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Our Community Vision in Action
Sharing progress updates about key milestones in achieving our shared Vision for the future of Hamilton
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OFH Priority: Community Engagement & Participation
We’re excited to share that the City of Hamilton has earned Silver Certification from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities (WWC) program, making it one of the first four Canadian cities to achieve this recognition. This certification celebrates Hamilton’s commitment to data-driven decision-making, transparency, and improved public services. Some key examples of City initiatives include the following:
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CityLAB Hamilton: In partnership with local post-secondary institutions, McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer University, more than 4,100 students have applied data and analytics to develop more than 230 innovative solutions to pressing community challenges.
Hamilton joins 21 newly certified cities across the Americas, setting the standard for effective data use in local government.
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Upcoming Community Events
Learn about what will be happening in community over the next few months!
We know that there is even more happening than what is listed. If you have an upcoming community event you'd like us to share in our next quarterly newsletter, send your event details to: ourfuturehamilton@hamilton.ca
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CityLab Project Showcase
April 4, 2025
Each term, CityLAB hosts a Project Showcase as an opportunity for students, faculty, Hamilton community members and City officials to come and learn about the innovative projects co-created throughout the semester, and to celebrate the hard work of our Project Teams!
Projects this semester include Accessibility in Sustainable Mobility, Developing an Activator Toolkit for Open Streets Hamilton, Evaluating Rain Gardens, Customer Engagement in Corporate Asset Management, and more.
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
CityLAB - 58 Jackson St. W
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Earth Day
April 22, 2025
Organize a Clean Up Event in Your Community
Team Up to Clean Up is a year-round city-wide community clean up program that helps keep public places in your neighbourhood clean and safe for everyone.
This program provides all the tools you need to run a community clean up, including gloves and specially marked recycling and garbage bags.
You can host a clean up event on City property including parks, trails, alleyways, streets and parking lots.
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Doors Open Hamilton
May 3 - 4, 2025 (City-wide)
Applications are now open for sites to participate in the 2025 event. This year, the Doors Open Hamilton event will feature properties that are historic or architecturally significant that have more than one primary use.
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Ottawa St. North Sew Hungry May 10, 2025
Hamilton's Award-Winning Food Truck Festival is back this year with a line-up of fabulous Food Trucks.
On May 10th Ottawa Street North is where you want to be for delicious food, vendor market and entertainment for the whole family.
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Hamilton Newcomer Day 2025
May 30, 2025
Newcomer Day is an annual event held by the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council in May that welcomes newcomers to Hamilton, helps them understand and access a wide range of services, and celebrates their contributions to Hamilton.
This is a FREE event and all Hamiltonians are invited to join!
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Hamilton City Hall
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Barton Village Festival
June 14, 2025
Barton Village BIA is thrilled to announce the upcoming event Barton Village Festival, taking place on Saturday June 14th at Woodlands Park.
This exciting initiative aims to bring the community together and promote local businesses and organizations within Barton Village.
11am - 8pm
Woodlands Park
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FrancoFEST 2025
June 20 - 22, 2025
Bring the whole family to experience the largest Francophone festival in Ontario when FrancoFEST comes to Gage Park this summer.
The weekend-long festival is a celebration of francophone art and culture, including concerts, family activities, and creative adventures.
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Open Streets on King
June 22, 2025
Open Streets on King is returning in 2025 for two exciting Sundays along the iconic King Street route, from John Street to Gage Avenue. Participants will have the opportunity to walk, cycle, roll, and play along King Street East.
This year, event hours have been extended to 10AM - 4PM, allowing for even more time to enjoy the route’s activities and entertainment.
Save the date: Open Streets will also return on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
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Art Gallery of Hamilton - YAC (Youth Arts Collective) Drop-in Open Studio
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Free Admission
Open to creatives from ages 14-25 of age, this drop-in studio time is a chance to learn and create, with all mediums welcome. No registration required, and art supplies are provided.
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YWCA Hamilton's Annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes
June 11, 2025
Join the YWCA of Hamilton to help create a future free from violence for women, children, and gender-diverse people. Registration Required.
See YWCA of Hamilton's webpage to learn more about how you can get involved.
Because everyone deserves to feel safe.
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Forging the Future:
Urban Minds Hamilton Launch
April 30, 2025
Urban Minds is launching their Hamilton team and hosting an exciting evening to celebrate!
Come be part of an inspiring evening focused on building connections and sparking meaningful conversations about empowering youth to find their voices and shape the future of their cities.
6:30pm - Art Gallery of Hamilton
Free event. Register below.
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Hamilton Public Library
Jazz Month Concert Series
April 2025 (Various Locations)
Hamilton Public Library branches are offering free, live jazz concerts throughout the month of April in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month.
Come experience a variety of jazz music forms all throughout the month.
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Hamilton Bike Month
June 2025
Get ready to roll Hamilton! Join in the fun and make this June the best Bike Month yet! Check out the Bike Month webpage linked below to stay up to date with what will be happening in community this year.
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Hamilton Arts Week
June 3-12, 2025
Hamilton Arts Week is an annual multidisciplinary festival held city-wide to celebrate and strengthen artistic and cultural appreciation.
Presented by Hamilton Arts Council in partnership with the City of Hamilton, the event receives additional support from Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
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Community Recap
So much is happening in community! Learn about what's been going on in the city and connect with partner organizations to learn more about their work.
