The McMaster Students Union conducted the 2024 Your City Survey to gather student input on transportation, housing and food security, helping to shape its municipal advocacy priorities
The MSU Your City Survey, which closed on Dec. 4, 2025, collected feedback about McMaster students’ perceptions and experiences in Hamilton, covering topics such as housing, transit, food security and policing. The survey is anonymous but participants have the option to provide their email for a chance to win a gift card to the Grind.
The MSU developed the survey in 2011, running every few years, to address students’ concerns about Hamilton. It asks students about their perceptions of Hamilton’s job market, cultural scene and their likelihood of living in the city after graduation.
In 2015, the Your City Survey was updated to assess whether students’ perception of Hamilton had improved since its launch. The most recent collection of data was in 2018. The questions in the survey shifted focus to transit and neighbourhood safety, while also asking commuter students about their perspectives in Hamilton.
This past year, the survey aimed to inform the MSU’s municipal affairs priorities, including advocating to city councillors and submitting feedback on students’ experience with the housing market, transportation, food security and policing in Hamilton for the upcoming pre-budget submission to City Council.
According to Kerry Yang, the associate vice-president of MSU Municipal Affairs, a document outlining McMaster students’ priorities and concerns for the budget and the city’s plan will be created and presented to city councillors at a later date.
Yang, whose role involves lobbying city councillors and engaging with students on municipal priorities, shared her thoughts on how the survey has evolved since 2018.
“I think how it’s evolved is this survey is probably the most comprehensive one to come out. It’s not just focused on housing, transit but has sort of all topics we typically want to know from students. Because it’s been so long since we did a survey, it was important that this one would be all encompassing and give us a really good snapshot of what the student experience is like,” said Yang.
... because it’s been so long since we did a survey, it was important that this one would be all encompassing and give us a really good snapshot of what the student experience is like.
Kerry Yang, Associate Vice-President of Municipal Affairs McMaster Students Union
When developing the questions for this year’s survey, Yang mentioned they reviewed previous surveys and made an effort to not only ask about students’ housing and transit experience. This survey also inquired about what would encourage students to stay in Hamilton, such as affordable housing options and having a vibrant community with public parks and trails.
“I think the diversity of the questions this year and also just how comprehensive it is, is definitely an improvement in the survey which will hopefully serve as a basis for future surveys. The benefit of asking the same questions year after year is that it makes the survey easy to compare over time,” said Yang.
I think the diversity of the questions this year and also just how comprehensive it is, is definitely an improvement in the survey which will hopefully serve as a basis for future surveys. The benefit of asking the same questions year after year is that it makes the survey easy to compare over time
Kerry Yang, Associate Vice-President of Municipal Affairs McMaster Students Union
Yang noted that she anticipates differences in the results compared to previous surveys, as the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the rental market and other aspects of student life.
Additionally, Yang mentioned that one potential policy recommendation, based on questions in the survey, to be brought to city councillors would be to pass a cooling bylaw that aligns with the existing heating bylaw.
Yang explained that there are currently regulations requiring heating to be turned on at certain temperatures during specific times of the year, but no similar rule exists for cooling. She noted that many students both on-campus and off-campus lack air conditioning which leads to uncomfortable living conditions.
“We are going to propose directly to the city that they implement the same or similar bylaw where students are being protected from the heat,” said Yang.
The results of the Your City Survey are expected to be released later this year.
The Ward 1 Councillor candidates sat down for a debate in The Silhouette office and here's what they had to say.
The Silhouette hosted a live-streamed debate between the Ward 1 councillor candidates running in the 2022 Hamilton municipal election. Ward 1 councillor candidates include Ian MacPherson, John Vail and current Ward 1 councillor Maureen Wilson. All three candidates attended the debate. The debate was guided by Silhouette Editor in Chief Nisha Gill and the main topics addressed included the most significant issues faced by Ward 1, the current housing and affordability crisis and detasking the Hamilton police force.
Following opening statements, candidates were asked to discuss what they perceived to be the biggest issue Ward 1 is currently facing and how they would plan to address it in office.
Vail deemed public safety and police protection as the most pressing concern and highlighted the need for more security outside of the McMaster University campus. Wilson discussed council decorum and established that fostering trust, confidence and transparency is of great concern. Lastly, Macpherson discussed street safety and proposed a greater need for law enforcement on the roads.
Vail deemed public safety and police protection as the most pressing concern and highlighted the need for more security outside of the McMaster campus. Wilson discussed council decorum and established that fostering trust, confidence and transparency is of great concern. Lastly, Macpherson discussed street safety and proposed a greater need for law enforcement on the roads.
