'I am tired of being silent:' Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says she left an abusive relationship

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says in an open letter that she was in an abusive relationship, and notes the scrutiny she has faced as a long battle between her, her former partner and the city has publicly unfolded.

"I am sharing this because I am tired of being silent," she wrote in the letter shared Wednesday. "I want every survivor in Hamilton to know there should be no shame in choosing safety, in setting boundaries, or in telling the truth when you are ready."

She also said that, "after criminal harassment charges and a no-contact order, I did what many survivors do: I kept my distance."

"This has not been easy to speak about. It is painful, and it is frightening, and I know many people will understand what it means to carry something like this quietly for a long time," she wrote.

CBC Hamilton reached out to Horwath's ex-partner through his lawyer but did not hear back before publication.

On Friday, Horwath announced she would be running for re-election in October.

Horwath's letter came out after the property standards committee made a decision related to a property that Horwarth owns and where her ex-partner lives in Hamilton.

The city previously ordered extensive repairs at the property on West Street North, including on the roof, basement flooring, foundation walls, etc. It required Horwath to complete the work by May 1 this year.

This week, the committee said it didn't have jurisdiction to hear a late appeal from Horwath regarding the order, which was issued to her on Jan. 9, according to the city.

The appeal asked for a November 2028 extension on the deadline to do the work, according to the city.

In her open letter, Horwath said she was disappointed in the decision, but will "continue working toward resolving the outstanding issues with this property and closing this painful chapter of my life."

She also said she understands her responsibilities as the legal owner of the property and is "committed to seeing them through."

The issue of the property has put some aspects of Horwath's life under public scrutiny over the months that it has come up at committee.

Horwath's letter didn't give specifics about the abuse she mentions or details about the relationship. She declined an interview and to comment further to CBC Hamilton.