The Shelley Saunders/Koloshuk Family Scholarship has supported promising McMaster PhD students in biological anthropology since 2008 and has helped McMaster’s Department of Anthropology earn a global reputation as a research powerhouse. Photo credit: McMaster University    The mysteries of our past can offer important clues for tackling today’s most critical health and societal challenges. At McMaster University, […]

Photo credit: Hamilton Honey Badgers   The FirstOntario Centre renovation plan will be delayed by a couple of weeks due to Grey Cup festivities. The arena was scheduled to close for renovations after the Canadian Country Music Awards in September.  But with Hamilton hosting the Grey Cup this year, the private consortium that is taking […]

New provincial funding to expand the training capacity at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine was announced by Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy at McMaster’s Centre for Simulation-Based Learning on Thursday, March 30. Photo credit: McMaster University/Georgia Kirkos    The 2023 provincial budget includes new funding to expand the training capacity […]

The changes are expected to reduce noise and improve air quality in the downtown area. The truck route changes are also meant to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Photo credit: LinkedIn/Alipa Ari Patel   The City of Hamilton has started to install new truck route signage as part of its updated Truck Route […]

Under the new agreement with the October deadline, the City of Hamilton will be required to submit weekly progress reports to the province. Clean-up efforts have been delayed due to various interruptions from the Haudenosaunee Development Institute. Photo credit: CBC/Patrick Morreel   The City of Hamilton now has until October 31, 2023, to dredge sewage […]

The 2023 provincial budget includes new funding to expand McMaster’s leadership in nuclear research, education and medical isotope production. Photo credit: McMaster University   The Ontario government announced $6.8 million in Thursday’s budget to strengthen the research capacity at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR), a leading supplier of medical isotopes used in breakthrough cancer treatments. The investment, […]

Residents believe “questionable procedural issues took place during (a February) meeting” that green lit a safe injection site at 746 Barton Street East. Nann pictured centre. Photo credit: Facebook/Nrinder Nann via Bob Hatcher    A number of Hamiltonians, including former Hamilton mayor Bob Bratina and Council candidate and business owner Walter Furlan, have launched a […]

 In January, the effective price of fuel was set at about 32 cents per cubic metre for Hamilton. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   As the cost-of-living crisis plagues more and more Canadians, home heating bills continue to skyrocket. Hamilton residents, along with those across Ontario, have reported natural gas bills that are double what they […]

Sarah Jama (pictured with microphone) won over half the Hamilton Centre vote last Thursday. Photo credit: Twitter/Sarah Jama   Sarah Jama, the controversial anti-police NDP candidate who was recently accused of anti-Semitism and endorsement of violent anti-Israel uprisings, won the Hamilton Centre by-election Thursday night. The March 16 contest was to fill the seat vacated […]

The Hamilton-based hockey team is relocating to Brantford while major renovations on the FirstOntario Centre take place over the next two to three years. Photo credit: Twitter/Hamilton Bulldogs   Last week, Brantford’s City Council approved a motion to have staff explore the possibility of building a new OHL-sized arena. A number of weeks ago it […]

Members of the McMaster University NEUDOSE team at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The team’s satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket and sent to the International Space Station on Tuesday, March 14. Photo credit: Twitter/McMaster University   A satellite designed and built by McMaster students and researchers has successfully launched into space on […]

Jama (pictured, centre-front) is running in the Hamilton Centre provincial by-election set to take place this Thursday, March 16. B’nai Brith Canada’s CEO Michael Mostyn implored ONDP Leader Marit Stiles to ‘do the principled thing’ and rescind Jama’s candidacy after her involvement with ‘radical’ anti-Israel groups was revealed. Stiles is standing by Jama. Photo credit: […]

Hamilton one of three communities where pilot will take place. Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones was on hand at McMaster Children’s Hospital Thursday to announce the new program. Photo credit: Twitter/Sylvia Jones   Last Thursday, the Ontario Government announced it will be investing $97 million over three years to launch and run […]

The average price for a one-bedroom unit in Steeltown rose nearly six points between January and February. Photo credit: The Chronicle/Yolanda James   The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Hamilton jumped 5.9 per cent between January 2023 and February 2023 according to the latest Rentals.ca rent report.  That means that Hamilton’s one-bedroom rental […]

The current board has 16 members, all of whom are elected members of Council. Photo credit: PlusVG Architects   Some Hamilton City Councillors are attempting to increase the number of members on the Hamilton Board of Health in order to include more “diverse voices.” In July 2022, the previous City Council requested information from the […]

Artist rendering of the completed church. The $20-million place of worship is on schedule to welcome parishioners by early summer. Photo credit: ATA Architects   A new Catholic Church is being built on Hamilton Mountain and, once complete, will be the first new Catholic Church built in the city in over four decades. The new […]

Transit agencies across Canada are struggling with persistently depressed usage, Hamilton’s HSR is no exception. Photo credit: Twitter/HSR   The future of public transit is at a crossroads, with ridership levels so far unable to recover since the COVID pandemic.  The COVID pandemic resulted in a cultural shift in the workplace. Many workers moved to […]

 The development will integrate and preserve much of the near-century old high school on Main Street. Photo credit: New Horizon Development Group   New Horizon Development Group and Losani Homes are currently working through the approval process for a 975-unit development at 1284 Main Street at the site of Delta Secondary School. The development would […]

Over the last 26 years, some 400 million litres of sewage drained into Lake Ontario via two leaks. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Nathan Dennette   After the City of Hamilton’s two recent sewage leaks, the Government of Ontario has issued the City a provincial order to undertake a series of inspections. In November 2022, the […]

The biggest changes would take place in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Flamborough-Glanbrook. Photo credit: Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario   In August 2022, the three-member Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario proposed a number of adjustments to the electoral map, including multiple changes for the Hamilton region. The boundaries across all Canadian ridings are […]

Increased system renewal investment, additional feeders, and accelerated feeder automation deployment will all help the company to restore power outages faster. Photo credit: Alectra Utilities   Alectra Utilities will be investing $18.6 million to upgrade Hamilton energy infrastructure.  The company spent $9.7 million in 2022 and plans another $8.9 million for 2023 to construct and […]

The accelerated timeline, however, will cost taxpayers an additional $616,000. Photo credit: Tourism Hamilton   At a January 20, 2023 budget committee meeting, Hamilton’s City Council voted unanimously to have staff look into and report on the costs of accelerating the city’s cycling master plan.  The 14-0 vote saw Councillors direct City of Hamilton Director […]

Though somewhat counter-intuitive, to facilitate its green transition the Hamilton steelmaker’s demand for natural gas will double. Photo credit: Twitter/ArcelorMittal Dofasco   Hamilton-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal Dofasco will require a 14-kilometre natural gas pipeline as a part of their transition to producing steel in a more environmentally friendly way. The $1.8-billion green steel project, which received […]

The initiative will help bring the site into the modern era and preserve the museum for generations to come. The project is covered in large part by a $1 million donation from retired Ancaster residents Michael and Carol Desnoyers. Photo credit: Facebook/Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum   Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, located at John C. […]

Seat vacated following now-Mayor of Hamilton Andrea Horwath’s re-entry into municipal politics. Veteran police sergeant Pete Wiesner (left), representing the Ontario PCs, takes on NDP candidate and well-known anti-police activist Sarah Jama (right). Photo credit: Ontario PC Party and Facebook/Sarah Jama   The Ontario Government has officially announced the date of the Hamilton Centre provincial […]

