The Red Hill Valley Parkway inquiry is seeking applications from people to participate in the historic event.

The inquiry's commissioner, Justice Herman Wilton-Siegel, is accepting submissions from any person or group “with a substantial and direct interest” in the inquiry.

The commissioner can’t provide funding for legal counsel to anyone, but applicants can request he consider recommending financial support if he believes the person’s participation would be helpful.

The inquiry was prompted after a friction report on the parkway — crafted by a consultant at Hamilton’s request — remained with staff for six years until it was publicly provided to councillors earlier this year.

The inquiry will also examine if the city was negligent in failing to disclose the report, whether roadway users were put at risk, and whether not having the report contributed to any accidents, injuries or fatalities on the parkway since January 2014.

Wilton-Siegel, who oversaw the restructuring of U.S. Steel Canada and approved the sale of the company to the U.S. investment firm Bedrock Industries, is charged with investigating how and why the 2013 report by Tradewind Scientific remained in staff’s hands until late 2018. The report revealed parts of the highway were below United Kingdom standards for friction and, in some cases, far below the standards.

Hamilton this past spring approved spending $7 million for the inquiry, which could take over a year to complete.

The city apologized for not releasing the report sooner and took a number of actions to improve safety along the Red Hill Valley Parkway, including reducing the speed limit on portions of the roadway from 90 km/h to 80 km/h and resurfacing it this past spring.

Deadline for the applications and to seek funding is Nov. 29 at noon at rcenta@rhvpi.ca.

If oral submissions are necessary, the commissioner can hold a hearing in January 2020, stated a media release.

Further information can be found at rhvpi.ca.