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- Craig's Current - August 2025
Craig's Current - August 2025
Craig Cassar
August 29, 2025
Hello, Ward 12, and welcome to the waning days of summer and the August edition of Craig’s Current. I hope you have been able to enjoy the season and had the opportunity to recharge and get ready for the return to routine that September brings for many of us. Although City Hall is typically quieter through much of August, there has still been a lot happening, so this is a robust newsletter.
The first of many articles in this edition is an update on the February 2024 cyber attack on the City’s computer systems. I provide a thorough examination of what happened, why it occurred, the associated costs, and the actions the City has taken. Also in the Council News section, you will find an article about appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal to override Council’s June 25, 2025, decision to maintain a firm urban boundary.
In the Around Ward 12 section, you can read an update on the development application for 159 & 163 Sulphur Springs Rd to expand the urban boundary into the Greenbelt. That application will be at Planning Committee on September 9, 2025.
For everything else, please use the recently introduced table of contents with hyperlinks to navigate to specific stories of interest to you. As a reminder, if the links don’t work in your email program, please click on the link at the top of this message that says ‘Read Online’. That will open Craig’s Current in your web browser and the links will work.
HAPPENING AROUND HAMILTON
UPDATE ON 2024 CYBER ATTACK
In February 2024, the City of Hamilton experienced a cyber attack. Unfortunately, Hamilton is just one of a growing number of public sector organizations that have been victims of cyber criminals. Over the last few years, the Toronto Library, the House of Commons, many Ontario hospitals, the Canada Revenue Agency, and numerous networks associated with the federal government have all experienced cyber incidents. Other notable municipalities attacked include Halifax, Midland, and Saint John. And in the private sector, there is a long list of Canadian companies that have fallen victim to cyber criminals. Attacks like these are a growing trend.
Over the past 17 months, since the incident in Hamilton, there has been a herculean effort by City Staff to contain, recover, restore, and harden our IT systems against future attacks. Over that time, particularly in the few months after the attack, the Mayor and the City Manager provided media briefings (scroll down to ‘media releases & briefings). More recently, at the July 30, 2025, General Issues Committee, Councillors received a thorough public update on the recovery efforts and related costs. I will summarize that update here. The links to the full reports, should you wish to read further, are on the city’s website.
KEY FACTS:
Personal or Health Information was not compromised
A ransom was not paid. Based on the advice of our consultant partners, we did not pay the ransom. As previously shared, the ransom demand was $13M USD / $18.5M CDN.
A criminal investigation remains open and is being led by the Hamilton Police Service, with support from provincial and federal agencies.
The City’s Insurance company did not cover loses because the City’s roll-out of Multi-factor authentication (MFA) was not complete
Recovery and hardening of our systems (making them resilient against future attacks) is underway and is a complicated, multi-year process
HOW DID THE CYBER ATTACK HAPPEN?
This is a very basic question for which the public deserves an answer. In the following clip from the July 31 General Issues Committee Meeting, Ward 2 Councillor, Cameron Kroetsch asks this question, and the answer is provided by our expert consultant from CYPFER. In short, the hackers were able to exploit an automated account responsible for scheduled tasks because multi-factor authentication (MFA) was not present. You are likely familiar with the process that sends a verification code to your cell phone or email when you try to log into an account. That is a form of MFA and is an important step that can prevent unauthorized access to an account. The vulnerability that was exploited has been removed, and MFA has been rolled out across the City. You can hear the full question and answer here.
Of course, there are broader reasons that put the City into a situation where it was exposed to such an attack. In this clip, the CYPFER consultant acknowledges that the recovery work has been best practice and that recovering City operations from an attack like this can be compared to doing open heart surgery on a beating heart. More importantly, he shares that the public sector has historically treated Information Technology (IT) like a cost centre, meaning that expenses are kept to a minimum, instead of as an asset that needs continuous investment and improvement. This was the failure of the City in the years leading up to the attack. This Council has corrected that deficiency, and I will explain our commitment to invest in IT later in this article.
WAS THE CITY INSURED?
As of 2023, the City’s insurance coverage for cyber-attacks had a rider requiring MFA. The city began rolling out MFA in 2023 and was in the process of the next stage of the roll-out when the attack happened. Since MFA was not yet fully in place, the City was not eligible for an insurance payout of $3 million (the maximum amount possible).
