Here's what's being cancelled or changed in Hamilton because of COVID-19
Local events cancelled or changed amid COVID-19 worries
If you have an event being cancelled or postponed, please email hamilton@cbc.ca. or message us on Facebook.
The effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 continues as the city closes Hamilton provincial offences courts until further notice.
The court service, located at 50 Main St. E., has suspended all activity beginning March 16 until the end of April 3. All matters are to be rescheduled once courts resume.
Across Hamilton, event organizers are cancelling or postponing events and activities, including March break programs, in response to concerns about the novel coronavirus.
Here's a look at what's been cancelled in the Hamilton area as of Monday morning.
City of Hamilton
The city is cancelling all city-run programs and events — including public engagement events and kids March Break camps and activities — from now until, and inclusive of, April 5.
It is also closing all municipal facilities from March 14 until April 6, including:
- All Hamilton Public Library branches.
- Recreation centres.
- Senior's centres and clubs.
- City arenas, museums and community halls.
- The Ancaster Rotary Centre.
- The Gage Park Tropical Greenhouse.
- The tourism visitor centre at the Lister Block.
The following city facilities remain open:
- City hall at 71 Main St. W.
- Ontario Works buildings.
- Municipal Service Centres (Service Canada counters at the municipal service centres in Flamborough, Dundas and at Hamilton City Hall are closed).
- Mountain Transit Centre at 2200 Upper James St.
- Community recycling centres.
- HSR service counter at the Hunter GO Station.
- Municipal cemeteries.
- Hamilton Water service counter at 330 Wentworth St. N.
- Housing service counter at 350 King St. E.
- Animal Services at 247 Dartnall Rd.
- Parking System Office at 80 Main St. W.
- Municipal licensing and by-law services offices at 77 James St. N.
In addition to these specific buildings, all City administrative office buildings remain open.
The following services are not impacted:
- Emergency response by Hamilton Police, Hamilton Fire Department, and Hamilton Paramedic Services.
- HSR service will continue to operate. The mass gathering recommendations announced yesterday by the provincial government does not include public transit.
- Hamilton Water operations continue, including drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment, and stormwater management.
- Garbage, recycling and organics collection continues.
- Shelters, respites, and drop-in centres continue to operate with measures already established.
- Road, sidewalk, and bikeway operations and maintenance, including snow removal, continues.
- Hamilton Farmers' Market continues to operate.
The city is also revoking any special event advisory team (SEAT) permits for gatherings of more than 250 people planned between now and April 6. The city will work with event organizers to either cancel, postpone or modify events.
Hamilton schools
All of Ontario's publicly funded schools will closed for two weeks following March break due to concerns about COVID-19. Schools will be closed from March 14 to April 5.
Hamilton Provincial Offences Courts
The public is not to attend court for any appearances scheduled for March 16 until the end of April 3. The POA administration office at 50 Main St. E. will remain open to provide limited provincial offences counter service, including ticket payments and applying for a reopening of an issue.
Payment and other services can be accessed online:
- To make a fine payment, visit the city's website at www.hamilton.ca/streets-transportation/tickets-parking/pay-your-ticket
- To find out the status of your case or to schedule an early resolution meeting visit: www.ontario.ca/ticketsandfines. Location code of 4760 and the offence number printed on your ticket are required.
Ontario's Small Claims Court
All sittings are cancelled as of March 16, until further notice.
Hamilton Street Railway
The Hamilton Street railway (HSR) cancelled all supplementary extra school service to local high schools. It did the same for corridors from downtown to the McMaster University and Mohawk College campuses. The cancellations went into effect Friday and will persist until normal school programming resumes.
GO Transit
Metrolinx will modify many GO schedules as of Wednesday, March 18, to align service with an expected drop in demand.
Metrolinx says there will be a selective reduction in GO train, bus and Union Pearson Express service. Revised schedules were finalized Sunday, March 15 at noon. Details of the changes can be found online, here are a list of local bus routes with reduced service:
- Route 16 - express GO bus between Hamilton and Toronto (almost completely cancelled except for a 12:30 a.m. trip on weekdays and weekends)
- Route 12 (Niagara Falls).
- Route 15 (Brantford/Burlington).
- Route 18 (Lakeshore West).
- Route 40 (Hamilton/Richmond Hill).
- Highway 407 West Routes 45, 46, 47 and 48.
- Highway 407 West Routes 51, 52 and 54.
The Lakeshore West GO train is also running on a revised schedule.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Royal Botanical Gardens have temporarily closed their facilities until April 6.
