"It has always been my belief that local government issues should be decided locally."
—Hon. Chris Hodgson, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, in his January 8, 2003 letter to the Special Advisory Team on City of Kawartha Lakes Referendum Question, agreeing to allow a Kawartha Lakes de-amalgamation referendum during the November, 2003 municipal election.

Welcome!

On January 1, 2001, the Province of Ontario amalgamated the municipalities of Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Stoney Creek and the Township of Glanbrook with the City of Hamilton. The resulting municipality was named the City of Hamilton.

The governing Progressive Conservative party, under the leadership of premier Mike Harris, forced the amalgamation upon the citizens of the region despite their overwhelming and vocal opposition.

This website is intended to be a collective effort by citizens of the region who aim to:

• Record, publicize and celebrate the long and storied histories of the towns of Wentworth County;
• Provide a public account of the forced amalgamation of these communities;
• Document the impact amalgamation is having;
• Work towards restoring the political autonomy of these communities.

This website has just been created (late April, 2003) and as yet there is very little content. As a collective effort, you are invited to submit articles, photographs, artwork and other material for posting on this site. Please see the Submission Guidelines for details. Currently, the following items would be very useful:

• A brief historical overview of Wentworth County and of each community;
• Photographs or drawings of coats of arms, crests, flags, signage and other insignia unique to each community, including their municipal fleets and public buildings;
• A timeline of the efforts made by citizens to prevent amalgamation and the response of the provincial government;
• Statements by candidates in the upcoming provincial election which indicate their position on de-amalgamation.

About the Site Editor / Webmaster

My name is Steven Nagy. I am a Hamilton native but have lived in Dundas since 1985. I served one term of office as a Dundas municipal councillor and have worked as an elementary teacher in Hamilton for fifteen years. I look forward to hearing your suggestions about how to make this an effective site. Please to let me know.