RANSOM DEMANDS
The threat actor demanded a ransomware payment of approximately $13 million USD (approximately CAD $18.5 million) in exchange for a decryptor to unlock our data. In consultation with CYPFER, our expert cybersecurity consultants, Hamilton explored all options, including a ransom payment. However, paying that amount would NOT have prevented the costs we are now incurring. Why? With ransomware, threat actors aim to force victims into negotiations by promising an easy decryption process. However, in CYPFER’s experience, decryptors often fail or require extensive troubleshooting, especially with large databases or real-time data. Based on their extensive experience, CYPFER estimates the successful decryption rate in complex environments like ours to be between 50% and 60%. That means recovery typically still involves significant incremental time and costs. Decrypted systems still require remediation, much like systems without a decryptor. This is essential to confirm the integrity and containment of affected systems. CYPFER strongly recommends against returning potentially compromised systems back into production without full remediation, rebuilding, and thorough security cleansing— steps that often take longer than restoration and remediation from backups. Had Hamilton paid the ransom, there was a significant risk of losing CAD $18.5 million without receiving a working decryptor from the threat actor. Furthermore, law enforcement and Federal and Provincial agencies generally discourage paying ransom to decrypt affected systems, especially for public organizations and those using taxpayer funds.
General Manager of Finance and Corporate Services, Mike Zegarac, explains further in this one-minute clip.
RECOVERY COSTS TO-DATE
Costs to respond to a cyberattack can be categorized into the following categories: Initial Response; Recovery from the attack; Restoring systems; and Rebuilding and Transforming systems. Costs incurred so far are $18.35 million, as summarized below.
WORK TO BE DONE
Two major transformations need to occur at the City of Hamilton. The first is to hire the correct leadership that will foster a culture of urgency and continuous improvement. Our new Chief Information Security (CISO), Kush Sharma, is laser-focused on this transformation, and in this clip, he speaks about removing bureaucracy, acting quickly, and the many actions already taken to secure the City’s IT infrastructure. His approach to IT security is a zero-trust methodology: trust nothing and always verify.
The second transformation is the upgrading of our IT systems and ensuring they are resilient and secure. This is a multi-year task. In many cases, data was not recoverable, and it's a very large undertaking to reestablish databases. Across the City’s many systems, there can be several steps back to 'business-as-usual'. The work in the rebuild and transform stage mentioned above will continue through to 2027. There are 21 projects underway to ensure the City’s systems are modernized and resilient so that we minimize the chances of a successful attack in the future. Note that much of this work was necessary even prior to the cyberattack, so much of this work and associated investment is not a net new cost.
Timing of 21 cyber resilience projects underway
The $30.4M of funding for these projects was approved by Council in the 2025 capital and operating requirements during the Tax budget process. As the City is in the early stages of project implementation, only $41,000 of the approved $30.4M in 2025 capital funding has been spent as of June 27, 2025. This is in line with expected spending at this phase. 2026 projected spending is $14.5M. All projects have approved staffing resources. Staffing requirements for the accelerated execution of the projects include 47.75 FTEs over three years (2025 to 2027), including 20.25 FTEs in 2025. All 2025 roles will be filled by utilizing existing positions, through repurposed roles, and current vacancies. Roles will be funded through staffing gapping funds, revenue fees and charges, as appropriate, based on the type of position and the program that the specific role supports.
The City’s ongoing enhancements have – and will continue to - improve our IT maturity and significantly reduce risks of another successful attack, although it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk. Cyber criminals, and the technology they use, continue to evolve, so cybersecurity is an evolutionary journey for the City, too. You can read report CM25009 – Cybersecurity Resiliency Enhancements on the City’s cyberincident webpage.
The outcome of all this IT investment will include improving the functionality of our systems and providing much-improved customer service. One example is our Planning and Permit processes, which have been a very specific area of frustration for builders or anyone who needs a building permit. This software, when implemented, will be the best-in-class for municipalities and is scheduled to be fully implemented in the first half of 2027.
WHY IS THIS NEWS INFORMATION BEING RELEASED NOW?
You might have questions about the timing of these public updates and, although there have been updates from the City Manager and the Mayor, why some of this information is only being made public now. Council has received several updates since the attack, but those have been confidential due to the security risk.
Cybersecurity attacks have become all too common. Shortly after the incident, Hamilton hired industry expert consultants CYPFER to guide us through those very difficult days, weeks, and months that followed.
The advice from our cyber consultants was not to share information until now because it would put the City at risk for further attacks and compromise the investigation and our recovery efforts. Council heeded this wise advice. At the same time, the Police began an investigation.
The previous commitment from the City was to release information publicly once the police investigation was complete, which is a consistent approach when there is a criminal investigation of any kind. Although the investigation is not yet complete, and as we work to balance transparency with hardening the City's IT security, our consultants have advised that we have progressed far enough along the recovery and rebuilding spectrum so that we can minimize the chances of a subsequent attack in order to share more information with you.
Finally, here is a link to the Hamilton Spectator article that covered this topic: Hamilton did not pay $18.5-million ransom during cyberattack
TACKLING HATE IN HAMILTON
Hate has no place in Hamilton. But, unfortunately, hate, extremism, and white nationalism are present in our City. CBC recently published an in-depth investigation that included disturbing details of extremist activity in Hamilton. CBC Investigation: Tracking Canada’s fascist fight clubs
I’ve received many inquiries on this topic, looking for action and support from the City. Responding to and investigating any incidents involving hate or violence is the responsibility of the Hamilton Police Services. If you observe something, say something. Call the non-emergency line at 905-546-4925, or dial 911 to call the police for an emergency response.
