Hamilton, ON Area Guide

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Hamilton, ON

Hamilton wraps around the western side of Lake Ontario in the centre of the Golden Horseshoe region. It is Ontario’s third largest city, especially since it was amalgamated with Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook and Stoney Creek in 2001. Now, the city has over 100 neighbourhoods and a population of around 580,000. It boasts a growing arts scene, strong manufacturing activities and a great science and education presence. In fact, it is home to one of Canada’s top universities; McMaster University, along with four other post-secondary institutions.

Its growing culture and art scene has put Hamilton on the map, with any Hamilton city guide leading people to the downtown core. There are also numerous new condo developments in this area to match the new tech savvy residents and the construction of the Downtown Arts Centre and the Hamilton Media Arts Centre. The Art Gallery of Hamilton is also in the downtown core, as are some great shopping strips. This is also the most connected area in terms of transportation, as it is home to the Hamilton GO Centre. Still, there are buses that run all over the city, though some of the suburbs are not directly linked to the city centre.

More than 20 percent of Hamiltonians were not actually born in Canada, making it an extremely multicultural city. Many of these people arrived in the city after 2001, so its growth is quite new. It also has a large French-speaking population, resulting in both English and French speaking schools. There is also a francophone cultural centre, health centre and employment centre. Hamilton is also home to large Polish, Pilipino, Indian, Yugoslavian and Chinese communities. With its multiculturalism comes a great selection of ethnic restaurants that will be hard to bore any foodie.

Hamilton is an interesting city to live in, as its age groups are all over the place. All-in-all, the median age in Hamilton is around 40 years old. Some Hamiltonians are quite affluent – particularly in Ancaster and Flamborough, while others are poor students living in Westdale and Ainslie Wood. Unfortunately, Hamilton is quite high-ranked in terms of hate crimes. If you read a Hamilton guide it will tell you to that in the daytime the city is safe, but common sense should be used after dark, especially in the downtown area. Make sure to visit Hess Village, which is the centre of the city’s nightlife. Other things to see in the city include Dundurn Castle and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. And don’t forget to visit its many waterfalls.