired operation of a motor vehicle and one count of blood alcohol level exceeding 80 milligrams while operating a motor vehicle. He has been released from custody since the incident.

'You're ruining everything else because some bozo is up there driving around hammered out of his mind – allegedly, I guess.'- Steve Panchuk, truck driver

Locke would not say specifically if Rai is living at home or is currently in a treatment facility of any kind.

"He's currently in the community," he said, adding that Rai is not working "right now" but he "expects to be working soon."

Rai's licence was automatically suspended for 90 days after charges were laid.

The collision happened at 3:40 p.m. on July 31, on a day with clear skies. No one was injured. New pavement was laid down during the four-day closure, and a temporary beam is currently in place on the Skyway. A new beam is expected in less than two months. Ministry of Transportation officials say they are monitoring the temporary beam, and it is "performing well."

Trucker Steve Panchuk came from Brampton to Hamilton's John Sopinka courthouse to see for himself what's happening with the court case against Sukhvinder Singh Rai. (Adam Carter/CBC)

Steve Panchuk is a 15-year veteran of the trucking industry from Brampton, and he went to Hamilton's John Sopinka courthouse Friday morning just to see for himself what's happening with the case.

"I'm angry because it gives everybody a bad name," Panchuk said. "The first thing the ministry does is start stopping every truck on the road, checking licences, insurance, paperwork, hours of work, you're ruining everything else because some bozo is up there driving around hammered out of his mind – allegedly, I guess.

"It gives everybody a bad name and paints everybody with a bad brush."

Panchuk says many in his industry are still talking about the crash — and they're not happy. "There are a lot of good guys out there," he said. "But there are also a lot of fly-by-night people who are badly trained, no training at all. I don't know how they got their licence and where they got their licence."

The Toronto-bound lanes of the Skyway carry an average of 75,000 cars daily. The collision forced the closure of the Toronto-bound lanes during the August long weekend, forcing cars to go either around or directly through Hamilton's core.

Previously, the longest Skyway closure was 12 hours and 11 minutes, a result of severe winds, lightning and scaffolding that fell onto Eastport Drive from the Skyway.

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Cooler Hamilton weather could stick around for fall

The cooler-than-normal weather we've been having in Hamilton could be sticking around come fall.

There tends to be a "persistence" in weather as the seasons change, said Dave Phillips, a climatologist with Environment Canada.

'Given the fact that we've had sort of a bummer of a summer, people are wondering if there's any heat left in Mother Nature.'- David Phillips, Environment Canada climatologist

That means you can generally expect a bit of "what you see is what you're gonna get" into the end of summer, which technically stretches through most of September.

"Astronomically, we still have a month to go with regards to summer but given the fact that we've had sort of a bummer of a summer, people are wondering if there's any heat left in Mother Nature," he said. 

On a typical mid-September day, the temperature might hover around 21, 22 degrees in the afternoon, and around 10 or 11 degrees for a low, Phillips said. In October, the weather tends to drop a few more degrees -- jacket weather with a bit of frost-scraping in the morning, he said.

The weather in September could be cooler than that average, he said, if weather patterns continue like they have.

"We have seen so much Canadian air visiting the province," he said.

Cool days versus 'weather rage'

After a brutal winter, this summer has been unseasonably cool. Hamilton has had zero days above 30 degrees – the "muscle-shirt tank-top-wearing, beer-drinking-on-the-patio" days -- in July and August so far, Phillips said.

In a typical summer, Hamilton might experience a dozen such scorchers. And two summers ago, in 2012, Hamilton had more than 25 days above 30 degrees, he said.

The only hotter-than-30 day this year was before summer even technically started, on June 17, and even then the temperature just eked past the mark at 30.3 degrees.

It's harder for the thermometer to get to 30 in September, Phillips said. The days are getting shorter and the sun is lower in the sky.

But heat-seekers shouldn't give up hope. A 30-degree September day could still happen, and does about half the time, Phillips said. He remembers a Thanksgiving when people were barbecuing their turkeys in t-shirts on a 30-degree fluke day.

For this summer, Phillips championed the cool.

