With a fifth consultant’s report in hand, Hamilton City Council is launching another round of discussion about the future of the Hamilton Farmers’ Market.
During a March 24 meeting, Council voted to direct the Farmers Market Board of Directors to consider the latest consultant report during its April 14 meeting.
The Market has struggled in recent years due to a dysfunctional governance system, vendors who blatantly misbehave and violate Market policies, and a group of entrenched long-time vendors who resist changing the Market to reflect the current realities of how downtown residents shop.
In 2020, Hamilton City Council received the third consultant’s report on how to fix the Market. That report, which was rejected, stated that the Market Board needed to be disbanded and that the City should operate the Market as nearly every other city does—as a business with landlord-tenant relationships.
The 2020 report squarely blamed the Board’s dysfunction on an entrenched group of vendor representatives who were misusing their positions to advance their interests at the expense of improving the Market.
Council hired the latest consultant following the 2020 report. This consultant issued the fourth report in 2023, recommending that the City either move or renovate the Market.
Report Recommends Governance Changes
The latest report recommends removing existing vendors from the Market’s Board of Directors due to conflict of interest issues.
Previous consultants have made this recommendation.
Since the creation of the Board of Directors model over a decade ago, the Board has been plagued with dysfunction, and a steady stream of citizen members have resigned in frustration.
New Report Says the City Should Renovate the Market – At City Expense
The fifth report builds on this consultant’s previous report (the fourth) by stating that the City of Hamilton should renovate the market to create separate zones to enable different hours for some vendors, especially hot food and consumable vendors.
Report Claims Evening Hours Were “Not Successful”
The latest report reflects a lack of research into the market’s situation.
The report claims that Friday evening hours were “not successful.” The Market experimented with evening hours for a few months in the fall of 2023.
Many of the vendors refused to participate.
Participating vendors, most of whom sell hot food and other consumables, stated that the evening hours assisted their business.
However, the Market vendors on the Board, who did not sell these kinds of products, voted to end the evening hours in December 2023.
Report Claims Walking 100 Metres from Main Bus Terminal Too Far for Market Customers
The consultants claim “transit does not facilitate convenient access to the Market” because “customers must walk from the bus terminal.”
All of Hamilton’s downtown servicing bus routes stop in front of Jackson Square, with the Market a 100-metre indoor walk through the shopping mall.
A few vendors claim they are experiencing declines in business due to a lack of free parking, the installation of a bike lane on York Boulevard over a decade ago, and that HSR buses do not stop directly at the market’s doors.
Future of the Market to Return to Council in Late April or Early May
City Council voted to meet again after the Market Board considers the report on April 14.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: April 6, 2025
Last updated: April 6, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
Imagine that instead of allowing developers to wait until they can maximize profit that we force them to build or give up the right to develop. Had we started the proposed condominium project we maybe close to having new residents moving in creating additional housing and providing increased pop density too support local business at the market.
Its all cause and affect, Hamilton needs someone with balls. Enough with developer/consultant games affecting the lives of Hamiltonians in negative ways. Life is short and the longer we wait the more we all suffer.
People over profit is a motto we should be adopting, life is short and corporations live forever.
Its not in our best interest as a city to be patient
Another consultant? Can’t this city do anything without a consultant?
Does our city council keep hiring consultants until they get the results of the reports that say what they, the city councillors, want. What a waste of taxpayers money!