Hamilton Mountain NDP Candidate Kojo Damptey had three key themes for viewers of the Cable 14 debate last week:

• Attempting to link Dawn Danko to the Conservative Greenbelt scandal even though she is a Liberal, because in her 2022 Board of Education campaign she received two $250 campaign donations from a local developer and his wife.
• As a community activist he had “done the work” in key issues like urban sprawl, implying his opponents had not.
• Hamilton Mountain has been NDP for decades and he wants to continue the tradition.

What Damptey may not have counted on was the third panelist on the stage, Green Party candidate Josh Czerniga who turned out to be a former NDP federal candidate—not only that, but an apparently disillusioned former NDP’er as he soon demonstrated. As the debate progressed it was an articulate Czerniga who took most of the shots at Damptey, leaving Liberal Danko mostly able to stay above the fray.

Later in the debate, Damptey returned to his theme that as an activist he had been “doing the work” as he put it, on local issues, and again, it was Green candidate Czerniga, a teacher, who took exception.

In the free-for-all section of the debate Damptey went after Danko’s record as a Hamilton Wentworth District School Board trustee and Chair.

Throughout the debate, in part thanks to  Czerniga, Danko was largely able to present a calm response to whatever barbs that came her way. Czerniga was the surprise of the evening, effectively articulating the Green Party platform and showing some spirit in his swipes at the NDP, his former party. PC candidate Monica  Ciriello, like all of the local PC candidates with the exception of Donna Skelly, did not participate. Independent candidate Ejaz Butt and New Blue Party Candidate Layla Marie-Angela Protopapa submitted pre-recorded statements. Also in the Hamilton Mountain race are Dan Preston of the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party and Bing Wong of the Ontario Party.

The riding had historically leaned toward the Progressive Conservatives, but in 2014, Ontario Liberal Party candidate Eleanor McMahon was elected for the role, giving Burlington its first Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament in 71 years.

Hamilton Police have received nearly 20 reports involving a stolen vehicle, items stolen from vehicles as well as slashed tires. These incidents occurred on Binbrook Road, White Church Road and Upper James Street between 2-4 a.m. on Saturday

Hamilton Police are investigating and encourage anyone with information to contact the Mountain Station Criminal Investigation Division at 905-546-8964. It is important for residents to report entries, even if nothing was stolen. 

Police have released video showing four suspects emerging from a slow-moving vehicle on the road running up household driveways to parked vehicles.

Hamilton Police encourage residents to take steps to protect against vehicle entries by doing the following:

• Lock Your Doors and Windows: Always lock your vehicle, even if you’re stepping away for a short time.
• Park in Well-Lit Areas – Choose parking spots in well-lit, high traffic areas
• Remove Valuables – Never leave valuables in plain sight.
• Use a Car Alarm – Alarms can help deter thieves 
• Consider Anti-Theft Devices: Steering wheel locks, tire locks, or an automatic engine shut-off can deter thieves and make it harder to drive off with your car.
• Install an Immobilizer: A vehicle immobilizer will prevent the engine from starting without the proper key or code.
• Block Signals: Store your car key fob in a Faraday bag or box to prevent relay attacks, where thieves amplify the signal to unlock and start your car remotely.
• Use a GPS Tracking System: Install a GPS tracking device to help track and recover your vehicle if stolen.

For those who wish to provide information anonymously, please consider reaching out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online at Crime Stoppers Hamilton’s Website.

Some Ontario residents say they are finding themselves struggling between the decision to vote "strategically" or for the candidate that best represents them.

Around 2 a.m. Sunday, a car carrying three men crashed into an MTO truck that was parked in a westbound lane near Morningside, police say. The truck was stationed there to protect the scene of a prior crash. Lanes in the area are closed, but expected to reopen later Sunday morning.

Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul documents the tremendous impact immigrants from Jamaica had on the Canadian music scene in the '60s and '70s, and the barriers many of the musicians faced.

Years before computers were part of running a business, Mark Dixon opened Picker's Alley in Sarnia. The shop has been a hub for musicians in the area for more than four decades.

Each major opposition party has made several education pledges, including increased funding. In contrast, the Progressive Conservatives haven’t released any details of its education plans.

If you've paid zero attention to the Ontario election but want to get out and vote on Thursday, this is the article for you.

Canadian snowbirds are cancelling trips over U.S. President Donald Trump's threats — but coming toward the end of winter, the full extent of a potential boycott won't be known until next season, experts say.

For decades, the Rideau Canal Skateway has been Ottawa’s go-to spot for winter skating, but this year the ice is attracting a new crowd — runners pounding the frozen surface.

