During the repairs for the initial break, water was turned off in many campus buildings and forced washrooms, food services and laboratories to close temporarily

On Feb. 27, a water main on campus ruptured, disrupting McMaster University campus life, food services and academic facilities.

Water services were shut off around 2 p.m. on the same day to the Life Sciences Building, McMaster Museum of Art, McMaster University Student Centre, Mills Memorial Library, Psychology Building and many other buildings so that repairs could be completed.

According to Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations at facility services, facility services was first informed of the break between MUSC and Mills Library near parking lots B and C around 10 a.m. on Feb. 27. A third-party contractor was then quickly brought in to fix the break.

“We had to hire a third-party contractor because we don’t have the equipment to address a water main break,” said Baldovino.

We had to hire a third-party contractor because we don’t have the equipment to address a water main break.

Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations, facility services

As a result of the break and the water being turned off, food services and washrooms were closed in the affected buildings. The university and food services provided an online list of the eateries on campus that were available in unaffected buildings.

The university also stated in an online post that laboratories requiring running water would be temporarily shut down until the repair of the break was complete.

When asked about the suspected cause of the break, Baldovino said it was difficult to say for sure what happened.

“The infrastructure is aging. . . It could have been a pressure fluctuation in the past, [but] you can’t really say exactly what the cause was. When we did uncover the pipe, it was corroded,” said Baldovino.

The infrastructure is aging. . .It could have been a pressure fluctuation in the past, [but] you can’t really say exactly what the cause was. When we did uncover the pipe, it was corroded.

Alvin Baldovino, director of engineering operations, facility services

Essential repairs to the water main were completed overnight and running water was restored in all affected buildings by the morning of Feb. 28. The university also stated that facility services would be cleaning and changing the filters of all water fountains in the affected buildings.

The area where the break occurred was still gated off as of the week of Mar. 4, though all affected services have since returned to normal operations.

When Baldovino was asked about the progress of the work at the site of the break and when it is expected to be fully completed, he stated that though the pipe has been fixed and the hole dug to conduct repairs had been filled in, the concrete pad at the area still needs to be replaced. He stated that it will take some time to complete this final step of replacing the surface concrete and could not provide an estimate as to when this will be done.

This is an ongoing story.

Graphic by Elisabetta Paiano/ Production Editor

The threat of climate change was made clear by the fires that spread across Australia earlier this year. Heat waves and drought caused bush fires that permanently altered the country’s landscape, which were made at least 30 per cent worse by the impacts of climate change.

Australia’s devastating fires are only an early example of the consequences of the climate crisis. Although, across the world, Hamilton has its own possibilities for disaster. In November it came to light that 24 billion litres of sewage spilled into Chedoke Creek from 2014 to 2018, which the city kept hidden despite possible impacts on the local environment and residents. 

In addition to the Chedoke Creek contamination, the city was charged in late 2019 to clean up toxic chemicals that had been seeping into local waterways. The city-owned John C. Munro International Airport had years-old chemicals in surrounding soil which leached into nearby water during wet weather. The spills make it clear that Hamilton needs to be prepared for the environmental impacts of climate change, especially flooding, which will become the city’s main concern along with extreme heat. 

Rising temperatures bring the possibility for droughts. Conversely, increased precipitation could lead to flooding, rising lake levels and could negatively impact shoreline erosion. 

Hamilton also has to worry about greenhouse gases, which are largely produced in the city by burning fossil fuels, transportation and industry. In 2018 the city committed to five points of action which include creating a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and an emissions reduction target. 

In March 2019 Hamilton declared a climate emergency along with hundreds of other municipalities across Canada. Along with the declaration, the city committed to a climate vulnerability and risk assessment, which has yet to be completed. In December 2019 city councillors approved a climate action plan, but they have yet to include any deadlines or costs associated with the project.

One important change is that the city will try to apply a climate lens to future actions. According to Kate Flynn, the acting director at the centre for climate change management at Mohawk College, the city is using a climate lens to prevent some of the worst effects of climate change and adapt to impacts we can’t avoid. For example, when the city makes an infrastructure improvement, they must consider the future environmental impact of chosen supplies and processes. 

Flynn also pointed out that infrastructure changes are necessary to prepare for climate change, specifically in transportation and public works. She noted that over time Hamilton will be at risk for increased precipitation which would lead to flooding and harm water quality, so updates to city infrastructure and residential homes are necessary to avoid damages. 

“I think one of the things that's really important to dispel is this myth that Canadians are going to be okay,” said Flynn, “the thing about climate change is that it's a global issue, but the effects of it are going to be hyperlocalized.”

“I think one of the things that's really important to dispel is this myth that Canadians are going to be okay [. . .] the thing about climate change is that it's a global issue, but the effects of it are going to be hyperlocalized.”

