Alex Wilson is a brilliant thinker, a person who is deeply considerate, is committed to public service, and will continue to contribute for decades to come.
Wilson is one of Hamilton’s best policy wonks, but not at all a politician. On Friday, Wilson announced they will not seek re-election this fall, voluntarily leaving City Council after one term at age 29.
I have mixed feelings about the announcement. On one hand, I am disappointed — we need all the good people we can get in politics. On the other hand, I know this is the best decision for Wilson. I’ve often remarked Wilson will be a great addition to the Ontario civil service if they chose that route, or a stellar chief of staff or senior advisor if they return to their previous work as a political staffer.
I first met Wilson on a Sunday morning over coffee in late 2017. One of their student politics colleagues arranged the meeting, telling me that Alex wished to become more involved in the broader Hamilton community.
I remember the meeting well because I was impressed by how well-researched they were. At some point, I tweeted about the meeting using he/him pronouns. The next time I saw Wilson, they politely and gracefully shared they use they/them pronouns, but did not mind my tweet.
After graduating, Wilson went to work for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas MPP Sandy Shaw as a constituency assistant and excelled in the role. They built relationships and community knowledge that were foundational to their successful 2022 council run.
Defeating an incumbent councillor is no small feat in Hamilton politics. It has only happened a handful of times. Wilson won with a convincing 57.94 per cent of the vote.
Unapologetically a progressive-left politician, Wilson is one of the few young NDPers of their political cohort who is effective at building relationships between the two largest factions of Hamilton’s NDP. Part of the university-educated left wing of Hamilton’s left, Wilson is welcomed by the older working-class, pulled-themselves-up-by-the-bootstraps wing of Hamilton’s NDP.
In closing, I’ve watched Wilson grow as a community leader. I’ve watched as they built relationships while not compromising on their left-wing political views.
If Hamilton’s NDP hopes to win federally, reclaim Hamilton Mountain provincially, and hold Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas when MPP Sandy Shaw eventually retires, it will need more people like Alex Wilson to broaden its coalition.
Of course, Wilson could decide to pursue a non-partisan civil service role. No matter what Wilson does next, they will remain a meaningful contributor for decades to come — a leader among their generation.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: May 2, 2026
Last updated: May 2, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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