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Crews in Hamilton were called to two more rope rescues over the weekend. It cost $5000 to rescue a fallen hiker, now some city councillors are reacting to those high costs to tax payers.

Just before 9 Sunday night, firefighters performed an hour and half long rope rescue on a woman at Albion Falls. She had an ankle injury and was taken to hospital. She was with another person who was able to walk out with the help of police. That call came just hours after another, this time at Webster’s Falls. Nine units were called around 4:30 Sunday afternoon to rescue after a woman who’d broken her ankle while hiking. A man who was with her walked up on his own.

There have been at least 22 rope-rescue calls so far this year, up from 19 calls last year.

“I would like to prioritize the fact that if they are stepping off those designated trails into higher risk areas that they are taking the responsibility to carry the bill.” Terry Whitehead, city councillor.

“The big question is how would you get the people to pay.” Robert Pasuta is the chair of the Hamilton Conservation Authority, he represents Ward 14 which includes Webster’s falls conservation areas. “The Conservation Authority has done things to deter them. We have put up fences and they dig under and they still go over them and get hung up but maybe a fine would be the way to go.”

Both Whitehead and Pasuta agree that city council needs to take a closer look at the numbers in the near future