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- Craig's Current - October 2025
Craig's Current - October 2025
Craig Cassar
October 31, 2025
Happy Halloween, Ward 12!
Each time my team and I put this monthly newsletter together, we inevitably comment, “That’s a lot of content, should we pare it down a little bit?”. We usually end up removing an item or two, but upon a second look, there is always so much going on at Council, in our Ward, and around the City that we don’t want to cut too much out. Especially in this post-community-newspaper era. We do our best to capture the important items that have happened over the past month and the upcoming topics we think many of you will want to know about. We’ve heard time and again that you appreciate the content and that Craig’s Current provides an essential window into what’s happening in the City. We appreciate that feedback and will continue to work hard each month to compile the big topics for you. With our recently introduced hyperlinked table of contents, it’s now much easier to navigate to the topics that interest you most. As a reminder, if links don’t work in your email program, 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 ensure full functionality.
We’ll be back again at the end of November with another Craig’s Current, but in the meantime, I hope you have an excellent month. And, Go, Jays, Go!
COUNCIL NEWS
AROUND WARD 12
IN OTHER NEWS
HAPPENING AROUND HAMILTON
CLIMATE CORNER
A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL
Safety on our streets and sidewalks, especially for children on their way to and from school, is a top concern I share with many Ward 12 residents. Enabling children to walk, ride, or roll to school safely increases their confidence and independence, and has positive physical and mental health outcomes. Fortunately, Hamilton is home to a fabulous organization called Daily School Route (DSR)
The DSR is an organization that aspires to see “100% of students use active transportation (walk, bike, wheelchair, etc.) as part of their daily journey to school”. I couldn’t agree more, and therefore, I am very excited that my motion for Daily School Route to engage Ward 12 schools and families for a ward-wide review of active school travel passed at the October 21 Public Works committee meeting. It will be paid from non-property tax revenue our Ward receives from cell phone tower leases.
Let’s help encourage families to choose active transportation by providing safe, convenient, and comfortable routes to school and back! If your child attends one of the following nine schools, DSR will be engaging with them during the current school year:
Immaculate Conception, Holy Name of Mary, St. Ann (Ancaster), St. Joachim, Ancaster Meadow, Frank Panabaker, Rousseau, Spring Valley, and Tiffany Hills
My motion, Ward-Wide Review of Active School Travel, Daily School Route is here
HAMILTON HAS AN UPDATED YARD MAINTENANCE BYLAW
If you’re like me and garden with biodiversity in mind by planting Ontario native species, you’ll know that a native garden can look a little different from the usual ornamentals. It might be taller, wilder, and blooming seasons will vary throughout the year. Until now, native gardens didn’t conform to the Yard Maintenance Bylaw, which provides minimum standards for the regulation of the exterior of private properties. A complaint to the City from a neighbour could lead to a Bylaw officer showing up at your door with an order to comply, requiring you to mow your garden. The Biodiversity Action Plan – approved by Council in 2024 – directed Staff to update the bylaw to encourage biodiversity. I am happy to report that on October 21 at Planning Committee, Councillors voted to update the bylaw with Staff recommendations (informed by extensive public consultation), legalizing native (aka pollinator) plants via a ‘naturalized areas’ clause. I successfully moved an amendment to explicitly identify native plants as permitted plants, to remove any chance of misunderstanding.
Read the reports and see the updated bylaw here
VACANT UNIT TAX
At the October 22 General Issues Committee meeting, the majority of Council voted to renew the Vacant Unit Tax (VUT), an important new revenue source that has a direct positive impact on housing supply in our City. For some background, in March 2024, the Ontario government extended authority to municipalities to impose a tax on vacant homes, and Hamilton, along with Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, and Sault St. Marie, has implemented a tax on empty residential units. Vancouver B.C. has had an Empty Home tax since 2018. In Hamilton, there is a substantial list of exemptions that apply, including a primary residence. A full list is here.
Housing was declared a basic right in Canada in 2019, but residential real estate has become increasingly financialized, and far too many housing units - often owned by out-of-town investors - sit empty. A VUT provides a financial incentive to turn those empty places into a home. The net revenue collected by the VUT will be invested directly into affordable housing.
After the first year of a VUT in Hamilton (based on 2024 occupancy), the City is set to net around $12 million in revenue after expenses, administrative, and staffing costs. The period for property owners to declare their unit’s status closed in June. Acknowledging that there still may be property owners who have missed repeated direct communications from the City about the need to declare, the Notice of Complaint/Appeal window has been extended to November 30, so if you have not yet declared, please do so before that date here.