One per cent penalty to start in 2024. City staff estimate that 1,135 properties in Hamilton are currently vacant.    In a 10-5 vote on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Hamilton City Council voted to have municipal staff prepare and implement a new vacant home tax. Starting in 2024, the bylaw will require vacant property owners […]

  The two-decade veteran of the Hamilton Police Service (pictured) will take on local activist Sarah Jama and the Liberals’ Deidre Pike. Photo credit: Ontario PC Party   According to a Friday, February 3 announcement, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party (PCs) have nominated local police officer Sgt. Pete Wiesner as their candidate in the upcoming […]

Hamilton International Airport sees considerable cargo traffic from shipping companies such as Amazon, Canada Post, Cargojet, DHL, Purolator, Prime Air, and UPS. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton International Airport   The latest data from Statistics Canada shows that John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) is outpacing the rest of the country in air cargo traffic. The […]

The protest started outside City Hall, before migrating inside. Participants demanded members vote down a proposed 6.7 per cent increase to the 2023 police budget. Photo credit: CBC/Samantha Beattie   Abolish the police protesters filled the Hamilton City Council chambers on Monday, February 6, disrupting delegations at a General Issues Committee (GIC) meeting that was […]

The new tool allows the service to easily see information on shootings, break-ins, deaths, victims, arrests, and charges, it also charts month-to-month and year-to-year trends at the click of a button. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton Police Service   The Hamilton Police Service (HPS) analytics team has used software to create a new in-house tool that helps […]

  Photo credit: McMaster University    McMaster University continues to rank among Canada’s top research universities in the annual ranking published by Research Infosource. According to the 2022 rankings released today, McMaster placed second in both graduate student research intensity — averaging $74,200 per graduate student – and faculty research intensity, averaging $419,000 per faculty […]

Similar rules and licencing requirements for short-term rentals have been in place in Toronto since 2019. Photo credit: Rentals.ca    Starting June 2023, the City of Hamilton will officially be placing restrictions and licensing requirements on any property within municipal limits that citizens wish to rent out short-term, such as on Airbnb. At a Wednesday, […]

Trustees passed a motion in early December last year instituting a universal masking “requirement”, however, the directive came with an easy to access opt-out clause. Photo credit: T. Lloyd Electric Ontario   Hamilton’s public school board (HWDSB) trustees have voted to cease mandating that students and staff wear masks. The mandate originally came into effect […]

McMaster’s David Braley Health Sciences Centre, which houses the university’s Department of Pediatrics. Photo credit: McMaster University   McMaster University researchers are joining the Canadian Pediatric Cancer Consortium (CPCC) being established through a federal government grant to tackle childhood cancers. The federal government is investing $23 million in the CPCC, the largest ever funding of […]

Marked by protests and funding promises, the governing Liberals’ Cabinet retreat in Steeltown this week was full of mentionable moments. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Nick Iwanyshyn   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s three-day Cabinet retreat came to a close on Wednesday, January 25 in what was a rather eventful visit. From Monday, January 23 to Wednesday, […]

The federal money will go toward a $47 million expansion and improvement project at the airport. Photo credit: Twitter/Filomena Tassi   John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) is set to receive $23.5 million for upgrades from the federal government. A funding announcement from Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra took place earlier this week on […]

The electric vehicle juggernaut is looking at a 60,000 square foot section on the east side of the mall which formerly housed The Bay and Home Outfitters. Photo credit: Cadillac Fairview   Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is planning on opening their largest retail and service centre in Canada at Hamilton’s CF Lime Ridge Mall. The […]

Municipalities have a little over a year before they are required to switch over to an upgraded 911 system. Photo credit: Twitter/HPS Paramedics   The City of Hamilton is in the process of allocating $31.7 million for upgrades to three buildings to accommodate upgrades to the city’s 911 dispatching system. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications […]

Hamilton Street Railway riders can now pay fares with convenience of credit. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   Taking transit in the city just got a whole lot easier, thanks to the provincial government.  As of Monday, January 23, riders on Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) can simply tap a physical or electronic credit card to pay […]

The retreat, according to the PM, will be an important opportunity to build on the Liberal government’s efforts to “make life more affordable” for Canadians – something local Conservative MP Dan Muys finds ironic, given how Trudeau’s policies have only helped contribute to the unaffordability issue. Pictured is Trudeau the last time he was in […]

A previous leak discovered in November on Burlington Street prompted an emergency inspection program, which is currently about halfway through its assessment of high-risk designated areas. The contaminated water from both Burlington Street and the more recently discovered Rutherford Avenue leak had been exiting the sewer system into Hamilton Harbour in an area closed to […]

 In a seemingly desperate attempt to thwart pending provincial legislation aimed at building more homes, at the last Board of Directors meeting of the previous term’s tenure, the NPCA pre-approved a 17 per cent increase to the 2023 budget and tripled some of their permit fees. Pictured is NPCA headquarters at 250 Thorold Rd. in […]

Minister Vic Fedeli speaks with members of Innovation Factory on Friday, January 13. Photo credit: Innovation Factory   Capping off a busy week for the Ontario Government in Hamilton, Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, visited Hamilton’s Innovation Factory this past Friday to celebrate the recent investment announcement of $2.4 […]

 New investment supported by $1.5 million in provincial funding. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Bimbo Canada, formerly Canada Bread (a name change occurred in 2018 due to its purchase by the Mexican-based parent company Grupo Bimbo), is investing $15 million to build a new tortilla production line at one of its Hamilton bakeries. Bimbo Canada […]

In 2018, the last Council’s inauguration under former mayor Fred Eisenberger cost only $11K. New mayor Andrea Horwath (pictured) said the price hike was necessary to celebrate the “historic moment”. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Cole Burston    Hamilton’s newly elected City Council is being questioned over the necessity of spending $38,116 on their inauguration ceremony. […]

Flights from YHM to Europe begin this June for approximately $600 round trip. Photo credit: CNW Group/Play   Play Airlines, a low-cost airline based in Iceland, is launching flights from Hamilton to Europe this June. Its website is already open for booking, with the first flight service from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) […]

City staff are currently reviewing the Barton Street site proposed in November. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS)   A project to build tiny shelters in Hamilton for those experiencing homelessness is once again being delayed as Council wants more time for staff to review a newly proposed location. An organization called the […]

Councillor Esther Pauls (pictured) argued the “outdated policy creates unnecessary barriers to hiring the best people for the job.” Photo credit: City of Hamilton   Councillor Esther Pauls brought forward a motion at a December 7, 2022 Hamilton City Council meeting to have the municipality get rid of one of the last remaining city employee […]

Well-known community activist Sarah Jama (pictured, centre) will represent the Ontario NDP in former party leader Andrea Horwath’s previous riding. Photo credit: Twitter/Sarah Jama   With Andrea Horwath moving on from provincial politics, the riding of Hamilton Centre is currently without an MPP. Hamilton Centre runs east-west from Kenilworth Avenue to the 403 and north-south […]

The project was approved in 2017 and work commenced in 2020. Pictured is Queen Street looking north toward Main. Photo credit: Google Maps   The conversion of Queen Street from one-way southbound traffic to a two-way road between Aberdeen Avenue and King Street West was officially completed on November 22, 2022. The work included upgrades […]

