Have Your Say on Hamilton's 2026 Budget - Ward 11 Session in Binbrook

Join Councillor Mark Tadeson and Mayor Andrea Horwath for an important community conversation about Hamilton's 2026 tax budget.

Ward 11 Budget Engagement Session

Date: Monday, September 23, 2025

Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: Binbrook Agricultural Society, Building 3

As your City Councillor and a strong advocate for fiscal accountability, I encourage all Ward 11 residents to attend this important session. Your voice is crucial in pushing for a budget that prioritizes essential services while keeping tax increases affordable for families. This is your opportunity to learn about the budget process and make your concerns about spending and tax increases heard directly by City staff and Mayor Horwath.

What to Expect

The evening will include:

• Welcome remarks from Mayor Andrea Horwath

• Budget presentation from the City's Finance team

• Q&A session where you can ask questions directly

• Informal conversations with staff and members of council

• Interactive engagement stations where you can:

  • Complete the 2026 Budget Survey

  • Use the Balancing Act Budget Tool to explore budget trade-offs

  • Share your ideas and priorities

Why Your Voice Matters for Fiscal Accountability

Mayor Horwath emphasized the importance of community engagement: "Hamiltonians are facing real affordability challenges, and every budget decision we make has a direct impact on people's lives, whether it's housing, transit, roads or services in our neighbourhoods."

The City provides over 70 daily services that affect our daily lives in Ward 11 - from road maintenance and snow clearing to parks and recreation programs, transit services, and emergency response. While these services are important, I believe we must ensure they're delivered efficiently and cost-effectively. Your feedback will help me advocate for essential services while pushing back against unnecessary spending that drives up your property taxes.

Can't Make It to Binbrook?

If you can't attend the Ward 11 session, there are other ways to participate:

Other In-Person Sessions:

• September 18, 3:30-5 p.m. - Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre

• September 19, 6-7:30 p.m. - Carlisle Community Centre

• September 22, 6-7:30 p.m. - Ancaster Rotary Centre

• September 24, 6:30-8 p.m. - Glendale Secondary School

• September 25, 6-7:30 p.m. - Hamilton Convention Centre

Virtual Session:

• September 19, 2:30-4 p.m. - Visit hamilton.ca/2026budget for access details

Online Participation:

• Complete the budget survey at engage.hamilton.ca/2026budget

• Share ideas and explore interactive tools on the City's engagement platform

• Use the Balancing Act Budget Tool to understand budget trade-offs

Understanding the Numbers

Here's what you should know about Hamilton's budget:

• 58% of your property taxes fund City services

• 42% supports boards and agencies, education, and provincially mandated programs like Public Health, paramedics, housing, and social services

The budget has two main parts:

1. Tax Supported Budget - Day-to-day operations funded by property taxes, grants, and user fees

2. Water Rate Budget - Water, wastewater, and stormwater services funded by user rates

Next Steps

Your feedback from these sessions will be presented to Council in November 2025 to help inform the Mayor's budget directive and guide the development of the 2026 budget.

Get Involved

As Ward 11's representative, I'm committed to fighting for fiscal responsibility and ensuring taxpayers get value for every dollar spent. I consistently vote against budgets that impose excessive tax increases without adequate justification. I look forward to hearing your concerns about city spending at the Binbrook session on September 23rd, and I'll use your input to hold City staff accountable and push for a more affordable budget.

Together, we can demand a budget that focuses on core services, eliminates waste, and keeps tax increases reasonable for Ward 11 families.