As the Oct. 26 municipal election approaches, CBC Hamilton reached out to all candidates running for city council in Hamilton’s 15 wards, asking them to outline their key priorities and how they plan to tackle the main issues facing the community. Below are the responses from candidates in Ward 15, with edits made only for spelling and grammar. For those who didn’t respond to the CBC Hamilton survey, information has been gathered from publicly available resources. To find out which ward you’re in, visit the city’s website.
In Ward 15 of Hamilton, incumbent councillor and veteran politician Ted Mc Meekin is up against five challengers: Chase Alford, Mary Kovacs, Colleen Stewart, Zac Wrobel, and Jeff Yaeger.
According to the city’s website, Ward 15 is described as “mostly a rural ward but also contains some light industrial and commercial areas along with Waterdown’s urban region.”
The ward stretches from the Niagara Escarpment near Burlington in the southeast to Mountsberg Conservation Area at the northwest boundary with Halton Region and Wellington County.
Within this ward lies Waterdown, one of Hamilton’s fastest-growing residential neighborhoods. It also includes Joe Sams Leisure Park, featuring amenities like baseball diamonds, soccer fields, trails, and an off-leash dog park.
Key concerns raised by candidates running for council in this ward include infrastructure needs, affordability issues, property taxes, and how to manage rapid growth effectively.
CBC Hamilton posed various questions to candidates. Here are their responses organized alphabetically by last name.
Chase Alford
Chase Alford is a candidate for Ward 15 councillor; he mentioned his experience managing large greenhouse operations during a debate on Cable 14. (Cable 14)
Chase Alford is campaigning for council in Ward 15 but did not complete CBC’s survey prior to publication.
His website states that he moved to Waterdown in 2001 and has built his career managing significant agricultural production across New Brunswick and Chatham Kent.
During the Cable 14 debate for Ward 15 candidates, Alford called himself “a project manager and scientist first.” He expressed concern that Flamborough land could be utilized for a future AI data center and stated his opposition to it.
His main priorities include improving infrastructure, ensuring fair taxation practices, enhancing community safety measures, and promoting environmental conservation efforts.
Mary Kovacs
Mary Kovacs is a candidate for Ward 15 councillor; she serves as an advocate for children and families as well as being an Acorn member. (Cable 14)
Mary Kovacs is a child and family advocate who is also involved with Acorn at age 67.
She mentioned spending over two decades as an independent community advocate focusing on reducing child poverty among youth while ensuring pension security and improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities within systems.
Kovacs indicated she has aided vulnerable families navigating institutional hurdles such as family court processes or municipal support services. As someone who has lived in Hamilton her whole life, she emphasized her history of community involvement through music programs aimed at fostering healing within neighborhoods.
Kovacs believes that Ward 15 requires someone dedicated at City Hall due its mix of suburban areas alongside more rural communities needing representation.
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What do you see as pressing challenges facing your ward?
Ward 15 faces urgent issues such as geographic isolation coupled with hidden economic struggles.
Being a large rural/suburban area including parts like Flamborough alongside Waterdown means poverty often remains concealed beneath surface levels; fixed-income households-seniors included-alongside residents living with disabilities suffer severely when it comes down transit options too since gaps exist throughout our municipal transportation networks effectively cutting access away from downtown infrastructure where healthcare services reside along employment opportunities plus recreational activities designed specifically toward youth engagement purposes too! >>>Furthermore we face critical shortages when it comes localized youth programming available nearby-community support systems must be enhanced so struggling families can find necessary resources close by!>>How do you plan on addressing these challenges?>>I’ll focus my advocacy efforts toward targeted investments made at municipal levels needed bridging gaps formed between our suburban/rural layouts versus downtown resource accessibility! >>I intend expanding transit infrastructures making sure regular reliable connections exist catering directly toward families relying ODSP assistance fixed incomes seniors alike! >>Pushing additional funding allocations related low-income subsidized recreation passes plus localized food security initiatives becomes vital too! Transparency regarding resource allocation will guarantee fair shares received back into supporting youth programming along infrastructure upgrades essential towards ensuring equity across all transit routes benefitting vulnerable residents especially!ерец>пгдсбсьжнйИаррлй чмедй оидосбкюэж лееЛетессталайтнея еирлеj
### Teddy Stewart
The current Councillor-Ted Mc Meekin-is seeking re-election.
