Should peanuts be banned at City of Hamilton facilities?

On Mondaycity councillors will hear whether or not it's feasible to ban peanuts at buildings owned by the city, including Tim Hortons Field stadium, FirstOntario Place and recreation centres.

In November 2015, Ian and Melissa Thompson of Hamilton asked council to look at banning peanuts (actually a legume, similar to peas and beans) at city owned buildings.

Theirnine-year-old daughter, Fiona, can't go to football gamesor other events held atpublic venuesbecause of her allergy.You see, Fiona likes Hamilton's CFL team. Her dadis a season ticket holder. He wants to be able to take Fiona to a gamewithout worryinghis daughter may come into contact with peanuts.

I'm just asking as a concerned parent, take the peanuts out.- Ian Thompson, Proposed peanut ban at all city owned facilities

"She has a severe allergy," said Thompson. If Fiona comes in contact with nuts and happens to touch an area on her body or face, she'll have a serious reaction. Three years ago, she was "just cracking walnuts" for her grandfather.

"Tenminutes later, she looked like someone punched her in the face,her eyes just swelled right up," said Thompson.

Fiona had an anaphylaxis response. They had no idea just touching the shell of a nut could cause such a reaction. "We have to be extremely careful," Thompson said.

Ban all food allergens?

City councillors voted unanimously in favour of looking into the Thompson'srequest, a motion moved by Sam Merulla, Ward 4 councillor.

"Originally, it was just peanuts but then we opened it up to all food allergies," Merulla said.

Over the past several months, Public Health hasconductedits investigation and released a report to be heard at Monday's council meeting. After consulting with the Thompsons, experts at McMaster University,Food Allergy Canadaas well as the city's recreational and legal departments, thereportsuggests an "overall lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of restricting peanuts and/or nuts."

The report states that "the overall risk of anaphylaxis due to accidental exposure to peanuts/nuts is very low and primarily due to oral ingestion" and that "no severe nor fatal cases of allergic reactions due to accidental airborne exposure to peanuts or nuts have been reported."

Only people who have food allergies and are registered in programs offered at recreation centres in the city were included in the report.In 2015, there were more than 29,000 people registered and only 76 (0.258%) had "self-identified" allergies to nuts.

'Zero risk isn't possible'

In Canada, less than seven per centof people report having a food allergy and "overall (adults and children), one per centreported to have an allergy to peanuts and 1.2% reported to have an allergy to tree nuts," read the report.

The report suggests in the last five yearsonly one case of a "severe allergic reaction" needing emergency medical attention was reported at any of the recreational centres and arenas. The cause of the incident is unknown.

According to research conducted, even in places where a ban on peanuts and/or tree nuts exists such as schools, products containing the allergens are still present meaning a "zero risk" isn't possible.

"I'm not trying to be unrealistic," Thompson said. "I'm talking about finding alternatives to products where the peanuts are evident, things you know that have peanuts," he explained.

Health and safety vs economics

Further into the study, you learn that the city's recreational centres and arenas would lose about $26,000in revenue if products "known to contain peanuts and nuts were no longer sold."

Thompson feels the report "contradicts" what the city says at the bottom of itsreport. "Their mission is health and safety...I'm shocked by the dollar value they put on there...it seems more important than what could happen."

"I'm just asking as a concerned parent, take the peanuts out," he said. "People aren't going to stop going to an event because they can't have peanuts."

We need to find a way to balance what the needs are for those that are most vulnerable and recognize the economic impacts as well.- Sam Merulla, Ward 4 Councillor, City of Hamilton

Merulla says it's important to understandthe financial impacts. "We need to find a way to balance what the needs are for those that are most vulnerable and recognize the economic impacts as well," he said.

While Thompson has received phone calls from Merullaand other councillorsstating theirsupport, he doesn't have a lot of confidence. "I don't know how serious they are about this issue," he said. "We'll see what happens and then we'll decide what the next steps are."

A sensitive, complex issue

Thereport suggestsa "one-year pilot with four facilities" in order to assess possible financial impacts.

"I support staff recommendations forthe pilot project as a work in progress," Merullasaid. "It's a sensitive, complex issue...it's going to be a work in progress and we'll work forward accordingly.

"In theory, we should be able to address all the food allergies but in practice, is it realistic?"

The full report will be heard at council onMonday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Also being heard at the meetingis a report about putting Epi Pens in recreation centres. Currently the pilot project is at Jackson Square but the city hopes to expandit to include Eastgate Square and Lime Ridge mall.