The project’s developer, Fengate, is hoping to build 1,212 housing units on 3.4 hectares including two 24-storey and two 15-storey residential towers, 30 two-storey townhouses, and 64 four-storey townhouses. Photo credit: Urban Solutions    A plan for 1,212 residential units on the site of Winona’s LIUNA Gardens banquet centre at 526 Winona Road is headed […]

Over 100 CUPE 5167 members did not comply with the City of Hamilton’s previous vaccination policy.    The City of Hamilton is not allowed to terminate any employee represented by CUPE 5167 who object to the COVID vaccine. A labour arbitrator ruled that specific language in the CUPE 5167 collective bargaining agreement prohibits employee termination […]

Photo credit: Facebook/HSR   After a one-year review of the Waterdown on-demand bussing pilot, Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) reintroduced a fixed route to the area on November 7. But the on-demand service, called myRide, will still operate alongside a new fixed route called Route 18 – Waterdown Mountaineer. The new fixed route has connections with […]

Residential apartments going up beside Stoney Creek Value Village plaza. Pictured are members of the New Horizon team during an October 2021 sod-turning event at the 870 Queenston Rd. site. The team is holding an artist’s rendering of the development. Photo credit: New Horizon   New Horizon Development Ltd. is in the process of constructing […]

Earlier this month, council approved a 6.49 per cent water, wastewater, and stormwater rate hike for 2023. The municipality is hiring eight new full-time employees to keep up with alleged “regulatory changes” and “capital impacts”, while maintaining service levels. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   At a time when just about everyone is struggling with […]

The festival will run from Boxing Day until Sunday, January 8. Photo credit: Facebook/Ancaster Fair   Food truck organization Street Eats is teaming up with a sustainable wooden structure company called GRIPBlock to bring a winter festival to Hamilton’s Ancaster Fairgrounds. The event, starting on Boxing Day, features a giant winter maze as its main […]

The development’s two main buildings would stand 18 and 20 storeys high. Photo credit: Camarro Group   A new high-rise planned for an empty lot at the corner of King Street and Centennial Parkway in Stoney Creek is undergoing the approval process. Directly across the street from the Battlefield House Museum and Park, the builder, […]

The units will rent for some of the most affordable rates in the entire country. Pictured is a concept rendering of the first-of-its-kind development. Photo credit: Montgomery Sisam   CityHousing Hamilton, Hamilton’s city-run social housing provider, is currently constructing a number of residential units that will rank among the most affordable in all of Canada. […]

Hamilton’s Chedoke Creek. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   The City of Hamilton’s Chedoke Creek remediation project remains delayed due to a dispute with a local Indigenous group. The city was ordered by the Ontario Government to dredge the creek, a process which involves vacuuming up 22,000 tonnes of polluted sediment from the waterway. The […]

Over the last few years, the U.S.-based convenience chain has pushed to get liquor licences for several of its stores around Ontario. Photo credit: 7-Eleven Canada   Hamilton’s 7-Eleven locations have been granted permission to sell alcohol in-store. There are two locations in Hamilton: a gas station and convenience store at 415 Melvin Avenue and […]

Professor Tohid Didar (left), graduate student Lei Tian, and Professor Zeinab Hosseinidoust led a team of McMaster researchers in harnessing bacteria-eating viruses to create a powerful new weapon against contamination and infection. Photo credit: McMaster University/Anna Verdillo   Researchers at McMaster University have created a powerful new weapon against bacterial contamination and infection. They have […]

The decision was made in a marathon meeting last week. The HWDSB is now Ontario’s lone board to have an active masking mandate. Photo credit: Reading Eagle   Hamilton’s public school board (HWDSB) trustees have once again put in place a mask mandate for staff and students. The decision was made at a Monday, December […]

The Hamilton university ranked well into the top 100 schools on this year’s Global Employability Ranking. Photo credit: Facebook/McMaster University   While students attend university for a litany of reasons, the primary purpose of higher education is to prepare pupils for life after school – the workforce.  Consistently creating employable graduates is the mark of […]

The leak caused an estimated 337 million litres of raw sewage to drain into Hamilton Harbour (pictured) from 1996 to now. Officials made the discovery during a review of past records last week. Photo credit: marianas.com    The City of Hamilton is at the centre of yet another major sewage leak news story after officials […]

The defending CEBL champions are moving to Brampton. Photo credit: Facebook/CEBL     The Hamilton Honey Badgers are permanently leaving Hamilton for Brampton according to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).  The move comes after the team was informed that they would be temporarily forced out of the FirstOntario Centre (their home stadium) for the 2024 […]

The Hamilton-based steel manufacturer recently released its third quarter results. Photo credit: LinkedIn/Stelco   Stelco Holdings Inc. released its quarter three financials on November 15, reporting net third-quarter earnings down 74 per cent year-over-year with factors such as lower steel prices and inflation driving the decline. The financial results were for the quarter ending September […]

Professor Emeritus John Connolly (pictured) is leading the research. The hope is that quicker diagnoses will result in quicker and more accurate treatment plans for patients. Photo credit: McMaster Unversity/JD Howell    New brain health assessment technology is being developed at McMaster University and has recently gained new partnerships with Boston University and the Canadian […]

Mohawk College and St. Joseph’s Healthcare were each named Top Employers for the tenth time, respectively. The Hamilton-Niagara Top Employers editorial competition was established in 2008 by Mediacorp. Photo credit: Facebook/Mohawk College   Over a dozen Hamilton workplaces have made this year’s ‘Hamilton-Niagara Top Employers’ list.  Published annually since 2008 by Mediacorp Canada, the competition […]

EmergConnect is a digital platform aimed at solving the problem of delays in emergency room triage. Photo credit: CBC/Alex Lupul   A McMaster student-led startup is working on solving the problem of delays in emergency room triage, starting with hospitals in Ontario.   EmergConnect, founded by Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization master’s student Ron Galaev, is a […]

The majority of Council, including the mayor and nine of the 15 members, were not around the municipal table last term. Pictured is newly-elected mayor Andrea Horwath being sworn in at the Hamilton Convention Centre, Nov. 16, 2022. Photo credit: Twitter/City of Hamilton   The 2022-2026 Hamilton City Council was officially sworn-in during a public […]

Back for the first time since 2019, the Christmas-themed locomotive will travel through Steeltown on Tuesday, November 29. Photo credit: CP   The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train has returned for 2022 after a brief two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Seeing the Holiday Train is a Christmas tradition for many Hamiltonians. The train will […]

My Choice Financial assessed its database of over 250,000 insurance quotes from January to October 31, 2022 to come with its top 10 list. Photo credit: Flickr/Ben Murray via The Conservation   Hamilton drivers are some of the province’s angriest behind the wheel.  According to a new study by My Choice Financial, a Toronto-based insurance […]

McMaster University grad Amanda Nguyen invented a game that became an overnight viral success, serving up a business opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Photo credit: Facebook/Boardball Inc.   Volleyball fan Amanda Nguyen wanted to be able to play her favourite sport anywhere — even in her apartment building’s empty squash court.    But without a net […]

Each of the teams that call Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre home – three in all – will be temporarily relocated over the next two years while the venue undergoes major renovations. The teams previously thought they would be able to continue playing out of the York Boulevard location during construction. Pictured is concept artwork of the […]

Christopher Helsen (pictured left), Jonathan Bramson (centre) and Danielle Hayes (right) of Triumvira, a Hamilton biotech firm started at McMaster University that is developing a next-generation immunotherapy treatment to tackle solid-cell cancers. Photo credit: Brighter World/McMaster University    A Hamilton biotech firm started at McMaster University is developing a next-generation immunotherapy treatment to tackle solid-cell […]

