Hamilton putting finishing touches on Amazon bid

The deadline for submitting bids to become the home of Amazon’s second North American headquarters is now just one week away.

Hamilton City Manager Chris Murray says staff and consultants are “working day and night” ahead of the October 19 deadline.

He expects the tech giant will eventually release a shortlist, before making a final decision next year.

Murray believes this is a “real opportunity” for Southern Ontario municipalities, with an economy of more than six million people and some of the best universities making it “a very attractive place.”

Murray insists that immigration laws are also a Canadian advantage.

He notes that “when you’re talking about a company that’s building a second headquarters and looking to, in a 10-year period of time, employ 50,000 high-skilled workers, your ability to access those workers is going to be key.”