Hamilton Votes October 26, and Housing Is the Issue That Decides It

In five weeks, Hamilton picks its next mayor and 15 councillors, and the biggest issue on the ballot is the one that hits your wallet hardest: housing.

This Election Runs on Housing

Hamilton votes on October 26. Andrea Horwath is running as the incumbent after winning the job in 2022, and she is facing a rematch with Keanin Loomis on top of a crowded field of challengers. The Chamber of Commerce hosts a mayoral debate on September 22, and it is already drawing heat because most of the field was left off the stage. Strip away the noise and the campaign keeps circling back to three things: how fast the city builds, what happens to property taxes, and how Hamilton handles growth. Every one of those lands on your front door.

The Housing Decisions Are Already in Motion

This is not theoretical. Hamilton just accepted a record 572 million dollar infrastructure deal from the province and Ottawa, tied to eliminating development charges on new residential builds and meant to unlock more than 31,000 homes. Council was still split in September over how to take the money. Whoever wins on October 26 inherits that file, along with the fights over intensification you have watched play out on corridors like Highway 8 in Stoney Creek, the reliability of the HSR, and how aggressively the city approves density now that the province has limited community character as a reason to say no. The next council sets the pace for years, not weeks.

What It Means If You're Buying or Selling in Hamilton

Here is where it gets practical. Elections create a pause. Buyers and sellers tell themselves they will wait to see what happens, and that hesitation quietly costs them. The structural math does not flip overnight no matter who wins. Right now the benchmark price sits around 729,800 dollars, there is roughly five months of supply, and homes are averaging about 38 days on market. Buyers have more leverage than they have had in years. Layer on the development-charge cuts and HST relief already lowering the cost of a new build, and the case for acting on the numbers in front of you is stronger than the case for waiting on a political outcome.

If you want the fuller picture behind these numbers, two reads are worth your time. Ontario still is not building enough homes to keep up with demand, and I broke down what that supply gap means for your Hamilton move. And if you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the perfect moment, look at the biggest myth about the Hamilton market right now before it costs you.

Thinking about a move before or after the election? Do not make the call on a headline. Reach out to me directly at doug@muircorealty.ca or through Muir and Co. Realty, and let's look at your specific numbers, your neighbourhood, and your timing. That is how you make a smart move in any market.