Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas

Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas unites three communities with distinct identities. The riding reaches from Hamilton's west-end neighbourhoods up and over the Niagara Escarpment through the town of Dundas, tucked into the Spencer Creek valley, and into the established suburb of Ancaster on the escarpment's brow. Conservation lands, waterfalls, and stretches of the Bruce Trail lend parts of the riding a semi-rural feel despite its proximity to the urban core.

Candidates

Filomena Tassi (Liberal) was the incumbent MP, first elected in 2015 when the riding was contested for the first time. The daughter of a Hamilton steelworker, Tassi studied law at the University of Western Ontario and practised corporate law for six years before leaving to pursue studies in philosophy and religious education. She spent roughly two decades as a chaplain at Bishop Tonnos Secondary School in Hamilton and also served as a Catholic school board trustee. In July 2018, she was appointed Minister of Seniors, becoming the first Hamilton-area cabinet minister since 2004.

Bert Laranjo (Conservative) was a registered nurse with sixteen years of experience in emergency medicine. He lived in Dundas with his wife, also a nurse at McMaster Children's Hospital. Laranjo had taught courses at York University in Toronto and Mount Royal University in Calgary.

Yousaf Malik (NDP) held a graduate degree in economic policy and had lived in Hamilton for roughly a decade. He was a community organizer who campaigned on affordability and access to full-time employment, arguing that many jobs being created in Hamilton were part-time and precarious.

Victoria Galea (Green Party) was pursuing a Master of Arts in international relations at McMaster University, where she had also completed her undergraduate degree in political science. She volunteered with organizations including the World Wildlife Foundation and focused her campaign on climate action and free post-secondary education.

Daniel Ricottone (People's Party) and Spencer Rocchi (Parti Rhinoceros Party) also appeared on the ballot.

About the Riding

Created in the 2012 redistribution, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas brings together sharply different communities. Hamilton's west end includes mixed-income neighbourhoods with a significant immigrant population, while Ancaster features heritage homes, higher household incomes, and one of Ontario's oldest village cores. Dundas, known locally for its independent shops, arts scene, and proximity to conservation areas and waterfalls along the escarpment, retains a small-town identity despite being part of the amalgamated City of Hamilton since 2001. The riding's Italian-Canadian community is substantial, with cultural institutions and businesses visible in both the Hamilton West and Ancaster sections. McMaster University, just north of the riding boundary, exerts a major influence on the local economy. In 2019, campaign issues included Hamilton's planned light rail transit line, housing affordability as prices rose sharply across the city, and stewardship of the green spaces and waterfalls along the Niagara Escarpment.