Street Level Sex Work in Hamilton: Community Engagement in the Sherman Neighbourhood

For over a decade there have been various tables convened in Hamilton to address the reality of street level sex work and its impact on neigbourhoods from various angles. The Sherman Neighbourhood is one of the more recent local hubs to indicate the need for conversations on this topic. The Sherman Neighbourhood in Ward 3 is one of three city-defined neighbourhoods located near the Tim Hortons Field (formerly Ivor Wynne Stadium) that make up what has become known as the Stadium Precinct. Since the site was chosen to host events for the 2015 Pan Am Games, the City of Hamilton’s Neighbourhood Action Strategy staff has been hosting regular meetings with residents of the Stadium Precinct. Those consultations resulted in a regular expression of concern by residents about the impacts of street level sex work on their lives. This led to the creation of the Sex Work Engagement Project Team led by the City of Hamilton which began a consultation process to assist neighbourhoods, including the people involved in sex work and service providers who work there, to create safer and healthier communities for everyone.

Publication Date: 
2015
Location: 
Hamilton, ON, Canada