Where the Police respond to specific incidents, the City has a role to play with support from the upper levels of government.
At the August 6th Council meeting, I seconded Councillor Nann’s motion “Hate Mitigation and Response Strategy” to ensure that Staff are prepared and that residents of Hamilton know what to expect from the City. The resolution is as follows:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That staff be directed to provide an update on the City of Hamilton’s Hate Mitigation and Response Strategy, including staff training, protocols, and procedures for responding to hate incidents occurring on City property, parks, and in public spaces, including HSR buses and transit-related infrastructure. And that this update include an outline of what residents can expect in terms of resources and/or support from the City when hate incidents occur on City property.
A second motion from Councillor Nann, “Advancing Hamilton's Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (CSWB) and Enhancing Government Support”, called for advocacy to the Provincial Government to secure ongoing funding. The Province requires us to have a CSWB plan, yet our funding ends in March 2026.
Hamilton’s CSWB plan identifies six core priorities – violence, substance use, hate incidents, housing and homelessness, mental health and stigma, and access to income – and lays out a comprehensive implementation approach through three focus areas: System Capacity, Equitable Access and Availability of Services, and Community Safety. This is all very important work, and it’s critical that the Province ensure reliable, ongoing funding.
The Mayor has also taken leadership on this matter and has called for a community safety summit. You can read more about it here: Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath plans community safety summit
Finally, here are two recent news articles on this topic:
THE PRIVATE HOUSING MARKET HAS STALLED
A chart from Steve Pomeroy’s presentation. The market is offering high-priced homes, but they are not selling as people need much lower price points. Click the image to see the full presentation by Professor Pomeroy
The housing market has stalled. The private market, which makes up about 95% of our housing, can no longer operate in current market conditions. We’ve heard from developers that existing projects are not selling, and the proforma for new projects doesn’t add up, so none are moving forward. No new housing is getting built, which has many negative consequences for the growing population that needs housing and the livelihood of the tradespeople impacted.
Our housing market has been financialized, which means housing is an investment, and if prices don’t continue to rise, investment will dry up. This reality is, of course, in direct contrast with the role of housing as a basic human right. Hamilton has a large imbalance between the price of housing that the market needs to operate and the price many Hamiltonians can afford.
The Audit, Finance & Administration Committee recently had a presentation on this topic from Steve Pomeroy, a highly regarded housing policy research consultant and widely recognized as one of the leading housing policy experts in Canada. It was eye-opening, and I encourage you to watch it or read through his presentation. His presentation preceded the committee’s deliberations on providing development charge (DCs) exemptions to the development industry.
Some of the key takeaways from Mr. Pomeroy:
Market is broken: The current housing market is a classic case of market failure
Providing DC exemptions is not going to make housing more affordable. It could make existing, expensive homes financially viable to the developer.
Hamilton has an excess of housing despite the overwhelming demand for housing. Weak demand for what is being built (expensive), and high demand for less expensive housing that is not financially viable for private developers, and therefore not being built.
The market is not providing housing at prices that people need. People can't afford the expensive homes being supplied, so if you build more of those, you still don't get the demand to support them. The demand is for (much) lower price points.
In the context of the failed housing market, the development industry is asking all levels of government for some form of subsidies to make their proformas work so that they can build housing. Earlier this year, I put forward a motion directing Staff to evaluate how Hamilton could help and what the cost would be.
Staff recommended that we provide a 20% discount on development charges (DCs) for a limited 2-year timeframe. The development industry wanted a 50% discount for two years. DCs are not a perfect tool, but they do enable growth to pay the initial costs of growth, rather than the burden falling onto existing taxpayers. The problem with exemptions is that they pass the costs onto existing taxpayers.
Given the current housing market, the City has room to provide some level of support because the exemptions already in the budget are not being consumed. Council approved the Staff recommendation of a temporary 20% exemption, and there is no expected tax impact.
I also don’t expect any improvement in housing affordability because developers need cost decreases just to secure financing and make their project viable, which is, I’m told, between a 12% and 15% projected profit.
Solving the housing crisis is a large and complicated task. Since investment in real estate is essentially a foundational element of our economy (jobs, stock market, pension funds), we’re dealing with a structural issue, and it’s not something Hamilton will be able to solve with DC exemptions. But we’ve made a contribution and need all other stakeholders to contribute too. In the meantime, we need to turn our efforts to non-market housing and how to generate more of that so that we can get people the housing they need and keep tradespeople working.
HAMILTON’S FIRM URBAN BOUNDARY THREATENED (AGAIN)
Back in my June 2025 issue of Craig’s Current, I wrote about Council’s unanimous denial of two urban boundary expansion applications. I am an unwavering supporter of a firm urban boundary, so it is disappointing to share that Council’s decision has been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal by the landowners.
