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- Craig's Current - September 2025
Craig's Current - September 2025
Craig Cassar
September 30, 2025
September was another busy month at City Hall, and there is, once again, a lot to report in this month’s Craig’s Current. The Council News section includes articles on zoning reform along arterial roadways (New Mid-Rise Residential Zones), the future of the HSR (Public Transit Expansion Approved), the funding hole we are in for Parks & Rec (Recreation Master Plan), and the latest on rural internet (Rural Broadband Expansion Plan).
In the ‘Around Ward 12’ Section, I announce our next Town Hall for October 29, I share updates on the next wave of traffic calming, and touch on the hot topic of automated speed enforcement: Council’s unanimous support for more of it, and Doug Ford’s intention to ban it. I also touch on property standards enforcement for the Marr-Philippo House, the latest on the home construction at 786 Stone Church Rd, and the status of Garner Rd construction.
There’s all this and much more, so I hope you find the table of contents feature handy: for quick navigation, just click on the articles you’re interested in. I’ll also remind you that if the table of contents 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.
COUNCIL NEWS
AROUND WARD 12
IN OTHER NEWS
HAPPENING AROUND TOWN
CLIMATE CORNER
NEW MID-RISE RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Housing has been the defining topic of this term of Council. We don’t have enough of it, and what we do have is unaffordable to a large portion of our population. Council has also reaffirmed that in the face of a $5.2 billion infrastructure spending gap, we need to intensify within our current urban boundary and avoid the costly mistake of any further expansion. In that context, we needed to rethink historical ‘exclusionary zoning,’ which, for decades, meant that the only form of housing that could be built in most parts of the city was single-detached homes. This is a similar journey that cities across North America are making. An update on low-density residential zoning in Hamilton has already been completed, and was further informed by Ontario’s requirement to enact as-of-right permissions for three housing units on any residential lot. The Federal Government’s Housing Accelerator Fund ($93.5 million for Hamilton) took that one step further and required as-of-right permission for up to four units per lot. Hamilton’s zoning has been updated to conform to these requirements.
The next phase of the Residential Zones Project will be discussed at the October 3 Planning Committee meeting. Staff will introduce three new mid-rise residential zones that will apply along arterial roads across the urban area of the city. The new zones will increase housing opportunities and are one of the city’s initiatives supporting the increased residential intensification required to implement a firm urban boundary growth strategy. Growing up, not out, allows us to invest in improving existing infrastructure rather than building more, which would only add to the aforementioned $5.2 billion infrastructure spending gap. Additionally, it protects the Greenbelt and other rural land from sprawl development.
This first phase applies to arterial roads and lands with existing mid-rise residential permissions, outside of secondary plans. Phase 1 includes a total of approximately 3,000 properties that will now have as-of-right mid-rise residential permissions. Public consultation is ongoing under the project banner of “Residential Zones Project - Reimagining Neighbourhoods”. The expansion of housing opportunities through the introduction of mid-rise residential zones is a further requirement under the Housing Accelerator Fund, mentioned above. Similar zoning changes are underway or have been completed in hundreds of other Canadian municipalities. See this map. It's important to note that rezoning will occur throughout the city, including Ward 12. Specifically, the proposed maps indicate 33 properties on Fiddlers Green Road that will be rezoned as R4, permitting up to six storeys and one on Garner Road East that will be rezoned as R4a, permitting up to 12 storeys. See Schedule A to Appendix B on the agenda for maps.
You can read the Staff report, appendices, and maps at item 8.4 on the Planning agenda.
Members of the public who would like to participate in the Planning Committee meeting are able to delegate in person or virtually, or provide comments in writing via mail or email in advance of the meeting. Comments can be submitted by emailing [email protected] or by mailing the Legislative Coordinator of the respective Committee, City of Hamilton, 71 Main Street West, 1st Floor, Hamilton, Ontario, L8P 4Y5. Comments must be received by noon the day before the meeting and must include your name and address. Your address will be redacted on the public agenda. Put ‘Mid Rise Residential Zones, October 3’ in the subject line. Any written comments received after the deadline will be included on the next Council agenda.
