Before the Ballot- with Ward 15 Candidate Zac Wrobel

Welcome to this edition Before the Ballot- with Ward 15 Candidate Zac Wrobel.

What motivated you to run for council, and why do you believe now is the right time for new leadership in your ward?

I have been a resident of Hamilton since 2012 and moved to our current home in 2020 shortly after welcoming our daughter. Since then, I have become more involved in the community and gained a greater appreciation for the incredible area we live in. At the same time, I have reflected on how much our local environment and leadership impact not only today’s residents, but also the next generation growing up here.

As a husband, father, and resident, I felt a responsibility to invest in my daughter’s future and educate myself on the issues affecting our city. I am not a career politician — I am someone who believes residents deserve stronger representation, greater accountability, and a clearer understanding of where their record-high tax dollars are being spent. I believe now is the right time for leadership that is connected to the community and focused on practical results for residents.

Every ward has its own unique challenges. What do you believe are the top three issues facing residents in your ward today, and how would you address them?

Ward 15 is one of the most unique wards in Hamilton. It includes rapidly growing residential communities alongside long-established rural and farming areas. Within minutes, residents can travel from busy commercial centres and subdivisions to rural backroads and farmland that support our local economy and food supply.

One of the most consistent concerns I hear from residents is affordability and accountability. People are paying high property taxes and deserve transparency with regards to where that money is going. I believe residents deserve a councillor who will advocate for reinvesting tax dollars directly back into the community through measurable improvements and responsible spending.

Community safety is another major issue. Residents deserve to feel safe in their neighbourhoods, and our first responders deserve strong support from City Hall. I want to ensure police, fire, and emergency services have the backing and resources they need while also advocating for practical solutions that improve safety throughout the ward.

Infrastructure is also a growing concern, especially in the rural areas of Ward 15. As someone who regularly drives the concessions north of Waterdown, I see firsthand the condition of many roads and the frustration residents experience daily. Basic infrastructure matters. We need better planning and investment to ensure roads, transportation routes, and essential services meet the needs of a growing community.

Municipal government often requires balancing competing interests and difficult budget decisions. How would you approach making tough decisions at City Hall?

Throughout my career, I have worked in roles that required gathering facts, reviewing evidence, and making difficult decisions under pressure. My experience in asset protection and investigations taught me the importance of staying objective, asking questions, and making decisions based on facts rather than assumptions.

I have also worked closely with people from many different backgrounds and life situations, which strengthened my communication skills and ability to listen respectfully to different perspectives. I believe effective leadership requires collaboration, accountability, and the willingness to hear concerns from both sides, in this case residents and fellow council members.

At the end of the day, my priority would always be the residents of Ward 15. Tough decisions are part of leadership, but residents deserve a councillor who will approach those decisions with fairness, accountability, transparency, and the community’s best interests in mind.

What experience, skills, or perspective do you bring that distinguishes you from other candidates seeking the same council seat?

What distinguishes me from other candidates is my background in frontline investigations, accountability, and decision-making under pressure. I have worked in loss prevention and asset protection for major national and global corporations, both as a direct employee and as a subcontractor. In those roles, I investigated theft, fraud, and organized retail crime while balancing public safety with the rights of individuals involved.

My work required gathering evidence, preparing detailed reports, and making decisions that could withstand scrutiny from corporate leadership, law enforcement, and the judicial system. That experience taught me the importance of professionalism, accountability, attention to detail, and remaining calm in high stress situations.

I also bring a practical perspective to municipal politics. I understand the concerns of working families, small businesses, and residents who want safer communities, responsible spending, and leaders who focus on results rather than political talking points. My background has strengthened my communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to making informed, evidence-based decisions — qualities I believe are essential for effective leadership at City Hall.

What is the best way for voters to contact you and/or learn more about you?

Residents can follow my journey and learn more about me as a husband, father, and Ward 15 resident through my social media pages:

Instagram: Zac Wrobel
Facebook: Zac Wrobel

Email: zacwrobelward15@gmail.com
Telephone: 289-460-1955

I look forward to connecting with residents, hearing their concerns, and discussing the future of Ward 15.

