There are many positive things happening in the Greater Hamilton Area relating to economic development. Here are some of the good news stories…

Agriculture

Hamilton’s agricultural industry is now a $1.26 billion a year sector for the Hamilton community, moving up from $1 billion in 2001. Hamilton farms continue to rank high gross receipts per acre, and although their costs are slightly higher, their return is higher than the provincial average.

In 2008, the 158 year old Ancaster Agricultural Society began the $18 million relocation and redevelopment of the Ancaster Fair Grounds, with plans to hold the Ancaster Fair at the new grounds in 2009. This investment will bring provide for nine new, modern buildings, added parking and a more organized layout to welcome the increasing number of Fair patrons. This locale will also accommodate more horse facilities that are needed in this area for various horse show events.

Scharinga Greenhouses undertook a $1 million, 40,000 square foot expansion of their greenhouses for flowers, enabling the company to serve its growing list of clientele.

Forterra, a company that manufacturers and markets environmentally soil enhancers using worm casings (organic material ideal for golf courses, sports fields, lawn care, parks, nurseries, orchards and vineyards) relocated from Toronto to Flamborough in 2008. The new facility is 51,000 square feet, about 24 per cent larger than the firm’s former 41,000 square foot plant, doubling the current number of active worm beds from 800 to 1,600. It also offers improved air quality and non-chlorinated water favourable to production, more space for worm breeding operations and improved loading and storage capacity.

Following a fire at their facility, Oakrun Bakery has picked up the pieces and invested $3 million into a new facility that will ensure greater operational efficiencies.

After losing their space as a result of the Centre Mall renovations, the Farmers Market moved to Ottawa Street through support from the City of Hamilton, the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and Environment Hamilton. This move added to the growth of Ottawa Street, which includes Hamilton’s leading garment district, antique shops, restaurants and a welcoming public square. At its seasonal peak, the Ottawa Street Farmers Market houses 32 stallholders offering wonderful “eat local” items.

Recognition

Hamilton is on the way up! In the September 2008 edition of Canadian Business Magazine, Hamilton was identified as the 3rd top place to do business in English Canada and the 7th top place overall.

Major Award

Hamilton wins Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) Local Economies in Transition (LETI) Award; recognized as the top “investment ready” municipality in Ontario in 2008.

The LETI program is sponsored by EDCO in partnership with Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and is designed to assist Ontario’s local economies successfully transition to a “new economy”. Through the engagement of top U.S. Site Selectors, participating municipalities are judged on how effectively they responded to site selector inquiries on new investment opportunities and how they are positioned as “investment ready”. Communities were evaluated on their response to an RFP and on the Site Selectors’ visit to each of the participating municipalities.

Downtown

Since 2002, Hamilton’s Downtown and Community Renewal Division has administered loans totaling $13.5 million through the Hamilton Downtown Residential Loan Program. The results have generated over $126 million in property value and 755 residential units in Hamilton’s downtown core.

Building

2008 was a record year for building permits totaling $818 million. Note, those permits in 2008 are for projects that start construction in 2009 (keep people working).

Advanced Manufacturing

Superior Boiler Works and Welding is one of the largest general mechanical, electrical contractors and boiler pressure vessel manufacturers in the Hamilton region. They also produce pressure vessels, heat exchangers & boiler parts. In 2008, Superior moved from its former 35,000 square foot location on Brockley Drive to their new 88,000 manufacturing facility on McNeilly Road, and are currently in the planning stages for another expansion due to strong sales from their work in the Alberta Oil Sands.

Industrial Lands

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Grant Program

In September 2008, City Council approved the LEEDing the Way Grant Program and designated Hamilton’s Industrial Business Parks, Bayfront and East Hamilton Industrial Areas as a LEED Community Improvement Project Area. This program is designed to encourage and assist landowners with the incremental cost of construction to obtain LEED certification under the Canadian Green Building Council rating system. The grant provides an amount not exceeding the increase in municipal reality taxes as a direct result of the development/redevelopment of land and/or building to obtain LEED certification. The grant would reduce the effect of an increase in municipal (City portion only) realty taxes attributed to the difference between pre-development and post-development assessment.

Industrial/Commercial Developments

The Hamilton Calling Program, established in 2008, had an immediate effect on one Hamilton company: Karma Candy (formally known as Allan Candy). Faced with a dwindling market share for its confectionary products because of the demise of Allan Candy and wishing to grown its private labeling capacity, Karma Candy began working with staff from the Economic Development and Real Estate Division to save its business.