PUBLIC TRANSIT EXPANSION APPROVED
Big changes are coming to public transit in Hamilton! HSR NEXT is a foundational element of Hamilton’s strategic growth strategy, supporting economic vibrancy, improving quality of life, achieving our greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets, and reducing private vehicle dependency, which clogs up our roads. In 2023, Council approved Hamilton Street Railway’s (HSR) vision for a complete overhaul and expansion of the bus network that would integrate with the future LRT line through the lower city. In September 2025, Council unanimously approved the 7-year, phased implementation plan called HSR NEXT: Moving Hamilton Forward.
Hamilton’s future transit network upon full implementation over the next 7 years
Fast, efficient, and reliable transit is essential to a successful city. The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce has been a vocal advocate for a better transit system as businesses need a more robust network to enable current and future employees to get to work. I also regularly receive requests from residents for improved transit service in Ancaster, but even those who are not transit users benefit from a well-functioning and fully accessible transit network. Encouraging more people to choose transit helps reduce congestion and automobile emissions while moving people efficiently around the city. The proposed network offers residents greater connectivity and choice, making transit a more attractive option than it is today. We all need more options to get around, especially as the cost-of-living increases and operating a car becomes an ever-growing barrier for too many people. Further, as the population and employment levels grow in Hamilton, fast, efficient transit is key to our quality of life and economic success. Since congestion is already a common complaint in Ancaster and across Hamilton, building now towards a future with excellent public transit needs to be part of the solution. Buses are significantly more efficient than personal vehicles at moving people around a city, as they can accommodate many more people using much less space. That means more room on the road for everyone, even people traveling in their own vehicle.
When there is convenient and dependable public transit available, more people will use it, and everyone will be better off. That’s what HSR NEXT is all about.
Here are some highlights from the plan:
-The bus route network will move from today’s downtown-centric hub-and-spoke model to a more efficient multi-hub model so you can get anywhere in Hamilton with no more than one transfer. Many trips will not require any transfers.
-City-wide service will increase by 567,860 hours annually, a 55.4% increase from 2024 service levels, and will put 79 additional buses on our streets
-It builds out our BLASTx rapid transit network, offering 10-minute service during peak travel periods on 6 routes
-It recognizes Hamilton’s place in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area and the Golden Horseshoe, and improves regional transit connectivity, particularly at West Harbour and Confederation GO stations.
-It will create 450 jobs
Service increases from HSR NEXT are focused on significantly improving transit connectivity in areas of growth. That includes Ancaster. Here are some highlights of what HSR NEXT means for transit service in Ward 12.
Effective in Fall 2027
-Rapid transit Route 30 “S Line” will operate between Ancaster Fairgrounds and Eastgate Terminal via Rymal Road and Red Hill Valley Parkway with connections to Heritage Greene Terminal. Peak service levels are introduced at every 15 minutes and will be increased in later years.
-Route 71 Ancaster Wilson will operate between Ancaster Fairgrounds and West Harbour GO via Wilson Street with connections to McMaster University. Peak service levels are introduced at every 20 minutes and will be increased in later years.
-Ancaster myRide on-demand service will be introduced, providing service coverage in Ancaster. Two 30-foot vehicles will be used to operate the service, and additional vehicles will be introduced in later years to reduce wait times.
By fall 2027, most of Ancaster west of Southcote Rd will be serviced by Ancaster MyRide, an on-demand bus service
-An Ancaster Gateway near Ancaster Fairgrounds: New off-street facility located near the Ancaster Fairgrounds, with the exact location to be finalized. The new routes 30 “S Line”, 71 Ancaster Wilson, and Ancaster myRide will service this hub. DARTS specialized service will share a layover bay with myRide service.
Effective in Fall 2028
-Route 71 Ancaster Wilson: Peak service levels are increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes.
-Ancaster myRide: 2 additional 30-foot vehicles for a total of 4 vehicles will be used to operate the service to reduce wait times.
Effective in Fall 2031
A new route through the Meadowlands will connect the Meadowlands hub on Martindale Crescent to Downtown Hamilton. The route will travel along Meadowlands Blvd, Stonehenge Dr, and Raymond Rd out to Garner Rd and on to downtown, making transit service much more convenient for the Meadowlands neighbourhood. As noted above, Ancaster MyRide service for neighbourhoods west of the Meadowlands will already be in place.
