Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas

Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas was an open-seat race in 2025 after three-term Liberal MP Filomena Tassi -- who had served as Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario -- announced she would not seek re-election, citing deeply personal reasons. Hamilton city councillor John-Paul Danko won the Liberal nomination and held the seat for his party in a riding that spans some of Hamilton's most diverse communities.

Candidates

John-Paul Danko (Liberal)* -- A McMaster University graduate and licensed structural engineer, Danko served as the Ward 8 city councillor in Hamilton since 2018. His engineering background and municipal experience formed the basis of his campaign, which emphasized infrastructure investment, housing, and community development.

Erika Alexander (Conservative) -- The granddaughter of the late Lincoln Alexander -- the first Black member of Parliament in Canadian history, a former federal cabinet minister, and the first Black Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario -- Erika Alexander holds a public relations diploma from Mohawk College and dual bachelor's degrees in political science and religious studies from McMaster University. She spent a decade working with the Hamilton Police Service and has hosted the annual Lincoln M. Alexander Awards since 2013.

Roberto Henriquez (NDP) -- A labour and human rights lawyer, Henriquez operates a small law practice in Hamilton. He holds degrees in genetics and political science from McMaster University and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He also ran as the NDP candidate in this riding in 2021.

Georgia Beauchemin (Green Party) -- The Green Party candidate in Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas, Beauchemin ran on a platform prioritizing environmental policy and community-centred governance.

Ava Sharavi (People's Party - PPC) -- The People's Party candidate in Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas.

Jim Enos (Christian Heritage Party) -- The Christian Heritage Party candidate in Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas.

About the Riding

Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas is one of the most socioeconomically varied ridings in the Hamilton area. It combines dense, mixed-income neighbourhoods in Hamilton's old west end with wealthier suburban and exurban communities in the former townships of Ancaster and Dundas. About 120,000 people call the riding home.

The riding is also a significant educational hub, containing McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Redeemer University. McMaster, which relocated to Hamilton in 1930, is one of Canada's leading research universities and a major local employer, giving the riding a substantial student and academic population that influences its political character.

The town of Dundas, nestled in a valley at the western end of Lake Ontario, and the historic community of Ancaster on the escarpment above contribute a small-town feel that contrasts with the urban density closer to downtown Hamilton. Key issues in the 2025 campaign included housing affordability -- a concern across all income levels in the riding -- transit and infrastructure improvements, and the economic impact of potential U.S. tariffs on the region's manufacturing and academic research sectors.