Mayor forming a new group to help orchestrate the Syrian refugee effort
CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs will tweet live from city council, starting at 5 p.m.
Hundreds of Syrian refugees have arrived in Hamilton. Now the mayor is setting up his own advisory committee to help resettle them.
Fred Eisenberger will establish a mayor's advisory committee on newcomer resettlement to help coordinate the resettlement of both government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees.
Hamilton has received 992 government-assisted refugees between Dec. 10 and March 1, the mayor says. And Ontario has seen 2,016 privately sponsored refugees as of Feb. 10.
But there's no single agency in Hamilton helping coordinate both, he said. At a city council meeting on Wednesday, council voted with him to establish the advisory committee.
Eisenberger is suggesting city staff work with community groups to develop a terms of reference for the committee and report back in April.
Here's what else is on the agenda:
- Coun. Sam Merulla wants Golf Canada's offices to relocate to Hamilton, and to hold a high-profile golf tournament such as the Canadian Open at King's Forest Golf Course.
- Merulla's motion reaffirming that the city wants more control over Hamilton Police Services.
- Spending $8,000 to extend bus service early on March 27 to accommodate a Garth Brooks concert.
- Finalizing the city's operating budget. The $1.6-billion budget has increased 1.8 per cent, or $67 per year on a home valued at $295,300.
- Accepting the citizen's jury on transit report saying that the city has to work hard to communicate with residents about light-rail transit (LRT).
CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs tweeted live from the meeting at city hall. Read the result in the window below, or at @SamCraggsCBC.