Anyone who already purchased tickets to events or programs during this timeframe will receive a full refund. The closure will affect all private and public events, camps and public programs on Royal Botanical Gardens property.
Around The Bay Race
The Bay Race will not be run on March 29. The race could still take place later in the year depending on how the public health situation changes. Organizers are asking would-be participants for patience going forward.
Hamilton Conservation Authority
Effective March 17, the conservation authority office is closed to the public. Deliveries should be left at the door.
Conservation areas will be accessible for passive recreation only, such as hiking and bird watching. All on-site facilities (including washroom buildings, the trail centre, gatehouses, etc.) will be closed. Campgrounds at Fifty Point and Valens Lake Conservation Area will be closed. All programs and events for the public and schools have been cancelled, including the remaining days of Westfield Heritage Village's Maple Syrup festival. The authority will reasses on April 6.
Disney on Ice
The Disney On Ice Worlds of Enchantment shows between March 18 to 22 at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton are cancelled. Refunds will be provided.
The First Unitarian Church of Hamilton
The First Unitarian Church voted unanimously to completely shut down for at least three weeks. A banner on the website states it will be closed until April 4.
All meetings, services, congregations and rentals are cancelled.
City of Burlington & County of Brant cancel recreational programs
The City of Burlington is closing all recreation facilities for a minimum of three weeks, as of Friday.
The following services will be suspended:
- March break programming.
- Arenas, pools and community centres, including the seniors centre.
The County of Brant will be cancelling all March break camps and all recreation programs (drop-in and registered) starting on March 14.
YMCA and YWCA Hamilton
YMCA has closed all YMCA membership centres until April 5 in Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford and all YMCA child care centres from March 14 to April 5. All March break camps have been cancelled and refunds will be provided. Read more here.
The Hamilton YWCA McNab facility remains open with staff available on-site, but all regularly scheduled programming has been cancelled, including:
Closure of all child care programming at all Hamilton and Dunnville facilities from March 16 - April 5:
- Before and after school care
- March break camps
- Full-day child care
Cancellation of Active Living Centre 55+ special event programming:
- Anniversary coffee and cake on March 17
- HPO Concert, Thai Lunch, art showcase on March 24
- Senior Women's IWD event on March 26
All Active Living Centre 55+ programs are cancelled at 75 McNab, Churchill and SAPP Fit at the Riverdale location from March 16 - April 5.
For those who paid program fees, they will be reimbursed for all listed cancellations. Read more here.
Sikh Heritage Month
Annual celebrations of Hamilton's Sikh Heritage Month in April have been cancelled. This year would have been the sixth Sikh Heritage Month in Hamilton.
Home Depot Kids
As of Saturday, March 7, Home Depot Kids workshops have been cancelled. The workshops teach young children how to make different gadgets and crafts in hands-on learning sessions.
Hamilton Arts Council
The arts week funding information session on March 17 has been cancelled. Alternative resources will be shared via newsletter, social media and on the website in the coming days.
Hamilton's Wearing of the Green Committee
The group has cancelled the Irish Person of the Year St. Patrick's day luncheon at Michelangelo's Banquet Centre on March 17.
Hamilton Aviary
The facility remains closed as of March 13 until further notice. Daily care activities of the flock will still take place and volunteers will be screened prior to entry.
Cello Extravaganza V
The Cello Extravaganza V benefit concert for Sunday, March 29 has been cancelled. There is no timetable for a return concert, but organizers are exploring the possibility of rescheduling for next season.
Over 35 cellists from Hamilton to Montreal were set to perform at the benefit concert to raise money for charity. Online ticket purchases will be refunded. For physical ticket refunds, contact michele.a.corbeil@gmail.com.
CityKidz
In response to recommended precautions around the spread of COVID-19, CityKidz announced it will suspend all programs until April 18. This will include KinderKidz, CityKidz, CityYouth and Roadmap to Dreams.
Westfield Heritage Village
Westfield Heritage Village is cancelling the remaining days of its 2020 Maple Syrup Festival.
For regular City of Hamilton COVID-19 updates, please visit www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus
Public Health Services' COVID-19 Hotline (905) 546-2424 ext. 7970 or phscovid19@hamilton.ca
If you have an event being cancelled or postponed, please email hamilton@cbc.ca. or message us on Facebook.
Other events
- The Nathan Rogers Carnegie Concerts scheduled for Saturday March 28 and Sunday March 29 at the Dundas Town Hall have been postponed.
- All Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton programs and locations are closed effective Monday, March 16 until Monday, April 6, 2020.