• A Greener Hamilton, A Greener Ward 1
• Hamilton's Proposed Harmonised Tree By-law
• Temporary Closure of York Blvd Stairs
• Equity-Based Budgeting – Two-Year Partnership  
• Sunday Parking Enforcement
• Weekend JUNO Awards Traffic Impacts
• The New HUB - Hamilton Utilities Billing
• A Reminder about my.hamilton.ca
• McMaster Community Partner Survey
• YWCA Care Kits Program
• Updates from the Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association
• Events

A Greener Hamilton, A Greener Ward 1

Ward 1 residents are passionate about our local ecosystem, biodiversity, and what we can do as a community to make Hamilton as healthy and sustainable as possible for this generation and future generations. As the weather gets warmer, flowers start blooming, and the world shakes off its long winter hibernation, here are some local initiatives that work to improve our local environment:

Hamilton: A Bird-Friendly City

In 2022, Hamilton became Canada’s sixth certified “Bird Friendly City”. This means that the City of Hamilton has taken action to reduce threats to wild birds, conserve bird habitat, and educate the public about birds. Committed local advocates have worked for years to make Hamilton a more welcoming city to our feathered friends, who are an important part of our local ecosystem.  

An important step toward educating Hamiltonians about bird conservation was the campaign to declare an official Hamilton City Bird. A spirited community debate happened throughout 2022, and residents voted on a shortlist of 10 finalists. In 2023, City Council officially declared the Peregrine Falcon the City Bird of Hamilton. After Peregrine Falcons were sadly extirpated (meaning completely wiped out from one specific geographic area) due to pesticide use in the 1960’s, they made a triumphant return thanks to an extensive captive breeding program in the 1980s and 1990s. Since 1994, Peregrine Falcons have made a ledge on the Downtown Sheraton Hotel their home, leading to the creation of the “Falconwatch” program from the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. Dedicated volunteers help to monitor and rescue any baby falcons that might fall from the ledge, and do some incredible citizen science work! Today, residents can catch a glimpse of these majestic raptors across Ward 1 and the lower city. 

Residents can help protect birds in Hamilton by treating windows and glass railings with bird-collision deterrent markers, turning off non-essential lighting at night, keeping their feline friends indoors or building enclosed “catios” (a purrfect way to keep both cats and birds safe in an urban environment!), cleaning and disinfecting their bird feeders, keeping dogs leashed on trails, and participating in citizen science and bird monitoring. And the folks at Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington have a host of other helpful tips on how to protect wild birds.

Hamilton's Watershed Action Plan

The City of Hamilton has developed a Watershed Action Plan to improve the health and sustainability of our local watershed. Watersheds are areas of land that collect and drain water, such as rainwater and melting snow, into streams and rivers. Those streams and rivers then drain into larger bodies of water, like Hamilton Harbour and Lake Ontario. Since the City of Hamilton is very large, our municipal borders overlap with many different watersheds, including the Spencer Creek watershed (covering portions of Ainslie Wood and Westdale), the Chedoke Creek watershed (the largest watershed in Ward 1, intersecting with all of Kirkendall and sections of each other neighbourhood), and the Urban Hamilton watershed (including the northern portions of Strathcona).  

Development in watersheds leads to various forms of pollution. The Watershed Action Plan will work to reduce pollutants from sources such as urban streets, suburban development, and rural communities. Healthy watersheds are essential for improving overall water quality, controlling flooding, and increasing much-needed biodiversity. 

The Watershed Action Plan will help move us closer to delisting Hamilton Harbour from the Government of Canada’s “Area of Concern” list. Hamilton Harbour is considered an “Area of Concern” by the federal government due to decades of intensive industrial and urban development along its shores and within its watersheds. By committing to a Watershed Action Plan, we can work to steadily improve the health and water quality of Hamilton Harbour. 

The Buzz about Bee-coming a Bee City

The City of Hamilton is buzzing about being declared an official Bee City by Pollinator Partnership Canada. The Bee City designation raises awareness of the importance of pollinator diversity and the benefits of using native plants in habitat restoration, inspires residents to do their part to protect pollinators, and encourages local governments to select native flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses that will help pollinators. 