The lands will be used for new residential development as part of the government’s effort to get 1.5 million housing units built in Ontario over the next decade. The move comes in addition to a separate decision by the province to expand Hamilton’s urban boundary by 2,200 hectares. Photo credit: Greenbelt Foundation   On Friday, […]

Co-founded by Heather Sheardown (pictured), 20/20 OptimEyes Technologies is one of three McMaster startups that have received a combined $1.27 million to move their innovations closer to reality in the second round of McMaster Seed Fund investments. Photo credit: McMaster University/Brighter World    Three McMaster startups – AIMA Laboratories, LLIF Healthcare and 20/20 OptimEyes Technologies […]

The move, which reverses a recent decision by Hamilton City Council to restrict all development to the city’s current urban area, has drawn both support and criticism from local officials and stakeholders. Photo credit: Modern Farmer   On Friday, November 4, the Ontario government announced it will be expanding Hamilton’s urban boundary to allow for […]

The benchmark price fell 1.4 per cent to $779,500 last month. Photo credit: AP/David Zalubowski   As the Bank of Canada continues on its campaign to crash the Canadian economy by aggressively raising interest rates in order to bring inflation back down into its arbitrary target range, local housing prices once again dipped downward last […]

The group of members-elect, along with a handful of trustees and unsuccessful candidates, accused the Hamilton Spectator of taking part in “a journalistic practice that has perpetuated anti-Black racism”. They’re refusing to speak to the publication moving forward unless their list of demands are met. Photo credit: PlusVG Architects   On Thursday, October 27, just […]

Local MP Dan Muys. Photo credit: Facebook/Dan Muys   Following the Hamilton municipal election on Monday, October 24, 2022, The Hamilton Independent spoke to Flamborough-Glanbrook Conservative Member of Parliament Dan Muys one-on-one about his thoughts regarding the results. Questions and answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity. THE HAMILTON INDEPENDENT (THI): What is […]

Maria Pearson, Jason Farr, and Arlene VanderBeek, all multi-term councillors, will not be returning to Hamilton City Hall next month after failing to regain their respective council seats Monday night. Photo credit: Twitter/City of Hamilton   Hamilton’s municipal election on Monday was full of drama. Even prior to October 24, it was clear the election […]

Incumbent councillor Brad Clark. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   The Ward 9 Cable 14 debate took place on September 20. A replay of the debate can be watched via YouTube. Incumbent Councillor Brad Clark is up against three challengers. Ward 9 consists of Upper Stoney Creek. The northern border is the Escarpment. The southern […]

Five-term incumbent Maria Pearson faces two familiar foes from 2018. Photo credit: CBC/Samantha Craggs   The Ward 10 Cable 14 debate took place on September 20. A replay of the discussion can be watched via YouTube. Incumbent Councillor Maria Pearson is facing the same two candidates as in 2018, only this time the absence of […]

Hamilton will see a number of new councillors come October 24, including in Wards 11, 12, 14 and 15. Ward 13 Councillor Arlene Vanderbeek (pictured) is the only incumbent seeking re-election in the city’s ‘rural’ wards. Photo credit: Arlene Vanderbeek   Ward 11 Ward 11, which comprises of the municipality of Glanbrook, including Mount Hope […]

The two-person race is one of the more compelling contests of the 2022 municipal election in Hamilton, with incumbent Esther Pauls (left) squaring off against experienced challenger in former councillor and MP Scott Duvall (right). Photo credit: Facebook/Esther Pauls and Scott Duvall   The Ward 7 Cable 14 debate took place on September 16. A […]

Few, if any councillors from the past term were as adamant as John-Paul Danko that city employees should lose their jobs for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He faces four challengers to keep his Ward 8 seat this election. Photo credit: Twitter/Jean-Paul Danko   The Ward 8 Cable 14 debate took place on September […]

The long-time councillor won with over 80 per cent of the vote in 2018. Below is a review of the Ward 6 Cable 14 debate that took place last month. Photo credit: CBC/Samantha Craggs   The Ward 6 Cable 14 debate took place on September 15. A replay of the debate can be watched via […]

McMaster researchers have developed a non-invasive screening tool that would allow doctors to assess children’s risk of asthma sooner and more effectively. Photo credit: iStockPhoto   A McMaster-led research team has developed a simple symptom-based screening tool that detects asthma risk in young children. It avoids current conventional tools, which are time-consuming and invasive, requiring skin […]

Officials were on hand in Hamilton Thursday to mark the occasion. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Last week, the provincial government marked the start of construction on the highly-anticipated Confederation GO station, which will be located near the intersection of the QEW and Centennial Parkway North in Hamilton.  A number of government officials were on […]

Considered one of the more politically radical members of Hamilton City Council, Nann faces a tough slate of challengers, including second place finisher from 2018 Laura Farr. Pictured is behind the scenes at the Ward 3 Cable 14 debate. Photo credit: Twitter/Cable 14   The Ward 3 Cable 14 debate took place on September 14. […]

Sam Merulla is not seeking re-election after 22 years of service as a city councillor. Host of 900 CHML Adam Oldfield (pictured) is considered one of the race’s frontrunners.    The Ward 4 Cable 14 debate took place on September 14. A replay of the debate can be watched via YouTube. Councillor Sam Merulla retired […]

The Prime Minister will look to defend his government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act back in February. Photo credit: AFP/David Chan   This week, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Justin Trudeau will testify before the Public Order Emergency Commission to defend the Liberal government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act during last winter’s occupation of […]

 It remains to be seen how voters in Hamilton’s Ward 2 feel about incumbent Jason Farr leaving Council for a number of weeks in 2022 in order to run provincially for the Ontario Liberal Party, only to return to the council table after losing to Progressive Conservative Neil Lumsden. Photo credit: Facebook/Jason Farr   The […]

The incumbent candidate (pictured) faced a number of questions about her apparent desire to ‘defund the police’ when she squared off against challengers Ian MacPherson and John Vail at the Cable 14 debate two weeks ago. Photo credit: Facebook/Maureen Wilson   The Ward 1 Cable 14 debate took place on September 13. A replay of […]

The median price for a two-bedroom unit in the city stayed just below $2,000 per month in August. Pictured is Hamilton’s Redhill Tower apartment building. Photo credit: Skyview Living   According to Zumper’s latest Canadian Rent Report, Hamilton remains middle-of-the-pack in terms of rental affordability in Canada.  Released last Thursday, the monthly report ranked the […]

Both the university’s medical school and business school are named after the philanthropist. Photo credit: McMaster University   Michael G. DeGroote immigrated to Canada at the age of 14 and left school at grade nine to help support his family. He went on to become one of the country’s most generous philanthropists, donating millions in […]

A smaller plan was rejected by council at the end of last year. Development firm New Horizon is appealing council’s decision and putting forward an even more ambitious proposal. Photo credit: New Horizon Development Group   New Horizon Development Group’s plan for three large residential towers on Frances Avenue in Stoney Creek is now even […]

Since February the average price of residential property in the RAHB service area has dropped 22.3 per cent. Photo credit: AP/Reed Saxon   In line with most other jurisdictions across the province, home prices in the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) service area continued their steady descent last month, inching closer to parity with levels […]

Few places in southern Ontario have made as big, and as quick of an economic turnaround as downtown Hamilton. Pictured is a conceptual rendering of 75 James Street South, Hamilton, ON. Photo credit: Fengate    Initially it was cheap real estate that lured some art gallery owners to set along James Street North in Hamilton. […]

