Hamilton East—Stoney Creek

Hamilton East—Stoney Creek sits in the eastern portion of the City of Hamilton, north of the Niagara Escarpment and east of Ottawa Street. The riding was created in 2003 from parts of the former Hamilton East and Stoney Creek constituencies. It takes in a broad array of neighbourhoods—including Cherry Heights, Homeside, Normanhurst, McQuesten, Rosedale, Red Hill, Nashdale, and Lake Grayside—spanning older working-class areas in Hamilton's east end and the more suburban communities of Stoney Creek along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

The riding's population of approximately 126,500 is notably diverse. English is the most common mother tongue at roughly 68 percent, followed by Italian, Serbian, Punjabi, and Croatian. About 58 percent of residents identify as Christian, with significant Catholic and Orthodox communities, while roughly 6.5 percent are Muslim and smaller populations identify as Sikh and Hindu. The median income sits at approximately $38,800.

Candidates

Chad Collins (Liberal) — Born and raised in Hamilton, Collins was first elected to Hamilton City Council in 1995 at the age of 24, representing Ward 5. He served on council for over twenty-five years, making him one of its longest-serving members. During his tenure, he served as president of CityHousing Hamilton and advocated for provincial and federal funding to address the city's aging affordable housing stock. He also created a local Tenant Defence Fund to assist renters facing rising costs.

Ned Kuruc (Conservative) — Kuruc was born and raised in Hamilton, the son of Yugoslav immigrants who arrived in Canada in 1967. He grew up in Stoney Creek and attended Orchard Park Secondary School. An entrepreneur, he owned and operated businesses and served as Director of Events and Fighter Acquisitions at K-1 Global, a sports entertainment company. In his youth, he earned a silver medal in discus for Ontario at the Canada Games.

Nick Milanovic (NDP) — Milanovic is a labour lawyer, arbitrator, and law professor. He also ran for the NDP in this riding in the 2019 federal election against then-incumbent Bob Bratina.

Mario Ricci (PPC) — Ricci holds a Metallurgical Engineering Technology degree from Mohawk College and worked at Dofasco for thirty-four years. His parents immigrated from Italy in 1958, and he was born in Hamilton, living in Hamilton and Stoney Creek his entire life.

About the Riding

Hamilton East—Stoney Creek has been a competitive riding that shifted between parties over successive elections. The constituency bridges two distinct communities—the older, more industrial east end of Hamilton, with its row houses and mid-century apartment buildings, and the suburban streets of Stoney Creek, which have seen steady residential development along the lakeshore and up toward the escarpment.

The riding's multicultural character is one of its defining features. Waves of immigration—first from southern and eastern Europe, and more recently from South Asia and the Middle East—have shaped the commercial corridors and community institutions along the riding's main streets. Italian social clubs, Serbian Orthodox churches, Sikh gurdwaras, and South Asian grocery stores coexist along Barton Street, King Street East, and Highway 8 through Stoney Creek.

Affordable housing, transit access, and healthcare are persistent concerns. The Red Hill Valley Parkway, which runs through the riding, has been a source of controversy and community debate. Much of the riding's housing stock in the Hamilton East portion is older and in need of investment, while Stoney Creek has experienced rapid suburban growth that has strained local infrastructure. The riding's industrial heritage remains visible in the steel mills and manufacturing plants along the harbour, though the broader economic base has shifted toward healthcare, retail, and the service sector.