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February 9th, 2017, 04:35 AM
#101
thanks, one shot scott, dyth, for keeping everyone updated.
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February 9th, 2017 04:35 AM
# ADS
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February 9th, 2017, 09:35 AM
#102
Has too much time on their hands
So this was my email to Mr Ustrzycki:
Good morning Mr Ustrzycki,
My name is XXXXXXXX and I am a Hamilton resident. I would like to ask you a few questions about the upcoming public consultation about the firearms discharge by-law update. I see there are a couple of dates for the consultations. I was wondering if we will be able to address whomever will be speaking about the changes to the by-law. I was at one of last year's public consultation on April 4th, 2016. Hamilton city councilor Lloyd Ferguson got very upset and accused the group of co-opting "his meeting" when the meeting was presented as a public consultation (he claimed he had rented out the space at the Ancaster Library for a weekly meeting so you can see where there is some confusion). Will we be facing a similar situation of confusion and potential hostility towards the public at this meeting?
Furthermore, based on last year's meeting turnout, the room that was used last year (the Murray Feruson Room) was much too small for everyone in attendance. Has the city taken into account the amount of individuals which may be present?
Last year, the city was suggesting to change the by-law (an area of Stoney Creek that would disallow weapon discharge for example) despite the press release saying otherwise ([COLOR=#007dbc]https:[COLOR=#007dbc]//www.[COLOR=#007dbc]hamilton.[COLOR=#007dbc]ca/government-information/news[COLOR=#007dbc]-centre/news-releases/boundary[COLOR=#007dbc]-review-firearm-discharge-by-l[COLOR=#007dbc]aw-coming-in), based on the history of what was presented in the meeting and what was issued to the press, are there changes to the by-law which the public needs to know about so we can comment on it?
Thank you for your time,
XXXXXXXXXXX
Here is the reply:
You've posted a number of questions in your e-mail below. Is there a phone number where I can reach you?
Robert Ustrzycki
Senior Project Manager
Municipal Law Enforcement
Parking and By-Law Services
Planning and Economic Development
x4721
Sent my cell number to him. I received a response stating he will be out of his office until this afternoon. I am looking forward to speaking with him. I will post what he says about my questions.
Dyth
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February 9th, 2017, 11:48 AM
#103
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February 20th, 2017, 12:52 AM
#104
One question that comes to mind immediately is the green sections. Conservations lands by permit only. Does this mean they will start issuing permits? What about Beverly Swamp, etc that has never required a permit?
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February 21st, 2017, 10:17 AM
#105
Does anyone actually know the results of the meeting?
Was anything finalized?
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February 24th, 2017, 01:45 PM
#106
Has too much time on their hands
I spoke with Mr Ustrzycki last week for about 30 minutes. So far they have had 2 meetings and the 3rd one is scheduled for March 1. Nothing is going to be done in the immediate future. The city wants to update the discahrge maps to reflect how the landscape of Hamilton is changing. They want to get everyone's feedback and answer questions before they go ahead with the next part which is fine tuning their changes. As the city sees it the main problem is there are a few areas which have grown up over the years which are not a part of any of the little side maps which are in the old by-law which the city wants to designate on the new map (which should be covered under the 100m discharge rule in the existing by-law). He acknowledged the problem last year was there was a lot of ambiguity in the discussion both with terms and the fact the changes to the map were not clear (I raised the point that as a group hunters/firearm users are acutely sensitive to ambiguity because that usually means we are going to get a lot of things taken away). The next step for the city is to take all of the feedback and refine the changes. I believe one of the things we discussed is the fact the non-discharge area south of Golf Club Road runs right through a farmer's field. That he said will have to be adjusted when they go back and go through the feedback.
He also mentioned that the meetings are designed for constructive input and wishes groups would send representatives to discuss matters (for example, rather than 8 guys come down to a meeting, send one who can voice the group's concerns and bring back the feedback to the group rather than all 8 guys come down and crowd the room); now I didn't get that he was actively saying don't come but he wants to make sure that there is enough room and time for as much feedback as possible.
We also spoke of the 100m rule in the by-law and how the city was thinking about tweeking that based on the increased number of bowhunters but I believe he said the city decided to leave it alone for now. However, it may be revised at a later date as the city understands there is a difference between the ranges of bows and firearms (we didn't get into the fact that shot which is discharged from a shotgun has a much shorter range than a slug out of a shotgun or a bullet from a rifle).
I think we all understand that the ability to discharge our firearms within the "city limits" of Hamilton is changing (whether we like it or not). While I disagree with some of the changes and plan to go to the last meeting to voice some recent concerns I have with the changes, I can't fight the fact urban Hamilton is growing. I think the new "firearm prohibited, bows only" area of Stoney Creek should be modified slightly to allow the shooting of shotguns because there are still a lot of fields out there which can be hunted for geese (I won't say anything about the fact that you can also hunt deer with shotguns
) so at least maybe we can still use some times of firearms rather than a complete ban of them.
Dyth
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April 11th, 2019, 10:17 AM
#107
Sorry to revive an older thread, but it contains pertinent info making it easier to get up to speed.
So, I emailed the city requesting info on lawful hunting and discharge by-law, and among the responses, I have an email from Mr Robert Ustrzycki with the following:
Please review the current Discharge Firearm By-law on the City’s Website, in particular, the general provisions for specific contraventions (example: not within 100m of a building or structure).
A new draft By-law is being presented to the Planning Committee on May 14. You may wish to track its passing by Council for the fall hunting season. I do not anticipate it will impact upon the 2019 spring Turkey season.
I believe our favorite hunting rights defending association should be involved, as well as some of our more seasoned hunting citizens attending those city hall meetings.
Any recommendations on whom from OHAF should be made aware?
Thanks
Mike
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April 11th, 2019, 01:05 PM
#108

Originally Posted by
mikedinoro
Sorry to revive an older thread, but it contains pertinent info making it easier to get up to speed.
So, I emailed the city requesting info on lawful hunting and discharge by-law, and among the responses, I have an email from Mr Robert Ustrzycki with the following:
Please review the current Discharge Firearm By-law on the City’s Website, in particular, the general provisions for specific contraventions (example: not within 100m of a building or structure).
A new draft By-law is being presented to the Planning Committee on May 14. You may wish to track its passing by Council for the fall hunting season. I do not anticipate it will impact upon the 2019 spring Turkey season.
I believe our favorite hunting rights defending association should be involved, as well as some of our more seasoned hunting citizens attending those city hall meetings.
Any recommendations on whom from OHAF should be made aware?
Thanks
Mike
Send that info to [email protected] I'm pretty sure that's the correct e-mail address (from memory).. You may need to go to their site.
If a tree falls on your ex in the woods and nobody hears it,you should probably still get rid of your chainsaw. Just sayin'....
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April 11th, 2019, 01:14 PM
#109

Originally Posted by
trimmer21
Send that info to
[email protected] I'm pretty sure that's the correct e-mail address (from memory).. You may need to go to their site.
Thank you.
His email is: [email protected]
The OFAH main contacts should be a sticky (@admin)
Mike
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April 11th, 2019, 01:42 PM
#110
Has too much time on their hands
Ottawa added BB guns, air rifle, slingshots, bows and crossbow wording to discharge bylaws several years ago, but we still have areas to hunt. It seems many municipal and cities are doing the same, under discharge by-laws.
Mark Snow, Leader Of The, Ontario Libertarian Party