Urban boundary expansion would be devastating for Hamilton. It would:
Create the equivalent of a 6% tax increase on property taxpayers
Make the traffic you experience today even worse
Undermine Council’s vision for the economic and social revitalization of downtown
More roads, sewers, watermains, etc. will need to be built when we can’t afford what we already have. We have an estimated $5.2 billion infrastructure deficit, so adding more to what we already have is completely contrary to the calls I hear daily to lower taxes. If the appeal is granted, Doug Ford’s OLT would impose unnecessary, permanent, tax increases of 6% on Hamiltonians for new infrastructure, while what we actually need is new money to fix the infrastructure that is already crumbling. Urban boundary expansion is fiscally irresponsible. For a deeper explanation, please read the related article in June 2025’s Craig’s Current
Hamilton Spectator article: ‘Our city is crumbling’: Hamilton faces $5-billion infrastructure gap in next decade
The proposed developments are on (or in the case of Whitechurch, far outside) the edge of town, resulting in more cars on our roads, so those residents could access services in the city. Unfortunately, public transit becomes less and less viable (and more and more expensive) the further out Hamilton grows. More traffic. More delays. More stress. No viable alternatives for transportation means more money coming out of Hamiltonians’ pockets every month.
If growth is forced to the edges of town, our downtown will wither. We’ve already been through that once before. Businesses will fold. Crime will persist. Fewer and fewer people will live in or visit downtown. There will be little investment. Tourism will suffer. We’d be compromising Hamilton’s economic engine.
Previous generations have already shown us how terrible land use decisions via urban boundary expansions can increase costs, decrease quality of life, and hollow out our downtown. Developers will tell you that development charges included in new home sales will pay for the new infrastructure needed, but that is a partial truth. DCs only cover the first lifecycle of any asset. Taxpayers must pay for it FOREVER. Decades of bad decisions have us paying for infrastructure that was ‘free’ to taxpayers at first, but very expensive in the long run. We need to learn from those mistakes and ensure that we don’t repeat them. Urban Boundary expansion is BAD for Hamilton.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Citizens are entitled to submit comments on appeals to the OLT, and I urge you to voice your support for Hamilton’s firm urban boundary.
The Elfrida appeal is the only one with a date scheduled (Sept 29). Participation instructions are here.
General Information on the OLT process is available on my website here.
Read the full update and lawyers’ letters on the City’s Communication Updates page. Scroll down to August 7, 2025.
PARAMEDIC SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS
Click the image to see the data
In 2022, service levels from Hamilton’s ambulances were at crisis levels. During that year, there were 381 code zeros, which means that at a specific point in time, only one or zero ambulances were available to respond to an emergency call. Over this term of Council, 911 calls have continued to increase, but service levels for Hamilton’s Paramedic Service have made huge improvements. The focused leadership from Paramedic Chief Michael Sanderson, cooperation with local hospitals for offloading patients, and investments from Council have each played a role in the improvements. In 2024, there were just two code zeros!
After a 51+ year career in paramedicine, we owe a great deal of gratitude to retiring Chief, Michael Sanderson for his leadership in coordinating improvements with partners throughout the system.
Your property tax dollars have been an essential investment in this good news story, but each of us still plays an ongoing role in ensuring superior paramedic service levels. Reference the following list to ensure you are making the right call for your situation and only dial 911 when necessary.
MAKE THE RIGHT CALL
Do not hesitate to call 9-1-1 for a life-threatening medical emergency, such as:
Chest pain or difficulty breathing
Sudden numbness or paralysis of face, arm, leg
Serious accident or trauma
Extreme pain
Large burns
Severe bleeding
Unconsciousness
For non-emergency health care:
Contact a family doctor or nurse practitioner
Go to a walk-in clinic near you or an Urgent Care Centre
Speak with a pharmacist
Call Telehealth Ontario 1-866-797-0000
Visit 211ontario.ca for community and social services supports
You can read more about Chief Sanderson and the recent improvements in Hamilton Paramedic Service in this Hamilton Spectator article: Faster, busier, better: How Hamilton’s Ambulance Crisis Turned Around
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS DASHBOARD
The City of Hamilton Housing Services division has re-launched Hamilton’s Housing and Homelessness Dashboard, which has been unavailable since the cyber-attack in February 2024. This tool consolidates data about the state of homelessness and access to affordable housing in the City and supports evidence-informed action and illustrates progress towards the goals established in Hamilton’s Housing and Homelessness Action Plan. It provides transparency and a greater understanding of the local context in Hamilton.
The following metrics are included in the dashboard:
Average market rent
Active households on the Access to Housing (ATH) waitlist
Active households housed from the Access to Housing (ATH) waitlist
Inflow/ outflow to homelessness
Shelter capacity
Shelter occupancy
Number of individuals experiencing homelessness for less than six months and more than six months
Number of individuals housed through City-funded Homelessness or Supportive Housing Programs
To report the presence of an encampment on City property, contact the Coordinated Encampment Response Team at [email protected] or call 905-546-2782 Option 1. Monitored Monday to Friday during regular business hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm). A file will be entered for investigation as appropriate. More information is available here.
