Hamilton’s municipal election will be held on Oct. 26, 2026, and three candidates are registered to run for Ward 6 City Councillor on the East Mountain: Melissa Debicki, Tom Jackson, and Peter Werhun.
TOM JACKSON (INCUMBENT)
Campaign Email: tomjacksonward6@gmail.com
Campaign Website: Not Available at Publish Date
Tom Jackson was first elected as a Hamilton City Councillor in 1988 and is the longest-serving Councillor in the City of Hamilton.
He was born and raised in Hamilton to Armenian immigrant parents and attended Westmount Secondary School and McMaster University (Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science).
He owned two Second Cup locations in Hamilton and is a past employee of Stelco Hilton Works, Production Planning.
During this term of Council, Jackson voted in favour of restricting short-term rentals to a person’s primary residence, rescinding the new hire COVID vaccination mandate, police budget increases, ending the city poet program in order to save money amid a 5.6 per cent property tax increase, and pausing AI data centre applications for one year.
He voted against increasing Hamilton property taxes by 5.85 per cent in 2023, increasing Hamilton property taxes by 5.79 per cent in 2024, the rain tax stormwater fee program, the Encampment Protocol, the Vacant Unit Tax, and the Barton-Tiffany tiny shelter project.
More details on his voting record can be viewed on a new website called www.hamiltoncouncilwatch.ca.
MELISSA DEBICKI
Campaign Email: melissa.debicki@gmail.com
Campaign Website: www.melissadebicki.com
Melissa Debicki grew up in Hamilton’s west end and is a hair stylist and advocate for stricter e-bike safety regulations.
She lives in Ward 6 with her husband, two children, and family dog.
In October 2025, her four-year-old son, Theo, suffered a fractured skull in an e-bike hit-and-run accident.
In addition to e-bike regulations, her website says she is an advocate for updates to Canada’s parental benefits, and that she is concerned about AI data centres in Hamilton.
She adds that she is “committed to making sure Hamilton remains a city that is safe, inclusive, and prepared for the opportunities and challenges of the future.”
PETER WERHUN
Campaign Email: contact@pete46.ca
Campaign Website: www.pete46.ca
Peter Werhun was born and raised on the East Mountain and is the son of Ukrainian-Canadian immigrants.
He has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from McMaster University, a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Ottawa and went to law school at York University.
He is a trade lawyer who “represents Canadian companies and workers to make sure that they understand today’s complicated world of customs and trade law.”
He is the principal of Werhun Solutions.
He lists his priorities as housing, providing responsive and responsible governance, fixing potholes, and supporting businesses and workers.
ELECTORAL HISTORY
2010 Election: Tom Jackson won re-election with 54.90 per cent of the vote (6,560 votes), with Chris Behrens in second.
2014 Election: Tom Jackson won re-election with 80.83 per cent of the vote (7,886 votes), with Dan Rodrigues in second.
2018 Election: Tom Jackson won re-election with 82.26 per cent of the vote (8,247 votes), with Timothy Taylor in second.
2022 Election: Tom Jackson won re-election with 63.45 per cent of the vote (6,326 votes), with Chris Slye in second.
WARD DESCRIPTION
As of the 2021 census, the ward had 38,960 residents.
Ward 6 is the East Mountain and includes neighbourhoods such as Sunninghill, Sherwood, Hampton Heights, Huntington, Berrisfield, Lisgar, Randall, Quinndale, Trenholme, Eleanor, Templemead, Rymal, Hannon North, Hannon South, Hannon West, Broughton West, and Broughton East.
It is bordered by the hydro corridor south of Rymal Road to the south, the Escarpment to the north, Upper Gage (between the LINC and the Escarpment) and Upper Sherman (from the LINC to Rymal Road) to the west, and the Upper Red Hill Valley Parkway to the east.
Ward 6 is home to Albion Falls and Mohawk Sports Park.
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.
