Andrea Horwath has officially entered the race for Hamilton mayor ahead of the upcoming municipal election on October 26. While Horwath had previously stated her intention to seek re-election, she had not completed the necessary paperwork to be listed as an official candidate. On Friday afternoon, she was officially added as a candidate on the city’s official website.
In a news release, Horwath highlighted the significant challenges faced by the city over the past four years, including housing and homelessness crises, rising costs of living, and underinvestment in critical infrastructure. She acknowledged that while not all problems have been solved, progress has been made in addressing these issues.
Horwath mentioned that more details about her campaign will be shared in the future. During a news conference on Friday afternoon, she expressed pride in advancing major projects such as the Hamilton LRT, Jamesville affordable housing redevelopment, and TD Coliseum, which were previously stagnant.
Looking ahead, Horwath admitted that improving cybersecurity measures would be a priority if re-elected, citing the 2024 cyberattack on city systems as a significant challenge that required substantial resources. She emphasized the need to enhance digital services for residents and make public services more accessible online.
The last mayoral race in Hamilton was closely contested, with Horwath narrowly winning in October 2022 against Keanin Loomis by approximately 1,600 votes. This fall, she will once again compete against Loomis and other challengers. Since the city’s amalgamation in 2000, only one mayor, Fred Eisenberger, has been re-elected for consecutive terms in 2014 and 2018.
Several candidates are running for mayor in Hamilton, including Sasha Austin, Ejaz Butt, Rob Cooper, Paul Fromm, Scarlett Gillespie, Keanin Loomis, Pamela Mitchell, Kevin Walker, and Nathalie Xian Yi Yan. Each candidate brings unique perspectives and priorities to the race, aiming to address various issues affecting the city. Nomination forms for candidates are due by 2 p.m. on August 21.