Hamilton City Councillor Mark Tadeson (Ward 11 – Glanbrook-Binbrook-Mount Hope) brought forward a motion on Oct. 22 to have staff look into the feasibility of implementing a Rural Residential Property Credit as part of the city’s new stormwater fee (or rain tax) that is set to start in 2026.
The motion was ultimately shut down in a 7 to 9 vote at the General Issues Committee and then rejected again by Council in a 5 to 11 vote at the Oct. 29 City Council meeting.
Tadeson’s motion, which was seconded by Councillor Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek-Fruitland-Winona), would have seen staff look into the possibility of giving the approximately 9,500 residential homes in rural Hamilton a 50 per cent discount on the city’s new stormwater fee.
Under the new tax, every single-family detached home will be charged the same fixed fee ($201), which is considered one billing unit.
Those living in townhouses or duplexes will be charged 0.5 billing units.
Meanwhile, industrial, commercial, institutional, agricultural, and multi-family properties with more than six units will be charged based on the actual impervious area of each property, based on aerial imagery.
Tadeson argued that the fee structure for urban and rural residences should not be the same fixed fee of $201, since they are not connected to the city’s water and sewer system.
He also noted that once the stormwater fee is implemented, residents in the urban areas of Hamilton will then see a reduction in their water and sewer bills of approximately $160 as a result of the extra revenue brought in from the stormwater fee, which will somewhat offset the $201 charge.
But since rural residences are not connected to the city’s water system, they will not see their costs offset since they have to pay for private water and sewer costs, such as well and cistern maintenance, sump pump operations, and septic maintenance.
Tadeson said that the additional costs to rural residents “create an inequitable financial burden on rural residents, who effectively subsidize a municipal water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure they do not use.”
In debate on the matter, staff explained that although rural residents are not connected to the city’s water system, the city still maintains 1,500 km worth of ditches, 150 km of watercourses, about 50,000 catch basins, 3,500 culverts, and about 130 stormwater ponds.
Councillor Alex Wilson (Ward 13 – Dundas-Central Flamborough) commented that “one of the decisions” that Council made early on was to “treat residential properties consistently” when it comes to the stormwater fee, and that the system should not be changed.
Councillor Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain) began discussing the stormwater fee in general and called it “bad public policy that should be repealed and rescinded.”
He added that any reductions or exemptions will negatively impact his ward’s residents because “somebody else is going to have to pick up the tab.”
Tadeson countered that, “based on his calculations”, if the 9,500 rural residences were provided a 50 per cent reduction, then other homeowners would only have to pick up an extra $4.75 each.
Councillor Ted McMeekin (Ward 15 – East Flamborough-Waterdown) added that one of the guiding principles of the stormwater fee is that it was supposed to be “simple, fair, and equitable.”
He said that rural residents paying the same as urban residents is “simple,” but “is not fair or equitable.”
Nevertheless, the motion was shot down.
VOTING RESULTS
MOTION: To have staff report back on the feasibility of a Rural Residential Property Credit.
OCT. 22, 2025: GENERAL ISSUES COMMITTEE
IN FAVOUR (7): Maureen Wilson (Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes-Westdale), Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton), Tammy Hwang (Ward 4 – Hamilton East), Brad Clark (Ward 9 – Upper Stoney Creek), Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek-Fruitland-Winona), Mark Tadeson (Ward 11 – Glanbrook-Binbrook-Mount Hope), Ted McMeekin (Ward 15 – East Flamborough-Waterdown)
AGAINST (9): Nrinder Nann (Ward 3 – East Hamilton Centre), Matt Francis (Ward 5 – Hamilton East-Stoney Creek), Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain), Esther Pauls (Ward 7 – Central Mountain), Rob Cooper (Ward 8 – West/Central Mountain), Craig Cassar (Ward 12 – Ancaster-West Flamborough), Alex Wilson (Ward 13 – Dundas-Central Flamborough), Mike Spadafora (Ward 14 – West Mountain), Mayor Andrea Horwath
OCT. 29, 2025: CITY COUNCIL MEETING
IN FAVOUR (5): Tammy Hwang (Ward 4 – Hamilton East), Brad Clark (Ward 9 – Upper Stoney Creek), Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek-Fruitland-Winona), Mark Tadeson (Ward 11 – Glanbrook-Binbrook-Mount Hope), Ted McMeekin (Ward 15 – East Flamborough-Waterdown)
AGAINST (11): Maureen Wilson (Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes-Westdale) – Changed Vote, Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2 – Downtown Hamilton) – Changed Vote, Nrinder Nann (Ward 3 – East Hamilton Centre), Matt Francis (Ward 5 – Hamilton East-Stoney Creek), Tom Jackson (Ward 6 – East Mountain), Esther Pauls (Ward 7 – Central Mountain), Rob Cooper (Ward 8 – West/Central Mountain), Craig Cassar (Ward 12 – Ancaster-West Flamborough), Alex Wilson (Ward 13 – Dundas-Central Flamborough), Mike Spadafora (Ward 14 – West Mountain), Mayor Andrea Horwath
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.
