Constance E. Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Toronto City Councillor for Ward 3 | |
| In office 1920–1922 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1862 Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 1945 |
| Nationality | British-Canadian |
| Spouse | Lauchlan A. Hamilton |
| Residence(s) | 30 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, Ontario |
| Alma mater | Conservatory of Music (Leipzig, Germany) |
| Occupation | Politician, philanthropist, activist, patron |
| Known for | First female councilperson in Ontario |
| Website | Constance Hamilton Award |
Constance Eaton Hamilton (1862–1945) was a British-Canadian government official and activist. After activism supporting refugees and women in Winnipeg, she moved to Toronto and continued to support causes such as women's suffrage, becoming president of the Equal Franchise League of Toronto. She was elected for a one-year term on the Toronto City Council in the 1920 elections, becoming the first female member of Toronto City Council and the first woman in Ontario to hold elected office at either the federal, provincial, or municipal level. After two terms she resigned to continue her work campaigning for immigrant settlement and refugee issues, and for equal rights. In 1979, the Toronto city council established the Constance E. Hamilton Award on the Status of Women.