Many of the quick-fix measures meant to improve safety on the notoriously dangerous thoroughfare have generated a suite of new issues for commuters. Photo credit: Global News   As detailed in an article by The Hamilton Independent last week, the complete redesign of Main Street in Hamilton is already partly underway. Hamilton City Council passed […]

Following provincial guidelines, Hamilton’s public and Catholic school boards will not require students to be masked in the classroom this fall, as Minister of Education Stephen Lecce hopes to offer learners as normal a school experience as possible. Photo credit: CBC/Dan Taekema   Despite some post-secondary institutions across Ontario requiring masks and even mandating a […]

The suite of quick fixes represents a short-term solution to the roadway’s traffic issues. Plans to convert the notoriously dangerous one-way, five-lane thoroughfare to a two-way street are currently underway. Photo credit: CBC News/Dan Taekema   The complete redesign of Main Street in Hamilton is already partly underway. The five-lane artery through downtown Hamilton has […]

Three front-runners lead the 2022 list of mayoral hopefuls. From left to right they are Bob Bratina, Andrea Horwath, and Keanin Loomis. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons and Facebook/Keanin Loomis   With the closure of nominations, the campaigns to become Hamilton’s next mayor are now in full swing. Although there are nine candidates who have registered, […]

The university made the announcement Wednesday, as post-secondary schools across the country finalize their fall plans. Photo credit: McMaster University/Daily News   McMaster University students and staff need not be triple-vaccinated against COVID-19 nor don masks in most on-campus settings when classes resume for the fall semester next month.  The Hamilton post-secondary school made the […]

Paul Paletta (pictured, centre) bestowed the multi-million-dollar gift to the Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice’s ongoing capital campaign to raise $25 million. An event celebrating the transformational gift was held at Carmen’s C-Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. Pictured to the left of Paletta is the hospice’s CEO Danielle Zucchet. Photo credit: CNW Group/Dr. Bob Kemp […]

McMaster University’s Research Data Centre, located at L.R. Wilson Hall (pictured), provides researchers with access to a large number of Statistics Canada’s population, social, and health surveys, as well as the census and administrative databases. Photo credit: McMaster University/Brighter World   The Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN), headquartered at McMaster, has received $17.4 million from […]

Released on Monday, the city’s most recent annual collision report reveals 19.1 per cent of all fatal and injury collisions in Hamilton between 2017 and 2021 were the result of inattentive driving. Difficult to fully verify, police estimate the actual percentage to be much higher.   As part of the municipality’s ongoing Vision Zero initiative, […]

The Hamilton-based university placed 47 for clinical medicine in the latest major global ranking of academic subjects. Pictured is the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster. Photo credit: McMaster University/Daily News   On Monday, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy published its yearly Academic Ranking of World Universities, one of three established lists of the globe’s best […]

The City of Hamilton was set to terminate around five per cent of its current workforce at the end of September because of the now-suspended mandate. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   In yet another reversal, Hamilton City Council voted on Friday, August 12 to “suspend” the City of Hamilton vaccine mandate that would have […]

The east Hamilton site was previously used as a satellite campus for Brock University’s Faculty of Education (pictured). The school sold the property to New Horizon Development in September 2020. Photo credit: Brock University   Located near the Kenilworth Access, the site of Brock University’s former Hamilton satellite campus will soon look completely different. The […]

Mike Collins-Williams of the West End Home Builders’ Association, which represents the residential construction industry in Hamilton and Halton Region, said now that everyone is finally in agreement regarding solutions to the housing crisis, “it’s time for action”.    Earlier this week, the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), in conjunction with local partners including Hamilton’s […]

The company is hoping to build a new fulfillment centre at the site. Strategically located near Hamilton International Airport, Hamilton Mountain has seen the opening of a large new Amazon facility and multi-million dollaDHL shipping facility in recent months. Pictured is the IKEA store in Etobicoke. Photo credit: IKEA   Swedish company IKEA, known as […]

 Approximately 264 people, or 5 per cent of the city’s workforce, are set to be terminated on October 1, 2022 for violating the municipality’s vaccination policy. Photo credit: Twitter/City of Hamilton   There were more spectators than normal in the Hamilton City Hall Council Chamber during the Thursday, August 4 General Issues Committee meeting, as […]

Located at 256 Parkdale Avenue, the McQuesten Lofts (pictured) officially opened in December 2020. The joint funding from the provincial and federal governments announced last week will help sustain the building’s 50 units into the foreseeable future. Photo credit: Invizij Architects   Last Friday, August 5, the Canadian and Ontario governments pledged $5.8 million to […]

Recent productions at the university follow a larger trend across Hamilton, with more and more companies coming to the city to film. Pictured is the July filming of The Horror of Dolores Roach. Photo credit: McMaster University/Daily News   McMaster University’s Mills Memorial Library is serving as the backdrop for a film production from Tuesday, […]

The over-$36-million-dollar contract is part of the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, which was launched under the Harper government in 2010. Heddle Shipyards, the contract winner, has worked on numerous Canadian Coast Guard vessels in the past. Photo credit: Facebook/Heddle Shipyards    Hamilton-based Heddle Shipyards has been awarded a $36.14 million-dollar contract to refurbish […]

Hamilton Golf and Country Club (pictured) came in at number four in the country, while Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club took the 99 spot. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton Golf and Country Club   Earlier this week, sports website and magazine SCOREGolf released its biennial ranking of Canada’s top 100 golf courses.  The now world-famous Cabot […]

The former leader of the Ontario NDP confirmed widespread suspicion that she would try for the city’s head of council Tuesday morning. Photo credit: Twitter/Andrea Horwath   Precisely a quarter century after it began, Andrea Horwath’s political career has come full circle. On Tuesday morning, the former leader of the provincial NDP and head of […]

Outgoing mayor Fred Eisenberger threw his support behind the idea of a local history museum at the former Discovery Centre on Pier 8 (pictured) last week.    Hamilton’s west harbour, which is already slated for a 1,500-unit residential development, may soon also be home to a new Hamilton museum and public library. The Discovery Centre […]

Renovations of the FirstOntario Centre (pictured in concept image) were initially expected to cost around $50 million. Now with the involvement of Oak View Group, total investment in the facility will be an estimated $100 to $200 million. Photo credit: Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group   It appears that the scheduled revamp of the FirstOntario […]

Officials are asking people to avoid unnecessary site visits and to practice patience when seeking care. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton Health Sciences   Service impacts and increasingly high wait times are likely to remain an “ongoing reality” at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) sites for the foreseeable future, as the hospital […]

Hamilton Mountain MPP Monique Taylor (left) was named deputy whip and critic for children, community, and social services. Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas MPP Sandy Shaw (right) was named critic for environment, conservation, and parks. Former Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath (not pictured) was given the lowly role of ethics and accountability critic, perhaps signalling a near-future departure […]

Jennifer Williams and Melissa Furtado will each receive $35,000 plus a $2,000 research allowance for their ground-breaking work into women’s health. Photo credit: Facebook/McMaster Faculty of Science    On Monday, the Council of Ontario Universities announced its annual Women’s Health Scholars Award recipients for 2022, with two graduate researchers from McMaster University making up a […]

For the second consecutive year, the City of Hamilton reached the billion-dollar mark in less than six months.    On Monday, the City of Hamilton revealed the municipality surpassed $1 billion in new building permits back in mid-June – the earliest the milestone has ever been reached.  The June 17 date was almost two weeks […]