There’s no sweeter sign that Hamilton is committed to protecting pollinators than the York Blvd Parkette between Ray St N and Pearl St N in Strathcona. Identified by the Hamilton Pollinator Paradise Project – a partnership of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club and Environment Hamilton – in 2017, the York Blvd Parkette is now a vibrant and thriving garden of native plants and shrubs. The colourful mural, created by children from nearby Hess Street Elementary School under the design and guidance of community art educator Gerten Bosom, brings a splash of colour to the parkette all year round and honours the bees, birds, and insects that are so crucial to our local ecosystem. 

You, too, can bee-come part of the Bee City hive by taking the Pollinator Protection Pledge. All it takes is an effort to add native plants to your garden, avoid pesticides as much as possible, “leave the leaves” in the winter months, and promote pollinator protection when you can.

Team Up to Clean Up

Team Up to Clean Up is a year-round city-wide community cleanup program that helps keep public places in your neighbourhood clean and safe for everyone. This program provides all the tools you need to run a community cleanup, including gloves and specially marked garbage bags. You can host a clean-up event on City property, including parks, trails, alleyways, streets and parking lots.

Choose a location where you've noticed litter (on public property or private property with permission), set a date, gather some volunteers, and register your event with the City. Then all you need to do is pick up your free supplies, including trash bags, recycle bags, and gloves, and clean up your identified area. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

There are already clean-up events happening in Ward 1 this spring. Check out this upcoming event to help out:

• Westdale Neighbourhood Spring Clean-up: April 11, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • This clean-up, hosted by Beautiful Alleys, will start at the SoBi stand at Marion Ave S and King St W (beside the Alterna Savings Credit Union). Trash bags, recycle bags, and gloves will be provided. All you need to bring is your energy and enthusiasm! If you have any questions, contact [email protected] for more information.
• Strathcona Community Council Spring Clean-Up: April 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Join the SCC and your neighbours for a spring clean and eco-friendly seed bomb making. Gloves and bags will be provided. Hot chocolate and coffee "to go". The SCC encourages you to bring your own reusable mug.

Greener Ward 1

And, as always, there are many resources available at Greener Ward 1. Take a tree tour of Ward 1, learn about how to create biodiverse neighbourhoods, and get tips on gardening with native plants. Together, we can improve the biodiversity and environmental sustainability of our neighbourhoods, our ward, and our city.

Hamilton's Proposed Harmonised Private Tree By-law

To help protect large, mature trees that provide public benefits and grow our urban forest, the City of Hamilton is proposing a "Harmonised Private Tree By-law" and updates to the existing Tree Protection Guidelines and Woodland Bylaws, including the Urban Woodland By-law, the Woodland Conservation By-law, and existing Tree Protection guidelines.

The proposed new by-law and updates may mean changes for residents. For property owners, this may mean that some tree removals will require a permit, replacement trees may be required in some cases, and exemptions would apply for dead or hazardous trees, invasive species, emergency work, and trees too close to buildings.

In February of this year, City Council received a report on the State of the Urban Forest in Hamilton. Between 2021 and 2024, much of the City of Hamilton experienced a slight decline in tree canopy cover. Despite this, Ward 1 led the City in canopy cover growth, increasing by 1.7% between 2021 and 2024. At the same time, Hamilton's urban canopy cover stands at 18 per cent, while the rural canopy is at just over 26 per cent, indicating there is still much work to do to meet the 40% canopy cover target by 2050. The proposed Harmonised Private Tree By-law aims to help ensure the City of Hamilton reaches this important target.

The City will be collecting public feedback on the proposed Harmonised Private Tree By-law until April 23, 2026. In addition to public surveys on the Engage Hamilton portal regarding private tree protection and the Urban and Regional Woodland Bylaw, there will be two more public open houses on the proposed by-law:

• April 8, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre (876 Cannon St E), International Café
• April 16, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Valley Park Community Centre (970 Paramount Dr), Community Room 1

Temporary Closure of York Blvd Stairs

The York Blvd Stairs, connecting the High Level Bridge to the Waterfront Trail, will be temporarily closed from March 30 to April 2, 2026. This closure is to facilitate the replacement of electrical wiring in the light posts that illuminate the stairs. During the closure, residents who wish to use the Waterfront Trail are asked to access it from the Bayfront Park or Princess Point entrances.

