Hamilton puts out another call for COVID-19 money, and Brant gets to have fireworks

In another glimpse of how expensive the COVID-19 pandemic has been for Hamilton, the mayor has put out yet another call for urgent funding from the provincial and federal governments.

Fred Eisenberger, through the Large Urban Mayors' Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), put out a fresh plea Thursday for help bridging Hamilton's $22.8 million budget shortfall caused by the pandemic.

"Cities have increased needs and decreased revenue due to the pandemic," Eisenberger said in a media release Thursday. Revenues are plummeting, he said, and costs are increasing. 

Eisenberger and the other LUMCO mayors want "immediate financial relief" right away to help with transit revenue — $415 million for all the LUMCO municipalities, he says. 

The group also wants a "comprehensive recovery plan" as cities reopen the economy, and an agreement with upper levels of government to "realign capital and service delivery responsibilities."

The call is just the latest example of how expensive this pandemic has been for Hamilton so far. Last month, finance head Mike Zegarac said the city faces a $22,865,000 budget shortfall if pandemic measures wrapped up by the end of May. Without federal and provincial help, he said, property taxes would have to increase an average of seven per cent. The largest expense so far has been $7.3 million in lost transit fare.

Meanwhile, a new survey of city businesses shows Hamilton has lost at least 13,000 jobs, and as many as 10 per cent of the businesses surveyed last month were thinking of closing. This week, city council voted on the membership of an economic recovery team that will try to help businesses get on their feet again.

Overall, Hamilton has 512 COVID-19 cases (507 confirmed, five probable), of which 372 have recovered and 25 have died. 

That's up 12 from Wednesday, when Hamilton had 500 cases. 

Here's what's happening elsewhere:

Brant

Unlike Hamilton, which has banned fireworks until July, Brant County is still allowing them as long as they abide by the fireworks bylaw. That means only discharging them on Victoria Day, Canada Day and the seven days before or after.

Brant/Brantford is holding steady at 102 cases for the past five days, of which 90 are resolved, six are in hospital, and three have died.

There are outbreaks at Brierwood Gardens (one staff) and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre (two staff) in Brantford, and at Telfer Place in Paris (one resident).

Haldimand-Norfolk

The two counties have added three new cases since Wednesday, including one Thursday, for a total of 204. Of those, 77 have recovered and 30 have died. 

Halton

There are nine new cases Thursday, of which eight are confirmed and one is probable, for a total of 600. One more person has died, which brings the region's total to 25 deaths. There have been 454 recoveries.

In Burlington, there are 120 cases (104 confirmed, 16 probable), of which seven have died and 90 have recovered.

Burlington has a new institutional outbreak, this time at Hampton Terrace, which has two cases of COVID-19 among residents.

Niagara

Niagara has 575 confirmed cases, of which 421 have recovered and 55 have died, accounting for 81.8 per cent of total deaths over that time. There are 99 active cases.

Of the cases, 22.8 per cent are health-care workers.

There are outbreaks at Niagara Health's St. Catharines and Greater Niagara hospitals, as well as Henley House in St. Catharines, Lundy Manor in Niagara Falls, and Royal Rose Place and Seasons Welland in Welland.