Hamilton city officials vote to do more to bust anti-vaxxer 'myths'

Hamilton city officials will spend the next seven months looking at how to educate people to get immunized an attempt, one councillor says, at busting anti-vaccination "myths."

Coun. Sam Merulla of Ward 4 took aim at anti-vaxxersentiments Wednesday when he successfully rallied fellow councillors to support more education about the benefits of vaccines.

Public health officials will report back in September about what's currently being done in Hamilton to encourage vaccinations, and how the city can expand on that.

The goal, Merulla says, is to "combat conspiracy theories" preventing people from getting vaccinations for themselves or their kids. It was partially inspired by the U.S. Republican administrationtapping vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.to head a presidential panel on vaccinesafety.

Follow our council live blog here:

On mobile?Follow the livebloghere.

Immunizations are "a safe, effective and evidence-based intervention to promote individual and population health,"Merullawrote in his motion.

The city will alsowrite to federal and provincial health ministries asking for more promotional campaigns promoting vaccines.

Here's what else council decided:

• Council approved amotion to review regulating pawnbrokers and cash for gold businesses. This came from Coun. Tom Jackson.
• Coun. Terry Whitehead wants to look into a pilot project to license rental housing unitsWards 1 and 8 for buildings with six or fewer units. The matter will go to the city's rental housing licensing subcommittee, which voted nearly two weeks ago to look into a voluntary registry.
• Councillors voted to move ahead with a graffiti prevention strategy. That includes creating "graffiti zones" where "artists can properly express themselves."
• Council denied rezoning that would allow a 19-storey apartment building in Stoney Creek. The development would be 219 units at 860 Queenston Rd.
• Council ratified a decision to implement new ward boundaries specifically, the option that resulted largely from councillors' suggestions. Three councillors opposed this, and Coun. Matthew Green called it gerrymandering.

CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggsis live tweeting at the meeting. Follow her at @SamCraggsCBC or in the above window.