"Would you like it comfortable?" he said. "Where you're sleeping at night, saving money on air conditioning bills? Or your weather rage comes out with the heat and haze and humidity?"

'It's perfect for us'

"It's been the best summer for painting house exteriors in the five years Todd Lacroix has been in business. Todd Lacroix owns a Southern Ontario house-painting company based in Ancaster called Platinum Pro Painters.

On days warmer than 30 degrees, or where there's a smog warning, he won't send crews out for exterior jobs. It's partly for the crew's safety, partly for the paint. The paint won't cure properly in those high temperatures, he said. 

"We're doing a lot of exterior right now," he said. "It's perfect for us."

Phillips chalked up the gripes he's heard about the un-beachlike weather to a classic trait among his countrymen. 

"My definition of a Canadian is one who worries about winter before summer's even over."

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Ryerson Camp counsellor charged after sexual assault identified

Police have identified the camp counsellor from Ancaster charged after an alleged sexual assault at a summer camp in Norfolk County, Ont.

The incident occurred at Ryerson Camp "in the early hours" of Thursday, according to OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk, and staff notified police in the afternoon.

It involves a child between the age of 12 to 17, police said. No other details about the victim were released.

"It's extremely shocking," Sanchuk said. "With that in mind, the camp contacted police and did their due diligence."

Aaron Robert Howe, 22, of Ancaster, is charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation.

The investigation is ongoing.

Camp officials are not commenting.

Police say they are concerned there may be other victims. Parents and caregivers of campers are asked to speak to their children and call police if they have any information.

Anyone with information is asked to call Norfolk County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Jesse Clark's funeral draws hundreds

About 250 family members and friends attended the funeral of Jesse Clark on Saturday, mourning the death of the 14-year-old who was killed in an east-end stabbing in Hamilton on Monday.

Clark was stabbed during a brawl between two groups of young men near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Gordon Street, just north of Barton Street East, according to police.

He was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead, making him Hamilton's sixth homicide victim in 2014.

Outside the Dermody's Funeral Home Saturday afternoon, family members and friends doused themselves in incense before heading into the funeral home.

A boy sporting a custom-made T-shirt with a skateboard stands in front of the memorial at Jesse Clark's funeral on Saturday. (Sunnie Huang/CBC)

Next to the lineup, a group of drummers from the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre performed a rite of passage ceremony.

He Carries The Strength Of Two Buffalos, a drummer, said Clark had been an active member of the youth group at the centre "for years."

Located on Ottawa Street, the centre has helped Jesse with "what he was going through," He Carries the Strength of Two Buffalos said.

"Just normal teenage stuff, whatever problem they have with school, problem with homework, problem with parents," he told CBC News.

Fan of skateboarding

Following the funeral, the group marched along King Street to Beasley Park, a place where Clark used to hang out and practice skateboarding.

He Carries The Strength Of Two Buffalos, middle, and two other drummers performed a drumming ceremony outside the funeral. (Sunnie Huang/CBC)

"He loves teaching people skateboarding," said friend Jesse Egan, 19, wearing a custom-made T-shirt with the print "R.I.P. Solo," a nod at Clark's nickname.

"He's a good dude. He always helps people."

Sporting baseball caps, sneakers and tank tops, many of the friends who attended Clark's funeral appeared to be as young as the teenage boy. A few of them brought skateboards with them.

Percy Hockton, one of the owners of the Dermody's Funeral Home, said the young people were respectful.

"They deserve a lot of credit," Hockton said.

Brodie Nicholls, 18, faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the stabbing.

He appeared in court Tuesday afternoon with a large abrasion on his neck. He was remanded back into custody and will appear in court again on Sept. 2.

Police caution retaliation 

According to Charmaine Miller, Nicholls's foster mother, at least a dozen young men showed up at at her home Monday evening armed with metal pipes and bats. They started yelling and then threw things at her and her house.

A neighbour told CBC News she saw three men strike Nicholls with pipes.

Both Nicholls and his foster mother were "known to police," according to Det. Sgt. Matt Kavanagh with Hamilton police. However, defence lawyer Beth Bromberg said Nicholls does not have a criminal record.

There was no indication that Clark was one of the armed men.