Councillor Jason Farr (left), Durand Neighbourhood Association member Janice Brown (centre), and Mayor of Hamilton Fred Eisenberger at a ceremonial ground-breaking event at St. Mark’s Church on June 6, 2022. After sitting vacant for decades, the 155-year-old historic building is being restored and expanded. It’s scheduled to reopen to the public in summer 2024. Photo […]

Officials announced the contract winners and detailed the project on site at the bridge last week. Pictured third from left is Minister of Public Services and Procurement Filomena Tassi, who made the announcement. Photo credit: Twitter/Filomena Tassi   In yet another announcement involving the revival of the Burlington Canal area, Public Service and Procurement Canada […]

Part of the War of 1812, the Battle of Stoney Creek is largely seen by scholars as a turning point in the war between British forces in North America and the invading Americans, with the former pulling off a major strategic victory. A re-enactment of the pivotal battle was held annually since 1981 before the […]

The average home price in the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington market area fell five percentage points last month. Bucking the trend, however, was Burlington, where prices continued their steady upward climb.     Interest rate hikes and fears of an impending recession continue to cool what was a red-hot housing market across much of the country […]

Officials celebrate Lynx Air’s inaugural flight from Hamilton on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Pictured left to right: Hamilton City Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, Vantage Airport Network Vice President and Head Cathie Puckering, Lynx Chief Commercial Officer Vijay Bathija, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport Executive Managing Director Cole Horncastle, and Hamilton City Councillor Judi Partridge. Photo […]

Parminder Raina (pictured) was named a Member of the Order for “his leading research in ageing and population health in Canada and for his impact on national policymaking in geriatric care services.” Photo credit: McMaster University/Laura Lawson via CBC   Last week, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 85 […]

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra (pictured at podium) announced the federal government was turning over management of the Burlington Canal Piers to HOPA earlier this week. Photo credit: Twitter/Transport Canada   As of July 2, 2022, the Burlington Canal Piers will be managed by the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA), a local group that helps manage […]

The renovation is part of a new half-century deal between the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG): a consortium made up of Carmen’s Group, Mercanti Family and Associates, LiUNA, Meridian Credit Union, and Paletta Group. The agreement will reportedly save taxpayers an estimated $155 million over 30 years. Photo credit: […]

The gift was announced on June 22, 2022. Pictured from left to right: Sarah Murphy, board chair Hamilton Community Foundation, Paul Paletta, Michael Paletta, and Cheryl Jensen, vice-chair Hamilton Community Foundation. Photo credit: CNW Group/Hamilton Community Foundation   Last week, local philanthropists from the Paletta family announced a $50 million financial commitment to the Hamilton […]

 Eisenberger served as the city’s head of council from 2006 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to 2022. Photo credit: Facebook/Fred Eisenberger   Mayor Fred Eisenberger has settled on a decision that local political pundits and residents have speculated about for some time. Announced Monday, June 20 via a press release and multiple media […]

The city currently has two-way car-sharing services, wherein rented vehicles must be picked up and returned in the same location, but the new pilot project allows users to pick up and drop off at different locations within a designated area. Photo credit: Communauto    As of June 2022, the City of Hamilton is now home […]

The two-day event, headlined and hosted by the Arkells (pictured), takes place this Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25, 2022. Photo credit: Arkells Music   Well-known Hamilton band the Arkells will be holding a special two-day event complete with a basketball game, bike ride, flea market, and huge outdoor concert this upcoming weekend. “The […]

Photo credit: Twitter/City of Hamilton   On Wednesday, May 25, Hamilton City Council voted to alter the municipal staff vaccination policy. Unvaccinated city staff (of which there are approximately 505 people, or 6 per cent of the city’s workforce) were set to be terminated from their jobs on June 1, 2022. However, in a last-minute […]

The two-day event takes place June 25 and 26 at Hamilton International Airport, where the museum (pictured) is located.     Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the “Skyfest50” airshow on June 25 and 26.  The weekend event will feature the historic Fairey Firefly which has been grounded for […]

Conceptual rendering of proposed Lime Ridge Mall redevelopment. Photo credit: Cadillac Fairview    It seems redeveloping malls to include residential housing options is a popular trend, particularly in Hamilton.  With the owners of Eastgate Mall planning to add thirteen apartment towers to their property, the owners of Lime Ridge Mall, Cadillac Fairview, have proposed the […]

Proposal includes 13 apartment towers (pictured). Photo credit: Harrison Equity Partners   In March 2022, Harrison Equity Partners, the company that owns Eastgate Square, announced that they were planning to redevelop the mall to add residential buildings to the property. While Harrison Equity Partners announced their plan back in March, it did not include details […]

Starting in the fall, certain spine, knee, and eye day surgeries will be performed at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby, freeing up space at Hamilton General Hospital and McMaster Children’s Hospital. Photo credit: Pexels/Anna Shvets   A recent analysis by the Ontario Medical Association revealed that the current healthcare backlog created by the COVID-19 […]

Potholes and severe alligator cracking elevated the thoroughfare from third place last year to the top spot on CAA’s annual list for 2022. Photo credit: Global News   Earlier this week, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) released its annual list of Ontario’s worst roads.  Topping the 2022 index was Hamilton’s Barton Street East, which runs […]

Staff will no longer have to waste time shuffling paper and searching for records, while patients will no longer have to tell their entire life story at every new interaction. Photo credit: Hamilton Health Sciences   After more than two years of planning, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) launched its new hospital information system ‘Epic’ on […]

The 1.7 per cent decrease in May was the third month in a row the average sale price for residential property in the RAHB market area went down. Photo credit: Pexels/Curtis Adams   On June 3, the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) released its monthly real estate statistics for May 2022.  For the third month […]

The PC Party managed to pick up a seat in urban Hamilton, as Neil Lumsden made history in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, becoming the riding’s first Conservative MPP-elect, but the New Democrats managed to hold onto three of the city’s five ridings. Though Andrea Horwath (pictured) handily won her riding of Hamilton Centre, the long-time head […]

MPP-elect Neil Lumsden addresses supporters after being the first PC Party candidate to win the Hamilton riding since its inception. Photo credit: The Hamilton Independent/Kevin Geenen   It’s a riding that has never gone Conservative in its history. But, on Thursday, June 2, 2022, it finally went blue. Hamilton East-Stoney Creek (HESC) has been an […]

 The final Hamilton area debate took place late last week. Only incumbent NDP candidate Monique Taylor (right) and Liberal challenger Chantale Lachance (left) were in attendance. Photo credit: Twitter/Cable 14   The Hamilton Mountain Cable 14 debate took place last Thursday, May 26. A replay of the 60-minute debate can be watched via YouTube. The […]

Candidates from across Hamilton, Niagara, and Halton region were in attendance. Typically seen as an NDP stronghold at the provincial level, polling shows PCs in position to win three of Hamilton’s five ridings. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Ontario PC Party leader Doug Ford held a rally in Hamilton on Thursday, May 26 at the […]

On Wednesday, Independent incumbent Paul Miller (right) duked it out with NDP and Liberal challenges Zaigham Butt (left) and Jason Farr (centre). In office for 15 years, Miller was kicked out of the NDP just prior to the provincial election for an alleged “pattern of troubling behaviour”. Miller denies all allegations related to the claim. […]

