Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale

Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale is a federal riding in the western half of the amalgamated city of Hamilton, Ontario. The riding takes in the historic communities of Ancaster, Dundas, and Flamborough, along with the Westdale and Ainslie Wood neighbourhoods adjacent to McMaster University, but does not include Hamilton’s urban core.

Candidates

David Sweet (Conservative) — The incumbent MP, Sweet had held the seat since winning it in 2006. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, he had operated his own management consulting and training firm for 17 years before entering politics. Sweet had also served as president of Promise Keepers Canada and as vice-president of business development for a Hamilton-based think tank. He first sought the Conservative nomination in 2004, defeating the sitting Liberal-turned-Conservative MP John Bryden, but lost the general election that year. He won the seat in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008.

Dave Braden (Liberal) — Braden was a beef farmer from the Valens area in the rural western portion of the riding. He carried the Liberal banner in Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale in 2011.

Nancy MacBain (NDP) — MacBain was a staff representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees local at McMaster University. A resident of west Hamilton, she was motivated to run by her commitment to workers’ rights and social justice through her career in labour relations.

Peter Michael Ormond (Green Party) — Ormond ran as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

Anthony Giles (Libertarian) and Jamilé Ghaddar (Marxist-Leninist) also stood as minor-party candidates.

About the Riding

Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale covers the western and suburban reaches of Hamilton, from the Niagara Escarpment’s edge through rolling countryside to the urban neighbourhoods surrounding McMaster University. The riding is a study in contrasts, combining affluent suburban developments in Ancaster with the historic village character of Dundas, the rural and semi-rural landscapes of Flamborough, and the student-heavy neighbourhoods of Westdale and Ainslie Wood.

McMaster University is the riding’s single largest employer and a major economic engine, with its medical school and research facilities contributing significantly to the local economy. Redeemer University College is also located within the riding. The Dundas Valley, nestled below the Escarpment, is prized for its natural beauty and conservation areas, including the Webster’s Falls and Tews Falls trail systems.

Ancaster has grown rapidly as a desirable suburban community, with new residential subdivisions attracting families seeking proximity to Hamilton’s services while maintaining a more suburban lifestyle. Flamborough’s rural areas support agriculture, including livestock farming and market gardening, alongside conservation lands. The riding’s population skews toward higher incomes in Ancaster and parts of Dundas, while the Westdale and Ainslie Wood areas include a substantial student population and more modest housing.

Heading into 2011, local concerns included the future of Hamilton’s steel industry and its broader economic impact, urban sprawl onto agricultural land, transportation links between Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area, and the redevelopment of Hamilton’s waterfront and industrial brownfields.