Mayor Horwath's Term- The Hamiltonian's View

Andrea Horwath assumed office on November 15, 2022, after a lengthy career as a Hamilton city councillor and leader of the Ontario NDP. Her mayoralty has been marked by a series of crises that would have tested any municipal leader: homelessness and encampments, affordability concerns, rising property taxes, public safety concerns, infrastructure deficits, economic uncertainty, and increasingly polarized politics. 

Here is our view of a year-by-year analysis of her term.

2022: The Transition Year

Challenges

• Taking over a city experiencing significant divisions over development, growth, and governance.
• Inheriting longstanding problems involving housing affordability, homelessness, and infrastructure deficits.
• Managing expectations after running a highly visible mayoral campaign.

How She Made Out

Her first months were largely about setting a tone. She entered office with considerable political experience and immediately emphasized collaboration, affordability, and housing.

Strengths:

• High profile and name recognition.
• Strong provincial and federal connections.
• Ability to attract attention to Hamilton's issues.

Weaknesses:

Expectations were extraordinarily high. Many voters expected rapid transformation.

Grade: B+

The honeymoon period was positive, though there was little opportunity to deliver major policy outcomes in only a few weeks.

2023: Reality Sets In

Challenges

• Hamilton declared a state of emergency regarding homelessness, addiction, and mental health.
• The city approved a 5.8% property tax increase.
• Rising public concern regarding encampments, downtown safety, and affordability.Introduction of Strong Mayor Powers in Hamilton. 

How She Made Out

This was arguably her most difficult year because the enormity of Hamilton's challenges became clear.

Positives:

• Elevated homelessness and addiction issues to the forefront of public discussion.
• Advocated aggressively for additional funding from senior governments.
• Began using Strong Mayor Powers cautiously, particularly regarding administrative matters.

Negatives:

• Property tax increases frustrated residents.
• Public perception of downtown decline intensified.
• Some Hamiltonians expected faster and more visible change.

Political Assessment:

She transitioned from campaigning to governing and discovered that many of Hamilton's problems were structural and decades in the making.

Grade: B

She demonstrated empathy and advocacy but struggled against problems largely beyond municipal control.

2024: The Year of Controversial Decisions

Challenges

• Continuing encampment crisis.
• Housing shortages.
• Public frustration over taxes and city services.
• Debates surrounding affordable housing locations and use of Strong Mayor Powers.
• Continued concerns regarding crime and downtown conditions.
• Significant cyber attack stuns Hamilton

How She Made Out

This was her most politically risky year.

Positives:

• Used Strong Mayor Powers to advance affordable housing in Stoney Creek after council rejected the proposal.
• Hamilton exceeded provincial housing targets and received funding rewards.
• Continued to push housing and homelessness initiatives. 

Negatives:

• Some residents viewed the use of Strong Mayor Powers as overly forceful.
• The encampment issue became deeply polarizing.
• Downtown concerns persisted.
• Cyber attack revealed the city's unpreparedness and its significant impacts to taxpayers fiscally and service disruptions wise. 
• Over spending on Tiny Shelters

Political Assessment:

This was the year Horwath showed she was willing to make difficult decisions and absorb political criticism.

Supporters saw leadership.
Critics saw overreach.

Grade: C

Regardless of where one stands politically, she demonstrated decisiveness. The cyber attack was daunting. 

2025: Economic Anxiety and Political Vulnerability

Challenges

• Potential impacts of U.S. tariffs on Hamilton's steel and manufacturing sectors.
• Continuing homelessness pressures.
• Major housing investments and budget pressures.
• Persistent concerns regarding affordability and taxes.
• Questions of transparency 

How She Made Out

She increasingly assumed the role of Hamilton's chief economic advocate.

Positives:

• Vocal defender of Hamilton's industrial base and steel workers.
• Continued investments in housing and shelter systems.
• Worked collaboratively with other mayors on homelessness and economic issues. 

Negatives:

• Many residents remained dissatisfied with affordability and downtown conditions.
• The perception persisted that visible conditions in some areas of the city had deteriorated. 

Political Assessment:

Her challenge became less about policy and more about perception. Municipal leaders are often judged by what residents see every day: roads, taxes, homelessness, safety, and cleanliness.

Grade: B-

She continued governing actively but was increasingly carrying the political weight of problems that no mayor can solve alone.

2026: Election Year and Personal Controversy

Challenges

• Proposed 4.25% tax increase.
• Ongoing affordability pressures.
• Economic uncertainty.
• Re-election campaign.
• Personal property dispute that became public through court proceedings. 

How She Has Made Out So Far

This year is still unfolding, but several themes are emerging.

Positives:

• Continued emphasizing economic development, housing, and investment.
• Positioned herself as an experienced hand during economic uncertainty.
• Pointed to investments and momentum achieved during her term.

Negatives:

• The property dispute has created an unwelcome distraction and opened her to criticism.
• Public frustration over taxes and quality-of-life issues remains.
• Multiple mayoral challengers are attempting to position themselves as agents of change. 

Preliminary Grade: Incomplete (currently around B-)

The election will ultimately determine how Hamiltonians assess her record.

The Hamiltonian has not factored in the property dispute as we are not persuaded that the Mayor did anything wrong. 

Overall Assessment of Andrea Horwath's Term

Leadership Strengths

• Experienced politician with deep governmental relationships.
• Strong advocate on housing, homelessness, and economic issues.
• Willing to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions.
• Generally collaborative and measured in tone.

Leadership Weaknesses

• Has struggled to overcome public perceptions regarding downtown decline and public safety.
• Property tax increases have eroded goodwill.
• Results have often been overshadowed by visible social disorder and affordability concerns.
• Public expectations may have exceeded what any mayor could realistically deliver.

Bottom Line

Andrea Horwath's mayoralty has been defined less by scandal or ideological battles and more by governing through a succession of difficult, interconnected crises. She inherited a city confronting housing shortages, homelessness, affordability concerns, and infrastructure deficits, then had to manage economic uncertainty and political polarization on top of those issues. 

Whether Hamiltonians judge her term favourably may come down to a single question in the 2026 election:

Did residents believe she made meaningful progress on problems that took decades to create, or did they feel that daily life in Hamilton became more difficult during her tenure?

And, then there is the question of viable alternatives for Mayor. 

 

In the end, the real question is:  Did Hamilton Get the Mayor It Needed? That will be decided at the ballot box. 

This has been The Hamiltonian's assessment. The Hamiltonian has invited the Mayor to respond to several questions, in the spirit of our previous series with former mayors.  

A reminder that The Hamiltonian does not endorse any candidate.