In rebuttal, Vail accused Wilson of not remaining transparent during Sewergate. However, Wilson explained that this decision was handled by a previous council, and, once elected, Wilson played a significant role in convincing her council to release the information to the public.
Candidates were asked to discuss the housing and affordability crisis and how it pertains to citizens and McMaster students living in Hamilton.
Wilson discussed her involvement in combatting the affordability crisis during her time as councillor and highlighted its significant impact on students and middle- and low-income families. Wilson then concluded by explaining how McMaster has not been doing its part in developing safe and affordable housing for students.
Lastly, Vail maintained that the affordability crisis has been a persistent issue over the course of many councils and cannot be solved in Ward 1 alone. Due to this, Vail suggests that McMaster students should commute to campus instead of renting student houses.
Issues with the Hamilton police force were first addressed by MacPherson after a conversation on the importance of student involvement in the election. MacPherson referred to the Hamilton police force as a hot topic, and expressed that money should not be reallocated away from the police department. During the free debate period, MacPherson asked Wilson to share own her stance on this topic.
Wilson discussed how police are currently tasked with noncore functions, such as dealing with mental health cases. For this reason, Wilson supports the modernization, realignment and detasking of police services. When Vail asked Wilson to differentiate between defunding and detasking the police force, Wilson maintained that what matters most is to steer front line officers away from being tasked with mental health and wellness jobs.
All three candidates discussed the importance of McMaster students getting involved in the election and casting their vote. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
The live-streamed debate was recorded and available on the Silhouette website.
Macpherson plans to build safer intersections and address the city’s housing crisis
The Silhouette sat down with Ward 1 city councillor candidate Ian Macpherson to reflect on his current campaign and the most pressing issues for the upcoming election.
Prior to throwing his hat into the ring for the position of city councillor Macpherson has been an active member of the community. He started the Canadian Association of Pompe to lobby the government to fund new treatment for Pompe, a genetic metabolic disorder.
However, frustrated by the long process to pass bills and certain decision-making by the Hamilton government, Macpherson now wants to now make a difference in the city.
He pointed to proposed legislation to turn Main St. into a two-way street as an example of an inefficient, expensive project. Macpherson said the legislation, aimed to reduce pedestrian injuries and deaths, is not the best solution to make the street safer and will instead end up increasing traffic and emissions.
Macpherson created an alternative proposal to make an all-way pedestrian scramble, where all traffic is stopped to allow pedestrians to cross in a multidirectional fashion, with a five-second delay between phases of traffic. He argued the five-second delay would reduce any pedestrian injuries or vehicle damages from cars running red lights.
“[The proposal] addresses all intersections at the same time, is cheaper and has faster implementation,” said Macpherson.
Macpherson has also proposed an adaptation of a traffic light program introduced in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where through traffic control software traffic lights on the opposing street in an intersection will remain red if a car runs a red light on the main street until it safely passes.
In addition to making safer intersections, Macpherson advocated for helping Hamilton’s unhoused population and addressing the affordable housing crisis in the city. He plans on expanding the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters program, a volunteer and donation-based temporary housing program, by providing areas for shelters as well as financial support.
“The HATS program is a great initiative and Hamilton should support them in any way they can and try to expand this project to get people off the streets, out of tents and help them find permanent housing,” said Macpherson.
“The HATS program is a great initiative and Hamilton should support them in any way they can and try to expand this project to get people off the streets, out of tents and help them find permanent housing."
Ian Macpherson, ward 1 city councillor candidate
Macpherson described perseverance and understanding different perspectives as some of his strongest asset as a prospective city councillor.
“I have persevered all my life. I've viewed society from a different position than most and I've learned to problem solve really quickly. I had to do that my whole life due to my disability. I also see three perspectives instead of one. I think every problem is not one problem. There's many problems surrounding that problem and you have to address all those problems at the same time,” said Macpherson.
If elected, Macpherson views cohesiveness as the main challenge of a city councillor.
“I really hope that the new councillors are on the same page and they're not voting against each other. If you look at everybody's platform, they all say affordable housing, safer and better infrastructure, etcetera but these things don’t get done. I think cohesiveness is a big part of it . . . If the councillors are cohesive and have the same mindset and goals, a lot should be done for the next four years in Hamilton that will help improve the city,” said Macpherson.
“If you look at everybody's platform, they all say affordable housing, safer and better infrastructure, etcetera but these things don’t get done . . . If the councillors are cohesive and have the same mindset and goals, a lot should be done for the next four years in Hamilton that will help improve the city,”
Ian Macpherson, ward 1 city councillor candidate
Ian Macpherson is running for city councillor in Ward 1 in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
