Media Release:Mayor Horwath to present 20 outstanding residents with The Order of Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – Mayor Andrea Horwath will honour 20 exceptional individuals with the 2025 Order of Hamilton at the Mayor’s New Year’s Levees this week.

The Order of Hamilton celebrates outstanding voluntary contributions by Hamiltonians who have gone above and beyond in building a stronger, more vibrant community.

"The Order of Hamilton is one of the most meaningful ways we recognize the incredible people who make our city stronger everyday,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “This year’s recipients reflect the very best of Hamilton – individuals whose generosity, leadership, and commitment to community have made a real and lasting difference. It is an honour to celebrate these tremendous Hamiltonians and to thank them for everything they do to help our city thrive.”

All Hamiltonians and members of the media are invited to attend the Levees. Attendees are encouraged to support local food banks by bringing a non-perishable food item.
Levee dates:Cancelled due to inclement weather - Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street W., Hamilton

Friday, January 16, 2026 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Ancaster Old Town Hall, 310 Wilson Street E., Ancaster

Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre, 780 Upper Wentworth Street, Hamilton
The 2025 Order of Hamilton recipients:

The full list of recipients is below and their biographies are posted online at Hamilton.ca/OrderofHamilton.

Akbar Haidary
Dr. Alexandre (Alex) Sévigny
Chris Davies
Chris Kruter
Debbie Bramer
Dejehan “Luckystickz” Hamilton
Dr. Gary Warner
George Lamparski
Helena Streun
Ikechukwu Agbassi
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey
Joëlle Kabisoso
Kathy Archer
Lloyd Turner
Mark John Stewart
Nagham Azzam Iqbal
Paula Kilburn
Richard Bialachowski
Shirley Bainbridge
Wendy Schneider

Quick Facts:To be eligible, individuals must reside in the City of Hamilton at the time of the award and demonstrate exceptional voluntary contributions to community building and or service. These contributions must exceed their professional responsibilities and have a lasting impact on the City of Hamilton.

Each year, 10 Order of Hamilton recipients are selected by a panel chaired by the Mayor’s Office, with participation from the City Manager and a member of the public. This year, a record 44 nominations were received, each recognizing a truly outstanding Hamiltonian. In recognition of the exceptional calibre of nominees, a special total of 20 individuals will be named to the Order of Hamilton.
Since its inception in 2019, 89 Hamilton residents have been awarded The Order of Hamilton.
Additional Resource:Web page: Order of Hamilton

Clr. Pauls on Strike Costs

Recently, The Hamiltonian contacted each member of City Council, as well as the Mayor, to ask whether they believe Hamilton taxpayers are entitled to know the total cost of the recent water workers’ strike in terms of public funds. Where applicable, we also asked what steps they would take to ensure that taxpayers are fully informed of those costs.

Only one elected official responded.

Councillor Pauls replied as follows:

Dear Hamiltonian,

Councillors asked the City to report on the findings which were disclosed at an in-camera meeting on Dec 3, 2025. The protocol as it exists, is that in-camera discussions are highly confidential, which means that I’m not at liberty to discuss anything that happens in-camera.  

Consultation with the City Solicitor and City Manager has confirmed the following: 

A report related to the costs associated with the HOWEA Labour Disruption was presented and discussed in-camera at the General Issues Committee on December 3, 2025.

The information contained in this report is confidential, in accordance with the labour relations exemption in the Municipal Act.

Accordingly, the City is unable to provide information related to the costs with respect to the recent labour disruption.

Sincerely,

Councillor Esther Pauls

We would like to thank Clr. Pauls for her reply and engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian. 

Mayor Andrea Horwath to host 2026 New Year’s Levees

Mayor Andrea Horwath to host 2026 New Year’s Levees

 HAMILTON, ON – Mayor Andrea Horwath is inviting all Hamiltonians and members of the media to attend the annual New Year’s Levees taking place later this week at three community locations. This year’s levees will feature light refreshments and the awarding of the 2025 Order of Hamilton. 

The annual Order of Hamilton awards ceremony recognizes individuals whose voluntary contributions have enhanced the well-being of our community and enriched the City of Hamilton. 

The list of levee dates are as follows:

Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street W., Hamilton

 Friday, January 16, 2026 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Ancaster Old Town Hall, 310 Wilson Street E., Ancaster

 Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre, 780 Upper Wentworth Street, Hamilton

 Attendees are asked to support local food banks by bringing a non-perishable food item.

 Additional Resource:

www.hamilton.ca/OrderofHamilton