Elections

Brian McHattie, Candidate for Mayor in Hamilton Municipal Election 2014

Details page for this candidate.

In This Page:

Candidate Details (top)

NameMcHattie, Brian
ElectionHamilton Municipal Election 2014
AreaMayor
PartyN/A
Votes0
Email brian@mchattie2014.ca
Website http://www.mchattie2014.ca
Home
Business905-667-2222
Fax
BioAn entrepreneur, dog-owner, Ward 1 councilor and proud Hamiltonian.

Brian has been an engaged member of city council since 2003. Displaying passion and dedication, he has worked hard on behalf of Ward 1 business owners and residents, and all of Hamilton.

With a background in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Science in Rural Planning & Community Development from the University of Guelph, he is a Registered Professional Planner, a member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, and the Canadian Institute of Planning. Education and training has helped him to see and to understand urban, suburban, and rural issues and needs.

He spent 10 years as an industrial salesperson, supplying occupational health and safety products to Hamilton industry.

He ran his own business in Hamilton, The Green Planet Tour Company, which won a prestigious Financial Post Award in 1997 as the Best Eco-tourism Business in Canada.

He’s been a lecturer at McMaster University, and worked for Environment Canada, the Hamilton Conservation Authority and the Bay Area Restoration Council.

His education, experience and training have helped him develop an appreciation of urban, suburban, and rural issues and needs. This background means that Brian understands how planning and smart policy decisions can turn challenges into opportunities.

As a Councillor, he’s chaired, or been a member of, many Standing Committees and Sub-Committees of the City of Hamilton and has also worked with many agencies that serve the needs of Hamiltonians.

Brian and his wife Elaine, a Hamilton-based physician who specializes in the training of rural doctors, love the outdoors. They, along with their son Mitch, are avid kayakers, walkers and hikers. And because dog lovers love dogs, they are often accompanied by the fourth member of their family, their beautiful Bernese Mountain dog, Brannagh.

← Back to Candidates

Responses to Questions (top)

QuestionBrief ResponseFull Response
The Province plans to allow municipalities to use ranked ballots in future elections. If so, will you vote to adopt ranked ballots in Hamilton? Maybe I think this is an interesting opportunity to pursue, but I really would like to work with my colleagues to discuss what’s the best way to approach the challenges we face in Hamilton.
Do you support the city's plan to build an east-west light rail transit (LRT) line with full capital funding from the Province? Yes Yes I support fully our LRT plan as described in the Rapid Ready Report.
Do you believe City Hall should be more accessible to Hamilton residents? If so, what steps would you take to achieve this? Yes One of my 5 key themes in my platform is More Open Government. I believe we are stronger as a City if our residents know more about what their government is doing on their behalf. I believe fully in true citizen engagement. Not only do I not fear it, I look forward to having people more engaged in their municipal government.
Do you believe Hamilton should do more to protect and enhance its built heritage? Yes I do, and I have taken the lead on making this the case in Hamilton including the work on the heritage Register, which has lead to the protection of 1000 properties in the downtown. We need to tackle the remaining list of 7000 identified properties, not to mention others that may not yet be on the list. We simply have to protect what we have left.
Do you support implementing a Vision Zero for Hamilton, with a goal of eliminating all pedestrian and cyclist deaths on our streets? If so, what specific actions would you take to implement this policy, and if not, why? Yes I support this idea strongly. We need to increase the safety all of our residents as they walk within and beyond their own neighbourhoods. Specifically, I think the North End Neighbours have taken a very active role in making their neighbourhood safer for all. I support the work they have done and hope other neighbourhoods adopt these methods.
The City's Cycling Master Plan is up for review. Do you support improving the plan to speed the installation of cycling facilities and provide more high-quality protected infrastructure like the new Cannon Street cycle track? Yes Yes I support a full review of our Cycling Master Plan. I support where the plan is going, but I think cycling has evolved since the original plan was developed. In other words it need to be supported and updated. We need to ensure not only that we have bike lanes, but that we make it a stated priority to make them separated and of the calibre of the Cannon cycle track wherever possible.
Do you support the use of participatory budgeting to allow ward residents to propose and vote on local capital projects? Yes I’m proud to have brought Participatory Budgeting to Ward 1 several years ago, and just as pleased to have my fellow Councillor Jason Farr adopt the process in Ward 2. I would like to see Participatory Budgeting go city-wide.
Do you support an expanded role for Hamilton to provide more affordable housing? If so, what should Hamilton do? Yes I support strongly an expanded role for the City of Hamilton in addressing the needs of people who are looking for affordable housing. We need to use the Planning Act and our creativity as a City to ‘invent’ solutions to the challenges we face. This needs to be a priority.
Do you support converting more of Hamilton's one-way thoroughfares into complete, two-way streets that support walking, cycling and transit? Yes Yes I support fully the implementation of our existing plan to convert many streets to two-way. The delays in implantation need to be addressed immediately.
The Province has shelved a proposal to build a mid-peninsula highway from Niagara Falls or Fort Erie around Hamilton to connect with Hwy 401 or 407 north of Burlington. Do you agree with the Province's decision to put its development on hold? Yes I do support the province’s decision to not move ahead with this project. I believe we need to fully explore and implement other modes of transportation before we even consider the addition of this major highways.