Hamilton committee approves up to $250,000 for a facilitator to restart stalled talks with First Nations on the Waterdown By-Pass

What the committee approved

Hamilton's Public Works Committee voted 8 to 0 on October 2, 2026, to authorize and direct the General Manager of Public Works to retain a qualified facilitator or organization with experience in Indigenous relations to help move discussions with the Nations forward on the East West Road Corridor, also known as the Waterdown By-Pass, according to the committee's minutes.

How the project stalled

• The Class Environmental Assessment for the corridor was completed in April 2012, and portions of the road were built through developers.
• Detailed design of the Avonsyde Boulevard to Centre Road segment began in July 2019, and property acquisition was completed in 2020.
• Archaeological fieldwork has been under way since 2021.
• In July 2022, excavation showed archaeological sites could extend well beyond the road allowance into adjacent private properties, and fieldwork was stopped until an acceptable strategy was developed.

The motion says fieldwork stopped at the request of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council as represented by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council and the Huron-Wendat Nation. The City has discussed a staged approach with them since 2022, including short-term mitigation and a long-term strategy.

The City and the Nations have already agreed to an expanded range for archaeological excavation extending 10 metres outside the boundary of the planned roadway, the motion says, but talks to reach consensus on a strategy to restart the fieldwork stalled.

What happens next

The motion also authorizes the General Manager and the City Clerk to sign any agreements needed to retain the facilitator. It does not set a timeline for the talks or for construction of the segment.