Effective in fall 2031, a new bus route will travel through the Meadowlands, connecting the Meadowlands terminal to downtown Hamilton.
The Staff presentation slides are here
The detailed final report (129 pages) can be read here
All related documents and video of the meeting are here
MOTION TO EXPAND THE GREENBELT
I was honoured to second Councillor Ted McMeekin’s September 9th motion about expanding the Greenbelt. In the near future, the Province is expected to initiate the required 10-year review of the Greenbelt, as the previous review was done in 2015. Councillor McMeekin’s motion directed City Staff to get ahead of the process and evaluate areas that could be added to the Greenbelt to enhance and preserve local agricultural capacity, local watersheds, natural heritage, and biodiversity in Hamilton. The motion received unanimous support. Planning Committee will get a report back with recommended additions that the City can submit to the Province for consideration. Read about it in The Spectator.
700 GARNER RD – FRENCH SCHOOL
The Francophone community has been waiting for a new school for many years. To facilitate the development of a proposed secondary school (shared facility for both the Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir and Conseil Scolaire Viamonde), land was purchased in 2023 at 700 Garner Rd E. The purchased land is within a larger parcel owned by a developer. The City continues to work with the school board to advance plans in collaboration with the developer who would be responsible for constructing a street that will provide access to the new school site.
After several months of extensive coordination with the applicant for 700 Garner Road, an Application of Draft Plan of Subdivision was submitted to Planning Committee on July 29, 2025, with a recommendation that the application and draft plan conditions be approved. The owner’s consultant requested that the Staff report be deferred from July 29th to the Sept 9th Planning Committee. The item was not on the September 9th agenda, so Staff were asked why and have shared the following updates:
• Staff and the applicant’s planning and natural heritage consultants met on Aug. 6th to go over what was needed to revise the Environmental Impact Study (EIS).
• On Aug 22nd and Aug 27th, Planning Staff provided comments to the applicant’s consultants on the revised EIS (submitted to staff on Aug 19). There has been no response from the applicant to address the comments that pertain to the proposed relocation of the wetland, but staff will continue to work to address the wetland issue.
• On Aug 25th, Staff met with the French School Boards and provided them with an update on the conditions of the draft plan.
• Development Engineering met with the applicant’s engineering consultant, and both parties are satisfied with the stormwater issues and the draft plan of subdivision conditions. The consultant will be resubmitting an updated stormwater management report.
• Real Estate Staff and the applicant’s consultants have discussed the pre-grading of the school site to address the pre-development issues. The consultants will be confirming acceptance of the recommendations with their client, and staff expect a response by Sept 26th. (I do not have any further updates at the time of writing)
• Once the issues around relocation of the wetland are confirmed, as well as the pre-grading of the site, Staff will bring the report back to Planning Committee.
I understand and sympathize with the frustration of the Francophone community that has been waiting a very long time for a new school. The City must uphold its planning policies and conform to Provincial Policy directives. Any deviation from these policies and permissions must be legally defensible, and care must be given to ensure the broad public interest is upheld with attention to anything that might set a precedent. Finally, it’s important to recognize that the private landholder/developer plays a significant role in this process. I will share further updates when they become available.
RECREATION MASTER PLAN
A Recreation Masterplan through to 2051 was approved by the previous term of Council in 2022. The implementation strategy - a roadmap for executing the recommendations – was presented to the Emergency and Community Services Committee in September 2025. 85 recommendations can be found in the detailed report. They focus on strategies needed to address infrastructure gaps and associated funding solutions.
Although I have often written about Hamilton’s $5.2 billion infrastructure spending gap, it was still quite shocking to get into the details on the amount of underfunding that has occurred with our recreation assets over several decades. To put it bluntly, our assets have been neglected as the investment to keep them in a state of good repair has not been made. That has resulted in over $310 million in maintenance costs passed forward to the present. One of my colleagues asked Staff how long the underfunding had been happening. The answer was since the early 2000s. The financial burden we are now saddled with is a very real consequence of the low property tax increases over the past 25 years.