Will Hamilton actually generate more than $12M for affordable housing?
The 2024 VUT was applied to the property tax bills of 'declared' and 'deemed' vacant units several months ago (June 2025), so it's reasonable to assume that by now, owners of vacant units are aware of the tax and have either appealed or not disputed the charge. A property tax bill is not an optional bill and must be paid. Thus, the revenue from the VUT sits as a 'receivable' on the city's ledger. In Q2 2026, Staff will issue a concluding report on the 2024 occupancy year with the final net revenue numbers.
The overwhelming majority of Hamiltonians will benefit from VUT, not pay it, and the revenue will go straight into the City's Affordable Housing Reserve Fund to assist affordable housing initiatives in Hamilton. Lacking adequate funding from the upper levels of government to ensure each Hamiltonian has a home, these additional funds are a big boost to municipally led housing efforts.
Here are some quick VUT facts
The VUT will NOT be paid by the 97.6% of residential homeowners who don't own a vacant housing unit.
VUT will ONLY be paid by the 2.2% - 2.4% of owners who, after the appeal period ends, are deemed to own a vacant unit, many of whom are potentially out-of-town investors.
The goal of the VUT is to encourage owners to return empty homes to the market
The VUT was applied to the tax roll of 6,781 owners of vacant units on June 30, 2025 (five months ago).
413 units were declared vacant
4,534 properties (net of 2,247 property owners that appealed as of October 2, 2025) have not disputed the VUT being added to their property tax bills.
The deadline to appeal the 2024 VUT has been extended to November 30, 2025.
Other unpaid charges that could also be applied to the property tax roll include water and wastewater arrears, bylaw infractions, and local improvement charges. These are all charges that the City secures against the property.
Net revenue from the VUT program will be transferred into the City's Affordable Housing Reserve Fund (AFHR) in Q2 of 2026 after the complaint and audit periods have concluded.
AFHR funds the construction of affordable housing units and acquisitions to secure new affordable housing
Watch the GIC meeting to see the Staff presentation and Councillors’ comments here
View the reports and presentation at item 8.5 on the GIC agenda here
CYBER SECURITY UPDATE
As the City of Hamilton continues to recover from the cybersecurity event and ensure our systems and processes are secure, an update on additional steps taken was released on October 1, 2025. You can read the media release here.
On a related note, the Auditor General released the first of several audit reports. This initial report is titled Cyber Security Follow-Up Audit, Phase 1: Pre-Breach Analysis Report.
ENHANCEMENTS TO 911 MEDICAL DISPATCH SYSTEM
Beginning November 5, 2025, enhancements to the 911 emergency dispatch system will roll out with the implementation of the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), an internationally recognized, medically approved system used by dispatchers to ensure faster, safer, and more consistent care for residents in need.
Benefits of the system:
Prioritizes the most urgent calls, improving patient outcomes.
Ensures the right resources are sent at the right time.
Optimizes deployment of ambulances, fire, and police services.
Reduces the need for lights-and-sirens response, improving safety for first responders and the public.
Standardizes protocols, ensuring equity and consistency in emergency care
Learn more here.
HERITAGE GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAM REVIEW
Tory Women’s Institute in Troy (Ward 12)
In April 2025, Council supported my Heritage motion that a) made the Troy Women's Institute eligible for a heritage grant, enabling them to restore their building while maintaining its heritage features, and b) directed staff to review and improve the Heritage Grant and Loan Program.
The folks with the Troy Women’s Institute are already moving along with their heritage restoration project, and in October, Staff reported back with a much-improved program. The changes Council has adopted modernize an important program that supports the maintenance of important heritage properties throughout the city.
Key highlights of the newly approved program:
Responds to feedback from heritage property owners
Expands all Heritage Grant Funding to be City-Wide (rural areas were previously excluded)
Increases Grant potential from $5,000 to $10,000
Simplifies terms of the Grant calculation and improves the construction-cost-to-grant ratio (To receive $150K, construction costs are reduced from $550K to $300K)
The maximum loan amount is doubled from $50K to $100K
Consolidates existing programs to simplify administration
Does not have an impact on property taxpayers
INTENSIFICATION WORKPLAN
Council continues to oppose urban boundary expansion into Greenbelt and agricultural lands, and has directed that population growth should occur within the existing urban boundary. On October 3, 2025, Staff provided an update on their multi-pronged work with a focus on medium and high-density residential areas.
The workplan is a huge effort over several years. Many steps are complete or in progress, with a couple more yet to come.
