Burlington Chamber of Commerce
Jamie Cunningham
Election Plans Well it is coming up to that time, as municipal candidates are preparing their campaigns While the election is determined by the residents of a city, the outcome has an impact on business. As a result, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce has a strategy to ensure all are informed as possible. The Burlington Chamber will be participating with the following initiatives: We will be surveying our members to hear from them what the key issues are. Given the Chamber is the largest connection Mayoral candidates have with the business community, this is a survey that is important to all parties. Like any good election, a panel discussion enables candidates and voters to hear first-hand what the opinions and plans are of each candidate. The Burlington Chamber of commerce will be hosting an all-candidates meeting in the fall. This year we plan to include the councilor candidates in a showcasestyle setup where voters will have the chance to talk with each candidate. For anyone wanting to speak or hear from several candidates whether Mayoral or councilor, this venue will save you time. Lastly we will be posing a list of key questions to each of the Mayoral and councilor candidates that we can follow up on 2 years into their term to check on progress. There is no substitute for accountability. Although the Chamber of Commerce is nonpartisan, it does play an important role in facilitating the flow of information between business and candidates. As a general resource we will be posting a page on our website where you will be able to access key information such as important dates, candidate listing, listing of issues and key events.
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Richard Koroscil
It’s time to mobilize on LRT
At the recent Hamilton Economic
Summit, Metrolinx
boss Rob Prichard said an
interesting thing. Light rapid
transit, he told the crowd,
is “Hamilton’s to lose.”
Naturally every ear in the
place perked up. This was
probably the most encouraging
thing we’ve heard
about Hamilton’s chances
of getting full funding for
the LRT system. And to
have it come from such an
informed and influential
source made it all the more
intriguing.
Prichard’s comment was
more than welcome, but
let’s remind ourselves that
the decision for funding
won’t be made by Metrolinx
but by Queen’s Park. If
Hamilton is going to win
out over other communities
that also want transit fund-
ing, we need to demonstrate
broad public interest
and support.
It’s time for City Hall to
mobilize public support
and make a compelling
case for LRT in Hamilton.
We’ve already got
some good ammunition:
Metrolinx did a business
case analysis that showed
the superior economic
spin-offs from LRT compared
to bus transit. And
the respected Canadian
Urban Institute, in its report
on Hamilton earlier this
year, recommended LRT to
the province as a strategic
investment for this city.
Now it’s time to make sure
the ears at Queen’s Park
hear that message, loud
and proud from the entire
community.
The Chamber has always
been in favour of LRT. We
see a transit system that
provides a clean, quiet yet
high-speed way to move
around the city, encouraging
residential development
and adding greatly
to quality of life. We see a
transit system that’s sleek
and sexy, and serves as a
highly visible emblem of
positive change in Hamilton.
There’s no question in
the Chamber’s mind: LRT
can take us places no bus
ever will.