Launched in late 2021, the ‘Deep Space Healthcare Challenge’ is looking for innovative technological solutions to address the unique issue of remote, autonomous healthcare delivery. Photo credit: Canadian Space Agency   If Elon Musk gets his way, human beings will reach Mars by decade’s end.  The near two-year roundtrip between Earth and the Red Planet […]

Last Friday, NDP incumbent candidate Sandy Shaw (right) faced off against Liberal and Green Party challengers Shubha Sandill (centre) and Syam Chandra (left) in Cable 14’s second of five Hamilton-area 2022 provincial election debates. Notably absent was Ontario PC Party candidate Fred Bennink. Photo credit: Twitter/Cable 14   The Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas Cable 14 debate took […]

 Last Thursday, Ontario PC Party incumbent Donna Skelly (centre) squared off against NDP and Liberal challengers Allison Cillis (left) and Melisse Willems (right) in Cable 14’s first of five Hamilton-area 2022 provincial election debates. Photo credit: Twitter/Cable 14   The Flamborough-Glanbrook Cable 14 debate took place this week, co-costed by the Hamilton Spectator and moderated […]

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   Background: The RHVP Inquiry often refers to two different tests. One is a pavement test strip that Dufferin Construction conducted to test the aggregate mix used for the paving. The second is a skid friction test conducted by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to assess proper tire to pavement friction, […]

Staff to deliver a feasibility report next year.   Hamilton’s Main Street, a five-lane one-way artery through downtown which takes traffic east, may soon undergo a number of design changes after a motion drafted by city councillors Nrinder Nann and Maureen Wilson passed 12-2 last week.  Among the key points in the motion is a […]

Interim CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Marie Nash kicks off the 2022 ‘Outstanding Business Achievement Awards’ ceremony Wednesday, May 11. Photo credit: Twitter/Hamilton Chamber of Commerce   The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce hosted its 38th annual ‘Outstanding Business Achievement Awards’ at Carmen’s Banquet Centre last Wednesday.  Held in-person for the first time since […]

The veteran provincial politician was kicked out of the party at the end of March. Photo credit: CBC/Evan Mitsui    In the latest development of the Paul Miller saga, the MPP has filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against the Ontario NDP and its leader Andrea Horwath over his ouster from the provincial party. The lawsuit, […]

University Hall, McMaster University. Photo credit: McMaster University   Students, staff, faculty, and members of the public visiting McMaster University will no longer be required to wear a mask in most settings as of June 1, 2022.  The university announced the policy update Monday, citing “expert advice” and “the changing course of the pandemic in […]

Battling seemingly profound bouts of forgetfulness, key witnesses provide testimony short on details.    Background: The RHVP Inquiry often refers to two different tests. One is a pavement test strip that Dufferin Construction conducted to test the aggregate mix used for the paving. The second is a skid friction test conducted by the Ministry of […]

Yet city remains on track to terminate unvaccinated employees at end of month. Photo credit: EXP   Just over two years from when it was originally instituted on Apr. 17, 2020, the City of Hamilton formally ended its COVID-19 emergency declaration earlier this week.  Mayor Fred Eisenberger sent notice of the policy termination to the […]

Though the monthly decrease more than doubled in April, the average price remained above the $1 million mark. Photo credit: Zillow   Last week, the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) released its monthly real estate statistics for April.  For the second month in a row, the average sale price for residential properties in the RAHB […]

Bridge authorities say they have been informed by the federal agency that required use of the app is to be “made permanent.” Federal Liberals set aside $25 million in most recent budget to help the CBSA maintain the pre-entry requirement. Photo credit: The Niagara Independent/Nicholas Tibollo    Speaking in the House of Commons last Thursday, […]

Red Hill Valley Parkway under construction at Queenston Road, May 2005. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   The judicial inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) continued this week. Here is what we learned: Day Six – May 2 Andro Delos Reyes On Monday, the judicial inquiry heard from Andro Delos Reyes, the Senior Site […]

Based on current numbers, just over 500 municipal employees, including 40 transit workers, would lose their jobs. Photo credit: Twitter/Hamilton Street Railway   On Wednesday, April 27, Hamilton City Council held a key vote on the city’s vaccination policy. The vote was on whether to continue with the plan to terminate employees who remain unvaccinated […]

The investment will help Hamilton’s Heddle Shipyards secure more National Shipbuilding Strategy-related contracts from the federal government over the coming decades. Photo credit: Heddle Shipyards   On Monday, the Ontario government announced it was investing $8.7 million in Heddle Shipyards to launch the Ontario Shipyard Modernization Project. The funds will be used to purchase state-of-the-art […]

Photo credit: Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry   The public hearings of the Judicial Inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) started last week.   The inquiry was requested by the City of Hamilton, and in the first phase of the public hearings, the focus will be on: questions relating to the construction of the […]

Pictured left to right: Andrew Smith, Chair, Take It To The Finish Campaign; Kevin Antonides, Chair, West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation; Tony Joosse, Co-Chair, Save and Rebuild Campaign; Sandra Easton, Mayor, Town of Lincoln; Sam Oosterhoff, MPP Niagara West; Rob MacIsaac, President and CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences; Mary Volk, Board Member, Hamilton Health Sciences; Jeff Jordan, Mayor, Town of […]

Liberty For Youth founder Frederick Dryden started his journey at Mohawk College in Hamilton on Thursday, April 28. He intends to run 21km a day for 10 consecutive days in an effort to raise $300,000 for at-risk youth programming. Photo credit: Liberty For Youth   The pandemic was hard on a lot of people, particularly […]

Commissioner Justice Herman J. Wilton-Siegel. Photo credit: CBC/Dan Taekema   The Judicial Inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) started this week. The inquiry was requested by the City of Hamilton and the first phase of public hearings will focus on questions relating to the construction of RHVP, friction testing conducted by Ontario’s Ministry […]

The addition will take approximately 18 months to build. Photo credit: Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School    Although Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School on the east mountain was only recently opened in 2012, it is already set to receive an expansion due to the school’s ballooning student population. The Government of Ontario announced last week […]

The 855,000 square foot fulfillment centre – dubbed YHM1, given its proximity to the airport in Mount Hope – will create close to 1,500 new jobs. Pictured: Amazon associates discuss the facility’s robotic technology at the grand opening, Tuesday, Apr. 19, 2022. Photo credit: Amazon Canada   Earlier this week, Amazon Canada officially opened its […]

Officials made the announcement Wednesday, Apr. 20, 2022. Pictured left to right: MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook Donna Skelly, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott, president and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences Rob MacIsaac, and Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Kuldeep Sidhu. Photo credit: Twitter/Hamilton Health Sciences   As part of its long-term commitment to […]

Since 1959, 402 scientists have received a Canada Gairdner Award and 96 have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. Dr. Cook (pictured, centre) was given the 2022 Wightman Award “for pioneering research that has developed and defined evidence-based critical care medicine in Canada, informing best practices around the world.” Photo credit: Twitter/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton    Earlier […]

Ontario government gave all public colleges the ability to develop degree programs last week. Photo credit: Mohawk College   In Kitchener last week, the Ontario government announced that public colleges in the province will be able to immediately begin developing new three-year degree programs, and even four-year degree programs in specific sectors. Degree programs, which […]

Hamilton City Council could help facilitate full transparency during the Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry by removing the legal obstacle of solicitor-client privilege. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   The Judicial Inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) is set to begin its public hearings on April 25. A question of privilege will be […]