WHAT IS YOUR NEWS SOURCE?
With Craig’s Current, I do my best to summarize what’s been happening at City Hall by providing, hopefully, easily understood articles about important topics. This newsletter is monthly, and I don’t pretend to cover every topic that might be of interest to you, so I want to encourage you to stay engaged beyond my newsletters. Further, the news media simply doesn’t have the capacity to report on all of the news from City Hall. So, in these times where reliable and accurate news is becoming harder to access, it’s important that residents have direct access to factual information about the many City initiatives, programs, updates, council decisions, and media releases from City Hall. To that end, I encourage everyone to subscribe to City e-updates and regularly review the Council Communication Updates webpage as well as the Media Release News and Notices webpage. Finally, you can have input into City initiatives by sharing your thoughts on specific projects at Engage Hamilton. Please consider any or all of these options to stay engaged with the City. After all, accurate information is key to a community that values understanding, cooperation, and kindness.
ANCASTER FAIR
This year marks 175 Years of Fun, Community & Tradition! Mark your calendars – the Ancaster Fair is back and bigger than ever for their 175th Anniversary Celebration! Here’s what to expect:
A stellar lineup of live entertainment, thrilling horse shows & NEW chuck wagon races, cattle shows, antique tractors & steam engines, mouthwatering food trucks & local vendors galore.
Grab your tickets here!
GARNER ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
The final phase of the Garner Road Water Main project (Fiddlers Green to Panabaker) is expected to wrap up (weather dependent) in time for the Labour Day long weekend. That means two-way traffic will be restored from Redeemer University to Wilson St. (Duff’s Corners). Further, since the project was completed several months ahead of schedule and came in under budget, there was an opportunity to improve the road surface for the side of Garner that was not excavated. So, additional repaving is happening in sections between the Hwy 403 ramp and Hamilton Dr., providing a smoother ride in both directions.
The completion date of the Sanitary Trunk Sewer project east of Redeemer University and near Bennett's is unknown.
The contractor for this project, Earth Boring, has been significantly underperforming. They have experienced significant financial difficulties, and the court has granted them creditor protection. Their bank then stepped in and hired a Monitor and severely limited their ability to continue work on, or purchase materials for, this project. This development limits the City's options, preventing us from applying a lien, filing a lawsuit, or terminating the contract and hiring someone else.
Earth Boring is working on a financial solution that should enable them to complete the project, but City Staff are not confident in projecting a completion date. Once the protection order from the courts is lifted, the City will aggressively pursue legal options to get the work completed as quickly as possible. As updates are provided by Earth Boring or the City’s Legal Department, I will share them here.
I'm particularly concerned about the impact on Bennett's as they enter their busiest season. City Staff have already shared this news with them. Please make a special effort to support this multi-generational family business through this challenging time. Access to their store is available from the east along Rymal Rd, or from the Meadowlands via Raymond Rd.
GREENBELT THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT (AGAIN) AT 159 & 163 SULPHUR SPRINGS RD
Mizrahi Developments has applied to expand the urban boundary into the Ancaster Greenbelt and Niagara Escarpment Plan Area for the development of 75 low-density houses on ten hectares of natural land adjacent to the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. The application will be decided at the Planning Committee meeting on September 9, 2025. It is a reckless application, and I will oppose it.
The public is encouraged to participate by sending written comments or delegating in person or online to the Planning Committee. You may also send a pre-recorded video to the Clerk to be played at the meeting.
Learn more, watch the video of the public meeting, and view the staff presentation here
Find out how to delegate to the Planning Committee here
Send an email with your comments to [email protected] with a subject line: Planning Committee Sept 9 for 159 and 163 Sulphur Springs Road
Thank you, everyone, for taking an active role in the development of our community.
HWY 52 / POWERLINE RD PUBLIC MEETING
The second Public Information Centre (PIC) for options to improve safety at the intersection of Hwy 52 and Powerline Rd will be held in-person on October 21, 6pm to 8pm at the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Rd W. The PIC will provide information on the alternative designs assessed, the evaluation process, and the preliminary preferred design. Additional information on the project will be uploaded to the project webpage.
CLOSURE OF OLD DUNDAS ROAD AT WILSON STREET
In November 2023, the City of Hamilton conducted a temporary road closure on Old Dundas Road, between Wilson Street East and Montgomery Drive. The goal of this pilot project was to evaluate whether a longer-term closure would help ease traffic congestion at the intersection of Old Dundas Road, Rousseaux Street, and Wilson Street East and reduce aggressive driving on Old Dundas Road.
Traffic data was collected before and during the closure to assess changes in travel patterns, safety, and overall intersection performance. Feedback from local residents also provided valuable insights into how the closure affected daily travel and neighbourhood liveability.