Workplan progress report
For the purposes of population growth planning, the City is segmented into several different areas as shown in the image below. They include downtown and sub-regional nodes, Community nodes (e.g., Wilson St and Golf Links Rd in Ancaster), transportation corridors, and finally, neighbourhoods. It’s this final category that is most sensitive. From the Staff report:
“Neighbourhoods are the largest component of the City’s urban structure and are where most residents live, learn, shop, socialize, and play. They encompass a diverse mix of residential areas, parks, commercial areas, and institutional uses, supporting opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to conveniently access most of the necessities for daily living.
The Urban Hamilton Official Plan recognizes Hamilton neighbourhoods as generally stable but not static, with the understanding that they will evolve over time. The Urban Hamilton Official Plan identifies residential intensification within neighbourhoods as part of that evolution and as an important component of the City’s intensification strategy.”
City of Hamilton’s plan for urban intensification
Over the next 30 years, 27,000 units are expected to be needed in ‘neighbourhoods’. Spread evenly across all 15 wards, that would equate to 60 units per year in each ward, or 1,800 units over 30 years. However, these are just illustrative numbers as we know that a decades-old urban expansion in East Stoney Creek that has not been developed will absorb more than this average value.
The staff presentation and associated report are available here.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT
“Affordability for residents is so important. We can't continually raise taxes beyond a point that people can afford. We really need other levels of government to participate because that has been a big source of our funding shortfall.” Watch the news clip here: CHCH Evening News at 6
On October 15, a Special General Issues Committee meeting was convened for Staff to present the most recent updates to Council around Asset Management and Hamilton’s $5.2 billion infrastructure spending deficit. Staff outlined the full extent of the funding shortfall and made it very clear that "Hamilton’s current infrastructure position represents a huge social investment that has built up progressively over decades due to historic underfunding of City renewal and maintenance needs, and is largely comprised of:
Assets beyond their estimated useful lives
Assets in poor or very poor condition
A backlog of facility maintenance needs
I’ve written previously about Hamilton’s significant deficit. You can access previous articles here:
June 2025 – Infrastructure Spending Gap
March 2025 – Asset Management Planning
REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY
I hope you will join me at the Ancaster Cenotaph and Old Town Hall at 10:45 for the Remembrance Day Ceremony. Due to the ongoing construction at the Town Hall, this year’s reception will be held in the Murray Ferguson Room of the Ancaster Municipal Service Centre following the ceremony.
ROAD SAFETY AND TRANSIT TOWN HALL RECORDING
Thank you to the engaged residents who joined me, the Ward 12 team, and Staff from the Transit and Transportation Divisions to discuss these important issues at the Ward 12 Town Hall on Wednesday, October 29. If you missed the meeting, the recording and presentation slides are at my website CraigCassar.ca/townhalls.
GARNER ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
Work at 305-311 Garner Road West (just west of Panabaker Dr): Developer is constructing a turning lane for access to their townhouse development and will be resurfacing this section of road. Weather permitting, the contractor should be able to have their work completed during the week of November 3rd.
Work between Bowman United Church and Redeemer:
The contractor has resumed regular work at this site. In an update received from Public Works on October 27th, the City advised me that they anticipate completion of this work by the end of November, including reinstatements of shoulders and adjacent ditches.
Any questions, reach out to [email protected]
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION CONSULTATIONS AT ANCASTER LIBRARY
Our Future Downtown - The City’s 10-Year Downtown Revitalization Strategy aims to shape a shared vision for Hamilton's downtown core over the next 10 years, reflecting the aspirations of residents, visitors, businesses, and partners.
Why is a vibrant downtown core essential for Hamilton?
A vibrant downtown attracts businesses, creates jobs, and boosts the local economy, tourism, and real estate development.
Arts, events, and entertainment foster a strong sense of community.
Improved access to transportation and urban development supports a greener, more connected downtown.
A thriving core enhances public spaces, promotes community safety, and overall quality of life.
You are invited to an upcoming pop-up at Ancaster Library on November 3 from 2-5pm to share your feedback on the draft actions.
TUNE IN TO THE 210 CALVIN STREET ONLINE OLT HEARINGS
Another Ward 12 development application has landed at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), and everyone is encouraged to tune in to watch the online proceedings. It is important that all Parties to the case know that the community is watching. The hearing started on October 27 and is scheduled to run for 12 days. Residents in the Perth Park community have been granted Participant status. City lawyers will be arguing against development at 210 Calvin Street for several reasons including the lack of any water, wastewater or stormwater servicing, the need to use city-owned land to build a bridge over Ancaster Creek, location (an ecologically sensitive Core Area with a wetland within Hamilton's natural heritage system), and Hamilton Conservation Authority's concerns over impacts to Ancaster Creek and others.
