LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Hamilton Economic Summit and Hamiltonians For Progressive Development: A Tale of Two Approaches To Hamilton’s Economic Future

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted December 17, 2008)

In August of 2005 Jack Santa-Barbara, a retired and successful businessman and now New Zealand developer, and Michael Desnoyers, a Burlington businessman who lives near Hamilton’s airport, created Hamiltonians For Progressive Development, a group espousing the virtues of Vision 2020 and decrying Hamilton’s policy to develop lands around the airport, a project sometimes called ‘Aeorotropolis’.

This group’s objections to the Airport Employment Lands process is embedded in a philosophy articulated on their website entitled “Bring the Vision Home! Stop Desperation Planning”. This unsigned piece targets City Council as well as the community in making its case. There is no evidence in the article of how this position was arrived at, nor how many people contributed to the statement. True, the philosophy references the City’s Vision 2020 document created a generation ago but seen as an utter failure by the unknown authors for HPD. However one doesn’t get a sense from reading this website that the group HPD represents is much bigger than the two founders it names. The philosophy talks about many things, but any of the group’s actions to date seem to confirm that its major cause celebre is stopping the Airport Employment Lands project.

In May of this past year, The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce took the initiative to sponsor an economic summit for the city of Hamilton. Encouraged by the President of the Chamber and its CEO, the Summit leaders were Hamilton notables: Richar Koroscil of Tradeport Chaired the event, while Mary Lynn West-Moynes President of Mohawk College and Ron Foxcroft, local entrepreneur, were the Honorary Chairs. This is a potent group that brought together 125 of Hamilton’s community leaders to see what could be done to enhance our city’s economy. The Summit actually produced a blueprint for Hamilton’s success. This blueprint finds its impetus in the 14 ‘tough economic questions’ dealt with at the day-long session and framed in this way: “Working together and building on existing efforts how can we?”

• Embrace global change
• Build a more sustainable economy
• Enhance our image as a community of choice
• Increase local job opportunities
• Diversify our Economic base
• Retain and expand existing companies
• Attract new firms and investments
• Improve educational attainment
• Accelerate the completion of current initiatives
• Develop more employment lands
• Create a culture of innovation
• Improve our transportation infrastructure
• Boost efforts to lessen poverty
• Engage the community in economic action

These are the approaches by two groups ostensibly wanting the same goal, prosperity for Hamilton. The first dedicates itself to ‘fighting’ something; the second dedicates itself to ‘building’ something. The first is front and center in thwarting a project around the airport that was overwhelmingly and democratically supported by Council. In spite of this strong approval by the City’s duly elected representatives, HPD measures its progress by what it can prevent the city from doing.

On the other hand, the Chamber’s Economic Summit offers a ‘report card’ outlining 9 samplings of tangible ‘efforts and wins’ that can be listed for the community to see. The framework for these successes is not combativeness. Quite the opposite, the report card speaks of the need to encourage responsibility on the part of all stakeholders as well as the need to support and work with Council in achieving stated objectives. The three founding partners of this philosophy are the City itself, the Jobs Prosperity Council, a community based group, and the Hamilton Economic Summit.

This working relationship is extremely important in lifting Hamilton’s economy, especially during these very globally uncertain times. We can’t afford to have a group that purports positive things while working counter to their very intentions. The Mayor is quoted in the HES report card as saying “We’re all aligning to put our shoulders to the wheel on economic development”. That is precisely what a Mayor should say in tapping into community talent and goodwill. He should follow his actions, however, by ensuring that he or his staff does not give comfort and encouragement to HPD which is evidently working at cross purposes to at least some of the Summit’s specific goals. The Mayor’s office cannot be supportive of two contradictory approaches, not if the words quoted are to be believed. And some in the community believe that the Mayor’s office is doing exactly that, with or without the Mayor’s blessing. I am sure Mayor Fred will want to look into this to see if that is the case and either clarify the perception, or stop the practice if it exists.

For my money, the Summit’s goals are to be applauded. Their transparency is to be appreciated. Their progress gives us hope. We look forward to Summit 2009.

BACK TO LARRY'S CORNER

HOME