Apartment buildings at 235 Rebecca Street and 125 Wellington Street North in Hamilton. Both buildings experienced COVID outbreaks during the pandemic. Credit: Joey Coleman

The City of Hamilton is ending its requirement for buildings of 12 or more storey residential buildings to take extra precautions against COVID such as twice-daily disinfection of high contract surfaces and placement of hand sanitizer in common areas.

Hamilton’s Medical Officer of Health implemented the requirements in July 2021 following an outbreak of COVID at 235 Rebecca Street using a Letter of Instruction under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act.

Acting Hamilton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ninh Tran lifted the letter of instruction effective Monday, March 21, writing “COVID-19 severity indicators continue to be lower than they have been during this wave, indicating Hamilton is now in the post-peak phase of the Omicron wave. Given the current epidemiology, and as Ontario enters the Province’s Roadmap Exit Step of the Reopening Ontario Act, current public health measures in Hamilton related to highrise apartment and condominium buildings should align with provincial measures. The Letter of Instruction is therefore no longer necessary.”