The pilot produced several positive outcomes, along with a few concerns raised by the community. Positive results:
Reduced travel times and smoother traffic flow through the Wilson St and Rousseaux St intersection.
Improved traffic signal performance, with green light time better distributed to reduce delays.
Traffic redirected to Wilson Street, a major arterial road, easing pressure on Old Dundas Road, which was not designed for the volume of traffic it currently experiences.
Quieter streets and reduced traffic volumes on Old Dundas Road, generally improving the neighbourhood environment.
Improved safety and comfort for pedestrians, especially near the Ancaster Mill’s overflow parking lot.
Community concerns:
Increased traffic on Montgomery Drive between Old Dundas Rd and Wilson St, which was expected with the closure.
Stop sign compliance issues at Montgomery Drive and Old Dundas Road. While these issues existed before the pilot, they became more noticeable.
Next Steps
Based on the pilot’s success, the City will proceed with an extended closure of Old Dundas Road at Wilson Street East, tentatively anticipated to take effect the week of September 7, 2025, or September 14, 2025. This decision reflects the positive results of traffic data analysis, community feedback, and the demonstrated benefits observed during the pilot project.
In addition, the City has completed a comprehensive In-Service Road Safety Review (ISRSR) for the Old Dundas/Old Ancaster corridor, which identified short, medium, and long-term recommendations that are in various stages of implementation or planning. The ISRSR’s primary long-term recommendation is for the City to undertake a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA), anticipated to begin in 2026, pending Council approval of the necessary budget. Once completed, the MCEA will provide additional direction to support and potentially formalize the permanent closure of the intersection of Old Dundas Road at Wilson Street East. In the interim, the extended closure will remain in place until the MCEA is completed, and its recommendations are implemented.
CRAIG’S LIST – SUPPORT LOCAL
Have you heard about my new video series, Craig’s List – Support Local?
Supporting local businesses is always important, but it’s absolutely critical in the current context of tariffs, threats to Canadian sovereignty, and general economic uncertainty. In this series, I profile local businesses on my list so that you can add them to yours.
Check out the first three videos in the series: The Quilt Rack, Fenwood Farm, and Butties of Scotland
Use the links above to see the first three segments of ‘Craig’s List - Support Local’
If you know a Ward 12 business that deserves the spotlight, email me at [email protected] and I might just drop by to see them!
TIFFANY FALLS PARKING LOT
Due to high visitor traffic, Tiffany Falls Conservation Area on Wilson St E has experienced significant parking challenges, including illegal parking that poses safety risks for visitors and vehicle and bicycle traffic on Wilson St. Police and bylaw officers are present on weekends, strictly enforcing No Stopping and Special Enforcement Area parking fines. The current situation is not sustainable.
In July 2025, The Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) Board of Directors approved a Staff recommendation to take the next step towards a solution that would close the parking lot on Wilson St, and extend the Tiffany Falls conservation Areas experience to the north side of Wilson St. The area would be accessed by vehicles via Lower Lions Club Rd where a 30-car parking lot would be created at 892 Lower Lions club Rd. This site was previously developed, although the building has been demolished. Page 21 of the Rural Hamilton Official Plan (Volume 3, Chapter B – Rural Site-Specific Areas pg. 21) permits a community centre on this land, permissions that have existed since the 1990s, before amalgamation. This means that the lesser use of a parking lot is permitted, so there is no permission required from the City. However, the project will require permit approval from the Niagara Escarpment Commission. As part of its decision review process, the NEC provides an opportunity for public comment. The timing of the process and when public feedback will be accepted is currently unknown, but I will share more information when it becomes available. I have raised concerns about the increased number of people who would be crossing Wilson St at the pedestrian crossing (PXO). The HCA would work with the City on this topic, and I would be involved to ensure a safe solution is in place.
The HCA has published a thorough document that explains the options they reviewed to solve the current challenges and how they selected the proposed option. You can read more details in their Tiffany Falls Visitor Use Management Plan.
INCREASED ACCESS TO RURAL LIBRARIES
This past spring, Hamilton Public Library surveyed residents of Carlisle, Freelton, Greensville, and Lynden for their feedback on Extended Access (EA) hours in those Library branches.
What is Self-Serve Extended Access?
EA allows registered Members access to HPL's collections, public computers, Wi-Fi, and space in the Carlisle, Freelton, Lynden, and Greensville branches during hours when Staff are not scheduled. As a result of feedback from the public, starting Tuesday, September 2, Library members will notice new EA hours. These hours will be displayed at branch entrances and on the Library’s website and social media channels.
TRAFFIC CALMING ON MEADOWBROOK DRIVE
Traffic calming is coming to Meadowbrook Drive over 2025 and 2026! In 2025, Staff will be narrowing lanes with 1.7m edge lines on Meadowbrook Drive from Galley Road to Jerseyville Road (north segment), and 2.0m parking lanes from Galley Road to Wilson Street (south segment). In 2026, raised crosswalks with a pedestrian crossing light (PXO) will be installed at the intersections of both Tranquility Avenue and Morwick Drive.
