[7] In a surprise move, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney announced in December 2019 that the province would no longer support the project, citing a new cost estimate of $5.5 billion.

[13] During the mayor's annual State of the City address in October 2020, Eisenberger said that the province was considering reviving the LRT project, but was waiting for federal, municipal, and private-sector buy-in.

[15] In May, 2021, the federal announced it would provide the necessary funding for the project to proceed with the stipulation that the full, original B-Line from Eastgate Square to McMaster University be built.

Designer Matt Jelly critiqued the plan, noting “The city has a long waiting list for housing, and more and more in the pandemic the problem is pretty visible.

[28] In October 2020, as part of the provincial government's "Supporting Ontario's Recovery Act" omnibus bill, it was announced that the right for municipalities to hold elections using a ranked ballot would be revoked.

[33] In the immediate aftermath, the Hamilton Police Service was condemned for not responding to the violence and, following the attack, arresting some of the activists attempting to shield Pride participants from the protest.

This move was critiqued by Cameron Kroetsch, chair of the city's LGBTQ Advisory Committee and candidate for councillor (Ward 2 - Downtown) in 2018, who said, "There is a lot that has to happen before people are going to feel comfortable sitting down with the mayor".

[38] LGBT community members across Hamilton criticized Eisenberger's extremely delayed response to the Pride violence and the characterization by Councillor Sam Merulla that blamed people "on both sides".

LGBT community activists Darren Stewart-Jones, Graham Crawford, and Chris Erl all took issue with Eisenberger's handling of the situation, with the latter critiquing the mayor's "excruciatingly slow response and lack of leadership".

Bergman also confirmed the protesters were more numerous than in previous years, writing "There was an increased number of agitators and many were from the yellow vest movement and from more militant, hateful groups.

[43] By December 2019, councillors had dropped an internal investigation into the identity of the 'whistleblower' who informed the Spectator of the reports and had admitted to failing to contact partners such as the City of Burlington and the Royal Botanical Gardens to notify them of the sewage spill.

[44] Mayor Eisenberger and council were blasted by members of the public and by Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath, whose Hamilton Centre riding counts Chedoke Creek as one of its borders.

In this thread and at a press conference held later, Mehdi accused an unnamed trustee of using a racial slur when referring to tennis star Serena Williams.

The woman called the police, fearing for her safety, and alleges Merulla sent threatening emails using his City of Hamilton account, which identified him as a member of council.

[55] CHCH News had previously filed an integrity commissioner complaint against Merulla in 2019 after he threatened a reporter covering the violence that occurred during Hamilton Pride 2019.

Speaking with the Hamilton Spectator following his registration, Bratina stressed his opposition to LRT, his desire to address the city's infrastructure deficit, and downplayed his past controversies, including his formal censure by council in 2012 after he approved a $30,000 raise for his chief of staff.

Speaking with "The Spec", Eisenberger expressed his disapproval of Bratina's candidacy and, while he noted he did not want to formally endorse anyone in the race, told CHML's Bill Kelly that Horwath, "would be an excellent choice for mayor if she decides to run.”[79] Former Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath was the subject of considerable media speculation about a potential mayoral run for years before her resignation as party leader on the night of Ontario's 2022 provincial election.

MacPherson's campaign focused on his opposition to the proposed conversion of Main Street from one-way to two-way traffic, support for building tiny shelters for those experiencing homelessness, and opposing what he called "overspending" at city hall.

[132] Early in the campaign, Vail delivered fliers to Ward 1 homes accusing Wilson of secrecy, supporting the Defund The Police movement, and divisive behaviour on council.

[147] President of the HSR's union, ATU Local 107, Eric Tuck, registered to seek the seat on 5 July and was endorsed by the Hamilton and District Labour Council.

[149] The first candidate to register in Ward 5 was Matt Francis, a former city worker who campaigned to keep piers in Burlington accessible to the public and supported former councillor Chad Collins.

[165] Lauwers, who sought the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party's nomination to run in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale in 2014 and Flamborough-Glanbrook in 2017, told media his priorities included capping development and improving the area's infrastructure.

[169] On 30 April, local environmentalist and employee of Maple Leaf Foods, Craig Cassar, announced his intention to seek the Ward 12 councillor's seat.

Active in the campaign to stop the city's urban boundary expansion, Cassar indicated that he would promote "the right kind of development" in Ancaster and advocate for policies like inclusionary zoning.

Baboth organizes a local charity golf tournament in honour of his late mother, who worked as a secretary at an area Catholic elementary school.

Baboth indicated his priorities would be keeping an open dialogue on development issues, promoting community gardens, designing safe streets, and holding regular town halls with residents.

[176] Whitehead was absent from city hall after his second reprimand for harassing staff and councillors, and announced via press release on the day municipal nominations closed that he would not run again.

Maria Felix Miller, Ward 3's incumbent trustee who was appointed following the sudden death of her predecessor Chris Parkinson, announced in May 2022 that she would seek re-election.

Tavares gained notoriety in his campaigns for demanding payment or the purchase of marijuana seeds to interact with local media, his inappropriate comments toward a CBC reporter in 2018, and for commitment to serve one term as mayor before "moving to Ottawa to be your Prime Minister of Canada".

[212] Ward 5 (Red Hill) Councillor Chad Collins successfully stood as a Liberal Party candidate for parliament in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek in the 2021 Canadian federal election.