The table below shows the accumulated underinvestment that has starved our recreation assets of the funding to maintain them to the level Hamiltonians expect and deserve. To avoid the hole we are in, previous budgets would have only needed an annual tax increase of roughly 1%; a much easier burden to absorb than what has landed in our laps in 2025.
This term of Council has already embarked on a multi-year journey to reinvest in our crumbling assets, both core assets (the transportation network and water/wastewater/stormwater infrastructure), and non-core assets as defined by the Province. Non-core assets (including recreation and parks) are in year two of a 25-year plan to close the funding gap. The Recreation Masterplan outlined options to close the gap over the next decade. The following table builds on the table above and illustrates the investment that would be required to deal with the present backlog and all the additional maintenance that will be needed between now and 2035. The total bill is estimated at $757M. Only $239M (31%) of that is currently part of our multi-year budget plans. We are short $52M each year, which is equivalent to a roughly 4% annual tax increase if we are unable to receive any meaningful investments from upper levels of government.
These shocking numbers were not incorporated into the budget outlook presented by Staff earlier in September (read my summary of the budget outlook here) and have not been incorporated into the 2026 budget. How Council will act on this news is yet to be determined.
In summary, the chronic underinvestment in our City is rapidly coming into sharp focus. The investment needs are far beyond what Hamilton can reasonably afford on its own. City Council and Staff have a great deal of work to navigate through these very challenging times.
RURAL BROADBAND EXPANSION
High-speed internet access continues to be a challenge for many rural residents. In 2021, the Province launched a plan to address this gap in what has become an essential service. The City of Hamilton is ready to get this work done, but the challenge is that this task rests in the domain of the private telecommunications industry, and they have yet to submit any plans for the City to review. On September 29th, Staff brought an information report to the Public Works Committee.
Key points from the report:
-The Rural Broadband Expansion Plan was first initiated in 2021 by the Province of Ontario to connect unserved and underserved homes and businesses. Within Hamilton, Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers) has been contracted to deliver approximately 700 km of fiber to 6,070 rural properties; however, no formal deployment plan has yet been submitted despite multiple meetings with Rogers and Infrastructure Ontario (IO).
-Multiple meetings held to date with Rogers and IO have served to provide an understanding of the broadband expansion concept and techniques, but no formal plan for deployment has been submitted to the City.
-One method for internet cable installation involving roadside ploughing (a rapid method to install cable at the edge of existing asphalt roadways) has been proposed by Rogers and reviewed by staff. Concerns have been raised about financial impacts, liability for damage, operations interference, and relocation costs.
-Staff will continue engaging with Rogers and will report back to Council with updates regularly on the rural broadband expansion plan.
Link to the Public Works report with key points is here.
ROADWAY SAFETY AND TRANSIT TOWNHALL
Please join me, along with City Staff from the Transportation and Transit divisions, for a Town Hall meeting concerning road safety and transit in Ward 12. Everyone is welcome, and no RSVP is required.
COPETOWN LIONS CLUB PARK PATHWAY
At the Public Works Committee on September 29th, I put forward a motion that will begin the City’s collaboration with the Copetown Lions Club to develop a new park pathway at Copetown Lions Community Park. The work scope will include a feasibility review, conceptual design, detailed design with construction drawings, and implementation, to be funded through donations from the Copetown Lions Club. My motion carried unanimously. Thank you to the Copetown Lions; their passion for the community and initiative to get this project going is admirable.
Read the full motion here. The decision still needs to be ratified by Council on October 8th.
TRAFFIC CALMING
Good news! Two more neighbourhoods will have traffic calming measures installed in the coming months.
Nakoma Road between Senior Drive & Waban Place (30km/h school zone) and Senior Drive between Stadacona Avenue & Nakoma Road (30km/h school zone). Speed cushions will be installed on both roadways. Additional pavement markings and signage will also be added to help improve stop compliance at the intersections of Nakoma Road & Manitou Way and Nakoma Road & Seminole Road, including the installation of secondary stop signs, tiger tail signage, and stop bar pavement markings.
John Frederick Drive will also be getting speed cushions between Southcote Rd and the Sexton Cr/Annalee Drive roundabout.
