Municipal Elections 2026
Cell # 1-365-336-4196
Municipal Elections 2026
Cell # 1-365-336-4196
Christine Cayuga
Ward Three
My name is Christine I’m running for Ward 3 City Councilor.
I’m stepping forward because Ward 3 deserves accountability, transparency, fair taxation, and a councilor who will always give it their all.
this community, and I believe City Hall should work for the people: clear answers, open decisions, and responsible spending.
My priorities are accountability, transparency, taxation, community that’s fair, and showing up consistently for residents..
I’d be honored to earn your support.
Campaign Platform
Accountability Affordability & Responsible Taxation
Residents are worried about:
- Rising property taxes
- Fixed incomes (especially seniors)
- Questions spending instead of rubber-stamping it
- Explains why taxes go up and where the money goes
- Advocates for value-for-money and long-term financial planning
accountability and taxation.
Accountability Affordability & Responsible Taxation
My Commitment
- Question spending instead of simply rubber-stamping it.
- Review budgets carefully and ask whether spending provides real value to residents.
- Push for accountability on major projects, consulting costs, contracts and cost overruns.
- Explain why taxes are increasing and where your money is going in clear, understandable language.
- Advocate for value-for-money, responsible use of reserve funds and stronger long-term financial planning.
- Look for efficiencies before supporting new taxes, fees or increases.
- Consider the impact on seniors and residents living on fixed incomes when making budget decisions.
- Report back to residents about important financial decisions and how I voted.
Community Safety
Concerns include:
- Speeding and traffic safety
- Property crime and vandalism
- Safety in parks and public space
- Traffic calming where needed
- Strong advocacy with police and bylaw
- Open drug use, mental health
- Youth Gangs, Porch thefts , Break & Enter, Trespassing
- A balanced approach that includes prevention and enforcement
My priorities include:
- Speeding and traffic safety, including traffic-calming measures where evidence shows they are needed.
- Property crime and vandalism, including break-and-enters, porch thefts and trespassing.
- Safe parks, streets and public spaces that residents and families can comfortably use.
- Open drug use and public safety concerns, while recognizing the connection to addiction, homelessness and mental-health challenges.
- Youth crime and gang involvement, with an emphasis on prevention, early intervention and opportunities for young people.
- Strong advocacy and communication with police, bylaw and City departments when neighborhood concerns require action.
- A balanced approach of prevention and enforcement—supporting community programs and services while recognizing that laws and bylaws must also be consistently enforced.
Small Business Owners
Concerns include:
- Property crime and vandalism, Shop lifting , Dine & Dash
- Garbage & Recycling
- Taxes, fee(s) Permits
- Low foot traffic / Empty store fronts
- Open drug use, mental health
- A balanced approach that includes prevention and enforcement
Small Business Owners — How I Will Work to Achieve This
My Commitment
Small businesses are the backbone of our neighbourhoods. As a small business owner myself, I understand that safety, rising costs, permits, garbage, and declining foot traffic can determine whether a business succeeds or closes. My approach would include:
- Crime, vandalism, shoplifting and dine-and-dash: Advocate for stronger coordination between businesses, Hamilton Police, bylaw officers and City staff. Push for attention to repeat problem areas, improved lighting and practical crime-prevention measures.
- Garbage & recycling: Work with businesses and City staff to identify problem locations, improve collection and address illegal dumping, overflowing bins and litter before they become chronic neighbourhood problems.
- Taxes, fees & permits: Question unnecessary increases in municipal fees and advocate for a simpler, more responsive permitting process. Businesses should know what a permit costs, why it is required and how long approval should take.
- Low foot traffic & empty storefronts: Support initiatives that bring people back to commercial streets—including local events, beautification, safer streets and partnerships with BIAs and neighbourhood organizations. I would also look for ways to encourage vacant storefronts to return to productive use.
Well-Maintained Neighbourhoods
This is a big quality-of-life issue.
- Potholes and road repairs
- Sidewalks and accessibility
- Snow clearing, garbage, and property standards
- Follows up, not just forwards complaints
- Knows how to work with others, city departments for action
Well-Maintained Neighbourhoods — How I Will Achieve This
My Commitment
Residents pay taxes and deserve neighbourhoods that are clean, safe, accessible and properly maintained. I will work to improve basic City services by focusing on response times, follow-up and accountability.
- Potholes & road repairs: Identify recurring problem streets, report deficiencies, advocate for priority repairs during the budget process, and follow up with Public Works until there is an answer or repair schedule.
- Sidewalks & accessibility: Work with residents to identify broken, uneven or inaccessible sidewalks and push for timely repairs. Accessibility concerns affecting seniors and people with disabilities should be treated seriously and promptly.
- Snow clearing: Track recurring problem areas and hold City departments and contractors accountable to established service standards. I will advocate for particular attention to sidewalks, intersections, bus stops and accessibility routes.