The city’s law enforcement will partner with several community-based social organizations to help better serve Hamilton’s most vulnerable populations. Photo credit: Facebook/Hamilton Police Service   On Monday, the provincial government announced a “landmark investment” of more than $267 million over three years to help local police services around Ontario better safeguard their respective communities.  Most […]

The Hamilton expressway opened to motorists in 2007 and has been the site of numerous vehicle accidents over the years, with some blaming the roadway’s design and construction. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   Upon the discovery of an undisclosed “friction” report, Hamilton City Council authorized a judicial inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP). […]

The veteran NDP MPP (pictured left) was removed from the party only weeks before writ drop on March 17. Photo credit: CBC/Samantha Craggs   The Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Ontario NDP have a nomination date: Tuesday, April 19. They also have at least one nomination candidate: Zaigham Butt. This new development is part of a weeks-long […]

Brott, 78, was considered a titan in the world of classical music in Canada and beyond. Photo credit: Facebook/Brott Musical Festival   Internationally recognized conductor, composer, violinist, member of the Order of Canada, and one of the “greatest Hamiltonians of all time” Boris Brott was tragically killed in an alleged hit-and-run in Hamilton earlier this […]

The average sale price for residential proprieties in the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) market area fell by 2.7 per cent month over month in March. Photo credit: CBC   On Tuesday, the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) released its monthly real estate statistics for March.  For the first time since late last year, the […]

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital experienced a 33 per cent increase in urgent psychiatric care referrals. Photo credit: St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton   On Monday, provincial officials announced $5 million in funding to redevelop the psychiatric emergency service department at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. According to the government, the funding will […]

Architectural rendering of the OmniaBio facility at Hamilton’s McMaster Innovation Park. Photo credit: Invest Ontario   A new state-of-the-art life sciences facility is going to be built in Hamilton. Announced on Thursday, March 31 by the Ontario government and OmniaBio Inc., the new building will be a cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility, using innovative […]

The West End Home Builders’ Association said it supports Ontario’s More Homes for Everyone Act and hopes all political parties will come together to quickly pass the legislation before June’s election. Photo credit: Pixabay/Paul Brennan   On Wednesday, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark announced the introduction of Bill 109, More Homes […]

 Nowhere else in Canada have paramedics been convicted in both provincial and federal courts. Photo credit: Twitter/HPS Paramedics   Earlier this week, Hamilton Spectator columnist Susan Clairmont wrote about the alleged mistreatment of a deceased person by the city’s paramedic service back in January. She cited a Hamilton resident, Bill Butterworth, who complained about how […]

Blair McKeil. Photo credit: Breakwater Financial   Described as an “industry icon” in the world of marine transportation, Blair McKeil – who sat at the helm of his family’s Burlington-based business McKeil Marine Limited for the better part of three decades up until 2016 – has been named Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 ‘Citizen of […]

The facility will be located on surplus land beside St. Joseph Hospital’s West 5th Campus (pictured bottom right). The property currently hosts seven structures, including Century Manor. Photo credit: Google Maps   The Ontario government announced on Tuesday, March 22 that a new long-term care home will be built on the Hamilton Mountain beside St. […]

A candidate background search found that Hamilton MPP Paul Miller was reportedly a member of a Facebook group called ‘Worldwide Coalition Against Islam’. Miller denies all allegations. Photo credit: Ontario Legislative Assembly   On March 17, Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP announced that 15-year veteran MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Paul Miller was no […]

 In a recent one-on-one exchange with The Hamilton Independent, former Hamilton mayor Larry Di Ianni (pictured) talked about the current state of city council and the issues that will likely drive the next election. According to the former mayor, Hamilton’s current municipal government has “gone way left”. Photo credit: Cable14   The Hamilton Centre Conservative […]

Hamilton’s ‘Around the Bay’ 30km run is the oldest road race in North America. Photo credit: Facebook/Around the Bay   After being cancelled in 2020 and held virtually last year, Hamilton’s iconic ‘Around the Bay’ road race is back in-person this Sunday, March 27.  First held in 1894, the annual 30km run around Hamilton Harbour […]

Miller (centre-right, pictured at a 2017 demonstration) believes Horwath wants a more left-wing candidate. Photo credit: Facebook/Paul Miller   Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP announced on Thursday, March 17 that they have kicked 15-year veteran MPP Paul Miller out of the party and will not allow him to run under their banner in the […]

Council is expected to finalize the city’s 2022 budget next week. Photo credit: City of Hamilton   For 2022, Hamilton City Council is poised to increase property taxes by 2.8 per cent, which equates to approximately $39.5 million. This comes after council approved a 2.9 per cent tax increase in 2020 and a subsequent 2.1 […]

The “requirement” for staff and students to keep wearing masks past March 21 is now more akin to a recommendation. Photo credit: Pexels/Rodnae Productions   Hamilton-Wentworth Public School Board (HWDSB) trustees changed their original motion to require masks at public schools beyond the Monday, March 21 date set by the province at yet another special […]

The vote came only a day after the Ontario government announced it was lifting mask mandates across the province. Photo credit: Pexels/Rodnae Productions   The Ontario government recently announced that it will be lifting mask mandates province-wide in most settings, including schools, on Monday, March 21. However, at a special board meeting held last Thursday, […]

Photo credit: Eastgate Square   On Tuesday, March 8, Toronto-based firm Harrison Equity Partners, in collaboration with Retail Ventures CND Inc., announced a plan to turn Hamilton’s Eastgate Square Mall into a mixed-use hub that will include residential development in addition to retail.  The company said that Eastgate will be “reimagined and redesigned”, as well […]

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) office headquarters.    Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) trustees discussed potential boundary changes for the 2022 municipal election at a recent board meeting on Monday, February 28.  At the meeting, Officer of Trustee Services Heather Miller explained to members that the board must approve trustee boundaries prior to each municipal […]

Hamilton’s Randle Reef. Photo credit: Twitter/Environment Canada   Randle Reef, located in the Hamilton Harbour, is undergoing a large clean-up of century-old industrial pollution.  On March 9, seven public-private entities, including local steel manufacturer Stelco, announced stage two completion of the Contaminated Sediment Remediation Project.  About three hockey rinks full of contaminated sediment was withdrawn […]

In the keynote address at the West End Home Builders’ Association industry luncheon last week, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark (pictured) discussed the province’s housing supply shortage and some of the steps his government is taking to address the issue. Photo credit: WE HBA   Following a brief hiatus, the West End […]

Artist rendering of the new WLMH site in Grimsby. Photo credit: Hamilton Health Sciences/WLMH   On Monday, Hamilton Health Sciences and Infrastructure Ontario announced EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare (EDIH) as the preferred proponent to design, build, and finance the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital (WLMH) redevelopment project. The EDIH team is made up of the following entities:   […]

‘Women of Distinction’ awardee combats parent-child homelessness with an effective holistic approach. Photo credit: Shifra Homes   March 8 is International Women’s Day, and it’s one of many days to recognize and offer gratitude and encouragement to remarkable women in families, social groups, workplaces, and communities.  Last week, the Hamilton YMCA held its annual Women […]

Photo credit: Twitter/Hamilton Street Railway   The Ontario government recently announced that, starting Monday, Mar. 14, 2022, it will eliminate local transit fare for those connecting with GO Transit service. The new fare structure will apply to a number of transit systems within the Greater Golden Horseshoe, including all Hamilton Street Railway (HSR)-GO Transit connections. […]