Equity-Based Budgeting – Two-Year Partnership Overview 

Thursday night was an exciting and memorable evening for Hamiltonians gathered in the beloved Westdale Theatre. In addition to listening to Dr. Leslie Keen discuss new modes of thinking about and creating cities that are more just, equitable, and sustainable, followed by an outstanding panel of planners, including Dr. Kern, Cheryll Case, and the sublime Sabine Matheson, Maureen had the privilege of delivering some great news.

The City of Hamilton is taking an important step forward in advancing equity, transparency, and inclusion in its decision-making processes.

Building on previous initiatives such as the Gender-Based Safety Audit, the City’s Finance and Healthy and Safe Communities departments have partnered with YWCA Hamilton to integrate equity considerations into the municipal budgeting process.

The work will begin with framework development, staff training, and community engagement, followed by a pilot within select City divisions (Administration to Public Works) to help inform the 2027–2028 budget.

This initiative will support more inclusive, transparent, and evidence-informed decision-making by integrating community priorities into budget development. The pilot does not direct specific spending decisions or fund individual projects—it focuses on improving how budgeting decisions are made to better reflect community needs. The result is a made-in-Hamilton equity-based budgeting framework, increased staff capacity, and a stronger foundation for future budget decisions.

Sunday Parking Enforcement

Starting March 29, 2026, the City of Hamilton is piloting Sunday parking enforcement to help make streets safer and parking fair for everyone. Currently, the City only conducts parking enforcement Monday through Saturday.

This six-month pilot will operate on Sundays from 5:45 AM to 10:00 PM, addressing a long-standing service gap. Enforcement will be complaint-based, meaning officers will respond to resident concerns rather than proactively ticketing. This approach allows the community to adjust while existing parking rules remain in effect.

The pilot program aims to keep sidewalks, bike lanes, and streets clear for all road users, improve customer service by responding directly to resident concerns, and gather data on the demand, costs, and resources needed to guide future parking enforcement decisions. Findings and recommendations from the pilot project will be reported to the City of Hamilton's Planning Committee in late 2026.

Residents can report parking concerns by calling 905-546-2489 and can learn more about parking policies on the program's dedicated page.

Weekend JUNO Awards Events and Road Closures

Hamilton is hosting the party! The Juno Awards party, celebrating the best of Canadian music. 

JUNOfest is in full motion this week – bigger, louder, and ready to ignite Hamilton with the sounds of Canada’s top musical talent! For two epic nights, experience high-energy, genre-spanning music, featuring live performances from your favourite Canadian musicians and JUNO nominees across Hamilton’s iconic stages. 

The JUNO Awards are being held at TD Coliseum (101 York Blvd).

Find out about all the amazing events on Juno's website.

Note that the tunes do come with a bit of inconvenience.

T Due to the event, there will be temporary road closures and restrictions in the downtown core, including:

• CLOSURE: Bay St between King St and York Blvd
  • From 7:00 AM on March 24, 2026, to 5:00 PM on March 31, 2026
• CLOSURE: Bay St Bike Lane between King St and York Blvd
  • March 29, 2026
• LANE RESTRICTION: Main St between Bay St and Summers Lane
  • March 28, 2026, 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM

HSR Routes 4-Bayfront, 7-Locke, and 8-York will experience detours due to these traffic impacts.

Residents are advised of significant delays in the downtown area, particularly on March 29, 2026, and are encouraged to plan ahead to allow extra travel time and to use alternate routes. The City of Hamilton thanks residents, businesses, and visitors for their patience as these temporary impacts are required to safely host the event. 

A Reminder about my.hamilton.ca

The City of Hamilton is transforming how residents connect with the municipal services. The new my.hamilton.ca customer service digital gateway has launched, making it easier to submit service requests and track progress. The site provides residents with a single, secure place to access a growing number of City services online from any device – anytime, anywhere.

Access important services, such as:

• Animal Donation Payments – make a donation to support programming.
• Garbage and Recycling – schedule a bulk waste pickup, order extra trash tags, request an additional green bin and more.
• Licensing and Parking – apply for an outdoor patio or parking permit, or request the suspension of a parking restriction.
• Safe Apartment By-law Registration – register your apartment building
• Vacant Unit Tax – submit your annual declaration.
• Access Ask a Question and Report a Problem - submit requests easily and conveniently.

