What’s open and closed in Hamilton during the 2022 holiday season

Many businesses and all city services, including recreation centres and libraries, will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, but here is a guide to what is available during the holiday season including what services have special schedules.

Grocery, LCBO and drug stores

Most grocery, LCBO and drug stores are closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. A limited number of Shoppers Drug Mart locations are open. 

Some Metro grocery stores re-open Dec. 26 at 9 a.m., while some Fortinos remain closed Dec. 26. LCBOs re-open Monday as well. No Frills is also closed Dec. 25 but re-opens Monday. 

Jackson Square shopping centre is closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 but open Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 onwards. Lime Ridge is also closed Dec. 25 and open at 8 a.m. Dec. 26. 

The City Centre shopping centre, attached to Jackson Square, previously announced it would be closing its doors for good on Dec. 26. 

Public Health Services

Hamilton Health Sciences said “as the result of physician pressures,” its Urgent Care Centre at 690 Main St. W. would be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. It made several recommendations for alternative care, including visiting St. Joseph’s Urgent Care Centre at 2757 King St. E.

Many city services will be closing their offices for the holidays, but can be reached through phone or online. 

The city suggests calling 905-546-2489 for any environmental spills, fires or any event that may be a health hazard or safety issue, any reports on rabies or rabies animal exposures, or any safe water program issues that could be a health hazard.

Mobile vaccine clinics will still be operating on Dec. 28 and 29, with information on walk-ins, booking and hours of operations found online at  www.hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine. All other Public Health Services mobile vaccine clinics will be closed from Dec. 24 to 27 and from Dec. 30, 2022 to Jan. 2, 2023. 

The Dental Health Bus will be closed until Tues Jan. 3, 2023 where it will reopen at Dominic Agostino Community Centre at 150 Violet Dr.

Food poisoning or reports of suspected reportable diseases are directed to call 905-546-2063.

COVID-19 related health information can be found on www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus. The vaccine booking line will be closed from Dec. 24 to 27 and Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 but will be open and available on Dec. 28 to 30. The booking line is 905-974-9848, option 7.

Animal Services

The City of Hamilton Animal Services office counter and shelter at 247 Dartnall Rd. will be closed on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 but will be open from Dec. 27 to 31. 

Garbage, green bin and recycling collection

Collection during the weeks of Dec. 26 to 30 and Jan. 2 to 6 will not be changed from regularly scheduled pickup and the City of Hamilton is reminding Hamiltonians to place all items at the curb before 7 a.m.

Community recycling centres will be closing early on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 at 3 p.m.

Real Christmas trees can be collected from Jan. 2 to 13 in 2023.

Accessible Transportation Services (ATS) and DARTS

The ATS Customer Service office will be open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be closed on:

• Dec. 25 (Christmas Day).

• Dec. 26 (Boxing Day).

• Dec. 27.

• Jan. 2, 2023.

DARTS will be operating holiday service hours on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day (Dec. 25, 26, and Jan. 1). All subscription trips on DARTS with the exception of dialysis trips are cancelled for these days. 

If passengers need to travel on this day, they must make a reservation in advance to do so. Visit www.dartstransit.com.

Hamilton Street Railway (HSR)

Buses running through Hamilton will be operating under their winter scheduling from Jan. 1 to April 29, 2023.

On Dec. 25, buses will operate on a holiday schedule ending at 9 p.m.

On Dec. 26, buses will operate a Saturday schedule for routes 1, 2, 21, 25, 26, 41 and 43. Other buses will run on a Sunday schedule.

New Years Eve (Dec. 31) the HSR will extend service on all routes that currently have Saturday evening service. An additional departure on most downtown routes will be added at 1:45 p.m. with final departures from downtown Hamilton at 2:30 a.m.

Al crosstown routes — 11, 41, 43 and 44 — will also be extended accordingly. HSR and ATS service is free after 6 p.m.

On Jan. 1, 2023 holiday service will end at 9 p.m.

Hamilton Public Library

All HPL locations will be closed on:

• Christmas weekend – from Dec. 25 to Dec. 27

• New Year’s Day  – Jan. 1, 2023

• New Year’s Day (Recognized holiday)  – Jan. 2, 2023

The Hamilton Public Library will be open until 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, and will be operating on a holiday schedule, open until 6 p.m. from Dec. 28 to 31.

Hamilton Farmers’ Market

Here are the Hamilton Farmers’ Market operating hours during the next few weeks.

• Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Dec. 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Dec. 25 to Dec. 28 the market will be closed.

• Dec. 29 and Fri Dec. 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Dec. 31, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Jan. 1 and Mon Jan. 2 the market will be closed.

• Jan. 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. then returning to regular business hours after.

Ontario Works

Both the downtown Hamilton and Upper James Street locations will be closed from Dec. 24, 2022 to Jan. 2, 2023, reopening Jan. 3 at 8:30 a.m. An emergency line will be available at 905-546-4800. Lines will be answered from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Dec. 28 to 30.

Parking and enforcement

Parking patrol officers will not be enforcing on Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and from Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. to Jan. 2, 2023 at 10 p.m.

Hamilton municipal parking system offices are no longer open to in-person services with remote services like permits and disputes resuming on Jan. 3, 2023.

The Provincial Offences Administration Office at 50 Main St. E will be closed on Dec. 26 and will reopen Jan. 3, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. meaning traffic violations online payments can be made in the meantime at www.hamilton.ca/pay-your-ticket.