First, staff contacted several Federal and Provincial Agencies that could help Karma reorganize and re-brand the new company including making an introduction to a Client Account Officer with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), who helped Karma establish relationships with other companies for private labeling. Staff also contacted the City’s Public Health Department and arranged to have a “Food Handlers Certification Course” for all Karma employees. Further, Economic Development staff worked with the City’s Public Works Department and Horizon Utilities, Union Gas and Spectra Energy to undertake an energy audit of Karma’s operations, identifying ways that Karma could reduce their energy consumption and save thousands for the business. Finally, Economic Development staff contacted the City’s Employment Services Division to enlist their help in filling a staffing need at Karma (60-70 employees were required for a third shift at Karma for a 20 week period). The Employment Services Division staff identified possible suitable candidates, set up a day of interviews and assisted Karma in contacting successful applicants.

More importantly, Economic Development staff created key linkages between Karma and McMaster University and Mohawk College. Here, post-secondary students from both institutions have an outlet to practice the business theories that they are learning by analyzing Karma’s operations, while Karma receives key advice on ways to improve its profitability and increase business efficiencies.

Smart Centres began their expansion of the Upper James Mountain Plaza Mall from the existing 240,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet. This $55 million investment (not including land and the existing buildings) will see the expansion and aesthetic upgrades to the existing Wal Mart to 130,000 square feet over the next year and a half, with construction on the remaining plaza to continue until 2011.

McMaster Innovation Park

CANMET Materials Technology Lab – (the federal government’s materials technology laboratory) held its official groundbreaking ceremony in McMaster’s Innovation Park on December 5th. CANMET-MTL is dedicated to developing new materials and processes for Canada’s energy, transportation and metal manufacturing divisions. The lab will be a great asset to the community as it will create over 100 jobs for scientists and technicians who will provide support to existing local industries and is a $60 million dollar investment in Hamilton.

Educational

Mohawk’s STARRT Institute – Major new construction is almost complete at the Mohawk STARRT Institute for Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Research, Resources and Training in Stoney Creek. Supported by the Province of Ontario, Arcelormittal Dofasco, the City of Hamilton Future Fund and the family of the late Gerald Marshall, the $27 million investment has created new East and West wing additions which opened in September 2009 and the Gerald Marshall Transportation Centre to be completed this fall. The retooled campus now provides more opportunities for students to pursue gold collar careers in skilled trades. Enrolment has grown to over 3,650 apprentices and 870 full-time skilled trades program students. The largest trainer of apprentices in Ontario, the Mohawk STARRT Institute is home to a state-of-the art Computer Numerical control lab and showroom in partnership with Sirco Machinery and parent parent company HAAS.

Institutional

David Braley Cardiac Vascular & Stroke Research Institute – the new David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute (DBCVSRI) is nothing short of spectacular. The building’s sleek architectural design and use of natural light through a glass front exterior make this facility first class both in terms of its design and the programs that it will house.

This is the second largest public infrastructure project in Hamilton and is ranked among the top 100 in the country by ReNew Canada – The Infrastructure Renewal Magazine. The project’s value is approximately $90 million.

The DBCVSRI will be home to two world-class research groups; the Population Health Research Institute, currently led by Dr. Salim Yusuf and the Henderson Research Centre, led by Dr. Jeffrey Weitz.

This new space will bring these two groups together physically, to further promote synergy between basic scientists and clinical investigators. Core user groups who represent the future occupant base provided input to define the interior layout. The new six-storey infrastructure will provide 197,700 square feet of research space, of which 90,000 square feet will be new laboratory areas and a mix of research offices.

The building’s spacious interior layout will allow researchers to conduct a wide spectrum of research studies in an environment conducive to peer interaction. The unique space provides casual interactive areas that stimulate deep thought and reflection, such as a glass walled grand atrium in the centre of the building, complete with its own full-sized Zen garden.

Housed within several large meeting rooms is advanced real-time video conferencing technology that allows researchers and scientists to connect and collaborate in real-time with other research professionals located in 80 countries across the world.

Helping to make this building more energy effect is its sophisticated automation system, which affords occupants the ability to customize, isolate and control heating and cooling in different areas of the facility. It also allows the option to choose from a variety of lighting options, which include settings for both day and night time lighting. The building will conserve power through its motion-activated lighting system that is programmed to turn off the lights once an occupant has left the room.

It is anticipated the building will bring more than 300 new jobs to Hamilton’s core, many of which will specialize in cardiac, vascular and stroke research. The construction of this building has also provided employment opportunities for many skilled trade workers. It is estimated there is an average of 120 workers on the construction site daily.

The DBCVSRI symbolizes the innovation and progress that is being made by the many talented research professionals whose work is making significant contribution to the global research community. Once complete, this magnificent building will become a catalyst for the revitalization of Hamilton’s core and will help further solidify our city as an epicentre of health care and research excellence.

Occupancy of this building will occur in two phases beginning in the spring of 2009 and will be fully occupied by December 2009.

The DBCVSRI will become one of the top medical research facilities in the world, contributing to the health of Canadians and international populations by conducting life-saving research studies.