The city poet receives a $10,000 honorarium each year as well as $15,000 for program-related expenses. Pictured: Hamilton City Hall. Photo Credit: City of Hamilton/X.
A motion brought forward by Councillor Matt Francis (Ward 5 – Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) to save money by cancelling the city poet pilot program failed on an 8-8 vote during the latest budget meeting.
The city poet, who was hired in 2023 for the newly created Poet in Place program, receives a $10,000 honorarium each year as well as $15,000 for program-related expenses.
The city poet performs at city events and programs and delivers poetry workshops at city libraries.
Councillor Francis’ motion said that the program should be ended since residential taxpayers are once again seeing a high property tax increase and since “the municipality should prioritize essential services and initiatives that provide the greatest benefit to the community as a whole.”
The motion was seconded by Councillor Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain).
In his remarks to Council, Francis added, “I know it’s $25,000 but every dollar counts. This funding can pay for important items such as sidewalks, swing sets, and repairing some potholes which are some of the needs in our community that I hear about every single day.”
“This was one of those items that I heard repeatedly from my residents to remove from the budget,” he continued.
Councillor Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton) was one of those who voted against the motion.
He called it “austerity nickel and diming” and argued that arts programs are not a “frill,” but are “necessary.”
It should be noted that Kroetsch is the same one who brought forward motions to the Hamilton Police Services Board in 2024 to cut police retiree events (which would have saved $19,400) and cancel the police community satisfaction survey (which would have saved $60,000). Those motions failed.
Kroetsch said that he’s seen the poet in the community several times and that she is “making an impact talking about social issues.”
A number of other Councillors also commented on the motion.
Councillor Brad Clark (Ward 9 – Upper Stoney Creek) said that what he has “heard consistently” is that the city poet program “has become the exemplification of City Hall’s waste” even though the cost is a “nominal amount.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Craig Cassar (Ward 12 – Ancaster-West Flamborough) said that the property tax impact of cutting the program would only be 10 cents for a family of five and two cents per person so he does not regard it “as a serious way to save taxpayers’ money.”
Councillor Ted McMeekin (Ward 15 – East Flamborough-Waterdown) and Mayor Andrea Horwath had similar comments, with McMeekin saying, “poetry is important and we don’t get enough of it” and Horwath adding that cities “need vibrancy and need the arts.”
Francis had the last word before final vote, commenting, “This is just a minor example of a major problem here at this Council and I don’t care if this program costs 10 bucks, people hate it and they want it gone. Period.”
Those in support of Francis’ motion were (8): Councillors Matt Francis (Ward 5 – Hamilton East-Stoney Creek), Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain), Esther Pauls (Ward 7 – Central Mountain), John-Paul Danko (Ward 8 – West/Central Mountain), Brad Clark (Ward 9 – Upper Stoney Creek), Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek-Fruitland-Winona), Mark Tadeson (Ward 11 – Glanbrook-Binbrook-Mount Hope), Mike Spadafora (Ward 14 – West Mountain)
Those against Francis’ motion were (8): Mayor Andrea Horwath, and Councillors Maureen Wilson (Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes-Westdale), Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton), Nrinder Nann (Ward 3 – East Hamilton Centre), Tammy Hwang (Ward 4 – Hamilton East), Craig Cassar (Ward 12 – Ancaster-West Flamborough), Alex Wilson (Ward 13 – Dundas-Central Flamborough), Ted McMeekin (Ward 15 – East Flamborough-Waterdown)
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