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Black History Month
February 2025
The 2025 theme selected by the organizing committee was “The Art of Community”. The launch event featured a special art exhibit by Roger and Kareem Ferreira, local artist Dawn Grant, as well as a marketplace featuring vendors and local organizations.
Two individuals were recognized for their contributions to the history and cultural diversity of the City of Hamilton. The two honorees are: Reverend George Edmund Fitzgerald Horton (1934-2017) and Haydain Neale (1970-2009).
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Hamilton Police Services' Ramadan Iftar Dinner
On Monday March 17, 2025, Hamilton Police Services hosted a gathering of community from mosques across Hamilton to come together with community partners for an evening Iftar meal. It was an inspirational event filled with many new friendships and connections, delicious middle eastern and south asian foods (including a fabulous Basbousa for dessert).
Many thanks to Dr. Rahim Samnan and Ala Mohammed from Hamilton Police Services for organizing and hosting this community meal!
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McMaster University's Community Engaged Research Days
On March 27-28, McMaster's Office of Community Engagement facilitated a two-day learning event for students, faculty, community, and partner organizations, showcasing the research of students who are directly engaging with community and the lived experiences of Hamiltonians through their work. Participants contributed to dialogue about respectful and reciprocal engagement with community as part of academic research.
Congratulations to the McMaster OCE team on a fantastic event!
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The Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) recognizing the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The event on March 21st was a day of insightful learning and dialogue, covering Hamilton’s population trends, community safety, and critical issues such as hate, extremism, racial justice, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobia.
We explored topics like the impact of online hate against South Asian communities, solidarity in action, and strategies to combat polarization and right-wing extremism.
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Update: Volunteer Advisory Committee Review and Next Steps
In 2023, a comprehensive review of the City's Volunteer Advisory Committees was endorsed by City Council to strengthen civic engagement processes and advance meaningful opportunities for residents to shape City decision-making efforts.
What we did: The review process included: an online survey for former volunteer advisory committee members and staff liaisons; a municipal best practices scan; externally-led focus groups and interviews with committee members by the Social Planning & Research Council of Hamilton; as well as internal consultation efforts with City Departments and relevant Divisions.
What we heard: Having heard from both current and past members, we learned that the existing structure, while strong in several ways, had several limitations – slow processes, rigid systems, barriers to participation, declining membership, along with gaps in volunteer training and recognition opportunities.
Decision-Making outcomes: On March 5, 2025, Hamilton's City Council approved the recommendations of Report CM23025(b) setting in motion a new model for civic engagement. As a result, existing City Volunteer Advisory Committees will transition to resident-led and staff supported Community Liaison Groups (CLG) to foster the inclusion of a wider range of diverse voices in shaping City priorities.
What happens next: City staff have one year to co-develop a unique and tailored Community Liaison Group model for each committee. By building on what we already know works well for our volunteer committees, our next steps will focus on co-creating a made-in-Hamilton approach for each of the new the CLGs. We're eager to strengthen the voices of our communities and the value they bring to City building.
Stay tuned for more updates as this exciting civic engagement work gets underway!
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Featured Community Partner
A chance to learn more about local organizations that work to support the Our Future Hamilton Vision and Priorities
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The Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) is committed to advancing education about race, racism, discrimination, racial equality, and anti-racist theory and practice in Hamilton.
They do so by holding workshops, programs, and events, and offering support services to the community.
They directly support affected members of our community by receiving complaints about racism and referring complainants to appropriate community resources.
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Featured Community Champions
Let's celebrate the Hamiltonians who are making a difference in our communities!
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Honouring Terri Bedminster with the King’s Coronation Medal
Congratulations to Terri Bedminster for receiving the King’s Coronation Medal. The King’s Coronation Medal is awarded to those who have made exceptional contributions to their communities.
Terri is a tireless advocate for health equity, immigrant rights, and social justice in Hamilton. Her leadership and dedication have made a profound difference in the lives of so many in our community.
As Executive Director of Refuge Newcomer Health, Terri ensures that newcomers to Hamilton receive compassionate and culturally appropriate healthcare, breaking down barriers to access and creating a welcoming space for those in need. Congratulations Terri!
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Share YOUR Voice to Shape OUR City.
Hamilton is a City of many communities. You have a lot to contribute - we want to hear your ideas, feedback, stories, and vision. Collectively, we can build a Hamilton that reflects us all. From parks to public spaces, transit to housing, your voice and opinion matters. Join the conversation today!
Visit Engage.Hamilton.ca to explore projects that interest you.
Want to learn more about the City's approach to engagement? Or do you have an idea that can inform how the City engages on projects? We want to connect with you. Let's chat by sending us an email at Engage.Hamilton@hamilton.ca.
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Dates of Recognition (April/May/June)
- April 2, 2025 - World Autism Awareness Day
- April 22, 2025 - Earth Day
- May 5, 2025 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) National Day of Awareness
- May 5, 2025 - Mental Health Awareness Week
- May 7, 2025 - Youth Mental Health Day
- June 2025 - Pride Month
- June 2025 - National Indigenous History Month
- June 5, 2025 - World Environment Day
- June 21, 2025 - National Indigenous Peoples Day
- June 27, 2025 - Canadian Multiculturalism Day
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