The portal also includes links to many commonly used City services, making it even easier for residents to access them from one location. For example, users can pay parking tickets and provincial offences fines, engage in City projects, and search and register for recreation programming.

The New HUB - Hamilton Utilities Billing

The City of Hamilton and Alectra Utilities are launching the "HUB" - Hamilton Utilities Billing portal on April 13, 2026.

As part of the transition from Alectra to the City for water meter reading and billing services, residents will receive a welcome letter sometime after Monday, March 16, 2026. The welcome letter provides customers with an overview of the transition, key dates, payment options, and information regarding pre-authorised payment re-enrolment. The first water utility invoices under HUB will begin being issued in April 2026, following the system launch.

This transition does not impact delivery of water service, water quality, or water rates. Customers who choose not to re-enrol in pre-authorised payment (PAP) can continue to pay their bill using many other payment options listed on the HUB.

Questions can be directed to [email protected].

McMaster Community Partner Survey

McMaster University is developing its next strategic plan called "Setting the Course". This is a five-year vision for excellence in research, teaching, and community impact.

As part of the process, McMaster wants to capture the perspectives of our Hamilton-area community partners through a short survey. McMaster University is one of the core institutions in Ward 1, and this is an excellent chance for residents to share their insights on McMaster’s priorities and on how the university can make the greatest impact on our local community.

This survey will take 4-to-5 minutes. If you have questions about the survey, please contact the university’s Strategic Planning Team at [email protected].

YWCA Care Kits Program

The Hamilton YWCA is embarking on a new project called the "Emergency Reproductive Care Program". This program will help support individuals who are pregnant and/or parenting by providing practical resources, compassionate care, and meaningful community connections. Part of this includes preparing "Care Kits" for participants.

The YWCA is looking for

• non-perishable snack food items like granola and protein bars, juice boxes, fruit cups, oatmeal, water bottles, etc.;
• clothing items like slippers and socks;
• personal care items like washcloths, bandages, toothbrushes, tampons, etc.;
• baby care items like blankets, wipes, diapers, etc., and
• disposable rain ponchos and umbrellas

The YWCA hopes to build long-term community partnerships but is also seeking one-time contributions and donations of any size.

If you can help, please contact Debbie Fazio at [email protected].

Updates from the Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association

Music Survey

The Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association (KNA) is embarking on a project in the Kirkendall neighbourhood to encourage and expand awareness, participation, and attendance in local live music initiatives. Their first step is to survey Kirkendall residents to identify music initiatives in the area, both ongoing and in the planning stages, scheduled to take place in the next 12 months. If you have a music initiative and would like the KNA to know about it, please fill out this short survey, the KNA Music Mapping Survey, by April 24th. Know anyone in Kirkendall with a music initiative? Please send this link to them. The results of our survey will be compiled to inform the next phase of our music awareness project. For more information, contact the KNA at [email protected].

KNA Volunteering Opportunities 

The KNA is seeking volunteers for some upcoming events and for their active committees:

• KNA Fill a Bus, Feed a Family Food Drive - The KNA Food Drive is on Saturday, May 2, and there are lots of ways to help before and on event day, like prepping and delivering food collection bags, hanging posters, helping to collect food on May 2nd, and more.
• Social Media Coordinator - use your savvy social media skills to keep Kirkendall residents connected and in the know about upcoming  KNA community events and activities
• KNA Events Committee Member - help organise KNA events like the annual food drive, lawn sale, and more. Choose the event(s) that work for you!

Email [email protected] to learn more about these opportunities.