I know that each time we announce a new traffic safety installation, there are many frustrated residents asking, “What about my street?” I want to reassure those residents that each request we get from the public is sent to Road Safety Staff for review. They have an incredible number of requests in the queue from Ward 12 and from the other fourteen wards across the City. They prioritize the work based on the details of each situation and work through them accordingly. It’s also important to note that meaningful efforts for traffic calming only got underway in Ward 12 during this term of Council, so there is a lot of catching up to do.
Selfish and dangerous driving is a growing problem just about everywhere in the City. I wish we had the wherewithal to make all our streets safer in the short order, but we’ve built a road network where safety was not the top priority, and it is going to take a long time to retrofit it and shift the priority from moving automobiles quickly to building spaces that are safe, comfortable, and welcoming for people. Unfortunately, the Province has decided to oppose efforts to make streets safer. Please see the next article for details.
As a reminder, my office tracks the status of all traffic safety concerns and projects on our Community Road-Safety map. If you don’t see your area of concern on the map, e-mail us at [email protected]
PROVINCE TO PROHIBIT AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT
Using Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) to slow down speeding vehicles and make our streets safer is supported unanimously by Hamilton Council members, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OCAP), AMO (the Association of Municipalities of Ontario), and many constituents in Ward 12 and beyond. That is very broad support. In September, Council unanimously approved expanding the number of automated speed cameras in Hamilton from four to eight.
However, on Thursday, September 25, the Premier of Ontario unilaterally decided he doesn’t like them and will introduce legislation to prohibit their use in the Province of Ontario. His rationale? “It’s a tax grab,” and we need to “protect taxpayers”. Note that property taxpayers don’t pay for speed cameras. Speeders do. And cameras can only be installed in community safety zones, which are areas where a significant safety risk has been identified. Further, the ASE program funds itself; it does not require money from the tax levy. In fact, excess funds are generated and invested in road safety projects. Staff projected a net benefit of $375K to the City of Hamilton over the next year that would go directly to the traffic safety reserve. I think it is entirely appropriate for people breaking the law and making roads more dangerous for others to be the ones funding safety improvements. It’s very simple: if you don’t want a ticket, don’t speed. Speed limit signs are maximum speeds, not minimums.
ASE is certainly not a silver bullet for road safety, and it’s not a substitute for properly engineering streets to produce reasonable vehicle speeds. However, it’s one tool in the City’s toolkit to modify driver behaviour so that there are fewer vehicle collisions and there is a safer environment for everyone outside a vehicle.
Three planned installations of ASE cameras in Ward 12 will not be able to proceed if the Province passes legislation banning them.
As part of Council’s decision to increase their use, three Ward 12 locations were identified by Staff to receive cameras. With Doug Ford’s planned legislation, these implementations will not be able to proceed.
At the September 29, 2025, Public Works committee, I joined my Council Colleagues in unanimous support for Ward 3 Councillor Nann’s motion. It directed staff to assess how the program can be expanded and that if ASEs are banned by Premier Ford, that we may submit to the Province for reimbursement of the costs incurred, including cameras, signs, etc., to implement the ASE program following permission from his government to do so in 2019. The committee decision will need to be ratified at Council on October 8. Watch the discussion at the Public Works meeting here.
Please consider reaching out to Hamilton area MPPs to let them know that the use of ASEs saves lives and should be expanded in Hamilton.
Send an email:
Leave a voice message:
Neil Lumsden 905-662-8755
Donna Skelly 905-679-3770
Monica Ciriello 905-388-1515
Sandy Shaw 905-628-2755
Robin Lennox 905-544-9644
GARNER RD UPDATE
In my previous newsletter, I shared that Earth Boring, the contractor responsible for the sanitary sewer project currently underway on Garner Rd between Bennett’s and Redeemer University, had declared bankruptcy, and work had all but stopped. Due to the bankruptcy declaration, the City did not have any levers available to enforce Earth Boring’s contractual obligations. Since that time, they have been purchased by another company, and work has resumed. The work in front of Bennett’s is expected to be complete on or around September 30th, enabling two-way traffic to Bowman United Church. Staff are pushing to have the remaining work done as quickly as possible. The section between Bowman United Church and Redeemer is expected to be completed by mid-November, weather permitting. Two-way traffic will be restored at that time.