Kavanagh also cautioned any teens who might consider retaliation in the wake of Clarke's death. Messages of grief and anger have been posted online since Clark's death, with some threatening revenge.

"The kids that we interviewed — we're trying to discourage retaliation," Kavanagh said. "It's not going to solve anything."

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Bidding war homebuyer beware: Appraisers may not be as eager

Competitive homebuyers in Hamilton's hot housing market are often facing a critical disagreement as they try to buy a house – the property appraiser doesn't share their opinion about how much the house is worth.

And that can leave homebuyers without the financing they need to close the deal. 

The tension, between eager buyers and sellers and often conservative appraisers and bankers, is arising more in the hot market, local real estate experts said. ​

Lately, some homes for sale have been attracting "five, six, seven" offers, said veteran local appraiser Bob Schinkel, who owns Schinkel Appraisals, a local firm. The winners may be blinded by their victory.

"There's a good chance that they're so excited about getting the house that they're willing to pay more than market value," he said.

'Things like this can set a crux in the deal'

The appraisal is typically the most the mortgage bank will allow a buyer to borrow on the house. If they couldn't pay their bills tomorrow, and the bank had to foreclose, the bank wants to know it could sell the house to cover the debt.

So when the appraisal comes in under what the buyers have agreed to pay, they may have to scrounge up thousands of dollars more for their down payment, or back out of the deal entirely.

Here's, roughly, how it works. For the sake of round numbers, say a house is on the market for $200,000. A buyer finds out she has approval from the bank to get a mortgage for $160,000, so she offers $200,000 on the house, planning to pay a $40,000 down payment.

But before agreeing to the deal, the bank hires an appraiser to go take a look at the property, to analyze the house and to compare it to other houses in the same neighbourhood of similar size and quality. The appraiser's report goes back to the bank, along with a price he thinks it's worth. If that price is less than the $160,000, the bank will most likely only grant a mortgage for that amount, even though the buyer was approved to borrow more. 

"They're hoping to get 80 percent financing but the bank will only lend on the lower of the two, the purchase price or the appraisal," said Bill Boros, a residential appraiser at Pocrnic Realty Advisors.

The roadblock is popping up more in an escalating market, said Suzanne Boyce, a local mortgage broker who owns the Personal Mortgage Group. 

She said it's important for buyers to make sure they've completed their full application for a mortgage before making an offer, not just submitted initial pre-approval paperwork. 

"It's something that the public should know about when they're purchasing," she said. "Things like this can set a crux in the deal."

Sometimes buyers try to increase their competitiveness by making their offer "firm." But if they've gone into the offer without making it conditional on their loan coming through, they could be in trouble – facing a "lawsuit or loss of their deposit or both," Schinkel said.

'You always feel that pressure'

The situation underscores a few characteristics of Hamilton's housing market.

There aren't a lot of homes on the market, and the low supply increases demand. More homes sold in July than any July for the last 10 years, according to the Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington. But the inventory of homes for sale at the end of the month was 8.4 percent lower than the same month last year.

The fever inspires some homebuyers to seek out charming homes, sometimes fixer-uppers, in previously less popular neighborhoods. But appraisers may not be able to find supporting sales of similar diamonds in the rough nearby to support their estimate of the home's worth.

The market is seeing an influx of buyers from elsewhere, like Toronto, who are surprised to see such "low" prices compared to their previous cities and may not balk as prices rise in a bidding war.

Realtor April Almeida with City Brokerage had an experience recently where an appraisal came in several thousand dollars lower than a client's offer.

"They can walk away or they have to basically come up with the difference," Almeida said. 

Almeida's client ended up switching to a mortgage broker instead of taking a loan from the client's bank. But Almeida said the hiccup was frustrating.

"We're seeing more of it here, and it's making me nervous that [appraisers are] trying to quash this market," she said. "Or are they giving into this perception of this bubble thing." 

The client ended up switching banks and finding a new loan through a mortgage broker.  

Boros said appraisers know their estimates may disappoint some people, but he said his duty is to the lender, not to the buyer.

"You always feel that pressure," he said. "People are trying to buy a house. It's a matter of explaining to them: We have to base it on the market."

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