The mayors of Burlington and Hamilton are using today’s third annual Bay Area Economic Summit to promote support networks available for innovative entrepreneurs.
The summit is a joint venture presented by the chambers of commerce of Hamilton and Burlington, and brings together political and business leaders from both communities to look at ways to increase local jobs, prosperity and quality of life.
Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring says the economy has transitioned from an industrial base to an information and technology base with small- and medium-sized businesses leading the way.
Goldring says that 40 per cent of new jobs in this area are being created by companies that are less than five years old.
And he says both Burlington and Hamilton have support networks available such as Burlington’s new Tech Place and McMaster University’s Innovation Park in Hamilton.
LISTEN: The mayors of Burlington and Hamilton join The Bill Kelly Show
Goldring says what both cities are doing “is giving younger entrepreneurs the opportunity to get a launch of their new businesses and to provide them with a support network that can help them be successful, help them grow businesses, help them create jobs and to help them create prosperity in our region.”
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger agrees and goes one step further.
He says many of the targets for job growth projections are going to be met by immigration.
“How we embrace immigrants and then make opportunities available to them is going to be a key issue in how we create future jobs,” Eisenberger says.
Premier Kathleen Wynne was the guest speaker at the summit. She says investments in people and infrastructure are keys to job growth.
She the province is investing in people through education and in infrastructure through such measures as GO Transit and Hamilton’s LRT.
LISTEN: Kathleen Wynne joins the Bill Kelly Show
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