Auto research centre to open at Economic Summit
The theme is innovation so it’s fitting that the new McMaster Automotive Research Centre will be officially opened at the Hamilton Economic Summit Thursday.
The $26-million, 80,000-squarefeet lab is a key part of the university’s vision to make the school the hub of advanced automotive research and development in Canada.
It’s also a symbol of Hamilton’s advanced manufacturing cluster, which is seen as a critical component of the city’s economic diversity.
“We’re very excited that we’ve been able to time the summit with the opening of the MARC centre,” said summit co-chair Demetrius Tsafaridis. He says the summit will be able to highlight the city’s burgeoning innovation district around Longwood and Aberdeen.
The sixth annual summit at the Careport Centre Thursday, May 9 will place special focus on advanced manufacturing under the theme of Innovation: The art of the possible.
The results of a Deloitte report into Hamilton’s manufacturing profile will be released and followed up by a panel discussion featuring industry representatives, researchers and academics.
Tsafaridis says Hamilton can’t lose sight of its deep roots in manufacturing.
“People are recreating things in businesses that have been around for a long time.”
MARC brings together researchers from the university, industry and government who will collaborate on developing and testing new hybrid and electric powertrains, batteries, monitoring systems and lightweight materials that will ulti- mately result in cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The centre features industry-scale labs, classrooms and equipment needed to build prototype vehicles. It’s believed to be a first of its kind and will ultimately employ up to 150 people.
“We are no longer mass producers of products. That’s done elsewhere,” said Hamilton Chamber of Commerce interim CEO Richard Koroscil.
Instead, companies and organizations across the spectrum have to focus on change, doing things differently, offering better products and better customer service, he said.
“We’ll be talking about innovation in many different contexts.”
A new feature of this year’s daylong gathering is roundtable meetings with city councillors and senior managers. The idea is provide direct access to decision makers, says Koroscil.
Councillors Brian McHattie, Chad Collins, Brad Clark, Lloyd Ferguson and Judi Partridge are taking part, along with staffers Chris Murray, Gerry Davis, Neil Everson, Mike Zegarac and Bill Janssen.
Ferguson says he’s attended all the summits and has learned a great deal.
“I’m looking forward to speaking directly to investors and business people and figuring out how we can help them invest more in our city.”
The Ancaster councillor says the city’s industrial-commercial tax base is improving and record building permit numbers are a clear measure of investor confidence.
One of the day’s sessions will feature Gil Penalosa, executive director of Toronto-based non-profit 8 to 80 Cities. The organization focuses on creating sustainable mobility and public spaces that work for an eight-year-old and an 80-year-old.
“If we do that, our cities are fantastic for everyone. We have to stop building cities thinking everyone is 30 years old and athletic,” he said in an interview.
Penalosa is originally from Bogata, Colombia and travels the world speaking and consulting on citybuilding. He said Hamilton is not alone in featuring streets built for cars instead of people. He says safe walking and cycling is a right but our cities are collapsing a little at a time when cars are the only priority.
“Streets are our biggest public space. They are for young and old, rich and poor. They are of concern for everybody.”
Koroscil is credited with pushing to create the summit in 2008. At the time, he was the president of Hamilton International Airport and felt the city’s civic and business leaders needed to talk about its future.
He will offer a progress report on summit activities at the event.
“This has been driving opportunities for the private sector to get engaged… A lot of things happen when community leadership comes together.”
He cites the formation of young professional group Hamilton HIVE and the creation of the Renew Hamilton project as tangible products of the summit.
“We are keeping young, bright entrepreneurs in our city. I have heard from some of them that they would have left Hamilton without HIVE.”
Some seats are still available. Registration is $385 and $113 for young entrepreneurs (19-34) courtesy of First Ontario Credit Union.