Hamilton is located at the head of Lake Ontario, between Niagara Falls and Toronto. According to the 2001 census, Hamilton’s population is 490,268 making it the eighth largest city in Canada. Demonstrating the city’s diversity, nearly one-quarter of the metropolitan area population of Hamilton is foreign-born. This makes Hamilton the Canadian city with the third highest proportion of foreign-born citizens after Toronto (44%) and Vancouver (38%).

Hamilton Harbour was discovered by explorer Robert Cavelier De La Salle in 1669. First Nations Peoples who lived in villages scattered around the harbour named it Macassa Bay, meaning "beautiful water". The city was founded in 1816 and named after George Hamilton, a settler. Hamilton's proximity to both natural resources and retail markets, and the accessibility of various modes of transportation, have helped make Hamilton a main industrial centre for Canada. As such, the city has earned nicknames such as Steeltown, Lunch Bucket City and Hammertown. In 2000, Hamilton and five surrounding municipalities, Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook and Stoney Creek, merged to form a new amalgamated City of Hamilton. The city is governed by a mayor, Fred Eisenberger, and 15 full-time councillors.