The federal Liberal minority government’s budget includes financial support for a new downtown Hamilton YMCA facility. The facility is planned for construction within the podium of a proposed mixed-use development, which includes twin 32-storey towers at 21 Main Street West and 20 Jackson Street West.
The funding commitment is cited on page 103 of Budget 2025 – Canada Strong as part of the government’s plan to support local infrastructure. The budget document does not specify the exact dollar amount the federal government intends to commit.
Passage of the budget is not guaranteed. The Liberals hold 170 seats in the House of Commons, two votes short of the 172 required. The government will require at least two opposition MPs to vote in favour or abstain from the vote, which could occur as early as the middle of November.
The new 55,000-square-foot YMCA facility is part of a larger mixed-use development being planned by Collecdev-Markee Developments.
Jennifer Keesmaat, CEO of Collecdev-Markee, is leading the development side of the project. Keesmaat, the former Chief City Planner for Toronto, was born in Hamilton. She has been in Hamilton on multiple occasions in recent months to meet with stakeholders, the YMCA, and other interested parties while her company prepares its formal planning application.
In June, the trustees of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church entered into a conditional sale agreement to sell the non-heritage church hall at the rear of 70 James Street South. This land is planned to be added to the adjoining development properties. The specific terms and conditions of the sale agreement are not publicly available.
As of October 1, a formal planning application had not been filed with the City of Hamilton.
UPDATE
In a written statement, attributed to Manny Figueiredo, President & CEO, YMCA Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford, the YMCA states:
“We are proud that the Hamilton Downtown Family YMCA is included in Budget 2025 as part of the federal government’s generational infrastructure investments that strengthen communities and improve local infrastructure.
This announcement is an important signal of federal support and a positive step forward for this transformative project. We are grateful for the continued partnership and support of the City of Hamilton as we work together to bring this vision to life.
In partnership with Collecdev Markee, the new Downtown YMCA Centre of Community will also help unlock much-needed housing in the heart of Hamilton while creating a modern, inclusive, and sustainable hub that promotes health, connection, and belonging for people of all ages.
We look forward to continuing conversations with the federal government and other partners to move this exciting project ahead. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Hamilton and region.”
TPR will follow-up with City Hall on Wednesday to determine if any planning applications have yet been filed.
Production Details
v. 1.1.0
Published: November 4, 2025
Last updated: November 4, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
v. 1.0.1 added statement issued by YMCA
v. 1.1.0 Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont switched parties after this story was published. With his joining the Liberal caucus, the Liberals now have 170 seats in Parliament, up from 169. The story was updated to reflect this.