An exemption may allow Hamilton resident to keep 10 security cameras at his home

After a Hamilton man was ordered by the city to remove 10 security cameras he set outside of his home, staff now say he can apply for an exemption.

The City of Hamilton initially told Dan Myles that the cameras he installed at his home at MacNab Street North in downtown Hamilton had to come down, but now there is a possibility they could stay.

Myles said he’s shocked by how many people have reached out to him since his story aired on CHCH News last week.

“Just overwhelming support,” said Myles. “I had 36,000 messages in a 24-hour period.”

Two weeks ago, Myles received an order to comply with the City of Hamilton’s fortification by-law, asking him to remove his cameras.

The by-law says homeowners are not permitted to view or listen beyond the perimeters of their own property.

But Monday morning, he received an email from a building inspector with the City of Hamilton.

“They are back-tracking a bit,” said Myles. “They are saying ‘OK, well, if you get permission from your neighbours — signed on a paper and you get screenshots showing us what you cover and you pay a fee’, of course they want some sort of exemption fee.”

The email Myles received from the city Monday asks him to get permission from the building’s owner, along with written permission from neighbouring property owners and screenshots of every camera he has.

The city is also asking for police reports regarding incidents in the area that support his need for cameras.

“The cameras are the only form of protection that we have against assaults, break and enters, you name it,” said Myles.

Myles isn’t the only one who has gone through this.

Derek Striemer, who lives in Stoney Creek, says he was contacted by the City of Hamilton in 2021, to remove his 11 cameras that were installed after a home invasion.

He says he got an exemption from the city to keep the cameras at the cost of $200.

“I installed them due to a home invasion,” said Striemer. “We are not allowed to have firearms or any kind of defence, and I feel that I should be able to use my cameras to at least record the events.”

As for Myles, he says over the years, police have asked him for his videos, and on Monday the Collision Reconstruction Unit with Hamilton police did confirm with CHCH News that his videos have assisted with investigations.

CHCH News asked people on James Street North how they felt about 10 security cameras on one property.

“In my neighbourhood, I don’t think I would feel too comfortable,” said one person. “I understand wanting to protect your area, because there are a lot of break-ins happening, but 10 cameras pointing to public areas is a little bit of an overkill.”

“As soon as I leave my house, I don’t care,” said another person. “I assume I’m on camera 24/7.”

Myles says he’s going to do what the city is asking and hopefully get that exemption.

WATCH MORE: City of Hamilton orders resident to take down 10 security cameras from his home