Court in Ontario city struggling with gun crime closes over safety fears [Video]

A federal courthouse is leaving an Ontario city plagued by gun violence to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.

Hamilton, which is one of the most populated cities in the province, has seen a rise in shootings this year, police tell Global News; 13 of those have happened in broad daylight in busy areas.

One of them happened near the Tax Court of Canada last month, which until July 19, had a location in the downtown core — an area of the city with “incredible opportunities” to progress that could be lost if Hamilton doesn’t get the violence under control, business advocates say.

“This has been an ongoing issue that I believe that the lack of progress on it is starting to impact people’s decision making. … The people who are going to choose to leave are the people who can, and the businesses who can,” said Greg Dunnett, president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.