- Garbage & neighbourhood cleanliness: Push for quicker responses to illegal dumping, overflowing garbage and problem properties while working with residents on prevention and education.
- Property standards: Advocate for consistent bylaw enforcement and proper follow-up on complaints involving unsafe or poorly maintained properties.
- Work directly with City departments: My office will not simply forward a resident's complaint and consider the matter closed. We will track concerns, identify the department responsible, request a response and follow up when action is delayed.
- Report back to residents: Communication is part of accountability. Even when a problem cannot be fixed immediately, residents deserve to know what is happening, who is responsible and when they can expect the next step.
My approach will be simple: Report it. Track it. Follow up. Get an answer.
Transparency & Trust
Many residents feel disconnected from City Hall.
- Clear explanations of decisions and votes
- No surprises
- Honesty, even when decisions are difficult
- Regular updates (email, social media, newsletters)
- Open-door policy
- Willingness to admit mistakes
Transparency & Trust — How I Will Achieve This
Trust has to be earned through actions. As Ward 3 Councillor, I would work to make City Hall easier to understand and make myself accountable to the residents I represent.
- Explain my votes: For major decisions, I will explain how I voted and why, including the information I considered and how the decision affects Ward 3.
- No surprises: When significant proposals, developments, budget decisions or neighbourhood changes are coming forward, I will communicate with residents before decisions are made, whenever possible—not after the fact.
- Make information understandable: City reports can be hundreds of pages and difficult to navigate. I will provide plain-language explanations of important issues, costs, timelines and consequences so residents can make informed decisions.
- Regular communication: Provide consistent updates through email, newsletters, social media, community meetings and other methods so residents who are not online are not left behind.
- Open-door approach: Hold regular opportunities for residents and businesses to speak directly with me, including community meetings and office hours. Residents should not have to wait until election time to be heard.
- Track resident concerns: When someone contacts my office, their concern should be documented, directed to the appropriate department and followed up—not simply forwarded and forgotten.
- Be honest about difficult decisions: Sometimes Council will face choices where there is no perfect answer. I will explain the options, costs and reasons for my position rather than telling residents only what they want to hear.
- Admit mistakes: If I make a mistake or new information changes my position, I will acknowledge it, explain what happened and work to correct it. Accountability means taking responsibility.
My standard will be: Tell residents what is happening, explain why, listen before making major decisions, and report back afterward.
Transparency shouldn't just be something we talk about during an election. It should be how a Councillor operates every day.
Respect for Residents’ Voices
People don’t want decisions made about them without them.
- Real consultation, not box-checking
- Councilors who listen before voting
- Someone who advocates for Ward 3, not just city-wide politics
- Work with my peers to bring unity to the all the wards
I would make consultation and follow-up part of how my office operates.
- Consult before decisions are made: For major developments, road changes, budget priorities and other significant Ward 3 issues, I will seek residents' input early enough that it can actually influence the outcome.
- Go beyond box-checking: Consultation should not simply mean holding a meeting after most decisions have already been made. I will ask clear questions, document concerns and bring that feedback directly to Council and City staff.
- Listen before I vote: I will review City reports, speak with residents and businesses, ask questions of staff and consider different perspectives before making important decisions.
- Be a strong Ward 3 advocate: I will consider Hamilton's city-wide needs while making sure Ward 3's neighbourhoods are not overlooked when decisions are made about infrastructure, safety, development, services and City spending.
- Make participation easier: Not everyone can attend a meeting at City Hall or participate online. I will use community meetings, email, telephone, social media, newsletters and face-to-face conversations to reach more residents.
- Report back: Consultation needs a conclusion. After major decisions, I will explain what residents told me, what action I took, how I voted and what happens next.
- Build relationships across Council: Ward 3 cannot accomplish everything alone. I will work respectfully with the Mayor and my Council colleagues, find common ground and build support for initiatives that benefit Ward 3 and Hamilton as a whole.
My approach: Listen → Bring your voice to City Hall → Work with others → Take action → Report back.
Being a strong Ward 3 Councillor does not mean fighting with everyone at City Hall. It means knowing when to stand firm for Ward 3 and knowing when collaboration can achieve a better result for residents.
Support for Seniors, Families & Vulnerable Residents
Ward 3 has:
- Long-time homeowners
- Seniors aging in place
- Families worried about services and safety
- Accessible services
- Safe streets
- Help navigating city bureaucracy
- Affordable Housing , rising rent , renovictions
- Encampments
- Shelter over crowding , Food Security ,
- Seniors aging in place: Advocate for reliable snow clearing, accessible sidewalks, safer crossings, property-tax support programs where appropriate, recreation and transportation services that help seniors remain independent in their homes.
