The House of Horwath- No Preferential Treatment

Those who follow Hamilton’s civic landscape will be aware that Mayor Andrea Horwath has been under scrutiny in connection with a residential property she owns on West Avenue North.

The matter first came to public attention following an engineering report commissioned by the Mayor, which concluded that the structure was unsafe and recommended that it be vacated and demolished. The City of Hamilton subsequently issued an emergency order to that effect.

Since then, the situation has evolved, though it remains unresolved.

In parallel, social media commentary has intensified, with allegations circulating that the Mayor may have received preferential treatment from City staff by virtue of her office.

The Hamiltonian has deliberately not engaged in speculation. Our approach remains grounded in verification over conjecture. That said, the volume and persistence of public discussion underscore the level of community interest in this matter.

In previous outreach, we contacted both the Mayor and her legal counsel. In December 2025, her lawyer provided the following response:

“Thank you for reaching out. This is a long-standing legal matter, and my client has been attempting to resolve it through the proper channels for many years. Because it is a personal and ongoing process, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

The Mayor has not responded to subsequent inquiries, which is consistent with  legal advice.

Most recently, The Hamiltonian reached out to Robert All, Senior Director within the City’s Planning and Economic Development Department. Based on his portfolio—which includes property enforcement and liens—we sought clarification on whether there had been any involvement from the Mayor’s Office in this file beyond standard administrative processes.

Specifically, we asked:

“Can you confirm whether you or any member of your staff have received any direction, communication, or input from the Mayor’s Office—and/or the Mayor directly—regarding this file, beyond what would occur in the ordinary course?

We would welcome any additional context you feel would assist in assuring the public that this matter is being handled independently and in accordance with standard City practices.”

We did not receive  a direct response from Mr. All. Rather,  the City provided the following statement, to be attributed to “the City of Hamilton”:

“All properties are subject to the same processes and requirements under applicable by-laws and legislation. City staff carry out their responsibilities in accordance with these established processes, and all matters are addressed consistently and without preferential treatment.

The City is committed to applying these processes fairly and transparently across all properties.”

On its face, the City’s statement is clear: the Mayor has not received preferential treatment.

Whether that assurance satisfies public concern is ultimately for readers to determine. What remains essential, however, is that matters of public interest—particularly those touching on governance, transparency, and accountability—continue to be addressed with clarity and evidence.