Hamilton Mountain

Hamilton Mountain was held by NDP MPP Monique Taylor since 2011, but Taylor announced in the fall of 2024 that she would not seek re-election provincially, instead pursuing a federal NDP nomination. Her departure opened the seat for the first time in over a decade and made it one of the most closely watched ridings in the Hamilton area. The riding sits atop the Niagara Escarpment and encompasses a mix of suburban and urban neighbourhoods on Hamilton's upper city, with a diverse population that includes working-class families, retirees, and newer immigrant communities. With the NDP needing to defend an open seat and the Progressive Conservatives looking to build on their 2022 momentum in Hamilton, the riding attracted competitive candidates from all three major parties.

Candidates

Monica Ciriello (Progressive Conservative) — Ciriello held a BA in political science from Western University, an MA from the University of Windsor, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan. At the time of the election, she served as Director of Municipal Law and Licensing at the City of Hamilton. She was named as the PC candidate shortly before the snap election.

Dawn Danko (Liberal) — A school board trustee since 2014, Danko served as Ward 7 Trustee and Chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, overseeing an annual budget of approximately $700 million. She also had professional experience as a medical radiation technologist and college-level instructor.

Kojo Damptey (NDP) — A civic leader and interdisciplinary scholar pursuing a PhD at McMaster University, Damptey served in a senior community engagement role at the university. He was the former executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion and narrowly lost a 2022 city council race by 79 votes. He is also a musician.

Minor candidates included Joshua Czerniga (Green Party), Layla Marie-Angela Protopapa (New Blue Party), Dan Preston (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party), Ejaz Butt (Independent), and Bing Wong (Ontario Party).

Local Issues

Health care access was a central concern on the mountain. Hamilton's hospital system was under strain, with residents reporting long emergency room wait times and difficulty finding family doctors. The provincial government's approach to health care delivery — including its support for private surgical clinics — was a point of contention between the NDP, which opposed further privatization, and the Progressive Conservatives, who argued that expanded capacity through any model would reduce wait times. Mental health and addiction services remained inadequate across the city, an issue that affected the mountain's diverse population.

Affordability dominated the campaign conversation. Grocery prices, utility bills, and housing costs had risen sharply over the term, and candidates debated competing proposals to provide relief. The NDP's Damptey called for grocery rebates and investments in public education, while the Liberal Danko pledged to fight for more hospital rebuilding and family doctor recruitment. For a riding with a significant proportion of both unionized workers and minimum-wage earners, the affordability crisis was not abstract.

The state of public education was a particularly notable issue given Danko's background as a school board chair. Class sizes, the condition of school buildings, and support for students with special needs were all raised during the campaign. The Ford government's record on education funding — including tensions with teachers' unions during the term — was debated by candidates who offered sharply different visions for the province's schools.