On April 17th the Hamilton City Council’s General Issues Committee will be voting on whether all operations and non-lifecycle maintenance for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) be publicly run or privately run through a public-private-partnership (P3).
Hamilton taxpayers will be paying for the LRT whether it is private or public but keeping our transit public means retaining our local voice in decision making; ensuring accountability and transparency; providing good, green jobs; keeping taxpayer money in Hamilton; and a reliable and safe transit service.
Join the call to tell the Mayor and Councillors that you want to Keep Transit Public!
Please use the tool below to call the Councillor in your ward. There is a sample calling script and more information at the bottom of this page.
TALKING POINTS / SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT
Hello.
My name is _________________ and I am a resident of Hamilton living in ward ___.
I am calling to express my support for Option 4 regarding the operation and maintenance of the LRT system. I firmly believe that the LRT must be fully and publicly operated by Hamilton Street Railway.
A publicly run system means that:
- Service will be prioritized over profit, leading to better service, lower fares, increased safety, and responsive to community needs.
- Workers unionized by ATU 107 will have access to good working conditions, decent wages and benefits.
I am deeply concerned about the proposal to privatize LRT operation.
- The LRT is an essential public service that must remain in public hands.
- Privatizing the operations means Hamilton transit users and wider community will lose oversight, control, accountability over the system.
- A privately run LRT would mean taxpayer money and transit fares go to line the pockets of private corporations.
This is a pivotal moment. The LRT is a once in a lifetime project that will impact the health and vitality of our city for generations. We need a system that’s public, not private.
For these reasons, I am urging you to support option 4 when Council votes on this matter.
Thank you.
Don’t Hang Up!
Press star (*) on your phone to connect to the next number:
Note: You will be connected with your Councillor, Mayor Horwath, and Councillors whose stance on public transit is currently unknown.
We will randomize the order in which these contacts are called to reduce busy signals.
Councillor Contacts: (red indicates a NO for public, yellow indicates unknown)
- Mayor: Andrea Horwath, 1-905-546-4200
- Ward 1: Maureen Wilson, 1-905-546-2416
- Ward 2: Cameron Kroetsch, 1-905-546-2197
- Ward 3: Nrinder Nann, 1-905-546-2702
- Ward 4: Tammy Hwang, 1-905-546-2113
- Ward 5: Matt Francis, 1-905-546-2716
- Ward 6: Tom Jackson, 1-905-546-2707
- Ward 7: Esther Pauls, 1-905-546-2706
- Ward 8: John-Paul Danko, 1-905-521-3958
- Ward 9: Brad Clark, 1-905-546-2703
- Ward 10: Jeff Beattie, 1-905-546-2701
- Ward 11: Mark Tadeson, 1-905-546-2110
- Ward 12: Craig Cassar, 1-905-546-2704
- Ward 13: Alex Wilson, 1-905-546-2714
- Ward 14: Mike Spadafora, 1-905-546-2712
- Ward 15: Ted McMeekin, 1-905-546-2713
Glossary:
ATU 107 – Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 107
LRT – Light Rail Transit
HSR – Hamilton Street Railway (Public Operators of Hamilton Bus Services)
Option 4 – The proposed operations model that would see all operations and non-lifecycle maintenance for the LRT performed by HSR and ATU 107
Key Demand:
We want Hamilton Street Railway and ATU 107 to operate and maintain the LRT.
Key Points for Why Public is Better:
- Service will be prioritized over profit:
- Corners will not be cut to maximize profit. For example, cuts to staffing, wages, work benefits and maintenance quality can all have impacts on service, reliability, and safety.
- Less chance for frequent and unaffordable fare hikes.
- Staff will be unionized:
- Ensures good working conditions, wages, benefits, sick days, and pensions for Hamilton workers.
- Good paying jobs + job security = housing security for Hamilton residents.
- Streamlined decision making between the city and HSR:
- Enables more efficient transit connections between the LRT and city buses.
- Greater chance of current and future social programs like Fare Assist offered by HSR being applied to LRT.
- System issues can be dealt with effectively and timely with one call to HSR as opposed to consortium of third parties.
- Adaptive to community needs:
- Retains local agency in LRT decision making and control.
- Increase in overall transparency because contracts will be with the city instead of hidden in private third-party contracts.
- The City will have direct oversight of operations and issues that can be obscured when dealing with a third party.
- Much easier and more likely to be able to implement programs designed to increase ridership as part of climate mitigation.
- Much easier and more likely to be able to implement programs designed to provide fare relief for members of our communities including seniors, students, and people with disabilities that affect their mobility.
