Thank you for running for an elected position at the City of Hamilton.

We have operated ThriveHamilton.ca since May and maintain an active social media presence on Instagram (thrive.hamilton) and Facebook (Thrive Hamilton). For further information about our concerns and the reason for Thrive, please visit our webpage. www.thrivehamilton.ca

Hamilton voters face important choices about taxation, economic development, housing affordability, public safety, service delivery, major programs, and transportation. Thrive Hamilton invites candidates to state their priorities, commitments, and proposed actions so voters can clearly compare your positions on important issues.

The following questions address major municipal priorities, including budgeting, taxation control, transparency, economic development, housing affordability, public safety, service delivery, and major programs. The accompanying context explains why each issue matters; candidates are invited to challenge any premise and cite supporting evidence in their responses.

We want to understand your vision for Hamilton’s future and the practical steps you would take to implement it. Thrive Hamilton invites you to respond to the attached policy questions so voters can compare candidates’ priorities, commitments, and proposed actions. Please be as precise as possible.

This questionnaire includes 9 sections.

We recognize that those aspiring to be elected may have limited access to staff for some answers; we have coded these questions in “red”. They are optional for those who are not currently elected.

Please provide concise, specific answers by September 15; we will publish responses unedited and share summaries on our social media platforms. We will also share responses with businesses, the Chambers of Commerce in the Hamilton area, all the associated BIAs, media channels, and other associations.

For support, please contact Natasha Vandervelde at (905) 902-2987.

Facts: Hamilton's Mayor's Task Force on Transparency, Access and Accountability released a report revealing that 80% of surveyed residents have low or very low trust in City Hall. Led by Mayor Andrea Horwath, the report outlines 27 recommendations to improve municipal openness, digital records, and the establishment of an independent ombudsperson. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The City of Hamilton is the only municipality that has not produced audited financial statements since 2022. It has not even released unaudited financial statements for 2025.

To make decisions, staff and council need accurate financials and reporting on the cost-benefit of investments and projects. Running a city is complicated, and accurate reporting is critical.

Based on the task force's findings, residents have lost trust in our elected officials, senior staff, and management.

Facts: Residential property tax rates have risen 22.8% during this past term. This has directly impacted all ratepayers in Hamilton, eroded citizens’ spending power, and damaged businesses. We are told that unless the city changes its cost structure and expenses, the pattern of tax increases well above inflation will continue.

Low trust in the City of Hamilton is discouraging. To change course, we need to change leadership focus and culture. We have many competent and passionate City employees, but bureaucracy, delays and lack of accountability remain serious issues. Leadership and change in the culture are complicated but need to start at the "top" – this is true of all successful organizations.

Between 2022 and 2026, City expenditures increased by 100 to 150 million per year. The original forecast for 2027 is an increase of over 200 million compared to 2026; these increases are not sustainable.

The cost of running the City of Hamilton has increased from 2.1 billion to 2.9 billion in 4 years; this is an increase of 800 million in 4 years.

Staff didn't release the 2027 Financial Forecast until late August 2026. The data indicates an expected residential tax increase of:

• 8.2% in 2027 (was originally forecast at 16.7%)
• 9.9% in 2028
• 5.5% in 2029

This means a forecasted 3-year cumulative increase of an additional 23%. Combined with the current term, this represents a 52% increase over the 7-year period.

Please remember that residential property taxes are paid in “after-tax” income from the ratepayers of the City of Hamilton.

Residential Tax increases are regressive and affect the financially disadvantaged by robbing them of the very after-tax dollars they need for necessities to live and raise a family. They also hurt businesses, as taxpayers have less to spend locally.

Facts: Hamilton derives only 16-18% of its tax revenue (levies) from businesses; this collapse did not happen overnight, but we used to collect 30-40% from business levies. This drop results from businesses that are struggling, failing, or moving to other municipalities.

Local entrepreneurs feel under attack and like a low priority for staff and elected officials at the City of Hamilton. Meanwhile, businesses hire people and provide for families. We only need to go down the road to Brantford to see the benefits of attracting quality businesses that provide employment. The drop in business success has led directly to pressure on the residential tax rates. In a balanced City, both residents and businesses can be successful - simultaneously.

Facts: Homelessness is at an all-time high. Rent is at an all-time high. Drug use, an ever-present addiction issue, has never been more visible and is affecting residents, visitors, and restaurants; the decline of the core of Hamilton has affected all businesses. Violent crime is also on the rise. Without a change in approach, these issues will not resolve on their own.

Facts: During the last term, City staff ballooned by over 950 positions; this increase cannot be explained by inflation or taxpayers' need for services. At the same time, the city spent unprecedented amounts on outside consultants.

While most employees in Ontario are "back to the office," the City of Hamilton still clings to a hybrid model that is not working. Not only has service dropped, but getting professional, on-time responses remains a challenge. Many visit City Hall only to be greeted by a security guard, instead of staff.

Meanwhile, the City of Hamilton added 324 management and supervisory positions between 2021 and 2025, according to analyses of the Ontario Sunshine List and municipal data. This growth in administrative leadership contrasts with broader workforce expansions and has sparked local debate regarding municipal spending and taxpayer impact. Unfortunately, staff do not make this data public and keep it internal.

In 2025, Hamilton's HR dashboard indicated that one out of every 7 employees at the city was in a "leadership" position; this is double the rate reported by the City of Ottawa, where one out of every 14 employees is in a "leadership" role.

Compared to other municipalities, the city's culture is not focused on being "world-class". Instead, senior management typically dismisses comparisons to other municipalities, where Hamilton often ranks last or near the bottom in independent benchmarking surveys.

Facts: During the last term, the council approved several controversial initiatives while hiring over 950 new staff. While it is not clear whether these delivered the expected benefits, they have directly led to higher costs. Programs like the water tax, if implemented, will harm fragile businesses already under economic pressure. Meanwhile, municipal housing spending continues to expand, and entirely new offices, like the Office of Climate Change, Water Tax and Vacant Unit Tax departments, add to the city's costs.

Facts: Based on the increases in the tax rate, it was clear that controlling the overall budget was not a priority. Municipalities are prohibited from running annual operating deficits. As a result, investments, projects, and dogma-driven policies add to residents' tax burden. By contrast, strong management and effective execution deliver higher-quality services at lower cost.

Facts: In July of 2023, the province granted the mayors of 169 municipalities additional powers under the “Strong Mayor Powers Act and Building Homes Act”.

Thank you for answering our questions. As mentioned, we will be reposting your responses without edits.

 

Thrive Hamilton

www.thrivehamilton.ca