Know your riding — Canada Votes 2025: Hamilton East-Stoney Creek

The Hamilton East-Stoney Creek riding has been a Liberal stronghold for most of its existence and represented by a number of prominent Hamiltonians. 

John Munro, who Hamilton's airport is named after, was the Hamilton East MP from 1962 to 1980, winning eight successive elections for the Liberal party and serving in a number of prominent cabinet positions. 

Sheila Copps, who had the role of deputy prime minister, and Bob Bratina, former Hamilton mayor, are among other notable Liberals elected in the riding. 

Incumbent Chad Collins won in 2021 over Conservative candidate Ned Kuruc. They will run again this election. 

In 2023, the riding boundaries changed to encompass more of the Flamborough-Glanbrook area and less of Hamilton Centre. 

Hamilton East-Stoney Creek runs along Lake Ontario to the north, and Niagara Escarpment to the south, as well as encompassing part of the Mountain between the Red Hill Valley Parkway and Upper Centennial Parkway.  

CBC Hamilton sent a survey to major party candidates, or their party representatives. Their responses, edited for length and clarity, are reflected below.

Jim Boutsikakis, People's Party

A business owner, Boutsikakis's campaign website says he's "dedicated to fighting for the core Canadian values of freedom, family and country."  He did not fill out the survey. 

"Jim remains dedicated to fighting for the core Canadian values of freedom, family, and country," says his website. "He is a patriot fighting on behalf of all Canadians."

Chad Collins, Liberal

Collins, 54, has represented the area since 1995, first as city councillor and then as MP in 2021. 

"I have spent my life in this riding with the mindset that communities are built from the ground up," he wrote in the survey.

"I love knocking on doors and listening to both the concerns of our residents and their ideas on how to improve our incredible community." 

He was among a group of MPs who called for then-prime minister Justin Trudeau to step down late last year after hearing from constituents that "the Liberal Party status quo was not working," Collins wrote in the survey. He is now supportive of party leader Mark Carney. 

Ned Kuruc, Conservative

A mortgage specialist in Stoney Creek, Kuruc has lived in the community his entire life. 

He did not fill out the survey. His campaign website says he's "ready to axe the carbon tax, build homes, restore freedom, and bring affordability back to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek." 

If elected, he will "work hard to make life better and more affordable for families, seniors, new graduates and small businesses," the website says. 

Nayla Mithani, NDP

Mithani is a project manager for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, according to her LinkedIn. She did not fill out the survey, and did not a biography on the campaign website at the time of publication. 

She's also worked as an Ontario NDP campaign organizer and graduated from McMaster University, her LinkedIn profile says.