- Long-time homeowners: Pay close attention to property-tax increases and new municipal fees. I will question spending, look for value for taxpayers and make sure residents understand why costs are increasing.
- Families & safe streets: Advocate for traffic calming where warranted, safer school zones, maintained parks and playgrounds, good lighting, road and sidewalk repairs, and appropriate police and bylaw responses to recurring safety concerns.
- Accessibility: Work to identify barriers at sidewalks, intersections, bus stops, parks and City facilities. Accessibility should be considered when projects are designed—not added as an afterthought.
- Help navigating City Hall: My office should be a place residents can call when they don't know which department or program they need. We will help connect people with the appropriate service and follow up rather than simply forwarding the complaint.
- Affordable housing & rising rents: Support responsible development that increases the range of housing available while advocating for affordable and supportive housing. I will also push the City to use the municipal tools available to protect existing affordable rental housing.
- Renovictions: Support strong enforcement of Hamilton's tenant-protection measures and ensure residents know where they can get assistance. Municipal government cannot control every aspect of landlord-tenant law, so I will also advocate to other levels of government where stronger protections are needed.
- Encampments: Take a balanced approach based on both human dignity and community safety. People experiencing homelessness need realistic pathways to housing, shelter, mental-health and addiction supports, while residents must also be able to safely use parks, sidewalks and public spaces.
- Shelter overcrowding: Push for better coordination between shelters, outreach teams, housing providers and other governments. We need to focus on moving people from emergency shelter into appropriate housing so shelter beds become available for people in crisis.
- Food security: Work with community organizations, food programs, schools, local businesses and other levels of government to strengthen access to nutritious food and connect residents with available supports.
A key part of my approach would be bringing the right people to the same table. A Councillor cannot solve homelessness, affordability, food insecurity or mental health alone. But I can bring residents, City departments, community agencies, police, housing providers and other governments together, ask difficult questions, advocate for Ward 3 and follow up on commitments.
My goal is a Ward 3 where seniors can age with dignity, families feel safe, vulnerable residents can access help, and everyone is treated with respect—while maintaining safe and welcoming neighborhoods for the entire community.
A Councillor Who Shows Up
This matters more than ideology.
- Visibility at local events
- Walking the neighborhoods
- Connects with people, listen
- Quick, respectful responses to emails and calls
- Volunteers in the community
My Commitment
Residents deserve a Councillor who is present, accessible and connected to the community. I will not wait for residents to come to City Hall—I will make it a priority to be out in Ward 3, listening and seeing concerns firsthand.
How I will achieve this:
- Be visible in the community — Attend neighborhood meetings, school and community events, local celebrations, business events and resident-led initiatives.
- Walk the neighborhoods regularly — Continue walking Ward 3 after the election, talking with residents and identifying issues such as damaged sidewalks, illegal dumping, speeding, property concerns and accessibility barriers.
- Listen before making decisions — Hold regular community conversations and opportunities for residents to speak directly with me about what is happening on their street or in their neighbourhood.
- Respond and follow up — Establish clear standards for acknowledging emails and phone calls promptly. When an issue cannot be solved immediately, residents should still know it has been received, what is being done and what happens next.
- Hold community office hours — Provide opportunities to meet residents in accessible locations throughout Ward 3, especially for people who may not be comfortable or able to communicate online.
- Volunteer alongside residents — Participate in neighbourhood cleanups, food programs, community events and other volunteer initiatives. I want to work with the community, not simply appear for photographs.
- Report back — Regularly tell residents what I have been working on, what progress has been made, what remains unresolved and where I need their input.
Door to Door campaigning
Today, many people are understandably cautious about opening their doors to strangers. My campaign team will leave a flyer with our contact information so you can reach me by phone or email at your convenience . If you have any questions , concerns or would like to learn more about my platform, I welcome you to get in touch.
Contributions
Running a campaign takes resources—printing, signs, and community outreach.
If you believe in this vision, I’d be grateful for your support every contribution—large or small—helps build a campaign.
Your support is greatly appreciated
Donation can be made to Cayugaward3@gmail.com
Royal Bank
Donations $25.00.or more require
Contact Us
Communication is the Key
Myself and my team of volunteers strive to stay in communication with our community members. Have a question about my platform send us a message, or give us a call.
Christine Cayuga
Hamilton, ON
+
Hours
I can be reached by phone ,email or social media , Please leave your contact information and I will return your call or reply to your message .as soon as possible.
Cell 1-365-336-4196
Volunteer Needed
Looking for passionate, dedicated volunteers to help make a real impact in our community. Whether you have a few hours a week or can commit more time, your support can make a difference!
✨ Ways to get involved:
- Community outreach
- Event planning and support
- Social media & communications
- Canvassing and awareness effort
Subscribe
Sign up to hear our latest news.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.