City of Hamilton, Haudenosaunee Development Institute closer, but still at odds over dredging project

The City of Hamilton and the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) remain at odds over the definition of meaningful consultation.

City councillors hope environmental consultants will finally begin dredging more than 11,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment from Chedoke Creek, after the general issues committee voted unanimously to enter into agreements for paid Indigenous environmental monitors to support the remediation project.

But a lawyer for HDI, which represents traditional Haudenosaunee leaders, says that falls short of what is needed to get their consent.

Aaron Detler, who appeared before councillors on Wednesday, says reconciliation requires the city to submit an application and pay a “small fee” towards the HDI’s review of all major projects.

“Good process leads to good outcomes”, said Detler, “if we allow process to be neglected in the face of admirable goals, eventually the process will be undermined to the extent that those goals won’t be reached.”

Plans to start dredging contaminated sediment from Chedoke Creek were halted August 18 because of the dispute over consultation.

The City of Hamilton is required, under orders from Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to complete the in-water work by Dec 31, 2021.

Director of Communications Matthew Grant stressed that the city is committed to “adhering” to the MECP order.

Grant also noted that while councillors have voted to extend an opportunity to First Nation partners to participate in paid environmental monitoring work, specific to Chedoke Creek, “the City of Hamilton does not have a policy that would allow for broader agreements beyond this project.”

Despite the ongoing divide, Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann thanked Detler for coming to the table on Wednesday.

“It’s brought, I think, committee and council today to a path forward”, said Nann.

The plan for targeted dredging is in response to the spill of 24 billion litres of sewage and untreated wastewater into Chedoke Creek between 2014 and 2018, after a gate on a combined sewer overflow (CSO) tank was left open and went undetected for more four years.