MARR-FILIPPO HOUSE PROPERTY STANDARDS ORDER UPHELD
On September 17th, Hamilton’s Property Standards Committee ordered the owners of the Marr-Phillipo House (Wilson Street Ancaster Inc.) to complete emergency masonry repairs, rejecting their request to delay the work. You can see the work order here. The Property Standards Order requires the owner to repoint and repair the masonry, including the bulge in the south stone wall, by December 17, 2025. Read more details in The Public Record.
786 STONE CHURCH ROAD
Tiffany Creek wetland complex. 786 Stonechurch is outlined in pink.
My office has received many emails and calls about the large house being built at 786 Stone Church Road W near the Omni Blvd roundabout. We've shared what we know about the house both on social media and in previous newsletters. First, I want to clarify that although the house appears to be two homes joined by a breezeway, the configuration of the house meets the definition of a 'single detached dwelling' under the Ontario Building Code (OBC), as all parts of the house are connected, with no wall dividing them. The OBC is provincial jurisdiction, and municipalities are obliged to follow it. Further, neither Ancaster Zoning By-law 87-57 nor the Ontario Building Code limits the number of entrances/exits, kitchens, bathrooms, or bedrooms.
In early September, Staff determined the house was 1.2m taller than Ancaster's permitted height of 10.5m, leading the owner to modify the roof, bringing it down to 70cm taller than permitted. The owners applied to the Committee of Adjustment and appeared on the September 25 agenda for a retroactive variance for the 70cm overage. Staff recommended approval at that meeting, and the Committee approved it. The Committee of Adjustment is a citizen body that acts independently of City Council. There is no role for Councillors in this decision-making process. You can watch a video of the meeting here.
My office recognizes that this construction is within the Tiffany Creek Provincially Significant Wetland Complex / Falkirk Forest and is a significant natural area that deserves protection. It is unfortunate, but due to the Ford Government's Bill 23, ‘More Homes Built Faster Act,’ which reduced wetland protections, development is now permitted within 30m of a provincially significant wetland, reduced from the prior buffer zone of 120m. Again, City Staff are obliged to work within provincial legislation, and City Council does not have the authority to override the Province.
In the interest of conservation in the area, I have met with both the HCA and the City of Hamilton Real Estate Division to explore possibilities for protecting the remaining parcels of land from future development. I will update the public with any relevant progress.
PERIWINKLE SMOTHER EVENT
Come meet your neighbours at a local conservation event. Volunteers are needed on the afternoon of Saturday, October 4, to help tackle a large patch of invasive periwinkle in the Fieldcote Museum Forest. Many hands are needed to cover it with cardboard and wood chips in an area that will later be planted with native trees. Read the details and sign up here!
ANCASTER COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
An important message from Ancaster Community Services:
Ancaster, we need your help! This year, we have seen another 41% increase in requests for support from families, individuals, and seniors in Ancaster. To ensure everyone in our community has the food they need, we are running a Thanksgiving Food Drive!
Here’s how you can help:
Donate Non-perishable Food Items
Make a Monetary Donation
Donate Grocery Gift Cards
Every donation can make a big impact for an income-challenged family, individual or senior in our neighbourhood! Monetary donations can be made on our website. Non-perishable food (within the best-before date) can be dropped off at our office or in Donation Bins located at Food Basics, Longo’s, or Giant Tiger here in Ancaster.
The Thanksgiving Food Drive runs from September 22nd to October 10th. To learn more or to donate towards the Food Drive, visit the ACS website.
ANCASTER TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING
On Friday, October 24, the Ancaster Township Historical Society hosts noted author and historian Bill King, who will speak on Hamilton’s early history, “Becoming the Gore District Capital – Competition at the Head of the Lake”. All are welcome, free parking is available, and refreshments will be served afterward.
7:30 p.m. at Ancaster’s Old Town Hall.
PUMPKIN POP UP
Join the Ancaster BIA for a Pumpkin Pop Up event on Saturday, October 25th, from 11am to 2pm! This family-friendly event will include trick or treating, kids’ activities, candies, prizes for all, and more. Start at the Ancaster BIA Office (314 Wilson Street East, Ancaster) to take part in some initial Halloween Fall fun, before heading out to trick or treat locations!
