'A new era': Hamilton city council and first woman mayor inaugurated after change election

A new city council was sworn in Wednesday evening, and Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath — the first woman to hold the title — says it's "a new era."

"Tonight, we start a journey of change," she told a crowd of at least 400 people at the Hamilton Convention Centre during her inaugural address.

"Tackling challenges our city faces can be approached in two ways: reactively or thoughtfully."

Horwath and the city's 15 councillors gave the oath of allegiance. Nine of those councillors are new.

"I feel grateful to be surrounded at the council table by so many unique and diverse voices, all of whom are passionate about making Hamilton the thriving city it can be, the success story it should be," she said.

The ceremony included some remarks from Joseph Martin on behalf of Six Nations of the Grand River's elected council, as well as an appearance from spirit bear drummers, and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada.

Horwath gave a roughly 20-minute speech, outlining the numerous issues the city and new council face, including street safety, hate incidents and forming a public advisory committee within the first 90 days.

She said the biggest issue she heard during the campaign was the urgent need for affordable housing.

Council will eliminate the city's affordable housing wait list by working with non-profit housing organizations, private market developers and all levels of government to get projects started, she said.

Horwath also said more federal money is going to Hamilton to continue building homes.

"Safe, healthy, affordable housing is a basic human right," she added.

It's unclear if her vision and council's will align with recently announced provincial plans.

The city already had a potential fight on its hands even before the new council was sworn in, after the provincial government ordered the city to expand its urban boundary and proposed removing some parts of the Greenbelt in Hamilton and Grimsby. The province says those expansions are needed to build more housing.

In a media scrum after the inaugural meeting, Horwath displayed optimism about the situation.

"We have to work hard to make sure any plans the province made are responded to in a way that helps us build full communities ... that is absolutely something I think everyone is committed to," Horwath told reporters.

That said, she said Hamiltonians see the Greenbelt as a "sacred trust" and councillors are "concerned" about the plans to remove some areas.

"It's not just about today — it's about tomorrow," she said.

Some councillors have said they were ready to resist the changes and Horwath said those comments were "healthy."

Horwath said council hasn't been fully briefed on all the implications of the province's order and Greenbelt plans.

As for Horwath's staff, she said she's in the midst of hiring people and currently has an interim chief of staff who will likely stay on for about half a year before someone permanent is hired.

Hamiltonians, past and present, excited about council

Some of the people in attendance Wednesday evening came from other cities to watch the historic first meeting.

Jose de Lima, a former Hamilton resident, said he drove from Cambridge to watch because he "needed" to be there to see the new crop of politicians.

"The Hamilton race, provincially, was, I think, the most progressive and forward-thinking council," he said, adding he previously worked with Horwath when she was a member of Ontario's New Democrats.

"New people on council, but people who have been working in the community for a long time."

Ashley Wilson, who lives in the Beasley neighbourhood and helped Ward 2 Coun. Cameron Kroetsch campaign, said she arrived to show support and see new councillors who she hopes will bring change.

"There's a lot of new faces around the table ... they want to do things differently in terms of accountability," she said.

Wilson, a member of the LGBTQ community, said hearing Horwath talk about fighting hate in the city was meaningful.

"It's super positive for me ... I'm optimistic," she said.

The meeting, though mostly ceremonial, did include the ratification of committee membership for council members. 

Ward 2 Coun. Kroetsch is on every single one. Ward 1 Coun. Maureen Wilson and Ward 13 Coun. Alex Wilson are on all but the Municipal Heritage Committee.

The first full council meeting will take place Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. 

Here are the boards and committees with councillors

Audit, finance and administration committee

• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Brad Clark.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.
• Coun. Mark Tadeson.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.

Emergency and community services committee

• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Tom Jackson.
• Coun. Brad Clark.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.

Planning committee

• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
•  Coun. Matt Francis.
• Coun. Esther Pauls.
• Coun. John-Paul Danko.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.
• Coun. Mark Tadeson.
• Coun. Craig Cassar.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.
• Coun. Mike Spadafora.
• Coun. Ted McMeekin.

Public works committee

• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
•  Coun. Matt Francis.
•  Coun. Tom Jackson.
• Coun. M. Francis.
• Coun. Esther Pauls.
• Coun. John-Paul Danko.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.
• Coun. Craig Cassar.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.
• Coun. Mike Spadafora.
• Coun. Ted McMeekin.

General issues committee

• Mayor Andrea Horwath.
• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Matt Francis.
• Coun. Tom Jackson.
• Coun. Esther Pauls.
• Coun. John-Paul Danko.
• Coun. Brad Clark.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.
• Coun. Mark Tadeson.
• Coun. Craig Cassar.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.
• Coun. Mike Spadafora.
• Coun. Ted McMeekin.

Board of health

• Mayor Andrea Horwath.
• Coun. Maureen Wilson.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
•  Coun. Matt Francis.
• Coun. Tom Jackson.
• Coun. Esther Pauls.
• Coun. John-Paul Danko.
• Coun. Brad Clark.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.
• Coun. Mark Tadeson.
• Coun. Craig Cassar
• Coun. Alex Wilson.
• Coun. Mike Spadafora.
• Coun. Ted McMeekin.

Kroetsch was also appointed to the Hamilton municipal heritage committee.

Councillors were also assigned to serve on various boards.

You can find the full list here. Some of those include:

Hamilton Police Services Board

• Mayor Andrea Horwath.
• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Esther Pauls.

CityHousing Hamilton Corporation Board 

• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Nrinder Nann.
• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Ted McMeekin.
• Coun. Alex Wilson.

Hamilton Farmers' Market Corporation Board

• Coun. Cameron Kroetsch.
• Coun. Jeff Beattie.

Red Hill Valley Joint Stewardship Board

• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Matt Francis.
• Coun. Brad Clark.

Hamilton Tourism Development Corporation Board 

• Coun. Tammy Hwang.
• Coun. Craig Cassar.
• Coun. Mike Spadafora.