Thank-you Zac for engaging with Hamiltonians on The Hamiltonian! 

Traction In Action- With Ward 10 Councillor Candidate and Incumbent, Jeff Beattie

I think this image captures me in my natural form - in the community, supporting, serving, volunteering - and having fun along the way.  The picture is inside the Peach Sundae Booth at the Winona Peach Festival, where I spend time every year serving Peach Sundaes to Festival-goers.  I've been a member of the club that runs the booth for over 20 years, a Festival volunteer my entire life, and the person I'm sharing a laugh with is another long-time volunteer, former Scout Leader and former librarian of the now-closed Winona Branch of the Hamilton Public Library.

~Jeff

Before the Ballot- Candidate's Guide - Your Competitive Edge

The Hamiltonian releases its Before the Ballot- Candidate's Guide - Your Competitive Edge. This guide will be updated regularly.

Ready to sharpen your competitive edge? Download the guide by clicking here. 

The Warning Signs Are Everywhere

"I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord."

Phil Collins was not writing about municipal politics when he penned those famous lyrics, but they capture something that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore in Hamilton's 2026 municipal election.

Something is changing.

For decades, a familiar script has guided many municipal campaigns.

The conventional wisdom went something like this: Summer is quiet. Voters are distracted. Campaigns can wait. Incumbents can afford to take their time. Serious campaigning begins after Labour Day, when people return from vacations and begin paying attention.

The assumption was simple. Wait until September. Secure media coverage. Roll out the platform. Attend debates. Let the campaign begin.

But there are growing signs that this script may no longer be reliable. The first sign is early registration.

Across Hamilton, candidates are entering races earlier than many observers would typically expect. Early registration is more than an administrative act. It signals intent. It signals commitment. Most importantly, it signals hunger.

The second sign is participation. An overwhelming majority of candidates invited to participate in The Hamiltonian's Before the Ballot series have accepted. Candidates are not waiting for election season. They are stepping forward now to answer questions, explain their priorities, and place their ideas before voters.

The third sign is visibility. Consider the mayoral race. Mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis has been highly visible, attending community events, meeting residents, participating in discussions, and steadily building his presence across the city.

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Scarlett Gillespie has demonstrated an ability to penetrate social media conversations, attract attention, and inspire discussions.

At the same time, mayoral candidate Sasha Austin has sought to reshape the conversation by publicly challenging both Loomis and fellow candidate Rob Cooper to debate, signaling that some candidates are not prepared to wait for the traditional campaign calendar before testing their ideas in public.

Nor are these the only examples. Across Hamilton's wards, candidates are engaging , introducing themselves to voters, and building support long before many would traditionally consider campaign season to have begun.

Some are doing so quietly. Others more visibly. But they are doing it. And perhaps that is the most important point. This is not about any one candidate. It is about a broader shift.

Perhaps the most telling sign of all is the public response. The level of interest being generated around local politics is unmistakable. The Hamiltonian's readership numbers are climbing. Social media discussions are expanding. Conversations sparked by the Before the Ballot candidate interviews are spreading well beyond the original articles.

What is particularly noteworthy is not simply the volume of engagement, but its quality. Yes, there are still occasional comments driven more by emotion than analysis. Every election has them.

But increasingly, Hamiltonians are asking thoughtful questions. They are comparing visions. They are challenging assumptions. They are examining records. They are debating ideas rather than personalities. And even through the glorious weather we have been enjoying , people are engaging.

With relatively low voter turnout, one also wonders what segment of the population can be relied on to cast their ballot. More than likely, it will be those who engage and care about what candidates say on The Hamiltonian. 

Further, The Hamiltonian's Before the Ballot- The Candidates' Guide seeks to provide invaluable advice to anyone running. 

There is an energy building. There is curiosity. There is scrutiny. There is accountability. And there is a growing realization that voters no longer need to wait for traditional campaign season to begin learning about those who seek to govern them.