CHRISTMAS MARKET AND CRAFT SHOW
Please email: [email protected] for all information and payments.
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION MMIWG2S+
In early October, families, survivors, and communities gather in circles to remember loved ones who never came home. The Sisters in Spirit Vigils are not just events; they are sacred spaces where we honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals (MMIWG2S+). They are places of love, grief, resistance, and strength.
Learn more at Sisters in Spirit
DISPOSAL OF BULK ITEMS
Let’s keep Ward 12 beautiful! Please be considerate of your neighbours and don’t dump unwanted bulk items beside the road. If you have items to dispose of, there are multiple options, including city waste pick up and donation. Please click the links below to find organizations that accept a variety of donations, including furniture, old kitchens, cabinetry, sinks, siding, toilets, windows, tiles, lumber, lighting, paint, and much more.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Saint Vincent de Paul Next to New stores, The Giving Closest Thrift Shop, Mission Thrift Store, re-Source Thrift Shop
If you live in a single-detached home of 5 units or less and place your waste curbside on collection day, you can request bulk pickup. The City of Hamilton picks up furniture and other bulk items every week that are too big to fit into a garbage bag or can. A maximum of four items will be picked up per booking. Each can be a maximum of 90 kg (200 lb) and 1.2 m (4 ft) in length. Any townhouses that are serviced by the City also qualify for bulk pickup service. Those on private condominium roads that have private garbage pickup do not.
Learn more and request service at City of Hamilton - Bulk Pickup
Ancaster Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, Oct 1 and Oct 8, 3pm - 7pm
Fall Garden and Mum Show Oct 18 to 26, 9am – 7pm, Gage Park Greenhouse
Ancaster Lions Christmas Market and Craft Show Nov 1-2, 10am – 4pm, Ancaster Fairgrounds
Art Crawl Oct 10, 6pm-11pm, James Street from York Blvd to Murray Street.
Sundays UnLocked, Oct 19, 10am – 5pm, enjoy a pedestrianized Locke Street.
Westdale Farmers’ Market and Octoberwest, Oct 4 onwards. Market Tuesdays
Ancaster Horticultural Society Breeding and Growing Orchids, Oct 21, 7:30pm, Ancaster Old Town Hall
Sinfonia Ancaster new season begins with a concert on November 2 at 2pm: “With Glowing Hearts”
Katherine Hayhoe is a Canadian, an atmospheric scientist, Climate Leader, and Distinguished Professor and an Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law at the Texas Tech University Department of Political Science. She’s also the author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.
Katherine is an inspirational leader, and I have learned much from her over the past few years. In this month’s Climate Corner, I’m highlighting her weekly newsletter, ‘Talking Climate with Katharine Hayhoe’. In each issue, she offers three sections: Good News, Not-So-Good News, and What You Can Do in a short, easily digestible format. Here is an excerpt from her September 29, 2025, Good News section. You can read back issues and subscribe to her newsletter here.
While the U.S. has backtracked on climate action this year, the rest of the world showed up last week to confirm they remain committed to meaningful action. At Wednesday’s UN climate summit, the biggest news came when China’s Xi Jinping announced his country would cut its greenhouse emissions by 7 to 10 percent over the next decade. Although the Biden administration had pushed China to adopt 30 percent emissions cuts from peak last year, this is the country’s strongest pledge to date. “Green and low carbon transition is the trend of our time,” Xi said.
At the Wednesday UN event, over 100 nations made emissions reductions pledges, the AP reported. This includes Pacific Island nations that are already at net negative emissions, as their ecosystems take up more than they generate. Even still, they are continuing to cut their emissions, as they know the science says that “every bit of warming counts.”
At another Climate Week event, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, pointed out that clean energy investment hit $2 trillion worldwide in 2024. “The good news is we’re not waiting for miracles. The economics are on our side,” he said. “Today, over 90 percent of new renewables cost less than the cheapest new fossil option. The technologies and solutions already exist. Clean power, electrification, efficiency and storage, resilience-building. The toolkit is there and being put to work.”
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.