Landowners want to build 72 townhouse units, and a medium-density block with up to 30 units in a natural area with a wetland that is prone to flooding. Yes, we do need to add housing, and doing so in areas already identified by Staff as appropriate for intensification and along transit routes should be prioritized.
More info and instructions on how to watch the daily online hearings are at my website: 210 Calvin Street - OLT
Read the Hamilton Spectator article here
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 most recent Craig’s List videos in the series:
HIGHWAY 52 AND POWERLINE Rd PUBLIC MEETING
Thanks to those who attended The City’s second and final Public Information Centre (PIC) on October 21, 2025, to present the alternative designs and the associated evaluation process for the intersection. If you missed it:
HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY ANCASTER LIBRARY!
The Ancaster Branch of the Hamilton Public Library was originally established in 1955 and relocated multiple times during its first decade, including the stage in the Old Town Hall and above the Old Fire Hall! In 1967, as part of a Centennial project, the library settled into its current home on Wilson Street. A full renovation was undertaken in 2006, and the branch now provides a wide range of materials and programs for children, teens, and adults. Check out the 45 programs offered in November at the Ancaster Library, including Garden Club, Beginners Sewing Workshop, Ancaster Book Clubs for both adults and Tweens, Writing Workshops, Craft Cart, Movies for Adults and Family Movie days, Youth Fibre Crafters Club, and many programs for infants, toddlers, and parents or caregivers. Ancaster Library November events are here.
SOUTHERN ONTARIO PLOWING MATCH
Craig receiving directions during the plowing match
Thank you to Al Calder for inviting Sherri, Nancy, and me to Butter Road for the annual Southern Ontario Plowing Match. It was great to see other council colleagues and MP Dan Muys there. Congratulations to Councillor Mark Tadeson for being declared the winner of the match between elected officials!
Looking forward to next year! Save the date for Friday, October 16th, 2026!
COMMUNITY SAFETY SUMMIT
Mayor Andrea Horwath invites Hamiltonians to attend a Community Safety Summit hosted by the City of Hamilton on Monday, November 10, 2025. The Summit will bring together residents, community organizations, and local leaders to address community safety concerns and strengthen collaboration across the city. Issues such as hate, gender-based violence, and youth and gun violence will be explored, while creating space for dialogue, learning, and shared understanding. Participants will hear from experts with the Hamilton Police Service and community agencies, take part in facilitated discussions, and help identify next steps toward a stronger, more inclusive Hamilton.
Residents are encouraged to attend in person or share feedback online.
Event Details
Date: Monday, November 10, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: LiUNA Station, King George Ballroom, 360 James St. N., Hamilton RSVP:
Registration by November 5, 2025, at hamilton.ca/communitysafetysummit
Learn more and share your experiences and ideas on safety in Hamilton through the survey here
ONTARIO’S GREENBELT CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
Decades before the Greenbelt took shape, Ontario was already leading the way in conservation. The Province’s early commitment to protecting the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine recognized these ecologically rich and water-sustaining landscapes as vital to Ontario’s environmental health, and the stage was set for something bigger.
That foundation grew stronger in 2005 with the creation of the Greenbelt—a sweeping network that now protects more than 2 million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, biodiverse landscapes, and waterways.
But the Greenbelt is not merely a policy, or a border drawn on a map. It’s a thriving natural system that supports everyday life in profound ways—filtering our air, replenishing our water, providing local food, and offering open spaces that connect us to nature and enhance our well-being.
To celebrate 20 Years of the Greenbelt in Ontario, watch this video: Celebrating 20 years of Ontario’s Greenbelt.
Related articles (September 2025): I seconded Councillor McMeekin’s motion to initiate a review of expanding the Greenbelt in Hamilton.
TREATY HISTORY WOVEN THROUGH WAMPUMS EVENT
November 2-8, 2025, marks Treaty Week in Ontario, an opportunity for us to grow in our understanding of legally binding treaties and their significance to Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships and the land.
Ward 1, in partnership with Hamilton's Indigenous Relations Team, presents: Wampum Belts Woven Through Anishinaabe History, presented by knowledge keeper, Brian Charles. The presentation will illuminate how wampum was used to record not only relationships and treaties between the First Peoples of the Eastern Woodland but also with settler societies in Canada.