The information is already available. The conversations have already started. The campaign, in many respects, is already underway. That should give pause to anyone relying on the old assumptions.

The candidate who believes nobody is paying attention until September may discover that voters have been paying attention all summer and have checked them out of the conversation.

The incumbent who assumes name recognition alone will carry the day may discover that voters are looking more closely than ever before while recognizing that incumbency carries with it an unfair advantage. 

The campaign that waits for the traditional starting gun may find that the race has already left the starting line.

History has a habit of changing gradually and then suddenly. That is what we are witnessing now.

Perhaps Hamilton is entering a new era of municipal politics—one where engagement starts earlier, scrutiny runs deeper, and voters expect more from those seeking their trust. Perhaps The Before the Ballot series is more telling than anticipated. 

If so, the old playbook may not merely be outdated.

It may be obsolete.

Traction in Action- with Mayoral Candidate Ejaz Butt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this second edition. of Traction in Action, featuring pictures of candidates driving toward being elected, we feature mayoral candidate Ejaz Butt.

Before the Ballot- The Candidate's Guide - The Media Is Not Your Campaign Team

Municipal candidates often have a complicated relationship with the media. Some believe the media will ignore them. Others believe the media will help them. Some become frustrated when coverage does not appear. Others become overly dependent upon it.

The reality lies somewhere in between.

One of the most important lessons a candidate can learn is this: The media is not your campaign team.Nor should it be.

The primary responsibility of journalists and media organizations is to inform the public. Their job is not to elect candidates. Their job is not to defeat candidates. Their job is not to amplify campaign messaging simply because a campaign wishes it.

Candidates who understand this generally navigate media relationships more effectively than those who do not. Media outlets decide what is newsworthy through their own editorial lens.

Sometimes that will benefit a candidate. Sometimes it will not. Understanding this reality is essential.

The Changing Media Landscape

One of the most significant changes in modern municipal politics is that candidates are no longer dependent upon a handful of traditional media outlets to communicate with voters. That reality has fundamentally altered the political landscape.

Today, candidates can communicate through a wide variety of channels, including community publications, podcasts, online interview series, digital news platforms, blogs, social media, newsletters, and independent publishers. The result is that voters often have access to far more information about candidates than previous generations ever enjoyed.

The Rise of Direct-to-Voter Communication

In the past, candidates often depended upon a reporter's summary of their position. In The Hamiltonian, voters hear directly from candidates themselves. Candidate profiles and interviews allow voters to assess not only what candidates think, but how they think.

This shift has created new opportunities for candidates willing to engage thoughtfully and substantively. The strongest candidates are often those willing to answer questions in depth, explain their positions clearly, and make themselves accessible to public scrutiny.

Transparency itself has become a campaign asset.

Earned Media Versus Paid Media 

Campaigns typically operate in two media environments. The first is paid media. This includes advertising that a campaign controls completely. The candidate decides the message. The candidate decides the

Traction in Action, with Ward 15 Councillor Candidate Colleen Stewart

Hamiltonians often see candidates on signs, websites, and campaign literature. We'd like to show voters something a little different.

We invited all candidates running for Mayor or Council to submit one photograph of themselves "in action" — doing something that reflects who they are, what they care about, or how they engage with the community. Along with the photo, we asked them to include a brief one- or two-line caption

We are calling this series Traction in Action, because these are candidates who are driven and who are out there earning your vote, gaining traction in their respective races. 

This first edition features Ward 15 Councillor Candidate Colleen Stewart. Here is Colleen (on the left) in action:

Cleaning a garden on Dundas Street during Waterdown's Community Cleanup. Beautiful communities inspire good citizenship in the people who live in them. I was delighted  to help.

Before the Ballot- with Ward 3 Councillor Candidate Christine Cayuga

Welcome to this edition of Before the Ballot- with Ward 3 Councillor Candidate Christine Cayuga.

What motivated you to run for council, and why do you believe now is the right time for new leadership in your ward?

