Before the Ballot with Bernard Tompkins - Councillor Candidate for Hamilton City Council – Ward 2.

Enjoy this instalment of Before the Ballot with Bernard Tompkins , Councillor Candidate for Hamilton City Council – Ward 2.

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

Hamilton is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. From our stunning waterfront and the Niagara Escarpment to our historic neighbourhoods, incredible parks, and vibrant local businesses, Ward 2 has so much to offer. It's a community I'm proud to have been born and raised in, and 37 years later, I'm still proud to call it home.

Despite all of those strengths, many residents, visitors, and business owners have expressed concerns about the state of our downtown with respect to our mental health and addiction support infrastructure. Instead of experiencing everything that makes Hamilton special, they're too often met with concerns about public safety, cleanliness, and disorder.

I believe our taxpayers deserve better. Residents pay significant property taxes and expect clean streets, safe parks, well-maintained public spaces, and responsible financial management. We need to ensure public dollars are being spent efficiently, transparently, and on priorities that improve the quality of life for everyone.

One of the biggest challenges we face is addiction and mental health. These are real issues that deserve compassion, treatment, and long-term support. But we also need to examine whether or not our delivery methods are creating positive outcomes for the affected individuals and our communities.

I believe every publicly funded program should have clear, measurable goals so residents know whether it's making a real difference. If a program isn't delivering meaningful results, we need to review it, improve it, or invest in approaches that do.

I also believe addiction and mental health services should be located where people can receive the care they need without placing additional pressure on our business districts, parks, schools, and neighbourhood gathering places. We can support vulnerable people while also ensuring families feel safe, businesses can succeed, and public spaces remain welcoming for everyone.

As a father of two children under 10, I want to help build a Ward 2 where families can walk our streets with confidence, children can play safely in our parks, and local businesses can thrive. I want the next generation to be proud to call Hamilton home and excited about its future.

My goals are simple:

Bring safe streets back to our neighbourhoods
Help local businesses thrive

Improve communication, transparency, and accountability at City Hall.
Ensure tax dollars are spent responsibly and deliver measurable results.

My career has been built on solving problems. I started in the skilled trades, working with teams to build and maintain the infrastructure our communities rely on. I later moved into leadership roles, managing complex projects, crews, budgets, and schedules across the steel, oil and gas, power generation, and nuclear industries.

On every major project, budgets, timelines, key performance indicators, and measurable goals were clearly defined so everyone understood the objectives and how success would be evaluated. Progress was tracked regularly, challenges were identified early, and accountability was expected at every level.

I believe in setting clear, trackable, and achievable goals so residents know what their elected officials are working toward and can evaluate the results. Whether it's improving public safety, supporting local businesses, reducing wait times for city services, or delivering better value for taxpayers, every initiative should include measurable outcomes and regular public reporting. If an initiative is not producing the intended results, we should review it, make improvements, and direct resources where they will have the greatest impact.

Ward 2 deserves practical leadership, responsible spending, and honest communication. Together, we can strengthen confidence in local government, support those who need help, help local businesses succeed, and build a safer, cleaner, and more vibrant community that we're all proud to call home.

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 2 has incredible potential. We have a vibrant downtown, unique neighbourhoods, a growing arts and culture scene, great local businesses, and one of the most recognizable waterfronts and escarpments in Canada. These are the reasons people choose to live, work, and invest here.

At the same time, residents, visitors, and business owners have been clear about the challenges they see every day. After listening to people throughout the community, I believe the three biggest priorities are public safety, transparency and responsible spending, and supporting local business and development.

Public Safety -People should feel comfortable walking through their neighbourhoods, visiting local businesses, taking public transit, or bringing their children to the park.

Addiction and mental health are real issues that deserve compassion, treatment, and long-term support. At the same time, we need to make sure the programs and services we fund are producing positive outcomes for both the individuals receiving support and the surrounding community.

I believe publicly funded programs should have clear, measurable goals. We should regularly evaluate whether they are reducing overdoses, connecting people to treatment, improving housing stability, and making our neighbourhoods safer. If a program is producing results, we should continue supporting it. If it isn't, we should improve it or invest in approaches that are more effective.