Staff are also investigating further traffic calming near Abbey Close. I’ll share that decision when I know more.
Example of an edge line that narrows vehicle travel lanes
ANCASTER SENIOR ACHIEVEMENT CENTRE OPEN HOUSE
Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre (ASAC) will be hosting its fall Open House on Wednesday, September 10th, from 11:00 am to 1 pm. ASAC offers a variety of programming opportunities from physical fitness and dance to music and crafts to seniors 55+ to help foster a sense of community and connection. Join ASAC at their Open House to tour the facility, meet their instructors, and enjoy a delicious BBQ.
FLAMBOROUGH SENIOR CONNECTIONS
Probus is a worldwide non-profit organization in more than 20 countries, with 252 clubs in Canada (and more on the way) and almost 36,000 members. Probus is a social club, not a service club. It is a volunteer-based, low-cost, inclusive, non-profit, non-political, and non-sectarian organization focused on promoting fellowship, friendship, fun, and learning. Members’ ages typically range from late 50s to mid-90s.
There is no limit to the types of activities organized by Probus clubs. You could be dining with a group of friends one day, then play card games, ride your bike, discuss books, enjoy a round of golf, paddle down a river, or go bird watching the next day.
The Probus Club of Ancaster meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month except August at Marshall Memorial Church with interesting guest speakers. Take the leap, check them out with a visit, and meet new friends and have a ton of fun. For more information, visit probusancaster.ca
RESIDENTIAL ZONES PROJECT
Reimagining Neighbourhoods Project
The Mid-Rise Residential Zones Project introduces new housing opportunities and permissions across the City, focusing density along arterial streets. Planning staff have completed the public engagement activities under the project banner of “Reimagining Neighbourhoods.”
Three new Mid-Rise Residential Zones will be presented to the Planning Committee on October 3rd, and the zoning will be introduced in Phases. Through this first phase, the Mid-Rise Residential Zones will be applied to lands outside of Secondary Plans, as well as several strategic sites within Secondary Plans. Note: the expansion of housing opportunities through the introduction of Mid-Rise Residential Zones is a requirement under the Housing Accelerator Fund Agreement with the Federal Government.
Learn more about the upcoming rezoning through this Communication Update and at Engage Hamilton. Get Involved! There will be additional engagement opportunities as projects supporting increasing housing supply and residential intensification move forward. Register for project updates by emailing [email protected]
EXCELLENCE IN AGRICULTURE AWARDS
The Ontario government has created the Excellence in Agriculture Awards to recognize people who run Ontario’s $51 billion agriculture and food industry. The awards recognize and encourage outstanding efforts that drive the agriculture and food sector and raise awareness of its impact on the provincial economy.
All eligible individuals and businesses can apply or be nominated for an award. Learn more here.
PUBLIC SERVICE: WHO DOES WHAT?
Councillors are regularly asked how their role compares to that of Federal Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), School Board Trustees, and the Chief of Police. Thanks to the Ward 2 staff for developing and sharing this resource for Hamilton, which explains who is responsible for what and how to contact them.
LIGHTS OUT FOR BIRD MIGRATION SEASON
Click the image to watch the short video of a small songbird lured to the city’s bright lights
Up to one billion birds per year are killed by colliding with buildings in North America. Birds are now heading south for the winter, and you can help them arrive safely by turning off non-essential lighting and/or closing blinds at night (11 PM to 6 AM) from now until mid-November. In addition to turning off non-essential lights at night, you can also help birds this fall by keeping your cat indoors and by making your windows bird-safe.
Learn more about how to stop birds from hitting your windows HERE.
BIRDS OF ANCASTER
Thanks to Ancaster resident Bob Bell “The Birder Bob” for another great shot of birds in the community! “Red-breasted Nuthatch are the smaller of the two nuthatch species that we have; the larger being the White-breasted. Listen for their nasal “yank-yank-yank” calls, as they forage on tree trunks, often hanging upside down.”