My motivation for running comes from the people I've met through owning a local diner and sitting as a Borad of Director on a non for profit . Every day, I hear residents community members ' concerns, ideas, and frustrations. Those conversations have shown me that people want leadership that listens, acts with integrity, and puts residents first. I believe Ward 3 deserves a strong voice at City Hall, and I'm ready to deliver that leadership.

Every ward has its own unique challenges. What do you believe are the top three issues facing residents in your ward today, and how would you address them?

Ward 3 faces many challenges, but the three issues I hear about most often are affordability, neighbourhood safety and well-being, and trust in local government financial decisions.

1.Affordability is one of the biggest concerns I hear from residents. Families, seniors, and individuals are dealing with rising property taxes, utility costs, housing expenses, and the increasing cost of everyday living.

As a councillor, I would carefully review budgets and supporting documents , ask questions about spending, and ensure every dollar is being used responsibly. Residents work hard for their money and deserve to know their tax dollars are being spent wisely and effectively.

2. Neighborhood & safety Ward 3 residents want clean streets, well-maintained public spaces, and solutions that address issues such as property crime, illegal dumping, neglected infrastructure, traffic safety, and concerns related to homelessness and mental health.

I would work with residents, City staff, Hamilton Police, community organizations, and local businesses to identify priorities and develop practical solutions. This includes improving lighting in public spaces, advocating for traffic-calming measures where needed, supporting community safety initiatives, maintaining parks and public spaces, and ensuring support services are available for all residents.

3. Trust in local government and financial decision-making is another issue I hear about regularly from residents. People want confidence that decisions are being carefully reviewed—not simply rubber-stamped.

Residents want to know that when Council is considering a project, budget item, or major development, the right questions are being asked: What is the purpose? Why is it needed? When will it be completed? What are the expected costs? Are there potential cost overruns, delays, or long-term financial impacts?

As a councillor, I believe it is my responsibility to do the homework, review reports thoroughly, ask questions, and ensure decisions are made with transparency and accountability. Residents deserve clear explanations about how their tax dollars are being spent and what results they can expect. Good governance means being prepared, informed, and willing to ask questions before decisions are made—not after. Building trust starts with openness, accountability, and ensuring residents have confidence that their interests are being represented at City Hall.

Municipal government often requires balancing competing interests and difficult budget decisions. How would you approach making tough decisions at City Hall?

I would approach tough decisions by listening first, gathering the facts, and asking questions. I want to understand the costs, benefits, risks, and long-term impacts before making a decision. While not everyone will agree with every outcome, residents deserve transparency about how decisions are made. My goal is to be accountable, make informed choices, respect taxpayer dollars, and ensure decisions benefit residents both today and for future generations."

What experience, skills, or perspective do you bring that distinguishes you from other candidates seeking the same council seat?

I bring to table the perspective of a small business owner who understands budgets, accountability, and the importance of serving people. Through my diner, I've had countless conversations with residents and have heard firsthand the challenges they're facing. I am approachable, independent, and willing to ask tough questions. I believe residents want a councillor who listens, does the homework, and makes thoughtful decisions with integrity, and that's the leadership I hope to bring to Ward 3.

In addition, my experience serving on a Board of Directors has given me a strong understanding of governance, oversight, policy development, strategic planning, and fiduciary responsibility. I've learned the importance of reviewing information carefully, asking questions, considering different perspectives, and making decisions that are in the best interests of the organization and the people it serves.

I have a strong sense of community. Through my business, volunteer work, and community involvement, I have had the opportunity to connect with residents from all walks of life. I understand the challenges people are facing because I've listened to their concerns and heard their stories firsthand.

Together, these experiences have prepared me to be a thoughtful, accountable, and effective representative for Ward 3—someone who listens, leads with integrity, and works collaboratively to find practical solutions for our community.

What is the best way for voters to contact you and/or learn more about you?

Cayugaward3@Gmail.com
Cell:365-335-4196
www.christinecayuga@ward3.com

Thank-you Christine for engaging with Hamiltonians on The Hamiltonian!