I also believe services should be located where they best support recovery while minimizing the impact on business districts, schools, parks, and other community gathering places.

I would also propose introducing a simple City reporting platform where residents can report issues such as open drug use, discarded needles, damaged infrastructure, illegal dumping, and other neighbourhood concerns. This would give residents another way to be heard while helping the City identify trends, prioritize resources, and respond more effectively.

Transparency and Responsible Spending- Residents deserve to know where their tax dollars are going and what results those investments are delivering.

I believe every major City initiative should include clear objectives, measurable performance indicators, and regular public reporting. If we're investing public money, residents should be able to see what was promised, what was achieved, and whether adjustments need to be made.

Better communication and accountability build public trust, and I believe that's something City Hall needs to improve.

Business and Development- Strong local businesses create jobs, strengthen neighbourhoods, and generate the tax revenue that supports essential City services.

I've spoken with business owners who are frustrated by long approval timelines and unnecessary inefficiencies. We need a City that works with businesses instead of creating barriers.

I'll advocate for streamlining approvals, improving communication, and making it easier for businesses to invest, expand, and remain in Ward 2. When local businesses succeed, our entire community benefits.

These three priorities are connected. Safer neighbourhoods attract more visitors. Strong businesses create stronger communities. Responsible spending allows us to invest where it matters most. That's the kind of Ward 2 I want to help build.

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’ve worked under collective agreements and dealt directly with unions, stewards, workers, contractors, and management. No matter what issues came up, the job still had to move forward, and both sides had to find a way to work together to make it successful.

I will bring that same approach to City Hall. The City and the community need to work together to make sure we are covering all our bases and thinking through how each decision affects residents, businesses, and the services people rely on.

Tough and sometimes divided decisions should come down to community input, the impact of the decision, reliable information, and sometimes just plain common sense. Before moving forward, I will get the relevant information from the stakeholders involved, and I will explain the decision and why it was made.

When budget decisions are involved, I will prioritize core services, public safety, infrastructure, and programs that show measurable results. I will take a hard look at spending that is ineffective, duplicated, or no longer serving its intended purpose.

I will reach out to the communities affected to understand their concerns and see whether a balanced solution is possible. If something is outside my area of expertise, I will bring in qualified third parties to make sure I have all the facts.

Not every decision will make everyone happy, but people deserve to know they were heard, the information was carefully reviewed, and the decision was made in the community’s best interest.

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

I bring a combination of real-world leadership & experience from an array of critical infrastructure projects.

For nearly two decades, I've worked in the skilled trades across Ontario and Canada, progressing from working on the tools to leading large industrial projects in the steel, oil and gas, power generation, and nuclear industries. I've managed crews, budgets, schedules, safety, and complex projects where planning, accountability, and delivering results were expected.

That experience taught me how to bring people together, solve problems, manage competing priorities, and make decisions based on facts, measurable goals, and responsible use of resources.

Over the past three years, as a realtor, I've worked closely with families, first-time buyers, seniors, investors, tenants, and local business owners. I've gained a firsthand understanding of housing, neighbourhoods, affordability, and many of the challenges people face every day.

What I bring is a practical perspective. I believe in listening first, understanding the facts, setting clear goals, measuring results, and being accountable to the people I serve. Those principles have guided my career, and they're the same principles I'll bring to City Hall.

Ward 2 doesn't need more promises—it needs practical leadership, honest communication, and a focus on delivering results for the people who live and work here.

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

The best way to reach me is to call or text me at 905-975-3675.

You can also email me at bernard@bernardforward2.ca, or visit BernardForWard2.ca to learn more, join the campaign, volunteer, or donate.

We will be organizing community events in the near future, so stay tuned—or you may see me at your door when I come knocking.

I want to remain accessible and hear directly from Ward 2 residents, so please do not hesitate to reach out.

Thank you again for the opportunity to connect directly with Hamilton voters.

Best regards,
Bernard
Candidate for Ward 2 Councillor

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