Insomnia makes it difficult to get a restful night's sleep, impacting both your physical and mental health. Sleep experts are calling to attention a treatment that’s drug-free and that they say offers more lasting relief: cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

With the Ontario election set for Thursday advance polling stations will close today at 8PM, but residents who wish to vote before election day Sunday through Wednesday can still vote at the Local election office for each riding in Hamilton and Burlington. The locations and hours are:

Hamilton Centre

Goodwill, the Amity Group (Unit 112)

225 King William St, Hamilton On L8R 1B1

1-(833) 605-0744

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 to 6 PM

Hamilton Mountain

Limeridge Office Complex (Unit 401)

883 Upper Wentworth St, Hamilton ON L9A 4Y6

1-(833) 605-1666

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 to 6 PM

Hamilton East Stoney Creek

Smartcentres Parkway Plaza (Beside Printer.ca)

200 Centennial Pky N, Hamilton On L8E 4A1

1-(833) 605-1664

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 to 6 PM

Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas

St. John’s Anglican Church

272 Wilson St E, Ancaster On L9G 2B9

1-(833) 515-3352

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 to 6 PM

Flamborough-Glanbrook

Rockton Fairgrounds – D.A. Campbell Building

812 Old Highway 8, Rockton On L0R 1X0

1-(833) 605-0502

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM, Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 6 PM

Burlington

2 Masonry Court (east off Waterdown Rd)

2 Masonry Crt, Burlington On L7T 4A8

1-(833) 515-3318

Residents can vote until Feb 26 Sun: 12PM – 5PM, Mon and Tuesday: 10AM – 8PM

Wednesday: February 26, 2025 to 6 PM

While U.S. President Donald Trump claims Canada hasn't done enough to stop the flow of illegal migrants and fentanyl south, data from GTA police forces shows American guns are being used as tools of crime and violence this side of the border.  

The ongoing odour issues associated with the GFL landfill on Stoney Creek Mountain will be up for discussion at Wednesday’s meeting of the General Issues Committee. Ward Councillor Brad Clark has issued two motions –one that would explore the possibility of using a clause in the Municipal Act that allows the closure of a facility “if the court is satisfied that activities on or in the premises constitute a public nuisance.” A second motion from Clark would see affected residents get property tax relief. Both the legal action and the property tax reduction would be financed out of the royalties the landfill operator, GFL pays to the city each year.

The committee will also hear from a resident, representing affected homeowners, who will provide some preliminary air quality data conducted by experts the residents engaged at their own expense. One of the major points of contention in the GFL odour issues over the last two years has been disputing the findings of various air quality samples that have been conducted by the Environment Ministry and Hamilton Public Health. A spokesperson for residents says in some cases testing showed the presence of odour-causing substances but that the levels did not exceed guidelines set by the Environment Ministry. This, despite the fact that residents were reporting odors so strong that they could not use their back yards and were forced to stay indoors in summer. Residents complained that the testing was done outside of peak operating hours. This appeared to be confirmed when additional testing was conducted in September 2023 that showed sulphur concentration to be 266.5 micrograms per cubic meter whereas the standard criteria are 13 micrograms per cubic meter–more than twenty times the Ontario criteria.

Residents have held several town hall meeting with GFL who have insisted that the problem has significantly abated during 2024, but the most recent air sampling that will be discussed at next week’s GIC was conducted between October and this past January.

With growing food insecurity across the province it has become necessary for food banks to scale up their operations to meet growing demand. FeedHalton, who celebrated the grand opening of their 11,000 s.f. distribution facility on Mainway in Burlington this week,  is Halton’s newest charitable non-profit organization focused on improving food security in the region. Feed Halton was an initiative of the Burlington Food Bank who saw a need to expand food services beyond the borders of Burlington. The organization has received charitable status from Canada Revenue, which will allow it to issue receipts for donations and is a prerequisite to join Feed Ontario.  Feed Ontario works in partnership with Ontario’s agricultural, food, and grocery sectors to ensure food banks are stocked with food they need to support their communities. Last year, Feed Ontario distributed over 10 million pounds of food to help 1,200 hunger-relief organizations provide food to more than 1 million Ontarians.

Food Halton is modeled after successful food hubs in North York (North York Harvest), Peel (Food Banks Mississauga) and Kitchener-Waterloo (The Food Bank Waterloo Region). These hubs deliver more security and accessibility to serve a wide range of food banks, meal programs, pantries and other community organizations through their partner network and as regional members of Feed Ontario. FeedHalton will increase food accessibility and distribution throughout the region.

Commented Krista Kay, Director of Marketing and Fundraising for FeedHalton, “As an organization we provide more stability in and capacity for the food system in Halton by both opening resources in procurement and in distribution. This is absolutely critical as the hunger rates are rising to levels unseen before in the region with estimates being 14%. We are the only food distribution hub in Halton and our goal is to partner with agencies to provide them with the free food and essential goods for their client needs. We are not replacing these critical local agencies but here to support them as they see unprecedented line-ups at their doors each and every day.”