Upcoming KNA events

• 1st Annual Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association's "KNA Connects" event
  • April 16, 2026, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at McMaster Innovation Park (175 Longwood Rd S)
  • Attend and enjoy this free event to hear and meet keynote speakers Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson, local author Jason Allen, and Sergeant Allen Schultz of the Hamilton Police Service (with a special appearance by Hamilton Police Service Mascot Coppy in their cruiser!). This is also an opportunity to learn about upcoming KNA initiatives and to engage with attending community leaders, organisations, and businesses. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.
• Fill a Bus, Feed a Family
  • May 2, 2026
  • Food Donation Bags will be delivered to Kirkendall households between Friday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 29. 
• The KNA's Annual Compost Sale
  • May 9, 2026, 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Pre-order your compost today! The KNA would like to extend thanks to Monaghan Mushrooms, D'Orazio Infrastructure, and Blessings Christian Church for their support.
• The KNA's Annual Lawn Sale
  • May 30, 2026

These and more events can be found on the KNA website.

Events - Ward 1

Common Table: Mutual Aid in Action

• April 21, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Location: Strathcona Market, 460 York Blvd
• Join us for the next Common Table community dialogue on Tuesday, April 21 (6–8 PM) at Strathcona Market. This session, co-hosted with Courage Co-Lab, will be an interactive gathering where we’ll share skills, needs, and ideas to spark new connections around small acts of community care. Whether it’s organizing a group walk, a neighbourhood clean-up, volunteering, or simply meeting people who care about community - this is a space to turn connection into action. Please register to save your space.

Menopause Workshop: Lifestyle Evidence During Menopause

• April 26, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
• Location: Melrose United Church, 86 Homewood Ave
• Hamilton Women! Let’s Talk Menopause (The Right Way). If you’re in your 40s-60s and wondering what’s happening to your energy, muscle, sleep, or metabolism, you’re not alone. On April 26, join Human Performance Solutions mobile for an empowering menopause presentation featuring Dr Stuart Phillips from McMaster University. Whether you're preparing for menopause or already navigating it, this Hamilton menopause presentation will give you practical tools you can start using immediately. Tickets are $10 or pay-what-you-can, with proceeds supporting Interval House of Hamilton, which helps women and families in our community. Spaces are limited, so get your tickets today!

Events - Explore Your City

Tenant Town Hall with Hamilton Centre MPP Robin Lennox

• March 29, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
• Location: Room 204/206, One James North (McMaster Continuing Education Centre in Jackson Square), 1 James St N
• Join Hamilton Centre MPP Robin Lennox on Sunday, March 29th, for an engaging Tenant Townhall featuring Ricardo Tranjan. Ricardo is the author of the national bestseller The Tenant Class (2023) and directs the research program at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Ontario, focusing on collaboration and movement-building. He will be leading a discussion on affordable housing and tenant organising with Mohamad Bsat from Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and MPP Lennox. During this meeting, MPP Lennox will also be launching the 2026 Tenant Guide filled with helpful tips about navigating our housing system!

The Junos in Hamilton

• March 26, 2026, to March 29, 2026
• Location: Across Hamilton
• The Junos are coming to Hamilton! Canada's premiere celebration of music and culture will be held right here in Hamilton on March 29, 2026. For three days beforehand, Hamilton will host multiple events, concerts, and shows honouring Canada's incredible musical talent. And, on March 26, 2026, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Music Hall (24 Main St W), the City of Hamilton is hosting a Juno Kickoff Concert with a mix of performances from some of Canada’s top-charting and rising stars. Join us in celebrating Canadian culture right here in Hamilton.

Punching In: The Work of Hamilton Music

• January 27, 2026, to Friday, December 31, 2026
• Location: Tourism Hamilton Visitor Experience Centre, 28 James St N
• Celebrate Hamilton’s thriving music scene and the journey of music-making with "Punching In", an exhibit curated by Hamilton Civic Museums in collaboration with the Hamilton music community! Learn about the contributions of promoters, venue owners, songwriters, photographers and sound engineers to your favourite Hamilton songs, and revel in the nostalgia of iconic Hamilton concerts and music venues, past and present. The exhibit will highlight local musicians, including Jackie Washington, Boris Brott, Terra Lightfoot, and the Arkells, as well as the industry that helps to create and share this music. 

Ward 1 Infrastructure Updates

For up-to-date information on all the infrastructure projects happening in Ward 1, check out our Ward 1 Infrastructure Projects webpage.

Ward 1 Development Information

Here you can find general information on developments and their status in the planning process.

Follow along for timely Ward 1 Updates via:   

• Email: [email protected]
• Tel: 905-546-2416
• On social media: