the best of
hamilton
Celebrating some of the people and institutions that have helped make Hamilton a world-class city THE BAY OBSERVER
contents 04 Welcome to the Best of Hamilton! 06 Discover Hamilton 08 Sports for Everybody 10 Hamilton is about the arts 12 Fairs, events and attractions 14 Hamilton’s fabulous outdoors 16 History comes alive at Hamilton museums 18 Education that attracts students world-wide 20 McMaster Innovation Park 22 Mohawk College’s Applied Research is shaping Hamilton’s future 24 Vrancor Group 26 Dynamic medical research and health care environment 28 Hamilton Health Sciences – Hamilton hospitals having a national and global impact 32 St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton 33 Locke Street South/ Westdale Village 34 Hamilton: the transportation advantage 36 Introducing HOPA ports: waterfronts at work 38 John C Munro Hamilton international airport! A major catalyst for economic growth in Hamilton 40 Fluke Transport 41 Hamilton is where innovation goes to work 42 Meet 40 of Hamilton’s fastest growing companies 43 Gala Bakery: proud of it’s growth 44 Carmen’s Group: hospitality redefined 46 WPE Landscape Equipment: a growing company that is loyal to its local roots 47 Quality has a name: Max Aicher North America 48 40 fastest-growing businesses list 49 Hamilton’s business parks support growth
50
64
16 34
6
2
54
26
12
66
Cover Photo by Dave Gruggen Photography
43 36
The Best of Hamilton © 2020
the best of hamilton 50 Hamilton is an architectural showcase 52 Lamont Law: on the leading edge of evolving personal injury law 54 Taylor Leibow: local expertise– global reach 56 Safeguarding Hamilton’s water supply into the future 58 Hamiltonians pitch in to make Hamilton beautiful! 60 Agri-Food: a billion dollar industry 62 Hamilton, a real estate market in the top ten 64 Effort Trust: proud to be part of Hamilton’s growth for five decades 65 Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd. Brokerage, Sold on Hamilton 66 Best of the best: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s) 68 Labourers’ International Union of North America 70 Cable 14: your community connection 72 FirstOntario Credit Union: powers nutrition programs to give students the boost they need 74 Hamiltonians who made a difference 83 St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton 84 The world sees Hamilton on the screen 86 Hamiltonians who made it in film, music and the arts 94 A picture-perfect wedding
Editor: John Best Sales Representatives: Hilary White, Rosanne La Scala Art Director: Catalin Ciolca Office Manager: Kaye Best Printer: Transcontinental Printing Operations and Marketing Manager: Taimoor Jamil
Published by The Bay Observer
20
THE BAY OBSERVER
24 Flamingo Drive Hamilton Ontario L9A 4X7 905-522-6000 www.bayobserver.ca Original photography for this publication by Dave Gruggen Photography
3
Welcome to the best of
hamilton
M
ore than a hundred years ago American entrepreneurs began scouting Canada for locations to establish branch factories, in order to gain access to the British and Commonwealth markets. They chose Hamilton because it had an excellent location with good access to rail and marine and was close to the US
border. In addition, Hamilton had a skilled manufacturing workforce. Today the world is a much different place with globalism replacing tariffs, but many of the advantages that Hamilton enjoyed in the early 1900’s still exist ‌ but have been greatly expanded. Hamilton was built around a legacy of advanced manufacturing, which continues to
4
the best of hamilton
be a huge contributor to the local economy. Additional technologically-advanced industries have grown naturally to support the manufacturing cluster, creating a community that embraces cutting-edge science and technology. Hamilton’s most successful industries ship their products worldwide. As part of its 2019 Canada’s Best Communities rankings, Macleans Magazine has ranked Hamilton in the top 25 and third “Big City” overall. As part of the ranking process, Macleans gathered data on 415 towns and cities across the country and compared them in the following categories: wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities and culture. This ranking, along with Hamilton being named in the top 2 in North America for tech cities of “opportunity” by CBRE recently, proves that the Hamilton economy is moving in a very positive direction. Hamilton is also home to world-class universities, colleges, and research-intensive companies that have created an ideal environment for new product development and innovation. Industry and academia work together in Hamilton to lower the cost of commercialization and bringing products to market. Startups and entrepreneurs thrive in this hard working, high-tech city, where the cost of entry is very competitive with other tech-centric cities in the region. Hamilton boasts one of the top hospital networks in Canada, has an internationally renowned music, fashion and film scene, and more affordable housing options in comparison to the Greater Toronto Area. In the past two years, Hamilton has seen a number of significant tech related investments from corporations such as L3 Wescam, Stryker, Pipeline Studios—a leading Canadian animation firm working with international brands such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Nelvana, and IBM Canada. Hamilton’s airport and Port are major economic drivers with significant investments made by companies like Parrish and Heimbecker, Panattoni and DSL—all of whom have made major investments in Hamilton. n
5
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m
Supercrawl—a celebration of arts and music attracts thousands of visitors to Hamilton each fall.
The Rock Garden at Royal Botanical Gardens
6
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton Dundurn Castle, A Tuscan villa on the shores of Burlington Bay
discover hamilton A
s Hamilton has become a magnet for newcomers from other parts of the GTA, many new arrivals express astonishment at the natural beauty of Hamilton—from its escarpment and waterfront trails to its network of parks— both formal and recreational. Hamilton boasts an array of architectural styles spanning more than two centuries. That is one of the reasons Hamilton has become so popular as a location for films and television productions. Hamilton is becoming renowned for its eclectic food scene, with new restaurants springing up all over the city, but particularly in the downtown core— James Street North and King William Street. Hamilton’s vibrant arts scene continues to flourish with numerous festivals and events taking place along side our art galleries, philharmonic orchestra, museums and live theatre. Hamilton is a sports town offering many spectator opportunities, both amateur and professional. The city also has many sports participation opportunities through its recreation centres, sports fields and arenas.
Hamilton’s vibrant James Street North
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, one of the finest vintage aircraft collections in North America.
7
h a m i l t o n
H
t o u r i s m
sports for everybody
amilton’s reputation as a sports city goes back to the nineteenth century. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the direct descendants of the original Hamilton Tigers who were founded in 1869—making the Ticats the oldest professional sports team in North America. The Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League began play in Hamilton in the 2015-16 season. They captured the Ontario Championship in 2017-2018. Now under a community ownership arrangement, the Hamilton Cardinals have been in the Intercounty Baseball League for more than 40 years. The newest entry in the Hamilton sports scene is Forge FC a member of the newly-formed Canadian Premier league. They captured the league championship in their 2019 inaugural season.
Hamilton TigerCats made it to the Grey Cup in 2019 with a 15-3 record.
8
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton
The Hamilton Bulldogs OHL team
Forge FC won the CPL’s first ever championship
Hamilton Cardinals have been an Intercounty Baseball League mainstay for more than 40 years
9
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Gemma New
Art Gallery of Hamilton
10
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton
enjoy arts in hamilton
N
owhere in Canada is there a more eclectic mix of arts opportunities than Hamilton. For the classical enthusiast the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gemma New, is regarded as one of Canada’s major professional orchestras. Outdoor music festivals have been a mainstay in Hamilton for generations, beginning with the Festival of Friends which has been entertaining fans from far and wide for more than four decades, and the It’s Your Festival which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, through to the more recent SuperCrawl which attracts massive crowds to Hamilton’s downtown. Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre has seen all of the major musical icons from Elton John to Paul McCartney. It has also hosted the nationally-televised Juno Awards. Founded in 1914, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is the oldest and largest art museum in Southern Ontario with a permanent collection that is recognized as one of the finest in Canada. Embracing Canadian historical, international and contemporary art, the collection consists of more than 10,000 works. You can see superb pieces by Alex Colville, Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, James Tissot, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Gustave Doré, Norval Morrisseau, Keith Haring, Edward Burtynsky, Kim Adams, or Tyler Tekatch, to name a few. Theatre Aquarius is recognized as a leader in Canadian theatre. It produces work of the highest quality, premieres new plays, develops the skills of professional artists, invests in youth and families and contributes to the quality of life in this region.
Theatre Aquarius
Art Gallery of Hamilton terrace
11
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m
Hamilton’s growing restaurant scene on King William Street
Fieldcote Museum Ancaster Rockton World’s Fair just one of numerous fall fairs in the Hamilton area.
African Lion Safari
12
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton The Around the Bay Road Race attracts distance runners from all over the world
fairs, events and attractions
Take a tour on the Harbour Queen
Y
ear round, Hamilton offers all kinds of festivals, fairs and annual sporting events like the Around the Bay Road Race. Hamilton boasts an exciting food scene with new restaurants opening all the time. Both James Street North and King William Street have become restaurant precincts offering dining for every taste. From strolling Hamilton’s waterfront parks to exploring Hamilton’s “other” downtowns in Stoney Creek Village, Dundas, Ancaster and Waterdown—There is never a dull moment in Hamilton! The African Lion Safari is home to over 1,000 exotic birds and animals that roam freely throughout seven distinct drive-through Game Reserves. Late Summer and Fall Fairs abound in Hamilton. It is an opportunity to celebrate Hamilton’s agricultural heritage with fairs that take old and young alike back to a time of good old-fashioned fun.
Held twice a year, The Christie Antique and Vintage show has grown to be Canada’s largest and most favourite antique show.
Dundas International Buskerfest
During the summer trolley tours will take visitors from the downtown, to Hamilton’s waterfront parks and trails
13
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m
The annual Mum Show at Gage Park is a major visitor attraction.
Enjoying fall colours from Dundas Peak
Gore Park in downtown Hamilton –Hamilton’s oldest public space
The Royal Botanical Gardens Rock Garden has undergone a $20 Million redevelopment
Websters Falls
14
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton Hamilton’s Bayfront Trail system extends from Princess Point to the HMCS Haida and from the Beach Canal to Confederation Park.
Gage Park offers an eclectic mix of formal gardens, sports facilities and walking or jogging trails
T
hamilton’s fabulous outdoors
hanks to the foresight of a group of planning enthusiasts in the 1920’s, Hamilton is a city of parks. The City of Hamilton boasts over 3480 acres of municipally-owned parkland at 394 locations, 50 shared School Board parks, over 49 kilometres of City-owned trails, and in excess of 2850 acres of open space property at 116 locations, offering many opportunities for people of all ages to get outdoors and explore nature. Our many recreational trails encourage hikers, cyclists, roller-bladers, and nature lovers to enjoy the natural landscapes of the escarpment and valleys. Bayfront Park, Pier 4 Park, the Hamilton Harbour Waterfront Trail and Hamilton Beach Recreational Trail offer panoramic views of the Hamilton Harbour and northwest shoreline. Sam Lawrence Park and a number of other escarpments parks offer spectacular vistas of the city below and Lake Ontario as far as Toronto. Gage Park with its iconic beaux-arts fountain, formal gardens, over a hundred varieties of trees and modern greenhouse along with acres of meadow and trails, is one of the finest parks in Ontario.
Hamilton Golf and Country Club has hosted the Canadian Open Championship a number of times
Tews Falls
15
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m Children getting a lesson in pioneer cookiemaking
Whitehern, home to the McQuesten Family
The Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology-a fine example of Greek Revival Architecture
history comes alive at hamilton museums
F
ew communities place as much emphasis on preserving history and heritage as does Hamilton. Six of Hamilton’s museums have been designated National Historic Sites. Many of the museums and historical sites offer special programming for children. In addition, there is an interactive children’s museum just for kids. In all, Hamilton museums and historical sites offer more than 150 annual events, immersive experiences, Curriculumlinked field trip options, birthday party packages, unique rental spaces, and much more. For the serious archivist there is also one of Ontario’s finest local history repositories in the Hamilton Public Library Special Collections Department.
16
Battlefield Monument and House in Stoney Creek.
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton HMCS Haida is a warship that provided heroic support on D-Day
Dundurn Castle; A fully restored Italianate villa, once home to Alan Napier MacNab, one time Premier of the Province of Canada
Children peer into a Victorian parlour at Dundurn
17
h a m i lt o n
e d u c at i o n Redeemer University College
McMaster University is one of the top research universities in Canada
education that attracts
students world-wide Mohawk is one of Ontario’s largest Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Colleges.
A robotics competition providing STEM (Science, technology, engineering, math) to young minds Bishop Ryan RCSS
Students at Columbia International College participate in a United Nations Day
18
the best of hamilton Hillfield Strathallan College
The City of Hamilton is an education destination for students from all over the world. Hamilton offers a wide choice of secondary and post-secondary study options and excellent opportunities for study and to live and work after graduation.
A
Mohawk College
19
t McMaster University, 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 7500 faculty and staff are engaged in learning and research with a focus on community engagement and involvement. Mohawk College educates more than 17,000 full-time and apprenticeship students at three campuses in Hamilton. Recognized as a leader in health and technology education, Mohawk has achieved the highest student satisfaction scores among all colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for four consecutive years. Hamilton is served by four school boards. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board teaches approximately 50,000 students in its 97 neighbourhood schools. The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board serves more than 29,000 elementary and secondary students at 55 schools, and another 10,000 individuals through four St. Charles adult and continuing education centres. The French-language Catholic school board in the Centre-South serves over 15,500 Students in 45 elementary and 10 secondary schools covering much of Southern Ontario. Redeemer University College, a Christian university, offers its more than 700 students Bachelor of Arts, Science, and Education degrees with majors in more than 39 disciplines. Hillfield Strathallan Collge is an independent, co-educational day school in Hamilton. The academic program runs from Montessori Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Collège BorÊal is one of Ontario’s 24 community colleges and is the only Frenchlanguage college in Southwestern Ontario. Columbia International College, with 2100 students representing over 70 countries, is the largest private junior and senior boarding school in Canada. n
McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) is where companies grow. After more than a decade in operation, many businesses from all industries call MIP home.
M
IP is Canada’s premier research park offering a collaborative space for start-ups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry partners to connect and bring ideas to life. Companies coming out of this Hamilton innovation hub specialize in the biomedical, advanced manufacturing, and ICT industries. The park is where companies can come together to tackle the world’s biggest challenges to have a greater impact. In September 2018, the company welcomed a new CEO, Ty J. Shattuck, and he brought with him a vision for a sprawling park that provides members with the spatial alchemy necessary to tackle these global challenges in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Although tech and digitization has made global collaboration easier than ever, research shows that physical proximity is also a major factor in enabling innovation. MIP has plans for expansion with 6-8 new buildings over the next 5-10 years which will further provide the Hamilton innovation ecosystem with the resources, space, and amenities they need to grow and thrive. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for some support to get your business off the ground, or an established business looking to make meaningful connections and scale your company to new heights, MIP will help you find what you’re looking for. n
20
mip is home to a number of impressive companies, check out a few of them below: QReserve can save your organization substantial amounts of time and money by helping to efficiently catalogue equipment, improve resource utilization, automate complex scheduling, and understand the hidden capacity and capabilities available to you. Major research institutions, government laboratories, research hospitals, universities, makerspaces, and companies around the globe have deployed QReserve to make it easier for employees and partners to find and use equipment and resources. LeafBox Concepts Inc. is a clean-tech company based out of the Forge Incubator in Hamilton, ON – Canada. We up-cycle used cargo containers into 100% solar-powered, portable, and experiential retail & event concepts. Our mission is to deploy and activate our concepts across the globe to help lead the transition into a carbon-free future by 2030.
Our vision at the NCCMT is that all Canadians achieve their optimal health and well-being. We support this by working collaboratively with the public health workforce in Canada to develop the knowledge, skill and capacity to implement the most effective and cost-efficient programs and services. We are hosted by the School of Nursing at McMaster University and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. We are one of six National Collaborating Centres in Canada. LoAllay is dedicated to lightening the workload for entrepreneurs and small business owners. LoAllay offers a full range of services to help entrepreneurs focus on their visions, and with a team of 21 experts in their fields, take care of administrative, bookkeeping, digital marketing, IT, translations, legal, HR and various other functions that a small business requires. Founder of LoAllay, Theresa Horak, believes that a small business can hugely benefit from the resources that only a larger organization can afford to employ internally, which is why LoAllay was created. Our passion is to see entrepreneurs succeed.
(Left to right ) Back: Porsche Le (student), Benson Lam (EPIC), Zhenyu (Frank) Zhao (faculty), Majlinda Qarri faculty). Front: Zahraa Khalid (faculty), Zach Abrahams (student)
MOHAWK COLLEGE’S APPLIED RESEARCH IS SHAPING HAMILTON’S FUTURE
A
pplied research drives innovation by uncovering practical solutions for realworld challenges. Mohawk College is a leader and has been named #7 in the country according to RE$EARCH Infosource rankings for applied research. Mohawk’s expertise among faculty and students, advanced facilities, and deep industry connections have been critical to putting the Hamilton area at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, digital health, technology and energy. Applied research partnerships guided by Mohawk’s team provide cutting-edge experiential learning to students, and lead to solutions that increase productivity, revenue and market-share for industry partners. Mohawk’s IDEAWORKS catalyzes, funds and supports research across the college and operates three centres of excellence: the mHealth and eHealth Development and
Innovation Centre (MEDIC), the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) and the Energy & Power Innovation Centre (EPIC). The following are four examples of applied research at Mohawk among dozens of recent projects.
Digital electricity iLLUMA-Drive required independent validation of its new digital electrical platform for LED lighting systems for homes and businesses. EPIC students, staff and faculty designed and built a test bed to compare the energy efficiency, efficacy and flickering of the iLLUMA-Drive system vs. conventional AC lighting systems.
Outdoor play Mohawk faculty, staff and students collaborated on research into how to embed the pedagogy of outdoor play into the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. The result is a practical, hands-on guide that aims to combat children’s sedentary lifestyles one educator at a time.
Customized IT A team of students, staff and faculty investigated and customized a scalable IT solution for Niko Apparel, a Hamilton sports company that allowed it to secure a lucrative contract with a multinational client. Virtual reality Students and faculty in Mohawk’s Building and Construction Sciences program helped structural steel company Walters Inc. to overcome virtual reality’s steep learning curve by recommending devices, software, and training and providing a stepby-step process to integrate VR into its workflow. Hear from the company owners and Mohawk researchers behind these projects at mohawknewsdesk.ca/ spotlight-on-projects.
MOHAWK FUTURE READY
PREMIUM EMPLOYER
Future Ready. Together. Connecting employers with students and alumni to build an exceptional workforce.
Connect with us on our new Industry and Employer website today. Mohawk offers a wide range of recruitment, training and research opportunities for your business.
mohawkcollege.ca/employers
20 George Street
Darko Vranich
It is often said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For Vrancor Group, that step was taken in 1994 when Darko Vranich acquired his first hotel. Today Vrancor Group is a multimilliondollar hospitality, proper ty management and development business, with 21 hotels across Ontario. Hamilton, home to Vrancor’s headquar ters, remains a key focus for development activity. The team at Vrancor, many of whom reside in Hamilton, see Hamilton not just as an Ambitious City, but one that has rightfully taken its place as a leading economic powerhouse within Ontario and Canada. Fueled by Vranich’s drive to catapult Hamilton’s economy by a significant redevelopment of its downtown core, and by investing over half a billion dollars into the revitalization effor ts, a modern, integrated design is now reflected across an impressive array of hotel, residential and commercial complexes. With an unwavering commitment to build a lasting and prosperous community, a vibrant and transformational Hamilton has emerged.
154 Main Street E
Hampton Inn by Hilton Hamilton/Student Residence
V ranich, a Croatian-born Canadian, has focused Vrancor Group on its mission “to lead the creation of inspiring, award-winning environments for people to live, work, stay and play”. This vision stems from a deep understanding of essential infrastructure elements needed by evolving cities to foster growth and prosperity: strong residential communities, recognized and respected hotel brands and flourishing retail enterprises that suppor t the needs of growing populations. While active across Ontario, Hamilton is the epicentre of Vrancor’s focus, with hotels that include Sheraton Hamilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton Hamilton, and Staybridge Suites Hamilton Downtown. Two new build hotels, Hampton Inn by Hilton Hamilton and Holiday Inn Express Hamilton will open in 2020. Now, with over eight hundred and fifty new or refurbished hotel guestrooms, Hamilton’s ability to successfully compete and win large national and international convention, spor ting and enter tainment events has significantly increased, as evidenced by the recent hosting of the Canadian Countr y Music Awards, RBC Canadian Open and the upcoming Grey Cup.
Future Downtown Hamilton Developments 213 King Street W
King Street W & Queen Street N Development
More impor tantly, the pipeline for future tourism events is robust and growing stronger. A thriving tourism economy lifts all boats and this can be seen in the booming restaurant, ar t, transpor tation and music scenes right across the city.
B y focusing investment in Hamilton, Vrancor has
cultivated a sixth sense for how Hamilton is evolving and how future developments can elevate the urban landscape. These are exciting days as Vrancor’s robust pipeline of future developments include residential, student and retirement housing plus several prestige commercial projects to widen Hamilton’s appeal as a great city to live and work.
T hese developments haven’t gone unnoticed. Vrancor’s
dedication to revitalizing Hamilton has earned the company many accolades including “Developer of the Year” awards from both Hilton Worldwide and InterContinental Hotels Group, as well as the Outstanding Business Achievement Award from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. “I believe in Hamilton, a great city with unlimited potential,” The city’s vitality can be seen through its strong economic development, growth and revitalization,” says Vranich. And for tunately, his enthusiasm and passion are contagious as demonstrated by the renaissance underway across the city!
“I BELIEVE IN HAMILTON, A GREAT CITY WITH UNLIMITED POTENTIAL” Vrancor’s Investments in Hamilton HOTELS Sheraton Hamilton - 301 guest rooms, 20,000 sq. ft. meeting space Homewood Suites by Hilton Hamilton - 182 extended stay suites, 10,000 sq. ft. meeting space Staybridge Suites Hamilton Downtown - 129 extended stay suites, 5,000 sq. ft. meeting space Hampton Inn by Hilton Hamilton - 154 guest rooms, 1,750 sq. ft. meeting space Holiday Inn Express Hamilton - 105 guest rooms, 1,000 sq. ft. meeting space RESIDENTIAL 220 Cannon Street East - 100 rental apar tments, 4,000 sq. ft. commercial space 20 George Street - 242 rental apar tments, 6,600 sq. ft. commercial space RETAIL / COMMERCIAL / FOOD SERVICE Shoppers Drug Mart 1599 Upper James St, Hamilton Shoppers Drug Mart 133 King Street West, Dundas 151 York Blvd. 43,000 sq. ft. commercial space Starbucks, Sheraton Hamilton Marquis Gardens Hamilton Marquis Gardens Ancaster
Holiday Inn Express Hamilton
1
2
dynamic medical research and 4
7
1. Commercializing medical research at the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Biomedical and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM) 2. The latest technology: a hybrid operating table that combines imaging with surgery 3, 7. Hamilton Health Sciences trauma unit. 4. St Joseph’s Healthcare pioneering robotic surgery 5. Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM) research facility, will be home to several of McMaster’s leading researchers operating from a state-of-the art facility to be constructed at McMaster. 6. Latest development in Mammogram technology 8. McMaster School of Medicine 9. Hamilton hospitals developing procedures to place the patient at the centre of care.
8
26
5
6
3
the best of hamilton
health care environment Hamilton’s life sciences sector constitutes an intersection of innovation, research and business. The life sciences sector is now the largest employer in Hamilton with one of the strongest hospital networks in Canada.
H
9
ealth care and social assistance is by far the largest employment category in Hamilton accounting for nearly one in five jobs and employing 38,000 full and part time workers. As the ambitious city, Hamilton offers life sciences’ companies the convergence of research, development and business collaboration in a unique and vibrant business setting. Between Hamilton Health Services, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Bay Area Health Trust, Innovation Factory, McMaster University Faculty of Medicine and Mohawk College, among other innovators, a collaborative cluster utilizes technology to improve healthcare services. The Synapse Consortium supports the health sciences cluster by facilitating collaboration, accelerating commercialization, and promoting the impact of this valuable sector. The two major Healthcare networks combined attract more that $225 Million in research funding each year, plac-
ing both in the top 40 of research hospitals in Canada year after year. At Mohawk College IDEAWORKS, the mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) help companies, start-ups, not-for-profits, and government organizations develop and implement innovative digital health solutions to improve patient care. International investments like the Fraunhofer Project Centre are building life sciences capacity in Hamilton and positioning the city as an international leader. The Fraunhofer Project Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM) is accelerating the commercialization of research with a focus on T-cell therapies, point-of-care diagnostics and ophthalmics. Commercialization support exists for companies large and small throughout the health sciences industries in Hamilton. n
27
Stem cell transplants
Leaders of the past, present and future Hamilton hospitals having national and global impact Dr. Kylie Lepic with Frank Tousaw
When it comes to health care, Hamiltonians have lots to be proud of. Hamilton Health Sciences is the only hospital system in Ontario providing specialty health care for the full spectrum of life’s journey, from pre-birth to end-of-life. Serving 2.3 million people throughout south-central Ontario, Hamilton Health Sciences is a leader in programs such as trauma, cancer, stroke, and child and youth mental health. It is also a world-renowned academicteaching hospital, an international leader in hospital-based research and the largest employer in Greater Hamilton. This is possible thanks to donor support through Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation. The Foundation provides vital funding for medical equipment and patient amenities (which aren’t funded by the government), innovative research, essential redevelopment of clinical spaces, and advanced education and training of health care providers.
Learn more at hamiltonhealthsciences.ca | hamiltonhealth.ca
For more than 35 years, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has been a leader in stem cell transplantation, which has the potential to cure patients with blood cancers. Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre (JHCC), part of the HHS family, is one of only three hospitals in Ontario providing all forms of adult stem cell transplants. The site is a trailblazer in the delivery of this life-saving treatment, as well as research and education.
A Canadian first
In the past, transplants required stem cells – human cells that have the ability to transform into many different cell types – that were harvested from a relative of the patient. Historically, stem cells from an unrelated donor could result in fatal rejection by the patient’s immune system. In 1988, HHS’ Dr. Irwin Walker and Dr. Michael Brain performed the first successful Canadian transplant with an unrelated donor. The patient was infused with stem cells that were collected from a donor in the United States. “Now that we’re able to use unrelated donors, 80 per cent of patients who need a stem cell transplant can receive one,” says Dr. Walker.
Cancer journey leads to a hopeful tomorrow Frank Tousaw was diagnosed with double-hit lymphoma, an aggressive blood cancer. Without treatment he was in serious danger. Frank underwent chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant. After spending 84 days in hospital his cancer is in remission. “Now I have a hopeful tomorrow that will allow me to watch my kids make their way in the world,” says Frank.
Dr. Irwin Walker (right) arrives from the United States with the stem cells in 1988.
Ongoing innovation
In the early 2000s, the site headed the only Canadian trial on haploidentical stem cell transplants, a technique involving the use of stem cells from “halfmatch” family members. “Because of this, almost all patients can have a suitable donor, either a matched sibling, matched unrelated donor, or half-matched family member,” explains Dr. Walker. The centre was also instrumental in expanding the age limit for transplant patients. People who were once considered too old to receive the procedure now have the option of undergoing a transplant using reduced intensive conditioning – or minitransplant – which was piloted in Canada at HHS. In recent years, the hospital has worked hard to expand their program so more people can benefit from the treatment. In the 2018-19 fiscal year, JHCC performed 230 stem cell transplants, a nearly 70 per cent increase over the last five years. In July 2019, Dr. Brian Leber performed the site’s 1,000th allogeneic stem cell transplant.
The future of transplants in Hamilton
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, so it is more important now than ever that HHS stays on the leading edge of care.
In May 2019, the Ontario government announced an investment of $25 million to support the expansion of the adult stem cell transplantation unit. In addition to this investment, community and corporate donors supported Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation’s Tomorrow Stems From You® fundraising campaign, which contributed $5 million to expand a dedicated clinical area and purchase vital equipment. Construction is underway and the expansion is expected to be open for patients in summer 2020.
What is a stem cell transplant? A stem cell transplant is a method of replacing cells in the bone marrow that cause cancer. New stem cells are infused into the patient so they can attack the diseased cells. • Transplants using a patient’s own cells are known as autologous transplants • Transplants from a donor are known as “donor-matched” or allogeneic transplants
Family matters in mental health
Counsellor Christine Vaughan during a session with Dawn at McMaster Children’s Hospital
their own emotions about their child’s illness, and learn skills to help their child cope. “Increasing family and caregiver involvement is a priority in our program,” says Lori Issenman, director of Child and Youth Mental Health at MCH. “Research shows that when families are involved, young people with mental health issues do better.”
Dawn is a registered social worker. She knows much more than the average person about mental health and helping people in distress. But when her eldest son’s mental health issues emerged, she felt lost. “It was emotional for our entire family,” she says. “We needed help learning how to support our son through this.” Dawn and her partner both took part in Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), a unique program offered in the Child and Youth Mental Health Program at McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH). The program provides group and one-on-one training to parents and caregivers so they can process
McMaster Children’s Hospital is the first publicly funded mental health service in our region to offer this evidencebased program. The generous support of Foundation partners like ArcelorMittal Dofasco has enabled MCH to train more than 60 staff and doctors in EFFT. They’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from families. More than 98 per cent of participants said they were either extremely or very likely to recommend the program to others. “It was emotional, powerful, practical and really helpful,” says Dawn. “The program helped us work through our feelings and develop skills to help our son through different scenarios.” In addition to building better connections with parents and caregivers, the Child and Youth Mental Health Program is increasing collaboration with other services both at MCH and throughout the community. “Mental health care requires a shared approach,” says Issenman. “We are lucky to have Canada’s most comprehensive Child and Youth Mental Health program. We’re sharing our expertise and working with partners so we can serve the community even better.”
Jim is back behind the wheel after relearning how to drive.
Back behind the wheel thanks to world-class stroke care Jim LaMontagne and his wife Cindy are avid sailors. During a trip to the Bahamas, he woke up on their boat in the middle of the night with no feeling in the left side of his body. He was having a stroke and needed immediate medical care. He was airlifted to Miami for emergency treatment. Once stabilized, Jim was flown by air ambulance to Toronto, and then transported to Hamilton General Hospital (HGH), home to the largest Integrated Stroke Program in Ontario, which combines both acute and rehabilitative care. The stroke program is world renowned for its clinical care, training and research. “It was a really scary time, but I was happy to be close to home and knew I would get excellent care,” says Jim. He was soon ready to begin stroke rehabilitation at HGH’s Regional Rehabilitation Centre (RRC), which provides specialized care to help people regain function after illness or injury. Relearning how to drive was at the top of Jim’s list of goals.
replicates nearly 100 common driving scenarios and road conditions. “It gives real-life scenarios of driving situations so we can assess how the patient would approach those,” says Kayla McDowell, an occupational therapist. “It helps us create a better treatment plan.” The simulator was purchased through donations to Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation. It mimics a real car, and features an adjustable seat, blinkers, and gas and brake pedals. “It allows patients like Jim to see what it will feel like to drive, and build confidence,” says Kayla. Using cutting-edge equipment like this is just one way staff and doctors at the RRC help stroke patients recover. They use many evidence-based therapies to rebuild strength and dexterity, and teach people how to adapt if they aren’t able to regain full use of their limbs or voice. Jim LaMontagne practises driving using the simulator at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre.
“I’m a driven guy, and it was always in my plans to get back to work and get back to driving,” he says. Jim’s outpatient rehabilitation team at the RRC introduced him to a brand new driving simulator that • The RRC’s inpatient rehabilitation program is the second largest in Ontario • They are the provincial leader for quick admission to inpatient rehabilitation—once a patient is ready, they wait less than one day for a bed • The outpatient neurology program team sees 7,000 visits each year
Learn more at hamiltonhealthsciences.ca | hamiltonhealth.ca
Dan-Bi Cho, Registered Nurse
Dr. Bobby Shayegan, Surgeon
Sri Duraikannan, Volunteer
Hélène Hamilton, Patient and Family Advisor
Learn more about who we are and our promise to our patients, families, staff and community at stjoes.ca/strategicplan Social icon
Rounded square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.
A proud member of St. Joseph’s Health System
the best of hamilton
Lulu & Lavigne Home Studio
L
ocke Street South is located in a unique area in Hamilton, nestled in the beautiful tree-lined Kirkendall neighbourhood just beneath the Niagara Escarpment. It has become one of the most popular destinations for Hamiltonians and visitors from the surrounding region. Enjoy shopping in the many eclectic shops located in this historic area. Home furnishings and accessories, unique boutiques, jewellery design, salons and spas, musical instruments, health and professional services are all part of the mix. Weary from shopping? Take a break and have a bite to eat in one of the many restaurants and eateries. For many, this charming spot in the city is one to which they return again and again.
Nest
W
estdale Village, established in the 1920’s, is a thriving and diverse shopping district with both vintage charm and contemporary flair. Situated next to McMaster University and McMaster Medical Centre, it features a variety of cafes and restaurants, unique boutiques, old-style bakeries and at its center, an Art Deco movie theatre The Westdale, which has been an entertainment destination since the era of silent films. It has been beautifully restored to a new hub for art and independent film screenings. The village is a lively place hosting many events throughout the year including ArtsFest, October West, Westdale Music Live, Jazz West, and Winter Wander.
David Clayton Thomas Band at the 2019 ArtsFest in Westdale Village
Photo by Boxcar Media
33
Hamilton benefits from its proximity to US Border crossings
Hamilton is served by both Class A Railroads for freight and GO Transit and Visa offer frequent passenger service
hamilton: the transportation advantage
Whether shipped by road, rail air or marine, all goods finish their journey by motor transport.
34
the best of hamilton
Location–the asset that made Hamilton the heavy industrial powerhouse a century ago, is still the reason Hamilton is a desirable location for its advanced manufacturing, and knowledge-based industries today.
S Hamilton International Airport is Canada’s number one scheduled cargo airport.
ituated at the western end of Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe, Hamilton offers easy access to a network of highways, international rail lines, and the Port of Hamilton. Local air connections to international destinations are close by with John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. The Queen Elizabeth Way provides ready access from the US border to both the Greater Toronto Area, a regional market of over 6 million people, and Highway 401. Highway 401 is the Canadian link to the NAFTA super highway connecting Ontario with the I-75 serving Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida and the I-90 connections to the eastern seaboard. With the U. S. border only an hour’s drive away, Hamilton is within half a day’s drive of key major urban markets in the United States. The Port of Hamilton is the busiest port in all of the Great Lakes. Hamilton’s John C. Munro International Airport is Canada’s top multi-modal cargo and courier airport and Ontario’s only 24-hour inter-modal cargo hub. Canada’s two national railways, CP and CN, provide complete rail freight services across North America for Hamilton’s industries and the city has a complete highway and ring road system to move goods throughout the city quickly.
35
Hamilton is served by three major 400 series highways Hamilton’s port is the busiest on the Great Lakes, serving the steel industry, and increasingly, a growing agri-food industry
introducing
hopa ports: waterfronts at work New marine transportation network aims to put the Great Lakes to work on GTHA congestion
O
ntario boasts 10,000 km of Great Lakes shoreline, and access to a marine highway in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence that connects the North American industrial heartland to any market around the world. Yet, throughout southern Ontario, there are marine infrastructure assets that are unconnected and underutilized. By beginning to see these assets as part of an integrated network, one can start to explore innovative ideas to serve the growing region. This was the thinking behind the amalgamation of the Ports of Hamilton and Oshawa into a new, regionally-minded entity, the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority, or HOPA Ports. These two ports are ideal bookends to the Greater Toronto Hamilton
Area (GTHA), and together handle more than 12 million tonnes of the cargo that keeps this region functioning day-to-day, including everything from gasoline, to structural steel for construction, to fertilizer for Ontario greenbelt farms. “Coordinated planning will put the ‘right infrastructure in the right place’ to serve southern Ontario,” said Ian Hamilton, President & CEO of HOPA Ports. “Ultimately our goal is to get more cargo off Ontario’s congested highways and onto marine transport.”
Infrastructure is key to a vibrant industrial future At the western tip of Lake Ontario, the Port of Hamilton is Ontario’s largest marine port, which spans 630 acres
36
the best of hamilton
along Hamilton’s working waterfront. “This is not like any other industrial district,” notes Ian Hamilton. “The access to multiple modes of transportation in one location creates a special advantage. So uncommon is this combination of industrial space and marine-rail-and-road services that the port has attracted close to $350 million in new industrial investment inside the last decade.” Currently HOPA is in the midst of a $40 Million development in its Westport zone. This investment will modernize the oldest area of the port, with improved marine, road and rail connections. This enhancement to base infrastructure has spurred expansions by port partners Fluke Transport and Federal Marine Terminals at their port locations.
Agri-food sector shines Hamilton has always been a place for making things, and these days, that is likely to include making good things to eat. The agriculture and food processing sector has taken over as Hamilton’s second largest manufacturing sector, generating over $1
billion in economic activity annually. The Port of Hamilton has been a major driver of growth in this sector, now home to fourteen agri-food tenants. This year, port tenant Parrish & Heimbecker broke ground on a project to double the capacity of the flour mill that began operations just two years ago. All of the flour milled at this facility is used by commercial food processors within 100km of the port. Also in 2019, port tenant SucroCan completed an expansion of its sugar refinery at Pier 10; this new local source of refined sugar serves as an important link in the regional food processing supply chain. HOPA Ports recently attracted $5.5 million from the federal National Trade Corridors Fund for infrastructure improvements that will improve goods movement capacity and reliability for both of these port users. By continuing to invest in marine infrastructure, HOPA Ports is helping to ensure that marine is part of the solution to southern Ontario’s congestion woes, while helping to drive a prosperous future, in Hamilton and across Ontario. n
37
john c munro hamilton international airport!
a major catalyst for economic growth in hamilton Hamilton International Airport has become a great alternative for Hamilton and Southern Ontario travellers looking for affordable travel opportunities in an uncongested airport environment. Flights from Hamilton reach across Canada, the Southern US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
O
n the cargo front Hamilton International has experienced dynamic growth year after year. To support this growth, the Airport and its partners continue to invest in new infrastructure. Long-time Airport tenant KF Aerospace has undertaken a $30-million expansion of its aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Hamilton International. Adding 150,000 sq. feet and over 275 new jobs, the project will drive new growth for Hamilton, the Airport and surrounding region.
The centrepiece of the project is a new 75,000 sq. foot hangar, introducing widebody aircraft capability and additional lines of maintenance to KF’s Hamilton operation. It’s expected to triple KF’s business in the Hamilton marketplace, expanding the company’s ability to support one of the country’s fastest growing airports and its international cargo and passenger airline partners. In addition, the expansion will also allow KF to provide state-of-the-art shops, classroom and hangar space for Mohawk College’s
38
Hamilton International’s freight capability was greatly enhanced with the opening of a 77,000 square foot, $12 million dollar, Cargo Centre. Cargojet Airways is anchor tenant for the facility, occupying approximately half the space; while the second half of the facility is operated under a commonuse model by Aeroship Handling ltd.
the best of hamilton Hamilton International Airport is focused on being the best global gateway in Canada for affordable travel and goods movement.
When completed, the resurfacing and strengthening of HIA’s main runway will accommodate the heaviest freighters and passenger aircraft.
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer programs. A lifelong supporter of aviation training, KF Aerospace Founder and CEO, Barry Lapointe indicates the partnership with Mohawk College will help provide students with training that leads to rewarding careers in the rapidly advancing aerospace sector. With ever increasing passenger and freight activity comes the need to ensure Hamilton International’s air-side infrastructure can meet future growth needs. That is why the airport operator in partnership with Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridor Fund (NTCF) is investing $38.89 million, to fully restore its two main runways, supporting taxiways and lighting systems over the next four years. These projects will improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of airport operations, accelerate investment to accommodate the increasing use of larger wide-body aircraft for domestic and long-haul traffic to support current and future growth through Hamilton International. Hamilton International is an economic engine for the City of Hamilton and the surrounding region. Its latest Economic Impact Study demonstrated that in 2017, the Airport generated almost 3,500 jobs in the region (a 25% increase since 2013), labour income of $243 million, a GDP of $385 million and industry activity of $1.2 billion. Through the latest investments, these Airport projects will create more than 350 construction jobs, with an additional 863 full-time jobs to be created over the next five years, representing an additional $149 million in labour income. The Airport anticipates that the NTCF’s investment will facilitate approximately $2.1B in economic activity annually. Hamilton International remains Canada’s largest overnight express cargo airport and hub for ecommerce with an ever-growing passenger and destination base. Exceptional growth in both segments of its business and public/private investment towards invaluable airport infrastructure are clearly placing Hamilton International Airport in an optimal position to continue toward its company vision in being recognized by the world as the best global gateway in Canada for affordable travel and goods movement.
39
Some will say they always knew, but I didn’t.
I learned some of my most valuable life lessons the hard way.
.ca e k u l f www.
We have to be responsive, reliable, and reactive to Hamilton and Southern Ontario’s growth and that’s why we have expanded our LTL, Warehouse, and Logistics. Hamilton is the perfect geographical location as it is central to everything. To be honest, times have been tough with unpredictable fuel prices and a plague of incidents leaving our highways closed several times this year. But at Fluke we understand that our customers depend on our ability to communicate and be transparent - these are not state secrets, but issues that everyone faces. We approach our customer’s solution in real time supported by technology that works for us, not the other way around.
NE
E!
On a personal level, I am especially proud of my team’s success. I expect a lot from myself and from my team.
OUT OUR CK
W W EBS
Maintaining my businesses in Hamilton is an easy choice... Ron Foxcroft.
If you see our slogan on the roadways remember where we call home. If It’s On Time… It’s A “FLUKE”. 40 www.fluke.ca
IT
Fluke Transport has been in business for over 99 consecutive years, the Fluke family is still welcome in our office and we continue to treat them like family. I reflect on how my team has grown over the years. We have evolved to build lasting relationships with our customers, we provide solutions that fit their unique needs, and we pride ourselves in staying a few steps ahead of the competition. Our experienced operations staff have successfully become cross border document and clearance experts, traffic gridlock combat specialists, compliance and maintenance professionals. Our dispatchers have the same level of reliability as air traffic controllers, and I assure you they can successfully navigate ground transportation in the greater Toronto, Halton, Hamilton, and Niagara regions.
CHE
When I bought Fluke Transport over 30 years ago, those first few years were some of the busiest and most challenging ones of my life. While I was on the road travelling extensively throughout North America, I believed I could run two companies and be a full-time NCAA basketball referee. Looking back now, I realize how hard my wife and sons worked to fill my shoes while I was away. But it was this type of family effort and commitment that allowed Fluke Transport to grow from 3 trucks to 110 trucks and 475 trailers. In addition, Fluke has expanded the warehouse and logistics operations to better serve our customers.
hamilton the best of hamilton
is where innovation goes to work
I
McMaster Industry Liaison Office Dedicated to helping new products reach their intended markets by creating links between academia and industry.
The Forge Tech start-up incubator within McMaster Innovation Park, providing seed funding, workspace, prototyping equipment, and mentorship.
Innovation Factory
Helping entrepreneurs build businesses around their product/service and guiding small and medium-sized enterprises to scale through workshops, programming, and mentoring
IDEAWORKS at Mohawk College Offers participating businesses customized research applications for specific projects, while simultaneously providing students with real-world, hands-on research experience.
Surge
Provides one-on-one mentorship to current students or alumni of Mohawk College who are entrepreneurs or who want to become entrepreneurs
41
t’s all about our talented workforce. The city’s existing workforce is highly skilled, well educated, and diverse. There is also an available workforce of 2 million people within an hour’s drive of Hamilton. Several prestigious educational institutions are continuously strengthening the labour pool. Office spaces in Hamilton are on average $18-$25/sq ft (CAD) for modern high-rise spaces, converted lofts, and updated, yet funky, inspirational spaces. In comparison, Toronto’s Bay Street office spaces are $68.91/sq ft on average—more than four times the cost, yet you can reach the same markets, workforce, and supply chain from Hamilton. Hamilton nurtures talent and ideas in numerous ways n
h a m i l t o w nh ’ ys
40
b u rf la i s nt ge st to - ng r o w i n g
meet
hamilton’s fastest-growing companies
The Hamilton Fast 40 program is part of the Economic Development Action Plan to feature 10 Hamilton-based businesses in the Canadian Business (CB) Magazine’s 500 Fastest Growing Businesses list (the Growth 500).
T
he Fast 40 program is designed to not only get a greater understanding of the local state of the economy, but encourage firms to apply for the CB Magazine ranking,” says Glen Norton, economic development director for the City of Hamilton. This great business opportunity is open to all Hamilton companies that meet the following criteria: • Have a head office in Hamilton • Questions will mirror the Canadian Business Magazine’s Growth 500 competition, with similar evaluation metrics (growth measured by five-year change in revenue) • Companies with two or more years of history but less than five can also participate The City of Hamilton has encouraged all local businesses to consider this national
opportunity and review the Fast 40 application. In partnership with some of its Invest Hamilton Partners, the city is committed to creating an annual business recognition program to identify and highlight Hamilton’s fastest growing businesses. “We think this is a great way to raise the awareness of this national opportunity to our local business while at the same time advance and celebrate those businesses that may be currently flying under the radar. It’s a simple process and we hope that many companies contact us for more information so we can help with raising their profile in the city and the country,” says Norton. For three decades, Canada’s FastestGrowing Companies program has identified and celebrated the most important and innovative businesses in the country. Since launching in 1989, it has ranked Canadian businesses on five-year revenue growth. n
42
c o m p a n i e s
the best of hamilton
gala bakery proud of it’s growth What a success story for Gala Bakery over the short span of 10 years! It all started for Gala as a neighbourhood bakery.
T
he Janosevic family has owned and operated successful local grocery stores since the year 2000. To this day, the family still runs the Glendale Bakery & Deli. In 2002, a representative from Traynor’s Bakery Wholesale, a Hamilton-based ingredient distributor who would become an important partner for Gala Bakery, visited the deli to appraise the Signature Vanilla Custard Squares for Fortino’s. Shortly after this visit, Fortino’s was secured as its first customer and Gala Bakery was born. According to Jacqueline Janosevic, the president of Gala Bakery, “We opened a small plant of 3,000 square feet and had a staff of 3. At that time, we did not fully understand the complexities of the business but we jumped in with both feet!” Since then, Gala Bakery has been on an upward trajectory and their product line has grown to over 50 sweet and savoury products. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), another essential partner of Gala’s, has been instrumental to Gala Bakery’s growth over the years. In particular, OMAFRA assisted Gala in navigating the food safety certification process. These certifications are a requirement of working in the food industry and are crucial to Gala’s ability to compete in the marketplace. That
was exactly 10 years ago. Four years later, Gala had earned the Global Food Standard Initiative (GFSI), the highest standard of certification for the food industry. OMAFRA also enlightened Gala about the various grants available to small manufacturers in Ontario; these grants enabled Gala to automate and consequently, increase production capacity. Jackie expressed gratitude to Fortino’s as well, for giving Gala Bakery its first break in wholesale, and to RBC Commercial Group (Hamilton), another important partner, who has been consistently supportive of Gala Bakery and critical to the company’s financial stability. “We are really proud of the entrepreneurial spirit in Hamilton”, said Jackie, “We are glad to be located here and be a part of the vibrant manufacturing sector of Hamilton. We look forward to continuing to grow in Hamilton and we are hopeful that our next plant will also be in Hamilton.” n
43
Jacqueline Janosevic
h a m i l t o w nh ’ ys
b u rf la i s nt ge st to - ng r o w i n g Lakeview
Photo by: Becky Lynne Photography
hospitality redefined
Carmen’s Group has grown from a small local Hamilton bakery into a hospitality brand that has built and operated several renowned event venues, a nationally recognized boutique hotel, a lively Italian restaurant, a successful catering company, and even a celebrity event division that has raised millions of dollars for charity.
C
armen’s Banquet Centre is Hamilton’s most beloved event venue. This luxurious space has been host to thousands of events since opening its doors in 1987. The banquet centre can accommodate events up to 1000 guests and is known for its timeless interior, exceptional cuisine and warm service. The Best Western Premier C-Hotel by Carmen’s is located next door to its banquet centre. Previously named one of the top hotels in Canada by Trip Advisor, this
boutique hotel features comfortable accommodations, sleek furnishings, stylish event spaces, and a modern Italian restaurant called Baci Ristorante. The facility features two event spaces; the classic Castelli ballroom and Dolce, a breathtaking rooftop lounge and patio offering panoramic views of the Niagara Escarpment and the Toronto skyline. Lakeview by Carmen’s is Hamilton’s only waterfront wedding venue. The venue embodies charm and a rustic event space set
44
c o m p a n i e s
the best of hamilton
C Hotel, Dolce rooftop
Photo by: Wendy Alana Photography
against the tranquil shores of Lake Ontario in the heart of beautiful Confederation Park. The Hamilton Convention Centre by Carmen’s is one of Canada’s first full-service event facilities located in the heart of beautiful downtown. The facility has been rejuvenated with over one million dollars in renovations with more to come in 2020 and under the new leadership of Carmen’s Group has become one of Ontario’s most prominent event and hospitality destinations. With Carmen’s Group’s tremendous success in the event and entertainment industry, they continue to redefine hospitality through its several growth initiatives and investments within the Greater Hamilton Area. n Hamilton Convention Centre
Baci Ristorante
Carmen’s Banquet Centre Photo by: Love Madly
45
WPE’s proposed new headquarters west of Clappison’s Corners, now under construction
h a m i l t o w nh ’ ys
b u rf la i s nt ge st to - ng r o w i n g
wpe landscape equipment a growing company that is loyal to its local roots From its humble beginnings as a Dundas lawnmower repair shop, WPE Landscape Equipment, formally known as Windmill Power Equipment, has been serving the landscaping, construction and farming industries for more than 30 years.
N
ow recognized as one of Hamilton’s “Fast 40” companies because of its amazing growth, WPE is set to embark on a new chapter in its growth with the construction of upgraded and increased service areas and a new showroom and office space west of Clappison’s Corners. For all of WPE’s success and growth, the one thing that hasn’t changed, says President Vince Borgdorff – is WPE’s focus on providing the best personal service to its loyal customers by the company’s 20 trained equipment specialists. With a second location in Mississauga, WPE serves a clientele that extends across southern Ontario. “We are a family operation,” says Vince, “and when we choose the equipment we sell, we try to choose family-owned companies with a solid reputation.” The most recent product acquired
by WPE is the Mahindra line of tractors. Mahindra is the #1 selling farm tractor in the world. Recognized companies like Stihl, Toro, Ventrac, Western and many others round out WPE’s product offerings. WPE prides itself on community involvement with its support of events like the Cactus Festival and the sponsorship of sports teams. The company also offers co-op placements for high schoolers. “There is an excellent opportunity for young people to acquire the skills they need for well-paying landscaping or construction careers,” says Vince. WPE’s local commitment will not change with its move to a new location. “We needed better highway access to serve our customer base,” says Vince, “but Dundas is family to us.” Despite its amazing growth, WPE remains committed to the personal touch. “When a company gets bigger, often customers can no longer talk to the owner,” says Vince. “We don’t intend to let that happen at WPE.” n
46
WPE Landscape Equipment has been family-owned for more than 30 years. Pictured (L-R) Pauline Borgdorff, Vince Borgdorff, Dan Borgdorff.
c o m p a n i e s
the best of hamilton
quality has a name
MAX AICHER
NORTH AMERICA
T
owering over New York City at West 57th Street and Broadway is the Central Park Tower. At 1550 feet in height, it is the world’s largest residential tower. Max Aicher North America produces the high strength concrete reinforcement steel for the massive high rise tower in Manhattan. Across town, Hamilton steel is going into a residential tower at the Museum of Modern Art. Max Aicher products are being used in commercial and industrial construction projects across North America, including the new Gordie Howe Bridge that will link Windsor with Detroit. Recently, MANA was honored as one of Hamilton’s 40 fastest-growing companies due to its explosive growth. In 2019, the company doubled the volume of output from the previous year, and the company expects to double its production again by 2023. While output at the MANA Hamilton operation is currently focused on the construction market, with threadable reinforcement bars being its flagship product; within the next month the plan is to diversify MANA’s product lines to include specialty steels for the automotive industry. The operation is also capable of producing stainless reinforcing steel, making it the only plant in Canada with that capability. MANA Steel also offers a wide range of technical support to its customer base, and its metallurgists are routinely involved in joint research and development activities with customers. The MANA operation’s 120 employees are currently working two shifts to keep up with demand. The company believes
supporting the local job market and economy are top priorities, as MANA offers young aspiring apprentices with programs to jumpstart their careers in the steel industry. MANA is making major capital investments to improve operations and to meet the growing demand for its products. The company also is also making plans to develop 60 acres of prime waterfront industrial land on its site that are surplus to its needs. “Our goal is to be a reliable partner for the Canadian construction industry, said MANA’s senior management, we want to continue to be a sustainable and attractive partner for the Hamilton community” n
47
Max Aicher reinforcing steel was used in the Central Park Tower in Manhattan (right) and in construction sites across North America.
MANA management are planning to double production by 2023
h a m i l t o w nh ’ ys
b u rf la i s nt ge st to - ng r o w i n g
the 40 fastest-growing companies in hamilton CAN-AM Cryoservices Corp
POSH
The Generator
Catalyst Specialized Personal Training
ALP Training Institute
The Laundry Design Works Inc.
Nix Sensor Ltd.
Clifford Brewing
Webility Solutions Inc.
QReserve Inc.
Engagement Agents
CENG Technologies Inc.
A.S. Security & Surveillance
Laura Gyldenbjerg & Associates Inc.
Jet Propelled, Inc.
Collective Arts Brewing
Paramount Safety Consulting
Marci’s Bakery
CoMotion Group Inc
Spring Travel Service Ltd
Max Aicher North America LTD
Equal Parts Hospitality
Auto Key Pro
MCC Controls Inc
MERIT Brewing Company
CARSTAR
P.S. MediaHouse
Orbis Communications
Caliber Communications Inc
Fairway Electrical Services
RSK Automotive & Collision
Epic Tool Inc.
Guest Plumbing and Heating
Roma Bakery
Joseph Haulage Canada Corp.
Millgrove Farms/Singh Greenhouses
SM Cladding Solutions
One:One Manufacturing
WPE Landscape Equipment
Balzac’s Coffee Ltd.
48
c o m p a n i e s
the best of hamilton
hamilton’s business parks support growth Hamilton offers 8 business parks featuring different properties across the city
AIRPORT EMPLOYMENT GROWTH DISTRICT
The Airport Employment Growth District is Hamilton’s largest business park geographically with 1,300 Ha of employment lands near the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport - ranked as Canada’s busiest overnight express cargo airport and open 24/7, 365 days a year with no curfew. The park is well situated for those companies focused on justin-time delivery in particular and includes fully serviced land that can accommodate major light manufacturing and warehousing/ fulfillment centre operations.
ANCASTER BUSINESS PARK The Ancaster Business Park has 660 gross site acres of employment and features industries in life sciences, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production and commercial warehousing.
BAYFRONT INDUSTRIAL AREA The Bayfront Industrial Area is located in the north end of the city. The total area is approximately 3,700 acres is the heart of Ontario’s heavy manufacturing sector- particularly large-scale steel production
EAST HAMILTON INDUSTRIAL AREA The East Hamilton Industrial Area is located in the north-east end of the City adjacent to the Red Hill Valley Parkway and Queen Elizabeth Way. The area comprises approximately 560 acres and is bounded by Nash Road in west, Grays Road in the East, Barton to the south and Queen Elizabeth Way to the north.
FLAMBOROUGH BUSINESS PARK The Flamborough Business Park is located above the Niagara Escarpment. This location includes approximately 630 acres of
land within the boundary of the Park. Major employers include advanced manufacturing, life sciences and defence imaging systems.
RED HILL BUSINESS PARK NORTH AND RED HILL BUSINESS PARK SOUTH
The Red Hill Business Parks are 1,552 acres (in two distinct parcels- Red Hill Business Park North, and Red Hill Business Park South), zoned industrial, and located at the south end of the city. The Parks are strategically located at the junction of the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway and The Red Hill Valley Parkway, and only minutes from the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 403. Home to Canada’s largest commercial bakery, major life sciences employers, and international auto manufacturing distribution centres.
STONEY CREEK BUSINESS PARK The Stoney Creek Business Park has a total of 1,856 gross acres of employment land within the Stoney Creek Business Park and many employers focus on advanced manufacturing and metals and materials finishing.
WEST HAMILTON INNOVATION DISTRICT / MCMASTER INNOVATION PARK
The West Hamilton Innovation District Special Policy Area is a regional technology node that functions as a centre of innovation for corporate, academic and government research in science and technology and is recognized as a major entry point in to the City. The park contains Canada’s pre-eminent materials testing laboratory, an internationally renowned auto resource centre, focusing on vehicle electrification, autonomous vehicles and hybrid technologies and a major Fraunhofer Institute from the European Union. n
49
1
2
3
4
5 14
13
hamilton is an 1. Pigott Building, 1926 2. THB, 1933 3. Scottish Rite, 1895 4. Right House, 1893 5. Victoria Hall, 1888 6. LIUNA Station, 1931 7. Medical Arts Building, 1929 8. Lister Block, 1924 9. Hamilton Place 10. Hamilton City Hall, 1960 11. Carnegie Library built in 1913, one of over 2,500 library buildings endowed by Steel Magnate Andrew Carnegie. 12. Bank of Montreal, 1928 13. Dundurn Castle, 1835 14. Landed Banking Building, 1908
12
50
6
7
the best of hamilton
architectural showcase 10
11
I
t’s easy to see why filmmakers choose Hamilton for locations—its diverse architecture can provide realistic backgrounds for almost any period in the past two centuries. From Dundurn Castle, built in 1835, through Treble Hall 1879, the Tuckett Mansion (1895) and the Right House (1893) the Nineteenth Century is well represented. The decade ending in the mid-1930’s at the height of the Depression, marked a massive change in the skyline of Hamilton, with the construction of the Piggot Building (1928) Classical revival Bank of Montreal Building (1928) Two iconic railway stations (1931 and 1933) and the Gothic masterpiece-Christ the King Cathedral(1933). It was this point in time that architecture started making the shift from neo-classical to modern, The CNR and TH&B stations were opened less than two years apart, yet show starkly different styles. Architect James Balfour designed the Tuckett Mansion and Treble Hall. Pigott Construction built the namesake skyscraper and the Cathedral. n
8
9
51
lamont law: on the leading edge of evolving personal injury law For 43 years Michael Lamont has seen a lot of changes in the practice of personal injury law. One thing that hasn’t changed is the focus on ensuring the client comes away from the process with a sense of satisfaction. “We try to make sure our clients can experience a measure of healing—that they can still get on with their lives with dignity,” says Michael. “The future can be a scary place after an injury.”
T
hat won’t change as Michael’s daughter Erica assumes the lead role in the firm. The transition is part of careful succession planning that allows Michael “to step back…not out,” as he puts it. “The companies that are successful are ones who develop succession plans that assure longevity, stability and the ability to adapt,” says Erica. “Lamont Law is successful because we focus on being a boutique firm that adapts to change and we really care about our clients.” Erica was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. She attended the University of Waterloo, obtaining an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Science and Business, specializing in Biochemistry with a minor in Economics. After her undergraduate degree, she attended the University of Calgary where she earned a Masters of Science
52
the best of hamilton
degree specializing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Throughout her experience and her educational journey, she kept circling the field of law. With a background in science, Erica believed she could use her knowledge when reviewing client’s medical information and building a case. She returned to the University of Calgary and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2013. She knew she would be a good fit at Lamont Law because Michael Lamont was not only her dad, but also her first employer. He believed in demonstrating a strong work ethic with his children and she started answering the phones for the firm and running errands when she was 14 years old. She is trying to inspire the same work ethic with her three boys, who come to “work” on PA days. Erica is a conscientious litigator who advocates for her clients while treating them, and their families, with compassion and respect. Her practice includes all areas of personal injury law including motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian/car accidents, trucking accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, dog attacks, nursing home negligence, sexual assault cases and medical negligence. Additionally, Erica advocates for individuals who have been denied long term disability. As Lamont Law moves forward it remains focused on the needs of individual clients—a strategy the company has followed since Michael founded the firm more than four decades ago and will continue with Erica at the helm.
“After a serious injury a person has to adapt to a new way of life. We care about our clients and telling their stories. Our aim is to help them navigate the legal world so they can focus on recovering.” Erica Lamont
53
taylor leibow local expertise–global reach
Taylor Leibow is one of the largest and most respected independent accounting firms in the Greater Hamilton and Burlington area.
A
t a time when many of the national accounting firms moved out of Hamilton, Taylor Leibow has stayed true to the local commitment made in 1947 when Sam Taylor and Kevey Leibow started the firm in downtown Hamilton. CEO Nigel Jacobs says the company has grown to 12 partners and over 70 staff by constantly seeking to implement best practices, hiring the best people and providing excellent client service. Occupying a suite of offices covering two floors in Effort Square, the full-service firm’s largest service offerings are accounting and taxation, but it also offers expertise in business valuations
and litigation support, restructuring and insolvency services for individuals and corporations. In addition, Taylor Leibow has developed a number of niche services including professionals, not-for-profits, auto dealerships and real estate. While maintaining its local expertise, Taylor Leibow has expanded its global reach through its membership in DFK International - a global association of independent accounting, tax, legal and business advisory firms. DFK represents more than 220 firms with 419 offices in 92 countries worldwide with member fee income of $1.3 Billion. Nigel Jacobs now serves as President of DFK Canada, which
54
the best of hamilton
comprises of 13 independent member firms with over 124 partners and 595 staff in most major centres in Canada. “The value of DFK is that we are independent and yet we share best practices to learn from each other which is very valuable for our firms. In addition, our firms are able to service our clients across the globe and provide Canadian expertise to our international members,” said Nigel. Between serving on the board of DFK International representing Canada and his duties with DFK Canada, Nigel is on the road frequently. Recent stops include Dubai, Munich, Honolulu, Madrid, Prague, Singapore and London, as well as many Canadian and North American stops. “It’s all about building relationships,” says Nigel. Everywhere I go I am waving the Canadian flag and promoting Hamilton and Burlington.” At a time of mergers in the accounting industry how does a company like Taylor Leibow not only stay independent but thrive to the degree it has? “The key,” says Nigel “is to have a good succession plan and the resources to attract good people and provide great value-added services to clients. We go beyond traditional
‘bean counting’ to meet our clients’ needs. A number of the mergers in the business these days are brought about by the lack of succession planning. Partners retire with no plan in place to transition existing client relationships resulting in the business being sold or merged into larger firms.” By contrast, Taylor Leibow is now managed by its third generation of partners. A talented and committed workforce is essential to maintaining a successful organization. Taylor Leibow knows one of the keys to attracting and retaining a new generation of talent is to live the firm’s core values, ongoing engagement and community involvement which appeals to younger professionals. “Our retention of talented professionals is high,” says Nigel. “We are also very active in the community,” he adds, “not just by providing financial support to worthy community organizations but also by encouraging our employees to actively participate in events- volunteering and interacting with the community whenever we can. We appreciate the ability to get involved and give back to the community where we are located.” n
Taylor Leibow CEO, Nigel Jacobs
55
The new buildings at the Woodward Avenue Treatment plant retain echoes of the Greek revival architecture of the original 1859 pump house, now home to the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology.
safeguarding
hamilton’s water supply into the future It is one of the biggest single projects ever undertaken by the City of Hamilton. When it is completed, the Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades will represent an investment of $340 million.
T
he City of Hamilton has committed more than $530 million to the Clean Harbour Program including the Randle Reef containment project and remediation of the Windermere basin to a sanctuary for wildlife and a healthy, diverse Great Lakes costal wetland. Investments in natural habitat restoration create opportunities for recreation and make Hamilton a more attractive site for new businesses. These are important investments made by the City of Hamilton with the support of other funders, often the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada.
The largest investment of the Clean Harbour Program is the Woodward Upgrade project, which aims to meet the targets set out in the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan. There are three main components to the Woodward wastewater treatment plant upgrades—a new main wastewater pumping station, the addition of Tertiary Treatment and new electrical system upgrades. The current pump station, nearing 60 years of service, handles all of the city’s sanitary waste, before it enters the wastewater treatment phase. The new pump station will be able to handle up to 1.7 bil-
56
the best of hamilton
� A bird’s eye view of the massive concrete pour for the new pumphouse
lion litres per day reducing the likelihood of the treatment plant being overloaded during wet weather, which can result in raw sewage overflows into the harbour. The addition of Tertiary Treatment garners the greatest environmental impact at an investment of $165 Million. This new process will improve removal of total suspended solids and total phosphorus going into the harbour. The third major component is the 70-million dollar upgrades to the electrical system, which will power the facility with new higher capacity generators. In the past 25 years, thanks to consistent leadership and investment by the City of Hamilton and other partnering agencies, the quality of water in the Hamilton Harbour has improved by leaps and bounds. And the new upgrades will ensure Hamilton residents will have a reliable and safe wastewater treatment process as the city experiences significant growth in the years ahead.
The Woodward Avenue upgrades represent the largest single infrastructure project in the history of Hamilton
Quantities to end of June 2019
57
Hamilton’s popular traffic island beautification sponsorship program has delighted residents and visitors to the city
Volunteers from ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s Team Orange clean up around Woodland Park, just one of many community volunteers groups helping to keep Hamilton beautiful
58
the best of hamilton
hamiltonians pitch in to make
hamilton beautiful!
Hamilton prides itself on the way members of the community devote their time, energy and resources towards beautifying their city. Imagine a community program with 25,000 volunteers!
and weeding. Packages range from $750 to $2500.
Great parks make great neighbourhoods!
T
hat’s how many Hamilton residents turn out each year for the city’s Team Up to Clean Up program. This program provides all the tools needed to run a community cleanup including gloves, recycling bags and specially marked garbage bags. These dedicated volunteers invest more than 45,000 volunteer hours to help clean our community.
Traffic Island Beautification The Hamilton in Bloom sponsorship program turns traffic islands into beautiful flower beds. The program offers sponsors a unique and highly visible opportunity to reach a target market in an innovative way. Sponsorship is recognized in several ways, including the installation of a sign visible to motorists and pedestrians who travel by the flower beds every day. The response from residents and visitors to this innovative sponsorship program has been overwhelmingly positive. The Hamilton In Bloom program benefits us all in so many ways—it improves our air quality by reducing airborne dust and pollution and the vibrant colours and lush greenery in the traffic islands provide both residents and tourists with a sense of peace, pleasure and civic pride. The cost of sponsoring goes toward maintaining the flower island-planting, including watering
The concept of a group of individuals coming together to become the caretakers of their park is what defines an Adopt-a-Park group. Adopt-a-Park groups consist of volunteers from businesses, service groups, schools and neighbourhood associations. These groups help to maintain their park by undertaking litter clean-ups, planting and weeding gardens, and reporting vandalism and graffiti. Some groups hold community barbecues and events in their parks to encourage community engagement. Working with City staff, these volunteers help to improve park amenities and create clean and safe parks. The program helps keep public places in your neighbourhood clean and safe for everyone. You can host a clean up event on City property including: parks, trails, alleyways, streets and parking lots. n
59
City of Hamilton’s Community Clean Trailer providing tools and equipment for clean-up volunteers
Hamilton has 227,000 acres of prime agricultural land
agri-food
a billion dollar industry Hamilton is home to over 120 food and beverage manufacturers and over 9,500 skilled workers across the agri-business and food processing supply chain. Located in the centre of one of the largest regional food processing clusters in North America, Hamilton is the ideal destination for food industry investment.
A
griculture is a significant component of the local economy and generates over a billion dollars in economic activity into the City of Hamilton on an annual basis. It’s not just food processing that drives the Hamilton Agri-food sector. Hamilton is an area with a strong agricultural land base, the majority of the 227,000 acres within the Hamilton boundaries qualify as prime agricultural lands. More than $200 million has been invested in agri-food facilities in the past decade. More than 3 million metric tonnes of soybeans, corn, wheat and other commodities are shipped from the Port of Hamilton annually — a third of the port’s cargo, and the second largest shipping category after steel.
Some highlights of the growth of Hamilton’s agri-food sector include: • Mondelez candy factory with the announcement of a $40-million plant expansion which will ship product across North America.
60
Bread on assembly line at Canada Bread’s Hamilton plant—the largest bakery in Canada
the best of hamilton
• Parrish and Heimbecker who installed 60,000 tonnes of storage space in two large domes and built the province’s first flour mill in 75 years has a further expansion underway to double milling in the Hamilton facility. • Sucro Sourcing — The sugar refinery opened on Ferguson North with a $10 million storage and processing facility. • Bunge —expanded its Burlington Street operation with a $60-million edible oil refinery. • The rise of new craft breweries is the new normal in Hamilton which now has more than a half-dozen breweries, whose popularity has given rise to organized bus tours. n
Collective Arts Brewery—one of the first of Hamilton’s growing Craft Breweries
61
Processing cooked meat at Maple Leaf foods in Hamilton
CIBC Place, 1 King St. West, Hamilton. Proudly managed by Effort Trust
effort trust
proud to be part of hamilton’s growth for five decades At Effort Trust we are specialists in real estate financing and development, with expertise in mortgages, commercial and residential development, property and asset management. For more information www.efforttrust.ca
the best of hamilton
judy marsales real estate ltd. brokerage sold on hamilton! Three locations to serve you S
ince opening their doors in January 1988, Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage has carved a special niche as one of the area’s few independently owned and operated real estate firms. The company has earned a reputation for exceptional client service, professionalism, strong business ethics and most importantly, performance. They believe that being independent allows the flexibility to choose the best approach to serve the real estate needs of their clients. Since buying or selling a home Judy Marsales or property is one of the most important deciBroker of Record sions clients ever make, it’s important to have confidence and trust in your realtor. With three offices and over fifty salespeople, The Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd. team offers amazing real estate expertise across a wide spectrum of knowledge and experience. Believing that it is important to contribute to the community in which we live and work, Judy Marsales and her many colleagues play an active role in local affairs and community events. Judy has been an outspoken champion for the City of Hamilton as President of both the Realtor’s Association of Hamilton Burlington and Hamilton & District Chamber of Commerce, has sat on many boards of directors is a respected public speaker and a strong supporter of the arts. She is a former MPP for Hamilton West and 2011 Inductee in the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction. Once a month, Judy hosts her own radio show, Sold on Hamilton, which highlights some of the city’s community supporters, musicians and innovations. n
Westdale
Ancaster
Locke
www.judymarsales.com
65
best of the best the argyll and sutherland highlanders of canada (princess louise’s) “An infantry regiment,” Capt Claude Bissell wrote, consists of little except human beings.” As such, they are defined, like human beings, by their character. The range of human organizations is considerable but few have their history written in blood. During the First World War, the Argylls first great commander, LCol Lionel Millen, DSO, wrote (4 April 1916): my duty is the care of ... [the] men ... We have just to do the best we can, in our own way, and looking forward to the day when the war is over.”
Argylls, Provincial Reconstruction Team, Afghanistan 2009
66
the best of hamilton
CSM George Mitchell, C Company, Argylls accepts German surrender on 20 August 1944 at St Lambert sur Dive, France.
A
few months later, he wrote: “... it is a hard, hard game and I hope the day is not very distant ... when it will all be over. So many of our best and finest going.” During the Second World War, the Argylls’ great leader, LCol Dave Stewart, DSO, wrote: “It wasn’t long until it was evident that I commanded the best Battalion in the Brigade.” Raised in 1903, the 91st Highlanders, later the Argylls, have a history marked by service and sacrifice and the continuous striving to be the best. The Regiment’s great symbols are kilts and bagpipes but, from 1903 till today, the hallmark of the Argylls is service to Canada and the sacrifice that may attend it. Over 5,000 served in the First War, the casualty rate was over 60%; over 3,000 served in the Second, the casualty rate was over 33%. Their service and sacrifice were marked symbolically by the Pipes and Drums of the 19th Battalion (our battalion in the First War) playing a victorious Canadian Corps across the Rhine River into Germany in November 1918; in July 1945 the Argyll Pipes & Drums led the Canadian contingent in the British victory parade in Berlin. Yet, there is more to a Regiment than its symbols. At the core of 116 years of history is sacrifice. From 1903 till today, thousands of men and women from the Hamilton area have devoted several nights weekly and one weekend or so monthly to train as the primary reserves of the nation’s armed forces. The lure of the profession of arms, a sense of duty, the
intense camaraderie, and the need for extra income explain, in part or in combination, the attraction to the Regiment and the service it embodies. It requires a sacrifice of personal time far beyond most extra-curricular pursuits and a sustained commitment to professionalism. This dedication has framed Argyll service every week of every month of every year, and in two world wars, civil emergencies, the augmentation of UN and NATO deployments overseas: Cyprus, former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Africa, Ukraine, Latvia, and Lebanon. The Regiment draws its strength from what it is and what it gives to its sons and daughters. Pte James Farrell, a Second War veteran observed; “…in the army …it’s hard to explain; - you’re automatically a friend, you’re one of them. And no matter who you are or what you are – colour, creed or anything – you are one of them and that’s it…” Tom Kedney, another private and fellow veteran, described a ‘Fantastic bunch of fellows’. And when you talk, ‘One for all and all for one’…I can honestly say that means for everything they have for their mind, for their possessions, for everything. And the esprit de corps type of thing…I’m certainly glad that I went though it and I’ll never experience that type of thing again…” Here is the Regiment’s sustaining power from this quality, an experience rare within human society, but common to the Argylls and revealing of the best of the human condition, then, now, and tomorrow. n
67
labourers’ international union of north america In the nearly 70 years of its existence in Hamilton LIUNA Local 837 has made tremendous strides in improving the life of construction workers.
F
rom its beginning as a labour organization fighting to improve the treatment of immigrant workers, LIUNA now is a major provider of specialized training and apprenticeships. Today LIUNA Local 837 represents approximately 4,000 workers and their families. The LIUNA Pension Fund over its 40 years of existence, has invested heavily in construction projects that have transformed Hamilton and provided employment for its members. The conversion of the former CNR station into the banquet and conference facility, LIUNA Station was the first major investment in the James Street north area, and was the biggest single catalyst for the renaissance of the area into the arts and entertainment district that is today enjoyed by thousands. The restoration of the Lister Block after several decades of neglect was another illustration of LIUNA’s vision in re-imagining Hamilton. More recently LIUNA’s re-development of the William Thomas Block into modern, affordable student housing, has made an impressive addition to Hamilton’s skyline. For all of its success in infrastructure investment, LIUNA is still about people. It starts with LIUNA’s focus on providing the next generation of construction workers with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary for a career in today’s
Young people exploring the many training opportunities offered by LIUNA at a job fair.
transforming 68
the best of hamilton
highly-technical construction industry. It includes a major focus on safety, both in the operation of tools and equipment, and in handling hazardous materials. LIUNA provides annual scholarships to the children of its members and works closely with educational institutions to support apprenticeships and training. With all of these initiatives, LIUNA has not lost sight of its initial mission, to provide job security and improved opportunities for its members and their families. n
LIUNA and its members support many local charities, including the St Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. Pictured, LIUNA Local 837 Secretary-Treasurer and Assistant Business Manager Riccardo Persi (Left) and International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada, Joseph Mancinelli with organizers of St. Joe’s Around the Bay Road Race fundraiser.
Young trainees get some pointers on safe use of equipment.
hamilton 69
Two LIUNA projects that have transformed Hamilton’s downtown: the Lister Block (right) and The newly completed William Thomas student residence (rear).
Our talented staff guide a group of committed community volunteers to provide the best in community programming.
your community connection I n the nearly fifty years since Cable 14’s predecessor started operations on Hester Street in Hamilton providing programming to six cable services, the goal has not changed. Today as in 1970, Cable 14 has been committed to showcasing the Greater Hamilton area as the best place to live, work, play and learn, by promoting innovation, engaging citizens and providing an avenue for diverse voices and alternative points of view. From community events, engaged opinion, coverage of arts, comprehensive focus on the municipal political scene, to quintessentially local programs like Kiwanis Bingo, Cable 14 seeks to include the entire community with its diverse interests in its community access programming. At a time when local news and public affairs coverage is
uncertain in some communities, it is vital that Cable 14 continue on its mission of connecting to the community. Our technology is second to none. We have been broadcasting in High Definition since 2013 and in 2015, Cable 14 launched a new service that lets Hamiltonians watch live and on-demand video content, all curated by people who love Hamilton. It combines the passion and expertise of our Staff, Community Producers and Production Volunteers with the latest technology to deliver compelling local programming wherever and whenever our viewers demand it. Cable 14 could not exist without the investment and support of our shareholders; Cogeco Communications Holdings Inc. and Rogers Communications Canada Inc. n
70
the best of hamilton
Our state-of-the-art studios and mobile facilities provide our viewers with quality, High Definition local programming.
IS
LIVE
LOCAL
ONLINE
who we are Cable 14 is a local specialty channel serving the Hamilton and Haldimand communities for over 45 years. Our viewing area includes the amalgamated communities of Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Mount Hope, Binbrook and parts of Flamborough (excluding Waterdown), as well as the surrounding communities of Cayuga, Dunnville, Hagersville, and Caledonia. There are approximately 130,000 subscribers in Cable 14’s service area.
Whether it was Cable 8, Cable 4 or Cable 14, the commitment to connecting viewers to the community has not changed.
71
firstontario credit union
powers nutrition programs to give students the boost they need Andy starts every other Tuesday at a Hamilton elementary school before his workday even begins. After he hangs his coat up in the small prep room just before the principal’s office, he and the other volunteers get to work.
T
he second day of the school week means fresh-cut cucumber slices, granola bars and yogurt tubes. The snacks are prepped, sorted and hand delivered to each classroom. He’s off to work before the students even realize he was there at all. These are your local student nutrition programs at work and they were implemented to ensure young students get a good start to their day with healthy breakfasts and snacks. Andy is a FirstOntario Credit Union employee and he is part of FirstOntario’s Blue Wave staff volunteer team. These volunteers have devoted more than 10,000 hours of their time since 2010, and many of these hours go to nutrition programs all which span the four different regions where FirstOntario services its Members. More than 74,000 kids benefit with an improved school performance and increased energy level. “We know the immediate, positive impact these types of nutrition programs have on young students,” said Joanne Battaglia, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Community Partnerships and Blue Wave volunteer. “Our Blue Wave volunteers genuinely care and they want to
make a difference. As a credit union, this is how we reinvest our profits for a higher purpose, by supporting these programs that are vital to our communities”. Close to 300 employees play an important role in many different events and initiatives. Since 2014, FirstOntario has invested more than $1.25 million into student nutrition programs that provide these healthy snacks to elementary school students. More than 70 Blue Wave volunteers have given over 2,800 hours to 32 different programs by
72
Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Bulldogs
helping to prep, package, deliver and even serve. The credit union is also partners with the Hamilton Bulldogs Foundation. They work together to support Adopt a School which gives students a chance to connect with Bulldog players and community leaders. The goal is the same – to give the kids the healthy snacks they need to have a fun and productive day at school. FirstOntario backs this initiative with funding and volunteers “The partnership between FirstOntario and the Bulldogs Foundation is truly something special in our community,” said Peggy Chapman, Director, Hamilton Bulldogs Foundation. “FirstOntario is not only the main corporate sponsor, their Blue Wave volunteers bring hands-on support essential for the delivery of our nutrition program. Without these dedicated volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to feed the amount of students we do every day.”
The hours that are accumulated by Blue Wavers do not go unnoticed. When a volunteer reaches 96 hours of service, not only are they recognized and celebrated, but they get to choose a charity that’s important to them to share in their achievement. FirstOntario donates $500 to the charity for the first milestone, $750 for the second and $1,000 for the third. To date, $23,500 has been given to various local charities including Wesley, Good Shepherd and the Ronald McDonald House. Doing things for the right reasons is reflected both in the value FirstOntario offers in its products and services and in the values it embodies as an organization. For more than 80 years, the credit union has offered competitive, market-leading lending rates, deposit interest rates and services with low or no fees, all while making significant community investments. Visit FirstOntario.com to learn more about the credit union, what it has to offer and how it continues to make an impact locally. n
73
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
may carpenter
hamilton’s first female political heavyweight When history buffs think of Hamilton female political pioneers, normally the names of Nora Francis Henderson and Ellen Fairclough come to mind.
B The only known portrait of May Carpenter
Prime Minister MacKenzie King relied on May Carpenter as a political organizer
ut May Carpenter was ahead of them all. Before Norah Henderson became Hamilton’s first female alderman and later, controller, May Carpenter had already become one of the most politically influential women in Canada. Born in Dutton, Annie May Cascaden attended the University of Toronto, married lawyer Harry Carpenter in 1898 and moved to Hamilton. It’s unclear when she first became politically active but she caught the eye of future prime minister Mackenze King during the 1911 Ontario election when they were both campaigning for candidates in Hamilton. He recalled her from university days describing her as “a charming women... lots of character and sound commonsense.” By the early 1920’s May Carpenter was a leader in both the Hamilton Council of Women and the National Council of Women and extremely active in national and provincial politics. Women now had the vote and in the 1921 federal election which saw Mackenzie King become prime minister, May Carpenter campaigned across Ontario, culminating with her sharing the podium with King at a massive rally in Toronto. Turning her attention to provincial politics in 1922 May Carpenter became president of the Ontario Women’s Liberal Association and was actually nominated for the party leadership, which she declined. 1926 was another year of firsts as husband Harry unsuccessfully contested a seat in the September federal election and then two
74
months later, May became the first woman nominated as a provincial Liberal candidate in Hamilton. An advocate of prohibition, May was roundly defeated in a city where workingmen preferred the Tory promise to legalize the sale of beer. Clearly the Carpenters had proven their loyalty to the Liberal cause and in 1928 Harry Carpenter’s name was put forward for a vacant judgeship. Carpenter won the appointment but King’s diary made it clear Harry...”owes his appointment mostly to his wife who has been a great worker in the Liberal cause...It is very hard to get good men...” Following Carpenter’s appointment to the bench May had to reduce her partisan Liberal activity, but she still felt free to take an interest in municipal politics. In November of 1931 she became the first woman ever to run for Hamilton Board of Control, finishing 7th in a race for 4 positions and capturing a respectable 7,000 votes. After this, May Carpenter appears to have pulled back from her political activism, sticking to Council of Women’s activities. The Carpenters had no children and in 1937 Harry died. May lived on in their home on 30 Hess Street in Hamilton until her own death in 1949. Although elected office eluded her, May Carpenter’s career is noteworthy. Her nomination for the Ontario Liberal leadership and her election to the party executive were proofs of her skill at gaining the confidence of both men and women. Her pioneering political efforts were an inspiration to people like Norah Henderson and Ellen Fairclough who followed her lead into politics. n
a
d i f f e r e n c e
the best of hamilton
chester walters perhaps the most honoured public servant in ontario history was a hamiltonian A poor kid with little formal education Chester Walters rose to be one of the most powerful and feared public servants in Ontario government history and the possessor of no less than 7 honorary degrees from universities.
B
orn in 1878, Walters moved to Hamilton at the turn of the last century to pursue his accounting career. He soon became involved in local Liberal politics which brought him into the orbit of Thomas Baker McQuesten, who was a rising young Liberal organizer at the time. Walters and McQuesten were both members of Hamilton City council when Walters successfully ran for mayor in 1915. The Great War was on and the 37 year old Walters, an Argyll, volunteered for the army eventually rising to the rank of Major and serving in both Europe and in Siberia in 1919. On his return to Hamilton Walters was appointed Dominion tax collector for Hamilton and soon the newspapers were full of stories of Walters’s acumen in collecting taxes and ferreting out tax cheats. Soon he was promoted to a senior posting the Federal Tax office in Ottawa where again he garnered praise for his aggressive collection methods. Even after the Liberals lost out to the R.B. Bennett Conservatives Walters survived the transition and was doing well until 1932, when he was abruptly demoted to a minor position. Walters was not sidelined for long. In 1934, Mitch Hepburn swept to victory in Ontario and brought with him, Walter’s old friend Thomas Baker McQuesten as Highways and Public Works Minister. In no time, McQuesten had installed Walters as his deputy minister and from there his financial brilliance was soon noticed by the Premier who, within months, appointed
him Deputy Minister of Finance. Over the ensuing years Walters gained almost dictatorial powers over the bureaucracy and indeed politicians. Even members of the cabinet, when promoting various spending measures would be told, “you’ll have to check with Chester.” The Hepburn Liberals including McQuesten were routed in the 1943 provincial election, and Walters might have expected the axe to fall, especially because of his close personal ties to Hepburn and McQuesten, but incoming Premier George Drew had seen Walters up close over the years, and decided to keep him in the deputy finance role. When Drew retired, his successor Leslie Frost made the same decision. By now Walters was being described in media reports as a finance wizard, seemingly indispensable to the government of the day. Walters didn’t retire from the Deputy Ministership until he was 75 in 1953, but even then Premier Frost insisted that he stay on as his own special advisor. Working right up to the end, Walters died in 1958. He was 80. n
75
Walters joined the Canadian Expeditionary forces at age 38 and rose to the rank of Major.
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
attracting 80 new businesses to hamilton in five years! C.W. Kirkpatrick coined the phrase “The Ambitious City”
T
he years immediately following the First World War were a swashbuckling time for industry in Canada. That is when, after a successful career In journalism in Hamilton and Buffalo, Clarence Willoughby Kirkpatrick was appointed industrial commissioner for Hamilton. He came into the position at a time when American manufacturing companies were setting up branch plants in Canada as a way of avoiding the tariff barrier that denied them access to Canadian and British markets In his first year in the position Kirkpatrick was credited with attracting some 33 businesses representing a capital investment in today’s dollars of $265 Million. All this on an office budget of $4,000. Between 1919 and 1924. Kirkpatrick was credited with attracting more than 80 businesses to Hamilton, many of whom continued operations in Hamilton for decades: Firestone, Fuller Brush Co., Beech Nut, LibbeyOwens and Dominion Glass, Dexter Lock, Hamilton By Products Coke Oven Co., Hoover, Maple Leaf Milling, Quaker City Chemical, and United Gas (now Enbridge) to name but a few. It also must be acknowledged that some of the companies announced,
76
Kirkpatrick’s first of many promotional publications for Hamilton industry.
never materialized; such was the haphazard manner in which start-ups were capitalized in an era before strict investor protection legislation was implemented. The Hamilton Herald of 1919 is filled with articles praising Kirkpatrick’s accomplishments with headlines like, “Another new industry…Kirkpatrick lands it,” or “It’s a poor day when (Kirkpatrick) doesn’t get one now.” Of Quaker City Chemicals’ relo-
a
d i f f e r e n c e cation to Hamilton, the headline, “Industrial Commissioner Kirkpatrick still at it.” Kirkpatrick produced a handsome 37-page promotional booklet, Hamilton, Canada, the City of Opportunity—500 Diversified Industries in which he extolled the virtues of Hamilton as a place to do business. He coined the phrase “the Ambitious City”. Many of the advantages he described still resonate today—Hamilton’s proximity to US markets, the harbour, rail connections. An advantage then that is not present today was the availability of cheap hydro-electric power. During Kirkpatrick’s time as Industrial Commissioner, Hamilton was ranked third or fourth in industrial output among Canadian cities and number one on a per capita basis. By 1924 nearly 50 percent of the Hamilton workforce was engaged in manufacturing. Kirkpatrick eventually left the industrial post with an unmatched record of success behind him and finished his working career as secretary of the Automobile Club. He died in 1944. The Spectator obituary describes a man of “cheerfulness, broad sympathies and broad winning smile. If a load of care weighed heavily upon him at any time no one ever knew it.” there is no doubt C.W. Kirkpatrick could take credit in large part for the emergence of Hamilton as an industrial powerhouse. n
the best of hamilton
C.W. Kirkpatrick’s prowess as industrial commissioner made him a media darling in Hamilton and Toronto
The Hamilton Firestone plant in 1924—one of Kirkpatrick’s successes
77
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
ckoc founder foresaw the age of chain retailing
R
emembered today primarily for his founding of Hamilton Radio Station CKOC, Herbert Haslam Slack hit his peak as a merchandiser at a time when Canadian Tire Corporation, the future giant with a similar product line, was just getting launched. At the time of his death in 1932 at the early age of 37, Herb Slack had built what was then described as Canada’s largest radio and automotive supply business. The Wentworth Radio and Auto Supply Company Limited ultimately boasted stores in Hamilton, Toronto, St Catharines, Kitchener and Montreal. Herbert Haslam Slack was born in 1894 in Nottinghamshire, England. In 1919 he set up Wentworth Auto Supply on Barton Street, taking residence in an apartment above the shop. The business prospered quickly and by 1922 Herb moved the business to a new location on John Street in Hamilton. It was here in the same year that Herb purchased a licence to operate a radio station—CKOC. It was only the second commercial radio station In Canada after XWA, the forerunner of CFCF Montreal, was licensed in 1919. The licensing of CKOC immediately served to provide a powerful marketing tool for Wentworth Automobile Supply. Indeed, much as would happen with the Internet later, the early users of radio saw it as a promotional gimmick for core commercial businesses. Slack soon added radio receivers to his automotive product line and changed the name of the company to Wentworth Radio and Automobile Supply Company. The addition of the radio line to his company, supported by the promotional power of CKOC , led to a period of extraordinary growth for Slack, now barely 30. By 1928 Wentworth Radio and Auto Supply opened a second branch on Bay Street in Toronto at Bloor, a location now occupied by BayBloor Radio. Enthused the Toronto Globe
78
regarding the opening of the Toronto store, “A new epoch will be written in the annals of the Wentworth Radio and Auto Supply limited.” To demonstrate the increase in the importance of radio to the venture the paper described a “luxuriously appointed demonstrating studio where radios ranging in price up to $2,000 were to be found.” Following the Toronto expansion, a flood of new Wentworth Radio branches quickly followed . By 1929 the company could boast of three stores in Toronto. Hamilton now had three locations, two stores were opened in Montreal, and one each followed in St Catharines and Kitchener. The 1929 Wentworth catalogue described a radio department alone with a fleet of 20 cars and 40 servicemen . Just as the company had enjoyed explosive growth from 1928 to 1929, by mid 1931 the Depression had just as quickly begun to erode the company’s fortunes. Sales for that year were off by 17 percent and the company posted a loss of $32,000. An October 1931 report revealed that the company had closed unprofitable stores and was bracing for further losses. As all this was happening Slack contracted appendicitis, and after an operation, contracted septic poisoning and died, Slack’s untimely death at the beginning of the Depression affected his personal fortune. On probate, his estate was valued at $184,000—the equivalent of over $3Million in contemporary dollars—but over 70% of the estate was in stocks which were not necessarily liquid assets in the depths of a depression. n
One of Slack’s many stories in Ontario by 1930
a
d i f f e r e n c e
the best of hamilton
florence lawrence “first movie star” came from hamilton
A
lmost totally forgotten today, Florence Lawrence was a dominant leading figure in US cinema in the first two decades of the 20th century. She made and lost fortunes and died under tragic circumstances. Florence Annie Bridgewood, usually known as “Flo” Lawrence, was born in Hamilton, on January 2, 1886 and lived at 46 Jackson Street East. After a divorce her mother took Florence to New York and, the next few years were spent on the road and on the theatrical stage. Florence began her career in the motion picture industry with a role in an Edison Company short, Daniel Boone/Pioneer Days in America in 1907. Moving to the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, Lawrence appeared in most of the sixty short motion pictures that D.W. Griffith directed in 1908. As her effect on audiences became measurable, she set herself apart by insisting on weekly and not daily wages, twice the normal salary, and her own makeup table. Following the Biograph policy of not identifying players in order to keep them from demanding more pay, she was known as “the Biograph girl. Due to her growing demands on the Biograph management; she and her director husband Harry Solter were fired. They were soon hired, however, by producer Carl Laemmle, who had just started the Independent Motion Picture Company, better known as IMP Now promoted as a picture personality with a name, Lawrence, along with Solter, worked at IMP for eleven months and made approximately fifty films. Sometime around 1911 Lawrence and her husband started one of the first US film companies to be headed by a woman: the Victor Company. Formed in 1912 with backing from Carl Laemmle, the first Victor studio then set up in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and salaries were raised to $500 a week for Lawrence and $200 a week for Solter. The studio was
not a success., however and following the breakup of her marriage, Lawrence’s career began to slide. Florence Lawrence attempted a return to the screen in 1921, but she found it extremely difficult to find acting work—she even underwent plastic surgery on her nose in 1924, hoping to improve her luck. For the next few years Florence invested in a number of unsuccessful business ventures. In the sound era, Lawrence, like many former stars, began around 1936 to get bit parts at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, earning $75 a week. But Florence Lawrence’s health had failed by now. Still suffering chronic pain from an accident she suffered while performing a stunt in a film years earlier, and now very ill with a debilitating bone marrow disease, On December 27, 1938, Lawrence was found unconscious in her West Hollywood apartment: she had killed herself by eating ant paste. The Hamilton girl’s note to her landlord read, “Dear Bob, Call Dr. Wilson. I am tired. Hope this works. Good bye, my darling. They can’t cure me, so let it go at that. Lovingly, Florence - P.S. You’ve all been swell guys. Everything is yours.” n
79
Florence Lawrence in some of her screen roles
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
sol mintz
a colourful sportsman, businessman, political organizer
W
hen Solomon (Sol) Mintz died in 1951 A Spectator columnist eulogized him thusly: “In the death of Sol Mintz, Hamilton has lost one of its finest and warmest personalities...Mr. Mintz had a tremendous fund of interesting stories and he told them well. No story we ever heard from him was designed to gain laughter or applause at the expense of anybody else.” If Sol Mintz was a master story teller, he came by it honestly, because he lived a rich life as a sportsman, salesman, horse trainer and in his best known role, one-time manager of the career of Tom Longboat—the Six Nations distance runner who was at one time considered the world’s best. Sol’s parents were in the hairdressing trade, which included wig-making. The family business, I Mintz Hair Emporium, first appears in city directories around 1900. The business appears to have been a prosperous one and Sol took up the hair trade with his parents. Within a few years the family was living in a fine home on James Street South. While still working in his parent’s business Sol Mintz became a well-known horseman. His name frequently appears in the Toronto press as a successful owner and trainer. One of his horses, Caper Sauce, was a ten year old, who, despite its age, was a big winner, providing Mintz with 8 wins, 8 places and 6 shows over a two year period.
80
Mintz’s name showed up frequently in the Toronto sports pages. At the same time as he was investing in horse racing, Sol became involved in what he later would say was his favourite sport--marathon running. In 1909, Sol purchased from Tom Flanigan, the management contract of Tom Longboat, the Six Nations runner who a year earlier had won the Boston Marathon. Longboat was past his peak at this point, but Sol arranged a race with the famed British runner Alfie Shrubb at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Two years later Longboat purchased his contract back from Sol, but the two remained friends. After the First World War Sol became a real estate agent—a career he pursued for the next decade or more. Around 1930 Sol became active in local Liberal politics. He headed a group of Liberals who revolted against a clique headed by T.B. McQuesten who tightly controlled Liberal affairs in Hamilton. When McQuesten was named President of the Ontario Liberal Association, Mintz fired off a letter to Liberal Leader Mackenzie King predicting, “our most excellent chances in federal and provincial elections would be ruined by this man as president.” It took a few years but eventually Mintz and his supporters wrested control of Hamilton Liberal affairs from McQuesten, as Mintz became president of the Hamilton West riding association. Ever the promoter, just before his death Mintz was in Toronto promoting the legalization of pinball machines against stiff opposition in the staid city. When he died a Spectator editorialist wrote, “with friendship for all and malice towards none, might be a fitting epitaph for a fine and gracious character.” Sol Mintz had lived a full life. n
a
d i f f e r e n c e
the best of hamilton
norah frances henderson champion of social justice, equality for women
N
orah Frances Henderson didn’t make many friends as the only female on Hamilton’s Council and Board of Control for 17 years but she served as a role model for socially conscious women in the 1930’s and 1940’s; and in some ways her legacy grew after her death. Today, both a hospital and more recently, a public school bear her name. Before entering politics, Norah enjoyed a successful career as a journalist with the Hamilton Herald, serving as “women’s’ editor.” But far from covering society teas and charity bazaars, Henderson was writing about such subjects as the plight of beggars in Hamilton, the need for women on hospital boards and City Council. She was active in the local Council of Women, and, with the onset of the Depression and unprecedented social problems, it was this group that urged Henderson to run in the 1931 municipal election. Successful in her first attempt at elections, the feisty Henderson entered council declaring herself ready “to begin irritating people on a large scale.” And so she did, championing the policies of the League for Social Reconstruction founded by left-wing Canadian intellectuals. Soon she was advocating a complete re-thinking of the Canadian financial system. In 1935, backed by the same Council of Women that had first elected her to council, Henderson captured a vacant seat on Hamilton Board of Control. She advocated for an increase in the city’s welfare budget to support the more than 8,000 families on relief but was unsuccessful. Quickly realizing she could not bring about fundamental change from a post at the municipal level, Henderson ran in the 1935 federal election. She had chosen to run as a candidate for the Reconstructionist Party- an offshoot of the Conservatives and was soundly defeated. Back at council, she urged the shift of welfare expense away
from municpalities to the provincial government—with some modest success. Her remining time in public office was marked by a strange mix of social justice advocacy coupled with advocating prudent spending. With the end of the war, labour unrest was rampant in Canada, and in perhaps the most notorious event in her career, Norah Francis Henderson, 5 feet 1 inch, crossed a steelworkers picket line in the 1946 Stelco strike. She braved catcalls, jostling and a kick from an angry crowd of 1,000 picketers. The issue for her was the fact that the strikers were occupying the plant and holding prisoner a group of workers who had refused to join the union. She took the position that even though she favored the right of workers to organize and to strike, it was wrong to hold the workers against their will. The incident marked a watershed for Henderson who realized her crossing of the picket line would alienate many voters. She did not run in the 1947 election and instead took a position as executive director for the Children’s Aid Society. In a parting shot to council, who snubbed her by not inviting her to the 1948 Council inaugural, she said, “may you have a minimum of headaches and enjoy yourselves in your solitary male splendor.” Norah found the CAS work much more satisfying than endless jousting with council colleagues, but the respite was relatively short-lived. She contracted an undisclosed illness that hospitalized her, and she died in March 1949 at age 51. n
81
Norah-Frances Henderson made national headlines and local enemies when she crossed the Stelco picket line during the 1946 strike.
h a m i lt o n i a n s w h o m a d e a d i f f e r e n c e
ellen fairclough: canada’s first woman in cabinet
Ellen Fairclough continued a tradition of Hamilton women who made a significant impact in politics. The tradition started in the 1920’s with May Carpenter rose through the ranks of the Liberal Party and became a close advisor to Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
T
he mantle was then picked up in the 1930’s and 1940’s when Norah Frances Henderson pursued a successful career as Hamilton’s first woman controller. Ellen Fairclough was a chartered accountant by training, and ran an accounting firm prior to entering politics. She was a member of Hamilton, Ontario City Council from 1945 to 1950. She also served as a member of the executive for the Girl Guides of Canada prior to her election as a Member of Parliament. Fairclough first ran for federal office as a Progressive Conservative in the 1949 federal election, in which she was defeated by incumbent Liberal MP Colin Gibson in Hamilton West. When Gibson was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario the following year, however, Fairclough ran in and won the resulting by-election. Early in her career as a Member of Parliament, she advocated women’s rights including equal pay for equal work. When the PC Party took power as a result of the 1957 federal election, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker appointed her to the position of Secretary of State for Canada. In 1958, she became
82
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and from 1962 until her defeat in 1963, she was Postmaster General. As Immigration Minister in 1962, Fairclough introduced new regulations that mostly eliminated racial discrimination in immigration policy. She also introduced a more liberal policy on refugees, and increased the number of immigrants allowed into Canada. She was defeated in the 1963 election by Liberal Joseph Macaluso. In 1979, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and was promoted to Companion in 1994. In the fall of 1996, she received the Order of Ontario, the highest honor awarded by the province. In 1982, a Ontario government office tower in Hamilton was officially named the Ellen Fairclough Building. In recognition of her status as a pioneering woman in Canadian politics, she was granted the rare honour of having the title Right Honourable bestowed upon her in 1992 by Queen Elizabeth II, one of very few Canadians to have the title who had not been Prime Minister, Governor General or Chief Justice. In 1995, she published her memoirs, Saturday’s Child: Memoirs of Canada’s First Female Cabinet Minister. She died in a Hamilton, on November 13, 2004, aged 99 years.. On June 21, 2005, Canada Post issued a postage stamp in honour of Fairclough. n
Ana MacPherson, Integrated Care Coordinator
Dr. Sarah Svenningsen, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Luciano Minuzzi, Psychiatrist and Researcher
Bradley Labuguen, Nurse Manager
Learn more about who we are and our promise to our patients, families, staff and community at stjoes.ca/strategicplan Social icon
Rounded square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.
A proud member of St. Joseph’s Health System
h a m i l t o n
t o u r i s m Kindness of Strangers had its debut at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival
A Hamilton industrial property used in filming of Shazam!
Hamilton’s Scottish Rite forms a background for Handmaid’s Tale
the world sees hamilton on the screen M
oviegoers and TV watchers around the world may not know it but often they are looking at Hamilton. Year after year more producers choose Hamilton for location shooting – whatever filmmakers need, Hamilton can be gritty and beautiful, and offers resources for film crews that include Hamilton-based film businesses, a wide range and great quality of hotels, accommodations, and restaurants, and by filming here you can access tax credits. Hamilton is the second busiest film location in Ontario and hosts hundreds of productions every year who come here because of our location, wide range of neighbourhoods and architecture, small town feel with big city backdrops, diverse rural landscapes, and our people. There are many reasons why Hamilton has been chosen for film locations. They include, location-Located within a one-hour drive to Toronto and the US border. Hamilton’s location makes it the first city outside of Toronto to be eligible for tax credits and other incentives. Most important though, are the locations with 200 distinct neighbourhoods representing many different eras, old and new architecture: thousands of acres of green space: parks and conservation areas and film-focused businesses and talent. Hamilton’s LIUNA Station showcased in the hit series Umbrella Academy
84
the the best best of of hamilton hamilton
Filming the Netflix series Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland Kurt Russel plays Santa in the Christmas Chronicles
It Chapter two has grossed over $459 Million
Many Hamilton landmarks are familiar in the Murdoch Mysteries series.
85
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
i t
eugene levy Eugene Levy, a Westdale and McMaster grad, is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, in his role as Noah Levenstein. Since 1971 he has appeared in over three dozen movies and countless TV series, starting with SCTV. Levy received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts, in 2008. He was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 30, 2011. He currently stars as Johnny Rose in Schitt’s Creek, a comedy series that he co-created with his son and co-star, Dan. In 2019, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
martin short Martin Short came to prominence for his work on the television programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live. He has starred in numerous comedy films, such as Three Amigos (1986), Innerspace (1987), Three Fugitives (1989), Father of the Bride (1991), Pure Luck (1991), Captain Ron (1992), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), the Santa Clause 3 and The Escape Clause. He created the characters Jiminy Glick and Ed Grimley. In 1999, he won a Tony Award for his lead performance in a Broadway revival of Little Me.
86
i n
f i l m ,
m u s i c
a n d
t h e
a r t s
the best of hamilton
daniel lanois
Daniel Lanois has released several albums of his own work. However, he is best known for producing albums for a wide variety of artists, including The Spoons, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Brandon Flowers. The co-founder of Hamilton’s Grant Avenue Studios, Lanois also collaborated with Brian Eno: most famously on producing several albums for U2, including the multi-platinum The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. Three albums produced or co-produced by Lanois have won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Four other albums received Grammy nominations. Lanois wrote and performed the music for Billy Bob Thornton’s film Sling Blade. Rolling Stone called Lanois the “most important record producer to emerge in the Eighties”.
steve smith
Versatile Steve Smith singlehandedly created his own production company, starting with the musical-variety show Smith & Smith, starring Steve and wife Morag, at CHCH in Hamilton starting in 1979. In 1985 Smith created the family sitcom Me & Max. followed by The Comedy Mill, which ran for four years. In 1991 Steve created and starred in the Red Green Show which filmed more than 300 episodes and was successfully syndicated throughout North America. He toured as Red Green in 34 US cities in 2019. Steve Smith was made a Member of the Order of Canada, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from McMaster University.
87
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
i t
valerie tryon Born in Portsmouth, England, Valerie Tryon was performing regularly in public while still a child. She became one of the youngest students ever to be admitted to the Royal Academy of Music. She has performed piano concertos with the HallĂŠ Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Brott Music Festival and other major orchestras. In 1976 Valerie Tryon became Associate Professor of Music at McMaster University; in 1980, the post of Artist-in-Residence at McMaster was created for her. She became a naturalised Canadian citizen in 1986.
boris brott
Boris Brott was born in Montreal to a classical music family He studied violin with his father, and performed at the age of five with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Later he studied music in Montreal and went to Europe where he conducted orchestras in England including the Royal Ballet Covent Garden. He served as assistant conductor to Leonard Bernstein, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1968-69. Moving to Hamilton he headed the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra for more than 20 years, elevating it from amateur status to a major professional orchestra. He now heads the Brott Music Festival and the National Academy orchestra and is a sought-after guest conductor around the world. He is a member of the Orders of Canada and Ontario.
88
i n
f i l m ,
m u s i c
a n d
skip prokop
Skip Prokop was born in Hamilton, and attended Hill Park Secondary School. He learned to play the drums as a member of the Navy League and Sea Cadets, winning a competition at age 17. His first band was The Paupers, a mainstay in Toronto’s Yorkville during the 1960’s. He went to the US as a session man and recorded with Janis Joplin He also did sessions with Carlos Santana and Peter, Paul & Mary and other musical artists. He co-founded the pioneering jazz-rock band Lighthouse in 1969, which had a successful run until 1975. After Lighthouse Skip worked in radio both behind the microphone and in advertising sales. He died in 2017.
rita chiarelli Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Rita Chiarelli, is Canada’s most highly acclaimed female roots and blues artist. She started her career playing with the Ronnie Hawkins Band, and has performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe throughout her career. She filmed the musical documentary, Music from the Big House at Louisiana’s Angola prison and released the soundtrack – her 9th recording. With a JUNO award and 4 subsequent JUNO nominations, she is known across Canada as the “Goddess of the Blues”. Showing no signs of slowing down, Chiarelli continues to tour incessantly in North America and Europe and intends to spend more time performing in the U.S. over the next few years.
89
t h e
a r t s
the best of hamilton
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
i t
tom wilson Tom Wilson has been a prolific writer and performer for many years. Wilson’s eclectic musical style has ranged from the psychobilly / R&B sounds of the Florida Razors, to the western/roots style of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and the funk/blues inspired rock of Junkhouse, the band he fronted in the 1990s. His songs have been performed by Mavis Staples, Colin James, Stephen Fearing, Adam Gregory, Billy Ray Cyrus, and others. Numerous Wilson songs have been used in television, commercials and film. In 2017 Wilson published a memoir of his life to date, titled Beautiful Scars, addressing his discovery of his Mohawk heritage. His latest musical group is Lee Harvey Osmond.
graham greene
Born in Oshweken, Graham Greene lived in Hamilton as a young adult. He studied theatre in Toronto and started his acting career in 1974 in Canada and the UK. After working in various roles in film and TV Graham’s Academy Award–nominated role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 film Dances with Wolves brought him fame. He followed this role with films and performances on TV series, including Thunderheart, Benefit of the Doubt, and Maverick, and the television series Northern Exposure and The Red Green Show. Greene also acted alongside Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson in the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance. Graham Greene was awarded an honorary doctorate at Wilfrid Laurier University and is a member of the Order of Canada.
90
i n
f i l m ,
m u s i c
a n d
t h e
a r t s
the best of hamilton
ivan reitman Ivan Reitman, OC was born in Czechoslovakia. His Family brought him to Canada where he graduated from McMaster University where he produced films. He worked with David Cronenburg in the 1970’s. His first big break came when he produced Animal House in 1978. Notable films he has directed include Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Dave (1993) and Junior (1994). Reitman has also served as producer for such films as Beethoven (1992), Space Jam (1996), Private Parts (1997) and Up in the Air (2009), the latter of which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
brian linehan Born in Hamilton, Linehan moved to Toronto at age 19, where he worked for Odeon Cinemas and later Janus Films. He joined Citytv in 1973 as the host of City Lights, a program which would eventually become syndicated throughout Canada and the United States. Linehan was renowned for his composure, interview skills and meticulous research, often leading to in-depth questions that could last for minutes. His guests often responded to his questions with astonishment at his depth of knowledge. From 1996 to 1998, he hosted a second show entitled Linehan, which was produced for CHCH-TV in Hamilton. He won a Gemini Award as Best Host in a Lifestyle or Performing Arts Program for his work on the show.[4] After that show ended, he taught a television production course at Toronto’s Humber College. He died in 2004, leaving his estate to a foundation that supports film.
91
h a m i l t o n i a n s
w h o
m a d e
i t
frank pannabaker Frank Pannabaker showed early promise as an artist, and his father was so encouraged that he was able to attend the Ontario College of Art under Arthur Lismer and J.E.H. MacDonald. He continued his artistic studies at the Grand Central School of Art in New York City A self-supporting professional artist for his entire adult life, he began his painting career during the Great Depression in Hamilton, where he lived with his wife Katherine. He achieved his first success in 1933 when at a Toronto show Sara D. Roosevelt, mother of Franklin D. Roosevelt, purchased one of his paintings. The ensuing publicity resulted in Frank selling 18 more. Several of his works depicted familiar Hamilton scenes and form part of the art collection at ArcelorMittal Dofasco. Pannabaker died in 1992 aged 87 years.
ian thomas Starting his career with the group Tranquility Base, Ian Thomas burst on the international music scene with his hit song “Painted Ladies”, which became a U.S. Top 40 hit. The song “Runner” was recorded by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. He has also provided musical composition for about a dozen films and television shows. In 1974, he won a Juno Award for “Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year”. That year he toured in eastern Canada with April Wine. Many of his songs have been covered by popular artists, including “Hold On” (Santana, 1982), “The Runner” (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, 1984), and “Right Before Your Eyes” (America, 1983). When he isn’t performing his own shows, he tours the country with good friends Murray McLauchlan, Marc Jordan, and Cindy Church in a band called Lunch At Allen’s.
92
i n
f i l m ,
m u s i c
a n d
t h e
a r t s
the best of hamilton
steve paikin
Born in Hamilton Steve Paikin was educated at Toronto and received a Masters of Journalism in Boston. After reporting jobs in private radio and print media, including the Hamilton Spectator and Toronto radio station CHFI, where he was Toronto City Hall reporter from 1982–85, Steve worked for CBC and CBC Newsworld. In 1992 Steve Paikin began his lengthy career with TVO, hosting a number of current affairs programs until the Agenda With Steve Paikin was launched in 2006. He acted as a moderator for federal leaders debates in 2006, 2008, and 2011; and for Ontario provincial leaders debates in 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2018.He is the author of several books on politics and is a member of the Orders of Canada and Ontario.
dave thomas
In a four-decade acting career, Dave Thomas has won most of the major awards-ACTRA, Emmy, Juno and Grammy. After a short career in advertising, Dave joined the cast of SCTV in 1976 where he worked with fellow performers, Eugene Levy, John Candy and Martin Short. It was there that he created the beloved character Doug, of Bob and Doug Mackenzie that went on to be featured in Saturday Night Live. Since then he has enjoyed a prolific career in TV and movies as actor, producer and writer with more than 60 productions to his credit.
93
Photo by: Brian St. Denis
Photo by: Joani Wedding Décor
A picture-perfect wedding At Ball’s Falls Conservation Area
W
hat could be more perfect than a wedding in a natural heritage setting? Ball’s Falls Conservation Area offers unforgettable backdrops with two magnificent waterfalls, picturesque hiking trails, and wedding venues in a historical village from the 1800s, nestled on the scenic Niagara Escarpment. From engagement shoots and intimate ceremonies to reception celebrations, our distinctive properties offer majestic scenery as the perfect setting for a storybook wedding and the start to your ‘happily ever after’. When you celebrate your wedding in one of Niagara’s most unique places, you can choose from a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces that boast both elegance and romance.
Photo by: Tiffany Clark
OUTDOOR NATURAL CEREMONY
There’s something so effortlessly romantic about an outdoor wedding ceremony. You’ll be surrounded by lush, full and beautiful green trees, gorgeous blooming flowers, or spectacularly coloured leaves. Our picturesque backdrops are stunning settings for your outdoor ceremony. Ball’s Falls features 4 locations for outdoor ceremonies, with our V-section that can accommodate up to 190 persons being the most popular, located behind the Big Barn.
HISTORICAL CHAPEL
Our historical chapel is the perfect setting for your dream wedding, this fully-restored and newly upgraded chapel features warm wood tones; both rustic and elegant, wonderful ambiance, and seating for 110 guests, with two aisle ways.
Celebrate in elegant rustic beauty. Email or
the best of hamilton
THE BIG BARN
The Big Barn provides a rustic venue with some fresh air on the big day, bring your own decorator and caterer and make this unique venue your very own. The Big Barn can accommodate the ceremony and the reception, with seating for 190 guests.
GLEN ELGIN ROOM
Photo by: Dragi Androvski
This high-style and elegant reception venue, located inside the Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation, provides year-round accommodation with spectacular views through floor-to-floor ceiling windows overlooking nature. The Centre for Conservation is a fully-accessible, green building surrounded by gorgeous blossoms during the summer, and frosty snowflakes in the winter. The Glen Elgin Room seats up to 150 of your closest family and friends, and offers you the opportunity to turn your dream wedding into a reality‌ Surrounded by gorgeous blossoms during the summer, and frosty snowflakes in the winter, our Glen Elgin Room offers you the opportunity to bring your dream wedding to reality. As with the Big Barn, the Glen Elgin Room is fully furnished with tables and chairs, awaiting the creative touches of your decorator and caterer. The Glen Elgin Room overlooks the beautiful scenery, which leads to the Upper Falls. Couples will have access to a patio for an outdoor ceremony and/or cocktail hour options, or for dancing under the stars at night.
BRIDAL SUITE
Our Bridal Suite is exclusive to couples booked at one of our venues, and is available to assist with your special day. Brides or grooms and their wedding parties will have access from 8 a.m. until the end of your wedding day. We are certain that your hairdresser, make-up artist, and photographer will all love this large room, as it offers comfort, privacy, vintage glamour, and fabulous natural lighting to help capture the start of your special day.
Our Customer Relations Representative will assist you on your journey every step of the way! Contact us today by email at weddings@npca.ca or by phone 905-562-5235 ext. 21
give us a call!
| @NPCA_Ontario
Price: $12.95