Hamilton mayoral contenders focus on roundabouts, cops, town halls

With a month to go before election day, Hamilton candidates are heading into the home stretch.

And they're trying to remain in the public eye in the fight for voters' favour ahead of the Oct. 24 vote.

This week, mayoral hopeful Andrea Horwath made a pair of announcements, including a pledge to prioritize a roundabout on a busy stretch of Highway 52 in Ancaster.

For years, residents have called for the change at Powerline Road, where the two-lane highway also disconnects trail users who wait for gaps in traffic to continue their journeys.

If elected, she'd make sure" the roundabout is installed sooner rather than later," Horwath said. Because I would much rather see that work done than see a fatal accident at this intersection."

Dave Jones, a longtime Powerline resident and retired paramedic who joined Horwath for the announcement, called the intersection as ticking time bomb."

One of these days" he said, we're going to get a pedestrian or cyclist struck at that crossing."

At council's direction, public works staff studying the potential roundabout. An environmental assessment, estimated at $400,000, is expected to take 24 to 30 months. It's to be the subject of 2023 budget talks.

To make the roundabout happen, highway-side Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) land would be needed. The HCA remains supportive of any and all safety improvements" to the area, deputy CAO Scott Peck said in an email.

The operators of a Powerline Road dairy farm also advocating for the roundabout say they're willing to give up land for the project. With a new bottling facility on the horizon, the 500-cow farm is expected to draw more visitors along with growing agri-tourism in the area, Ben Loewith said.

Horwath followed her Ancaster traffic-safety announcement with a news conference in the North End to publicize an endorsement from Hamilton anti-racism trailblazer Evelyn Myrie.

Myrie, president of the Afro Canadian Caribbean Association, said she's thrilled" that the former Ontario NDP leader has thrown her hat in the ring. I think her experience, the knowledge she has around community, her long-standing commitment to building Hamilton as a place to live, thrive, is important."

Loomis visits mosque

Keanin Loomis spent time at the Hamilton Downtown Mosque to address roughly 600 congregants gathered for Friday prayers.

The discussion focused on Islamophobia but also housing, roads and economic development, the mayoral candidate said.

You really realize that regardless, of who you are, where you come from or your background, we all share the same concerns."

The ex-chamber of commerce CEO was the first to announce his candidacy in early January, make it official in May and detail policy points.

Now it's about actually about taking that to the various communities here in Hamilton, and getting them excited about it and engaging them."

That includes a city-traversing town-hall" tour meant to preview similar forums he'd hold in all 15 wards during the first year of his tenure if elected mayor.

Last week, the first date piggybacked on the opening of Stoney Creek campaign headquarters followed by a town hall in Binbrook on Wednesday with more in the weeks ahead. And it's been an amazing success."

Bratina on police

Mayoral contender Bob Bratina, meanwhile, chose a stretch of rail trail on the east Mountain to highlight his plan for a better and safer Hamilton."

Too many Hamiltonians will tell you that they are feeling less safe now than they have in years," the former Liberal MP said during a Limeridge Road East news conference.

That's due to women being attacked on trails, pedestrians struck by reckless" drivers and an alarming" number of shootings, he said.

Bratina pledged to prioritize public safety with an aim to lead a council that backs the hiring of more police officers.

Currently, Hamilton is well below the national median number of officers per population," he said, citing police board statistics.

In 2022, the police budget - which forms a part of the city's roughly $1-billion spending plan - was hiked by 3.94 per cent to roughly $183.5 million.

Bratina said the officer shortfall" must be addressed incrementally," adding he'd lean on" police brass to determine how many more should be added.

The one-time mayor, who's running on a platform to keep taxes low, said both goals are achievable, contending the city has been wasting money."

He dismissed calls to defund" the police. That is such a minority in my experience talking to people, that I'm not even going to consider it."

Bratina said he also hopes to increase lighting along trails and parks in targeted areas" to help bolster security. We have to consider it. People are insisting on it."

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com