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- Craig's Current - January 2026
Craig's Current - January 2026
Craig Cassar
January 30, 2026
Hello, Ward 12! Happy New Year and I hope you are keeping warm during this extended cold spell we’re experiencing. Things are heating up quickly at City Hall as we work through budget season; I provide a quick update in this issue with a full recap to follow when the budget is complete. Other highlights include an article about progress at the Tiffany-Barton Outdoor Shelters and the Auditor General’s report on the project that established the site. In this issue, you’ll also find updates on new policies (Safe Apartment by-law, Recycling Changes), several updates on crime in Hamilton in the ‘Community Safety Section’, events around the city, and much more (hopefully!) helpful information.
And a reminder: please click ‘Read Online’ above to enable navigation links within the newsletter.
CONTENTS
COUNCIL NEWS
AROUND WARD 12
COMMUNITY SAFETY
IN OTHER NEWS
HAPPENING AROUND HAMILTON
CLIMATE CORNER
BUDGET 2026
A high-level summary of the 4.25% increase in the Mayor’s 2026 Budget. Council is deliberating it and has the opportunity to propose amendments over the next couple of weeks
It’s budget season, and Council is currently deliberating the Mayor’s budget. She has proposed a 4.25% residential tax levy increase, which benefits from $66M in efficiencies and other cost mitigations since the budget outlook was shared back in the Fall of 2025.
The minimal proposed operating budget increases for each of the City’s departments (see chart above) reflect the work done to reduce the tax burden on residents. One key driver of the increase is boards and agencies (1.5% levy increase), which is primarily driven by Hamilton Police Services. This section of the budget also includes Conservation Authorities, the Board of Health, Hamilton Public Library and the Hamilton Farmer’s Market. The police have committed to increased service levels for the city – including in Ward 12 – as part of their requested $16.3M / 6.81% increase. The other key drivers are legislatively mandated services where the funding generally does not keep up with the costs to deliver these services, and the City’s capital investment plan which this Council has ramped up to catch up on the under investment from decades past. These make up the largest part of the pie chart totaling a 2.2% levy increase.
I’ll provide my annual, in-depth budget recap once it is finalized. In the meantime, Council is deliberating the Mayor’s budget and has the opportunity to propose amendments over the next few weeks. The Mayor has the authority to veto any amendments made by Council. Further, a two-thirds majority of Council (11 Councillors) could overrule a veto, should any occur. These steps are all part of the Strong Mayor Powers that the Province granted to Hamilton. Council has unanimously asked the Premier to remove these powers.
ANNUAL VUT DECLARATION PERIOD NOW OPEN
This year’s declaration period is now open with a deadline of April 15, 2026. All residential property owners must submit a VUT declaration for each property owned, even if the property is their primary residence and is occupied. This includes homeowners living in their own homes, as well as those who own secondary or rental properties. Note that principal residences are one of the many exemptions from the tax, but owners still need to declare. The declaration takes just a few minutes to do via the online portal. I have already completed mine; it was quick and easy.
To complete a declaration, homeowners need the roll number and access code found on their Notice or Reminder to Declare Letters or their most recent 2025 property tax bill. Declarations can be submitted in various ways, including online, by phone, by email, and by mail. Printed declaration forms will also be accepted at all the Municipal Service Centres across the city. Full details, including in-person clinic locations and times, are available online at hamilton.ca/VacantUnitTax. Residents who need assistance completing their declaration can contact the City via email at [email protected] or by calling 905-546-2573.
The Vacant Unit Tax applies to all properties classified as residential under MPAC, including single-family detached, townhouses, row houses, and multi-family dwellings (duplexes to sixplexes). In Hamilton, this represents approximately 180,000 properties. The VUT aims to increase the supply of housing in Hamilton by encouraging homeowners to keep their properties occupied rather than vacant, and supports the City’s broader housing strategy.
Key Dates:
Declaration Period Opened: December 17, 2025
Deadline to declare: April 15, 2026.