Brian Charles is an off-reserve Band member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island and has worked collaboratively with a small group of knowledge keepers to research and assemble a physical repository of wampum belts connected to Ojibwa history. I hope you’ll join me at the Westdale Theatre to learn more about the significance of treaty rights, treaty relationships, and their relevance today. RSVP for this free event at https://simpli.events/e/wampum
HAMILTON WATER SHUT-OFF VALVE
Do you have a City shut-off valve that is raised up higher than your grass or driveway? This small metal valve is usually:
• Near the sidewalk or at the edge of your property
• About 3 inches wide
• Marked with WATER or HWW (Hamilton Water Works)
This valve lets Hamilton Water shut off water to your home in case of a broken pipe or emergency. It’s an important part of your water service. Over time, the surrounding surfaces, especially paved driveways, can settle around the pipe, leaving it standing taller, which poses a tripping or mowing hazard. If you would like your shut-off valve lowered, or if you ever need any work done that involves turning the water off—such as internal plumbing repairs, driveway work, or landscaping—please call the City’s Contact Centre at 905-546-2489 to have the valve located, checked, repaired, or lowered.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
A message from St. Joe’s Healthcare: If you feel overwhelmed, worried, or like you’re struggling with a low mood, sadness, depression, or anxiety, there’s a new program available to explore options to support your mental health.
Ontario Structured Psychology (OSP West) is a FREE cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program that provides tools to help navigate life's challenges.
This program includes 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to meet your needs:
✔️ Self-led CBT (workbooks, online modules) with regular check-ins with a clinician or coach
✔️ Group CBT (online)
✔️ One-on-one CBT (online or in-person)
Visit their website for more information.
ORDER OF HAMILTON
Nominations are now open for the Order of Hamilton, which honours exceptional voluntary service to community building. The Order of Hamilton recognizes individual Hamiltonians who have made significant voluntary contributions that enrich the lives of residents and strengthen the community. Nomination forms can be found online here and in person at Hamilton City Hall, all Municipal Service Centre locations, and all Hamilton Public Library branches. The deadline for nominations is Friday, December 2, 2025, at 4 p.m
Hamilton Day in Ancaster Nov 1, live entertainment at Trails Cafe (11am) and Caniche Bakery (12pm)
Ancaster Lions Christmas Market and Craft Show Nov 1-2, 10am – 4pm, Ancaster Fairgrounds
Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope Nov 1-2, Confederation Park/Waterfront Trail
Sinfonia Ancaster new season begins with a concert on November 2 at 2pm: “With Glowing Hearts.”
Ancaster Film Festival Eleonor the Great, Nov 3, 2pm and 7:15pm, proceeds to local charities.
Repair Cafe Nov 15, 10am – 12pm, Dundas Town Hall, upper level.
Ancaster Horticultural Society Potluck Dinner & AGM, Tues Nov. 18th, 6:30pm, Old Town Hall
Holly Jolly Sidewalk Parade Nov 22, 10am, meet at 220 Wilson St E (at the Ancaster Village entrance sign)
Ancaster Township Historical Society Who Really Killed JFK? Nov 28, 7:30pm. Old Town Hall. Refreshments served.
UPCOMING CLIMATE INITIATIVES IN HAMILTON
Climate Change affects us all, and local action to combat it is continuing at the municipal level. On November 12, the General Issues Committee will receive a report on the 2025 list of City-led projects recommended to receive Climate Change Reserve Funding. Note that this funding is already in place and will have no effect on the property tax levy. Multiple City departments submitted requests for funding, and reviewers utilized a scoring system updated for 2025. Have a look at the city-led recommended initiatives here.
CITIES FOR EVERYONE
This is an excellent bi-weekly webinar series by famed Canadian Urbanist Gil Penelosa, creator of 8 80 Cities, an organization that asks “How can we make cities more equitable, sustainable, and fun so that everyone can live healthier and happier. What if everything in cities had to be great for everyone, from an 8-year-old, all the way to an 80-year-old? Cities would work for everyone. Watch the series at this link.
ONTARIO FARMLAND TRUST WEBINAR SERIES
Have you checked the Ontario Farmland Trust webinar series? “Farming with Conservation in Mind” is one of many found on their website. “Farms of all sizes and types can play a crucial role in supporting conservation and biodiversity. Join Samantha Lyon of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association and Brenda Hsueh of Farmers for Climate Solutions for a practical exploration of best management practices (BMPs) that you can implement on your farm to enhance its ecological value. From improving soil health to creating habitats for wildlife, this webinar will provide you with actionable insights to make a positive environmental impact, no matter what kind of farm you operate.”
Watch it and other webinars here.
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.