Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath undergoes surgery for broken wrist sustained in fall

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath has been hospitalized and is undergoing surgery to repair a broken wrist after she fell at City Hall during Tuesday’s potent spring storm.

A statement issued late Tuesday said Horwath was awaiting surgery and may need to take a “short medical leave” to focus on rest and recovery. 

In an update, a government spokesperson said the Hamilton mayor sustained multiple injuries after a fall on the stairs outside City Hall during “extremely windy conditions.”

“She is currently undergoing surgery for a broken wrist and is being assessed for additional injuries, including an elbow fracture and a leg injury,” Horwath’s office said in a statement. “Mayor Horwath will be resting and recovering at home for the remainder of the week.”

Much of southern Ontario experienced a brief but impactful storm on Tuesday afternoon and evening, which brought strong winds and thunderstorms in some areas. Hamilton was under a wind warning at the time of Horwath’s accident.

“We are grateful for the community’s outpouring of concern and well wishes and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available,” Horwath’s office stated.

Horwath, the former leader of the Ontario NDP, was elected mayor of Hamilton in 2022.