Labour Day Parade – Sept 1, 10:30am, starting at Bay and Stuart
Summer Shores Race – Sept 1, 9:00am, Hutches on the Beach
Autumn Stroll – Sept 7, 1pm–5pm, Rotary Club, 385 Jerseyville Road West
Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre open house – Sept 10, 11am-1pm, 622 Alberton Rd South
Supercrawl – Sept 12, 13, 14, James Street North
Explore the art of Portraiture – Sept 15, 1pm-2pm, Ancaster Library, Murray Ferguson Room
Ancaster Fair – Sept 18-21, 630 Trinity Road
Hamilton Accessibility Film Festival (HAFF Time Show) - Sept 20, 10am-7pm, Free, Westdale Theatre
Dundas Repair Cafe – Sept 20, 10am – noon, Dundas Town Hall
Ancaster Film Fest – Sept 22, 2pm and 7:15pm, Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
Grow the Greenbelt Cycle tour - Sept 27, group cycle to Heart’s Content Organic farm
Open Streets Hamilton - Sept 28, 10am-4pm, King Street E
Garden Club – Sept 29, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, Ancaster Library
Hamilton Public Library events – Events throughout the month
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre – Events and shows throughout the month
Hamilton Public Library Concert Series – Various events and locations
Got an event coming up? Email us: [email protected]
BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
In June 2025, in acknowledgement of the forecasted increasing demand on Ontario's electrical grid, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) announced a call for projects that will enable the procurement of additional grid-level energy storage capacity. To attract investment dollars to Hamilton, enable an electrically powered future, and address the urgent need to reduce fossil fuel emissions, Hamilton must be competitive for applicants who wish to build Energy Storage Systems (ESS).
On July 6, Council ratified the Planning Committee's recommendation for a framework to assess ESS applications that includes considerations around safety, compatibility with surrounding land uses, environment, and community benefit. Given that the timeframe for this year's intake is compressed with the application closing date looming, and not wanting to lose potential investment dollars, I proposed an amendment that would allow a blanket approval process with strict conditions for the remainder of this year only. Future intake processes (2026 and beyond) will follow the Staff-recommended Municipal Support Resolution Protocol. Council supported my amendment.
Watch the video of the Staff presentation here
The Staff report and appendices are at item 9.5 here.
Information and common questions, and myths about Battery Energy Storage Systems can be found here.
OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVES UPDATE
At the July 30 General Issues Committee meeting, Director Lynda Lukasik from the Office of Climate Change Initiatives (OCCI) presented Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy Annual Update.
This third annual report from the OCCI included recommendations on the feasibility of accelerating Hamilton’s Net Zero by 2050 target to an earlier date. The preliminary assessment confirms that acceleration is feasible and advisable based on the most current climate science projections and given the climate mitigation, adaptation, and financial benefits acceleration would bring to Hamilton. Council approved $100,000 from the Climate Change Reserve to update Hamilton’s modelled ‘Low Carbon Scenario’ and to use updated model outcomes to inform a review and update to the actions found in Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy. As is evident in the image below, there needs to be a radical change in our annual community emissions reductions to achieve our targets.
Over the past decade, there has been no meaningful progress in reducing community-wide emissions. Significant intervention is required to achieve our stated emission reduction targets
Director Lukasik’s report also provided progress updates on the implementation of Hamilton’s community-wide Climate Action Strategy, including the core work of the Office of Climate Change Initiatives and status updates on the implementation of both corporate and community-led actions.
After the presentation, the Committee had extensive deliberations, and as I have often observed in debates about climate action, there was an unhealthy and unrealistic preoccupation with electric cars as the main solution to emissions reductions. In this brief clip, I explain why it’s important for us all to reframe the challenge away from individual decisions like automobile purchases (which will vary across individual circumstances) to the broader systemic and structural changes that governments and industry must lead.
Further reading about the Office of Climate Change Initiatives Report:
Read the Staff report (14 pages) here
Read the Staff Presentation (25 slides) here
Read the detailed 2025 Progress Report (40 pages) here
Read Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy Implementation Update (82 pages) here
Read the Assessment of Accelerated Emission Reduction Targets (35 pages) here
Read City of Hamilton’s Sector-Based Emissions Report (19 slides) here
CLIMATE TOWN – JOE ROGAN DOESN’T UNDERSTAND GRAPHS
Misinformation and disinformation about Climate Change are a big problem. Individuals will knowingly, or ignorantly, misrepresent a topic, take it out of context, or speak to it without understanding it. A recent example of this is podcaster Joe Rogan’s comments about a Washington Post article, “Scientists have captured Earth's climate over the last 485 million years,” dated September 19, 2024. He ignores the actual content of the article and tries to use the supplementary graph to claim the Earth is in a cooling period and that human-caused climate change is not real, and, of course, that there is no urgency to act. Although he is supremely confident in his opinion, he has no idea what he is talking about. Ignorance (or malice!) combined with confidence and a large audience that lacks curiosity and critical thinking skills is a very dangerous combination.
Thankfully, some talented individuals are not shy about debunking the kind of hogwash spouted by fools like Joe Rogan. Cue Rollie Williams, creator and host of the popular digital series Climate Town, who will both make you laugh and help you make sense of climate science with his very entertaining videos. This latest one is entitled “Joe Rogan Doesn’t Understand Graphs”. Enjoy! Warning: he uses some spicy language.
THANK YOU
Thanks, as always, to everyone who reaches out to engage with our office. I hope you enjoyed reading this month’s newsletter. Please share it with Ward 12 neighbours and friends. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] and subscribe to the Ward 12 newsletter at CraigCassar.ca. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.