Peter Dyakowski

What happens when Hamilton's budget gets delivered via "Strong Mayor" powers, but we don't actually have a strong mayor? Or one who even reads the whole budget, apparently? The result is that City Staff end up running the show!

We have staff recommendations to balance the budget through service cuts, cuts to programs used by families and taxpayers, instead of cutting the bloated City Hall workforce. Kids won't have anywhere to go skating, but the municipal hiring spree, the hallmark of Andrea Horwath's administration, continues unabated.

Ontario's Strong Mayor law won't be changing anytime soon. As much as we might like these powers back in the hands of councillors, if we want to take control of our city back from an unaccountable, unelected bureaucracy, we must elect a mayor capable of exercising these powers.

Mayor blaming staff for arena issue makes both look bad After saying she didn’t want to throw staff under the bus, she did just that.

Today, by only one vote, our City Council ratified the Vacant Unit Tax. This new tax won't help house a single family. Instead, it's adding a new bureaucratic layer within a city hall that can't get anything right.

It's likely that this new tax will be revenue negative once the cost of implementation is fully realized. And it will certainly be a net cost on our city's economy and ultimately reduce, not increase, the available housing supply.

This article from the Bay Observer does a great job of laying out what some of the unintended consequences could be:
https://bayobserver.ca/vacant-unit-tax-survives-but-unintended-consequences-are-revealed/

The City of Hamilton Just lost our Triple A credit rating (AAA), but their press release ignores our downgrade and instead spins our AA+ rating as a positive. When does spin veer into outright misinformation? And will anyone lose their job over the downgrade, which may cost our City and, by extension, our homeowners and commercial taxpayers, millions in the long run?

Here is the full text of the City's release below:

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton has received a ‘AA+’ credit rating from S&P Global Ratings, reflecting the City’s continued fiscal discipline and a diversified economy that supports long-term stability.

The ‘AA+’ rating is the second highest possible on S&P’s global scale, demonstrating Hamilton’s “very strong capacity to meet financial commitments.” S&P also cited the City’s solid operating results, low debt levels, and strong liquidity as key strengths supporting the rating.

S&P’s report notes that the change from ‘AAA’ to ‘AA+’ follows delays in completing audited financial statements due to a serious cyberattack in 2024, which temporarily disrupted parts of the City’s data and financial systems. The agency attributed the rating change to reporting timelines, while also recognizing Hamilton’s efforts to modernize and strengthen its systems.

“Hamilton’s finances remain stable, and the AA+ rating – the second highest rating possible – reflects that solid foundation,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “While the cyberattack caused a technical reporting delay, it did not weaken our finances. I’ve met with the City Manager to ensure the City is addressing S&P's feedback, while staying focused on strengthening our systems, maintaining transparency, and continuing to make responsible financial decisions that support Hamiltonians and our city’s future.”

The report noted that Hamilton has strong cash reserves, with enough liquidity to cover its annual debt payments nine times over. It also found that the City’s debt is expected to remain low - about 19 per cent of operating revenues by 2027 - a level which is considered as healthy and conservative.

“As demonstrated by a AA+ rating, Hamilton is financially resilient, well-managed, and focused on continuous improvement,” said City Manager Marnie Cluckie. “We’re taking steps to strengthen our financial systems, enhance accountability, and ensure long-term stability for the community we serve.”

“Hamilton’s fiscal foundation remain solid,” added General Manager of Finance and Corporate Services Mike Zegarac. “We continue to exercise disciplined financial management while modernizing our systems and improving risk oversight.”

S&P’s stable outlook reflects confidence that Hamilton will maintain its strong financial performance, prudent fiscal management, and resilient economy.

Quick Facts:

Hamilton’s fiscal position remains strong among Canadian municipalities:
Liquidity coverage: Cash reserves exceed nine times annual debt service. (The City has enough reserve funds saved to pay its yearly debt costs more than nine times over.)
Low debt: Debt is projected to remain around 19% of operating revenues by 2027, which is considered a safe and conservative level.
Consistent surpluses: Operating balances of 13–14% of annual revenues reflect disciplined budgeting and fiscal prudence.
Diversified economy: Anchored by education, health care, manufacturing, and logistics, Hamilton’s economy continues to expand steadily despite external challenges.

The City of Hamilton has received a ‘AA+’ credit rating from S&P Global Ratings, reflecting the City’s continued fiscal discipline and a diversified economy that supports long-term stability.

Release>> https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/news-notices/news-releases/city-receives-aa-credit-rating-second-highest-rating