Late Declaration Deadline with a late declaration fee: May 15, 2026
TIFFANY-BARTON SHELTER UPDATE
In mid-January, two reports about the City’s recent efforts to address homelessness were published: The first report was positive news about the operations at the Temporary Tiffany-Barton Outdoor Shelter Program. The second was the Auditor General’s report on the cost overruns incurred while establishing the Tiffany-Barton site back in early 2025. The 2025 Temporary Barton Tiffany Shelter Program Evaluation Report (item 7.5) provides an update on the shelter's first year in operation and some additional information about homelessness in Hamilton. Established in early 2025, the Tiffany-Barton Shelter features 80 beds meant for people who typically do not fit the client criteria for Hamilton’s other shelters, like couples who wish to remain together and those living with pets. This new site offers wrap-around services, including access to healthcare, social service assistance, and addiction counselling. The operations are led by Good Shepherd in cooperation with other community partners.
The report and supporting presentation from our Housing Services Director contained excellent news on the positive impact of this project, beginning with the fact that the occupancy level averaged 91 per cent in 2025. Further, surveys of residents found that 80 percent feel safe at the Barton Tiffany Shelter; 73 percent had their needs met, and 70 percent had positive interactions with staff. To date, 21 residents who stayed at the Barton Tiffany Shelter have left for permanent supportive housing. This outcome vastly outperforms the results of the traditional shelter system. In her presentation to Committee, Katherine Kalinowski, Good Shepherd’s Chief Operating Officer, shared that “a closed door and individual space is the best resiliency factor in affecting outcomes”.
The results to date at Tiffany-Barton demonstrate the importance of having professional and experienced shelter staff on site with coordinated access to human and health support. Although only adequate funding in permanent housing solutions can adequately address the growing homelessness crisis, projects like the Tiffany-Barton Shelter are a prototype for new and better ways of helping those in the most need.
However, from the outset, Tiffany-Barton was intended as a temporary project with a three-year lifespan. City staff are committed to sharing their recommended exit strategy before year's end. That plan is expected to demonstrate how the operations and lessons will be transitioned to the remaining shelter system in Hamilton.
AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT
The second report on this topic was Housing Audits: Barton Tiffany Temporary Shelters Investigation and Lessons Learned. This is a report from the City of Hamilton's Office of the Auditor General (AG), an independent body that conducts objective, fact-based audits to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the City of Hamilton’s risk management and governance processes. The report took a deep dive into the financial and logistical issues associated with the establishment of the Tiffany-Barton Outdoor Shelter, which resulted in capital costs overruns from the budgeted $2.8 million to $7.8 million by the time the site was operational. This result is completely unacceptable. The AG’s report is a vital tool to understand what happened and to enable implementation of improved policies and procedures.
Let’s start with a reminder of the context for this project. Hamilton City Council voted unanimously to declare a state of emergency related to homelessness, addictions, and the mental health challenges in April of 2023. Subsequently, attempts were made to work with other levels of government and community partners on lasting solutions to this crisis.
In the summer of 2024, Hamilton City Council began directing staff to develop new, local solutions to these issues. One of these directives instructed staff to produce a report on sanctioned sites and shelters. You may recall that the topic of ‘Tiny Shelters’ had not achieved any traction, although efforts were made to implement a solution.
Before Staff could complete this report, the mayor issued Mayoral Directive MDI 2024-02, which required staff to undertake research on the feasibility of identifying a site on which temporary shelters could be established. This is consistent with Strong Mayor powers that the Province granted Hamilton and many other municipalities; the Mayor was granted the power to issue mayoral directives, which require staff to perform tasks relating to specific policy goals. Mayoral Directive MDI 2024-02 led to the establishment of the Tiffany-Barton Outdoor Shelter.
The Auditor General's report found that there was not enough time between the Mayor’s directive and the subsequent recommended solution presented to Council. Although urgency was appropriate, the necessary diligence was not exercised; in the rush to deliver the project, there were significant oversights that resulted in sourcing materials from an inexperienced company that was not properly vetted and unable to deliver suitable shelters.
In addition, the Auditor General found that City Council was not appropriately updated about the issues relating to the shelter project: the issues with the shelters themselves and the cost overruns on site preparation. There was a four-month delay in reporting $5 million in cost overruns to City Council, which removed any opportunity for Council to intervene.
Importantly, the Auditor General "found that the imperative of urgency overrode the importance of due diligence and good governance." Staff were not provided with enough time to effectively research the project, and the Mayoral directive placed considerable pressure on departments that had not previously done this kind of work.
When any project is undertaken – regardless of its public profile – rigorous project management processes must be employed. The City needs to ensure that funds are being spent in the most efficient and effective manner possible. This is essential to building and maintaining public faith in the ability of their government to address the many challenges facing our city. Residents are understandably frustrated by these failures, as highlighted in the Auditor General’s report.
The AG report provides eleven recommendations to ensure similar oversights and cost overruns do not occur in the future. The City Manager will be providing a formal management response to these recommendations, which is a required step in the process.
Clearly, more work must be done to ensure proper procedures are followed, that Council is kept apprised of issues with procurement, and that the limited resources the municipality has are allocated responsibly. When high-profile situations like this occur, they overshadow the good work that has been accomplished to address a critical topic in our community. As Hamiltonians face a cost-of-living crisis, it is imperative that the municipality act in a fiscally responsible way. The Auditor General's report is clear that the municipality failed in this instance. It is now the job of Council and Staff to strengthen policies and procedures as the first step to restoring your trust and confidence.
Citing the snow event on Thursday, January 15, the Audit, Finance & Administration Committee (I am not a member) voted to postpone deliberations on the report and called for a special General Issues Committee meeting on February 10, where this report will be discussed in detail.
COST RECOVERY FOR SECONDARY PLANS
City Council Meeting - Jan 21, 2026: Vote on Planning Committee item 9.4 Establishing an Interim Fee for Secondary Plan Official Plan Amendments Applications
At the January 13 Planning Committee meeting, Staff recommended establishing an interim cost-recovery fee for Urban Boundary Expansion (UBE) developers. The fee would ensure the developer, not taxpayers, pays for the considerable costs incurred in the processing of any UBE Secondary Plans they submit to the City. This is the same approach the City already took for processing UBE official plan amendment applications. In each case, fees would increase incrementally depending on the size (in hectares) of the proposal and would recover the cost of staff time. I believe that if UBE developers force the City to process Official Plan amendments and Secondary Plans outside the urban boundary against the will of Hamiltonians, they should pay for the considerable staff resources to do the work.
At Planning Committee, I joined six of my Planning Committee Colleagues to support Staff's cost-recovery recommendation for UBE Secondary Plan processing. I also addressed one Councillor's mischaracterization of the cost-recovery fee as a 'tax-grab'. In fact, if we don't recover costs from developers, the financial burden will fall onto the shoulders of Hamilton taxpayers.
Later, at the January 21 Council meeting, instead of ratifying the Planning Committee vote in favour of cost recovery fees, eight of my Council colleagues voted against the Staff recommendation, causing it to fail on an 8-8 tie. This means that Hamilton taxpayers, not UBE developers, will now have to shoulder the costs of processing developer-initiated secondary plans. Continuing to expand our urban boundary will only serve to forever burden Hamiltonians with unnecessary taxes. I'll continue to vote for initiatives that build a better, more vibrant, and more cost-effective city. I will not support burdening Hamiltonians with costs generated by developers that ignore both good urban planning and the expressed will of Council.
PROVINCIAL CHANGES TO URBAN AND RURAL PLANNING
An Official Plan is the central planning document to guide all land-use decisions. In addition to establishing a long-term vision (20+ years) for the municipality, an Official Plan identifies where new housing, employment areas, parks, and infrastructure will be located and addresses the impacts of development, including land use compatibility and effects on the built and natural environments. The Official Plan is described in the Provincial Planning Statement as being “the most important vehicle for implementation of the Provincial Planning Statement and for achieving comprehensive, integrated and long-term planning”.
Secondary Plans are policies and mapping which provide detailed and community-specific guidance for growth and change in smaller geographic areas of the City, including Rural Settlement Area (RSAs). They identify more detailed land uses, infrastructure requirements and other implementing actions appropriate for the community.
There are at least 13 Secondary Plans for Ward 12, including several neighbourhood plans, the Wilson Street Secondary Plan and the Airport Employment Growth District (AEGD) Secondary Plan.
On October 23, 2025, the Province made a posting on the Environmental Registry of Ontario seeking feedback on changes being considered to simplify and standardize the contents of Official Plans by imposing province-wide parameters on what can and cannot be included. Further, the Province is contemplating the elimination of Secondary Plans and Area Specific Policies. This is very concerning! If implemented, these changes would fundamentally change how both the Urban and Rural Hamilton Official Plan function. Staff sent detailed comments to the Province against the elimination of Secondary Plans, along with other proposals. No Provincial decision has yet been made. Read the report and presentation slides at item 9.3 here.
Recording of my comments is here
Recording of Staff presentation and committee discussion here
NEW SAFE APARTMENTS BYLAW
As of January 1, 2026, Hamilton’s Safe Apartment Buildings program promotes safe, clean and comfortable rental apartments for tenants, while supporting landlords in maintaining quality housing. By taking a proactive approach, the program protects tenants from renovictions, addresses maintenance concerns in a timely manner, and makes building conditions more transparent for everyone. The by-law aims to improve apartment building conditions by:
Requiring annual registration for rental apartment buildings with two or more storeys and six or more units.
Introducing building evaluations with publicly available scoring based on maintenance practices and standards.
Supporting clear tenant service request processes so issues inside units are addressed in a reasonable time frame.
From July 14 to September 30, 2025, the City consulted tenants, landlords, property managers and housing providers to better understand building conditions and lived experiences across Hamilton. This feedback shaped how buildings will be evaluated, ensuring that scoring reflects real concerns and is easy to understand.
The Safe Apartment Buildings by-law is part of Hamilton’s new Apartment Rental Program, which also includes Canada’s first Renovation License and Relocation by-law, updates to the City’s Vital Services and Property Standards by-law and an expansion of rental housing licensing to smaller buildings. Learn more at City of Hamilton – Safe Apartment Buildings Program
COUNCIL CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY
The Council and Committee meeting calendar is always available on the City’s website and includes dates and times for upcoming Council and Committee meetings. Agendas and Staff reports are added to the calendar one week prior to the meeting. Past meetings are also listed along with video recordings of most meetings. Alternatively, residents can watch past and live meetings on the City of Hamilton YouTube channel.
GARNER ROAD
The intense winter weather and underground conditions continue to slow progress on the final section needed to complete the work on Garner Rd near Springbrook. In light of these unpredictable conditions, the Construction Team is not yet comfortable projecting a final completion date. The contractor continues to work 6 days a week, weather permitting. As always, I will continue to share updates as I receive them. For the most current information, please monitor my Facebook and Instagram accounts.
ANCASTER FOOD DRIVE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Will you join my family and me as volunteers for the Ancaster Food Drive? Ancaster Community Services is seeking volunteers for the 34th Annual Community Food Drive. Former and new volunteers are welcome and appreciated. Please use the handy-dandy Google Docs sign-up link 🔗 https://forms.gle/gVpE2SbuDLxMqMQX7
Important upcoming dates:
Flyer Distribution Day — Saturday, February 28th, 2026 (St. John’s Parish Hall)
School Pick-Ups — Thursday, March 5th, 2026 (Ancaster Fairgrounds)
Ancaster Fire Station Drop-Off — Sunday, March 1st → Saturday, March 7th, 2026
Food Drive Day — Saturday, March 7th, 2026 (Ancaster Fairgrounds)
COUNCILLOR CASSAR SPONSORED SKATE AND SWIM EVENTS
Family Day is quickly approaching in February, and I’m happy to be sponsoring some free family activities over the weekend of February 14 to 16th. Please enjoy Councillor-sponsored open swimming on the Saturday and Sunday, and free public skating on Family Day Monday! You can also enjoy free hot chocolate from the snack bar at the skating event. Be sure to show up early, as pool and arena capacity limits will be in effect to ensure everyone’s safety.
DEVELOPER HOSTED COMMUNITY MEETING RESCHEDULED – 398/412 WILSON ST
Urban Solutions Planning and Land Development has rescheduled a neighbourhood meeting that was originally scheduled for January 28 but was cancelled due to double booking at the venue. This meeting is on behalf of landowner Wilson St Ancaster Inc. for the development proposal for 398 – 412 Wilson Street East & 15 Lorne Avenue. Everyone is invited. No RSVP is necessary. The developer is hosting this meeting to provide an opportunity for the community to learn about the proposal details and to answer any questions you may have.
The proposed development entails one (1) 8-storey mixed-use building containing 118 dwelling units, and approximately 1,475 square metres of ground floor commercial space. The proposal is accommodated by 263 parking spaces contained in an underground parking garage as well as a surface parking lot, and 190 bicycle parking spaces.
City Staff and I will be in attendance. A future date for this application to be heard at the City Planning Committee has not yet been determined, but my office will keep the community informed through social media and my newsletter when that meeting is scheduled. More information on my website here.
CARLUKE COMMUNITY CENTRE UPGRADES
Thank you to the Carluke residents who flagged concerns about the deterioration of the exterior of the Carluke Community Centre. I’m pleased to let you know that the work listed below was completed in late October.
Missing and deteriorating mortar joints near the foundation repointed
Missing and disconnected eavestroughs, downspouts, and downspout extenders replaced
Rotting and damaged wood facia repaired
Shingled roof replaced
Tree growth from the foundation removed to avoid damage to the building
Peeling and missing paint from the wood windows repainted and repaired to prevent further deterioration/rotting
Windows in the main hall repainted
If you notice a city-owned building or facility in need of repairs, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the City at 905-546-5489. Alternatively, you can contact my office at [email protected]
ORDER OF HAMILTON
At the Mayor’s New Year’s Levees on January 16 and 17, Mayor Andrea Horwath honoured 20 exceptional individuals with the 2025 Order of Hamilton. This prestigious award celebrates outstanding voluntary contributions by Hamiltonians who have gone above and beyond in building a stronger, more vibrant community. Among them were three recipients from Ward 12. These individuals’ generosity, leadership, and commitment to community have made a real and lasting difference and reflect the very best of Hamilton!
Ward 12 Recipients:
• Dr. Alexandre Sévigny is a proud Hamiltonian whose volunteer leadership, mentorship, and philanthropy have strengthened civic, cultural, and professional life for more than 15 years.
• Chris Davies - affectionately known throughout Ancaster and Hamilton as “Coach Chris” embodies the very heart of community service. For more than two decades, he has given his time, leadership, and compassion across a wide range of local organizations, becoming a trusted, recognized, and beloved presence to thousands of residents.
• Chris Kruter – Chris has devoted more than 50 years to volunteering in support of veterans, families and youth, in Hamilton and beyond. Born in the Netherlands, he immigrated to Canada after the Second World War, deeply shaped by the courage of Canadian troops who liberated his homeland on May 5, 1945. That experience inspired a lifelong commitment to service and remembrance.
Read their full accomplishments here.
CRAIG’S LIST- SUPPORT LOCAL
I hope you are enjoying my 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.
Click the links below to watch the most recent Craig’s List - Support Local videos:
CANADIAN FOODGRAINS BANK - ONTARIO
Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger. They work with locally-based organizations in developing countries to meet emergency food needs, achieve long-term solutions to hunger and work to foster informed action by Canadians and governments to support this international cause. Some of this important work takes place right here in Ward 12! One of the farms involved was recently featured in this ‘Local Stories: Canadian Foodgrains Bank’ video by Luke Alsop and Winston Lindsay of St Paul’s, Dundas. I hope you’ll take a moment to watch and learn how local farming families, the Butters and the Cranstons, work together to donate so much to the Foodgrains bank every year.
ANCASTER FARMERS MARKET VENDOR APPLICATIONS OPEN
Interested in being a vendor at the Ancaster Farmers Market? The market runs from the first week of June to mid-October every year.
ANCASTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING – “ARCHAEOLOGY IN HAMILTON”
Everyone is welcome to this talk by Archaeologist and Author Mike “Relics” Guarascia
Friday, February 27 at 7:30 pm
Ancaster Old Town Hall, 310 Wilson Street East
More information here
CRIME LEVELS DOWN IN 2025
Most crime levels in Hamilton decreased in 2025. Hate crimes continue to grow
Residents of Ward 12 might be surprised by recently released crime statistics.
From the Hamilton Spectator:
“A new poll found Hamiltonians think crime rates in the city are on the rise, even as police say they saw fewer homicides, assaults and other criminal offences in 2025. More than nine out of 10 of the 800 people polled thought that the rate of certain crimes was either increasing or hadn’t improved over the past year. These crimes included assaults, auto thefts, break-and-enters, fraud, hate crimes, homicides and robberies. In fact, in Hamilton, almost all the crimes included in the poll were down in 2025 compared to 2024 as of Dec. 30, according to data shared by police.”
SECOND ARREST MADE IN ANCASTER ASSAULT
Hamilton Police have charged a second suspect in relation to a hate-motivated assault from October 2025, when a 21-year-old female victim was assaulted in an Ancaster retail plaza. Two 17-year-olds have now been arrested, but this investigation is ongoing. If you have information that will assist with the investigation, please contact Division 3 Detectives at 905-546-3851 or email [email protected]. More details here.
Crime Stoppers can be reached at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at crimestoppershamilton.com.
SHOOTING INVESTIGATION LEADS TO ARREST IN ANCASTER
On January 23, 2026, members of the Shooting Response Team, in partnership with the Division 30 High Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), executed search warrants at a residence in Ancaster in relation to the shooting investigation, as well as an ongoing drug investigation. More details here.
Although charges have been laid, the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to this or any other shooting is asked to contact the Hamilton Police Service Shooting Response Team at 905-546-4883 or by email at [email protected].
To provide information anonymously, please contact Crime Stoppers of Hamilton at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit tips online at crimestoppershamilton.com.
WATER BILL TRANSITION
Beginning April 1, 2026, the City of Hamilton will transition water, wastewater, and stormwater utility billing from Alectra Utilities. The newly established Hamilton Utilities Billing (HUB) team will take on water meter reading, billing, and customer service. This change reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to improving efficiency and making services easier for residents to access, while allowing Alectra Utilities to focus on electricity delivery. Over the coming months, both Alectra Utilities and the City of Hamilton will communicate directly with customers to support a seamless transition with minimal disruption and continued high-quality service. More info here.
PROVINCIAL RECYCLING CHANGES AND IMPACTS TO BUSINESSES
The Province of Ontario has overhauled recycling in Ontario, and changes took place on January 1, 2026. Here are some quick facts:
Circular Materials is now running recycling operations across the Province
Provincial changes mean only residential properties will receive curbside pick-up
Businesses, churches, and all other non-residential entities are excluded from curbside recycling pickup as a result of the Provincial changes
Municipalities, like Hamilton, no longer play a role in any aspect of recycling
If you need a blue bin, you must now purchase it from a hardware store, or you can exchange a broken blue box at the GFL facility in Stoney Creek
The collection system is fully funded and operated by producers of recycling materials
What can and cannot be recycled is now standard across the province
If you have service issues or questions, please contact Circular Materials at 1-844-620-4351 or [email protected]
Mayor Horwath made some very clear comments about the Provincial decision to exempt the requirement of Circular Materials from curbside collection of recycling from non-residential sources.
Not all disabilities are visible. HSR is now part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, which helps customers with non-visible disabilities feel seen and supported. Customers can choose to wear a free Sunflower lanyard or wristband to signal they may need extra time, patience, or help. Pick one up at the HSR Customer Service Counter at 36 Hunter Street East or by email through [email protected] or call 905-528-4200. Learn more at hamilton.ca/sunflower.
SEEDY SATURDAY
Join Green Venture for the seed swap of the year, a silent auction, a children’s activity zone, and an engaging speaker series. Explore this year's exciting vendor lineup! This year also features an expanded Ask the Experts experience. These 1:1 mini consultation sessions with landscaping and green infrastructure professionals will be hosted in the Activation Space at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. Learn more here.
When: February 7, 2026, 10 AM to 3 PM
Location: Central Library (55 York Blvd)
CONSERVATION AUTHORITY AMALGAMATION
You may recall that in the December Craig’s Current I wrote about my motion formalizing the City of Hamilton’s opposition to the Province’s intention to consolidate 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) into just 7 under a new Provincial Conservation Agency. The motion was ratified with unanimous support (read the December article here). If you oppose the Provincial amalgamation plans, you may want to:
Attend the #SaveOurCAs rally on Sunday, February 1, from 2pm-3pm. Information here.
Use Ontario Nature’s one-click tool to easily email Minister McCarty and your MPP.
THE LOWDOWN ON POTHOLES
Hamilton sees the highest number of potholes during freeze–thaw periods. Each year, the City’s road crews typically complete between 70,000 and 90,000 pothole repairs, with the greatest demand occurring in late winter and early spring. In Ward 12 there were 437 pothole requests initiated and completed in 2025. Safety-related locations are prioritized in accordance with Provincial standards and the City’s level of service. Temporary repairs may occur first, with permanent repairs completed when conditions allow. Residents can report potholes through the City’s Customer Service Contact Centre at [email protected] or 905-546-2489 (CITY), Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please provide the location and approximate size of the pothole.
ENGAGE HAMILTON CONSULTATIONS OPEN
Check out the latest City consultation projects open for your comments at Engage Hamilton. Chedoke Creek, Maximum/Adequate Temperature Bylaw, Revitalizing Hamilton’s Commercial Districts Community Improvement Plan and more.
COYOTES IN OUR COMMUNITY
Coyotes are natural inhabitants of rural areas and urban areas near ravines and wooded regions. They provide benefits to agricultural and urban areas by assisting in the control of small mammals such as mice, rabbits, rats, groundhogs, and woodchucks. Coyotes are very active at dusk, dawn, and throughout the night, but can also be seen during the day, especially from late January to early March, which is breeding season. Coyotes do not hibernate and may be seen year-round. While all warm-blooded animals are potential carriers of the rabies virus, coyotes are not the main carriers of the disease among wild animals. There is a 50% higher chance of a dog or cat exposing people to rabies than coyotes. Click here for more information on what to do if you see a coyote and how to protect your children and pets.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
This February celebrate Black History Month at Hamilton Public Library and explore the histories, contributions, and achievements of Black communities in Hamilton and across Canada. Visit for free events featuring live music, author talks, workshops, and community celebrations that highlight Black creativity, culture, and knowledge. Learn more here.
Beyond the Blue and White: Wedgewood Designed for Canada Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum January 20 - May 31st
Punching In: The Work of Hamilton Music - Tourism Hamilton Visitor Experience Centre beginning January 27th - December 31st
Soupfest 2026 - Hamilton Convention Centre, Feb 24th, 11:30am - 7pm
Soup and Snack Fest/Butter Tart Town / Ancaster Winder Market – Ancaster Fairground, Feb 6-7
Save the date! Ancaster Community Food Drive Saturday, March 7th, 2026
Coffee Social Club, Shane Studio, Feb 19, 10am - 12pm
Ancaster Lifestyle Spring Home Show – Ancaster Fairground, Feb 20-22
EquiCup Hunter Championship – free admission show jumping, Ancaster Fairground, Feb 28-March 1
Various events by Hamilton Civic Museums, including Heritage Day at Dundurn Castle
Various events at the Hamilton Public Library – Ancaster Branch, and Lynden Branch
Various events at the Ancaster Seniors Achievement Centre
In case you missed this news from November, the Provincial Government continues to demonstrate that it doesn’t take climate change seriously.
Read the full article here
Excerpts from the article:
“The auditor general’s report released in October found the government was failing to meet its basic requirements to prepare a (climate) plan and publicly report on its progress.”
“A plan to repeal parts of the 2018 Cap and Trade Cancellation Act was buried at the end of the (November 6, 2025) fall economic statement. The government aims to get rid of sections requiring the province to establish an emissions reduction target, prepare a climate plan and issue progress reports.”
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.