With Mayoral Contender, Rob Cooper

Councillor Rob Cooper, who was elected to Ward 8 in a recent byelection and has since announced his intention to seek the mayor’s office, joins the growing field that includes incumbent Mayor Andrea Horwath and former chamber executive Keanin Loomis.

Cooper has framed his campaign around affordability, fiscal discipline, and what he describes as the need to run City Hall with stronger business practices. In the following interview, we asked Councillor Cooper to elaborate on his motivations for running, the ideas behind his approach to governing, and how he believes he distinguishes himself in what is shaping up to be a closely watched mayoral contest.

What follows is our conversation with Rob Cooper.

You are running against an incumbent mayor with extensive political experience and a recent near victor in Mr. Loomis who presents himself as an executive outsider. Some observers suggest your bid may be premature given your relatively short tenure on council. How do you respond to those who question whether this is the right timing for you to seek the mayor’s office?

I ran on real change in Hamilton. When I joined City Council, I discovered that the ability to change the direction of the city largely resides with the mayor, for better or worse.

Over the last four years, the city has increased taxes by 23 percent, and every meaningful benchmark at the city has gotten worse.

Hamilton is a multibillion-dollar city. Mayor Horwath has never run a multibillion-dollar organization, and neither has Mr. Loomis. The learning curve for them has been, and would continue to be, steep. Every $13 million mistake represents roughly a one percent tax increase for every taxpayer in Hamilton. There have been a lot of $13 million mistakes.

Hamiltonians expect better.

The difference is that I have spent my career successfully transforming complex multibillion-dollar organizations and have the experience to deliver real change for the City of Hamilton. Both of the other candidates are learning on the job. As Hamiltonians have discovered over the last four years under Ms. Horwath, that is a very expensive approach.

I am running for mayor because Hamilton needs experienced leadership right now to transform the city and unlock its potential to be the economic engine of Canada.

You have stated that Hamilton must be run like a multibillion-dollar business — a phrase frequently used in politics. On Day One of a Cooper administration, what specific operational or governance changes would demonstrate that this is more than rhetoric? What would residents tangibly see or experience differently?

For me, that begins immediately with the 2027 budget.

On day one, residents would see a shift toward a budget that is tied to outcomes and service levels that

With Mayoral Contender, Keanin Loomis

In the previous mayoral race, Keanin Loomis gave Andrea Horwath a strong challenge, securing 46,326 votes to Horwath’s 59,544 in the contest for Mayor of the City of Hamilton. The result sent a clear message: Loomis was widely viewed as a credible contender and came within striking distance of the mayor’s chair.Now, Loomis has once again declared his intention to run for mayor.                                                                                                                                            This time, however, he enters the race with the advantage of prior campaign experience and an established base of support on which to build. With that in mind, we reached out to Mr. Loomis to discuss his decision to run again and the vision he has for Hamilton. What follows is our conversation with Keanin Loomis.

You previously ran for Mayor after what you described as significant reflection and discernment. As you prepare for another campaign, which of your original motivations remain unchanged? Have new considerations — personal, political, or civic — influenced your decision to run again? What specifically has crystallized for you between then and now?

My desire to lead this city certainly has not changed. I’m running for mayor because I love this city and I believe deeply in its potential. In 2022, I ran a positive campaign rooted in listening, honesty, and real connection with people — and I plan to do a lot of the same this time.

Over the past few years, my work has taken me across Ontario and Canada, leading organizations, navigating complex challenges, and advocating for industries that matter to communities like ours. Those experiences gave me further perspective on what effective leadership looks like when it’s focused on execution and results.

What has crystallized for me is that Hamilton’s potential is endless. We have the talent, the institutions, and the community spirit to thrive. What is missing is the leadership that pulls it all together. To me, leadership is about service. And the call to serve now rings louder than ever.

The political landscape is different in 2026. Assuming Mayor Andrea Horwath seeks re-election, you would be challenging an incumbent who can point to a governing record and executive experience. How do you intend to contrast your candidacy with that of a sitting mayor? In practical terms, what do you offer that compensates for not having held the office?

I’m going to let the Mayor’s track record speak for itself. Voters can judge the past — I’m focused on what comes next.

I believe not being a career politician is an asset. First, I don’t bring any baggage or partisanship to the

The House of Horwath- Back in the Spotlight

Integrity complaints, court filings, and unanswered questions continue to place Hamilton’s mayor under scrutiny.What began as a private property dispute has evolved into a public governance issue that Hamiltonians are watching closely.

The controversy surrounding a residential property owned by Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath on West Avenue North continues to generate questions about municipal process, transparency, and the optics of leadership.

The property — occupied by Horwath’s former common-law partner — first came to public attention after an engineering report commissioned by the mayor concluded the structure was unsafe and recommended it be vacated and demolished. The City of Hamilton subsequently issued an emergency order to vacate and demolish the house.

However, the situation quickly became more complicated.

A Superior Court judge later invalidated the city’s emergency demolition order, citing procedural concerns and the fact that the city relied heavily on the privately commissioned engineering report rather than conducting its own independent inspection before issuing the order.

A second engineering review later suggested the house could potentially be stabilized rather than demolished. In response, city crews were dispatched to perform emergency stabilization work. Under municipal procedure, the cost of such work can ultimately be added to the property owner’s tax bill.

The issue did not end there.

Mayor Horwath has since taken the City of Hamilton to court, challenging the property standards order and seeking permission to demolish the structure. Court filings reportedly argue that the cost of repairs — estimated to exceed six figures — would be financially unreasonable compared to demolition.

Meanwhile, the city’s Integrity Commissioner has confirmed that several complaints have been filed relating to the matter. The nature of those complaints has not been publicly disclosed, and investigations by the commissioner remain confidential until a report is completed.

At this stage, no finding of wrongdoing has been made. But the political dimension of the situation is unavoidable.

Municipal leaders frequently debate issues surrounding landlord responsibilities, housing standards, tenant protections, and property enforcement. Mayor Horwath herself has long been associated with strong tenant-protection positions during both her provincial and municipal political career.

That context inevitably raises questions when a dispute involving one of her own properties becomes entangled with city enforcement processes.

In municipal politics, the appearance of fairness can matter almost as much as fairness itself. The mayor has largely refrained from discussing the details publicly, citing ongoing legal proceedings. From a legal perspective that is understandable. From a civic perspective, however, limited public explanation can allow speculation to fill the gap.

The issue for many Hamilton residents is not simply the condition of one house on West Avenue North.

Rather, the broader concern is whether the systems of municipal enforcement operate consistently — regardless of who owns the property involved.

Hamiltonians reasonably expect that the same standards apply to everyone, from first-time homeowners to the mayor herself.

The Hamiltonian is not suggesting that the Mayor intervened, pulled strings, or otherwise improperly influenced staff. At this stage, there is no evidence to support such a conclusion. As a matter of principle, we believe it is important to avoid speculation or allegations of impropriety unless they are supported by credible evidence.

The courts will ultimately determine the legal questions surrounding the demolition order and property standards enforcement. The Integrity Commissioner will determine whether any ethical concerns exist.

Until those processes are complete, however, the matter remains both a legal story and a political one..

Then There Were Three

Ward 8 Councillor Rob Cooper has announced his intention to run for Mayor of Hamilton. That makes it three so far : Horwath, Loomis and Cooper. Stay tuned.....