Good morning Hamilton. I’m at Carmen’s Banquet Centre for the first head-to-head mayoral debate of Hamilton’s 2026 municipal election. Front runners Rob Cooper, Keanin Loomis, and Andrea Horwath will discuss the issues and debate each other.
The event is organized by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the West End Homebuilders, the Cornerstone Realtors Association, and the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association.
I will be liveblogging throughout the event.
Follow below for live coverage.
Live Updates
Live coverage is in progress. The following are my (Joey Coleman) live posts so far — 16 updates in order from earliest to most recent; times are Eastern. This page updates as the event continues.
September 22, 2026 at 9:34 AM: Good morning everyone. The room is beginning to fill in.
9:45 AM: We are about to get underway.
People have been asked to take their seats.
The executive leaders of each of the four organizations are providing opening remarks.
The debate is underway.
Steve Paikin’s first question is “what are you looking for in a new City Manager?”
Rob Cooper on new City Manager:
They must be “transformational”
“I am not tied to them being from the public sector”
They need to have financial expertise, they need to get the financial statements done.
“The most important hire in the next term of Council not going to be the City Manager, it is going to be the Chief Human Resources officer”
Cooper says culture change is key.
Andrea Horwath on new City Manager
Someone who can help navigate challenges, seizes challenges.
Horwath says that culture change is underway, saying a number of senior people have been let go, and “that’s not by accident”
Says the new City Manager needs to “continue the transformation that is underway”
Keanin Loomis on a new City Manager:
Hamilton needs “world class leadership”
The new City Manager will be the “most important decision that I am make during my tenure.”
Will hire “through an open process” will seek someone with experience who can lead a turn-around, attract talent, and ensure successful change to “implement my SMART plan”
I “want someone who knows Hamilton” saying “we do not have any time to waste.”
Paikin: What is one new thing you want the new City Manager to do?
Horwath: We need to continue with the transformational change underway, a City Manager who understands what it takes to lead and create a great city.
They need to know Hamilton, economic activity, service delivery.
Will use a processional recruitment firm, and a panel of experts from the community, and council members, working together.
Cooper: One of our biggest problems is that City Hall is “all talk, no action.”
Lists all the third-party reviews that find the City of Hamilton is the worst performing municipality in Canada.
No financial statements.
Horwath asks to counter, says the City has improved its planning timelines. As Horwath speaks, her camera person gives two thumbs up from behind his camera. Each of the campaigns have their own media productions teams to ensure they get good content today.
Loomis: “we need world-class leadership” and adds that “under the leadership of both of my contenders here, the City has suffered.”
Loomis’ time was limited as time on the topic ran out.
Next question: ‘what role do data centres have in Hamilton’s economic development?’
Horwath: says the Canadian data centres proposed in Hamilton are not the American style ones that harm communities. These will be research and innovation data centres, that will create research spin-offs, innovation, and will provide economic opportunities when “done properly, done right.”
Loomis: Says every proposal that comes before the City needs to benefit the City, improve quality of life, and data centres need to pay their fair share, pay their own way, and create benefits.
Hamilton needs to be at the table on provincial and federal talks regarding the future Steelport.
Cooper: Hamilton needs to “meet the moment,” and needs to seize opportunities when they become available.
Hamilton should’ve been ready for data centres, to ensure the City could review it.
Notes Hamilton debates things at no end, citing the LRT has been 20 years of debate thus far.
Horwath, in rebuttal, “the data centre issue and LRT are issues we are working on.”
Horwath says she got LRT “unstuck” and got work underway on data centre policies.
That she has been working on this since day one.
Horwath claims that Rob Cooper only changed his position on AI data centres due to his ‘donors pressuring him’
Cooper says this is not true, and says the problem was that Mayor Horwath failed to inform Council about her data centre negotiations and that Council was not provided the information they needed at the onset.
Cooper then turns to the City’s failure of the City to issue financial statements. Horwath then interjects to say that Cooper is on the Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee and should look at himself.
Horwath accuses Cooper of not reading the Council agendas.
There was an insult, and counter-insult in this exchange. I need to go back and review my audio to get it accurate at a later point.
Discussion
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