While the economic and physical effects of climate change are becoming more of a concern for the city, the social impacts are still largely overlooked. Caitlin Thompson and Joann Varickanickal, volunteers with Climate Ready Hamilton, a community organization, stressed the importance of social cohesion for disaster preparedness. 

Thompson and Varickanickal suggested that students get to know their fellow community members and think about how vulnerable populations, like elderly, homeless and low-income community members, will be disproportionately impacted in times of climate crisis. One project CRH worked on sought to map out spaces open to the public for food and shelter in times of disaster. If a heat wave occurred, vulnerable residents without air conditioning could find a place to cool down through the community-sourced resource hub. 

Beyond cases of climate disaster, CRH also works to help communities improve the environmental conditions brought on by local pollution.

“Look at communities that are in the industrial core . . . we know that they have poor air quality, but a lot of people in those neighborhoods don't know that they can work together and you can report those things to the government . . . part of this project now can be going into neighborhoods and supporting neighborhoods and understanding their rights,” said Thompson. 

Thompson and Varickanickal also noted the importance of preparing a 72 hour kit. 

“If there's a massive emergency . . . aid will begin [about] 72 hours after,” said Thompson. “Basically you need to be able to be prepared and stay okay by yourself for 72 hours because you may not get help.”

According to the city of Hamilton website, residents should prepare a 72 hour supply of food and water, along with a “go bag” with items like a first aid kit, blankets and more. 

Preparing for 72 hours only works in case of an emergency, but we have to prepare for a future where climate disaster is a regular part of our lives. According to the Centre for Climate and Emergency Solutions, climate resilience is a framework for thinking about climate change and our ability to prepare for, and bounce back from, climate-related disaster. Climate resilience accounts for the irreversible damage already done to our climate, along with possibilities for mitigating some of the worst effects we could see in the future. Flynn noted that climate resilience isn’t only about infrastructure, but also how we can improve our social systems to better support one another through the impacts of climate change. 

“If you're talking about climate resilience, well we should be talking about resilience in other ways too? Like making sure . . . everyone has access to good food no matter what happens, right? So it's kind of a framework for thinking through solutions through the lens of equity,” said Flynn. 

Despite possibilities for climate resilience, the state of climate change is dire and sometimes frightening. Flynn reflected on how she continues to work in climate change management despite the cataclysmic effects on the climate. 

“I think why people are like, how do you get out of bed every day and think about climate change? And I'm like, because believe it or not, there's so many opportunities within climate change to just like do all the things that we've always thought about doing, but never really prioritized. There's no more excuses,” said Flynn.

"There's so many opportunities within climate change to just like do all the things that we've always thought about doing, but never really prioritized. There's no more excuses."

Hamilton will face unique challenges from climate change that the city will have to manage. To create a climate resilient city, community members will have to come together to care for one another. Whether it’s creating a 72 hour kit or a map of resources, knowing who needs help in your community and how will be integral. 

Cycling zealots are once again calling for an upheaval of the streets — or, at least that’s what anti-bike lane proponents say. McMaster cycling advocates and experts tell a different story.

Despite claims of a “war on cars” and swarms of cyclists taking over the street, cities across Ontario largely rely on road sharing instead of developing robust cycling infrastructure. Yet Kate Whalen, senior manager of McMaster’s academic sustainability programs, says that cycling is sustainable and promotes individual and community health. Unless the city prioritizes the development of cycling infrastructure, potential cyclists will continue to be deterred by dangerous roads that aren’t built with alternative modes of transport in mind. 

Cycling in Hamilton is growing fast but the city isn’t keeping up. The Cannon Street bike lanes are the city’s largest endeavor into creating infrastructure for cyclists. According to a 2018 CBC news article, the bike lanes attracted significant ridership. In 2015, the Cannon lanes had 75 daily trips, which grew to 396 in 2017. 

While ridership is up, the Cannon lanes have some glaring faults. What is perhaps the most advanced network of bike lanes in the city, outside of multi-use trails, has lanes that are still not up to par. Cannon is a highly used road for cars, especially during rush hour. Cyclists have reported obstructed cycling lanes, pointing out an infamous corner often blocked by transport trucks. Construction projects often close the bike lanes, meaning that frequent road repair interferes with the free flow of bike traffic.

Fundamentally, the Cannon lanes are built around a road made for cars. The lanes were placed on the street as a quick solution for a mutli-faceted problem. 

David Zaslavsky, director of MSU Macycle said, “I think that I’m not alone in saying that most infrastructure is built without cyclists in mind, it’s kind of an afterthought. There’s no real actually effective bike protection and bike lanes short of completely separated paths like the rail trail.”

“I think that I’m not alone in saying that most infrastructure is built without cyclists in mind, it’s kind of an afterthought."

https://twitter.com/RyanMcGreal/status/1176591645212585991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The lack of consistency in bike lanes is also a problem. While the Cannon lanes offer a direct route from East to West, other routes are lacking. Islands of bike networks are created within the city without much interconnection. For example, while the Cootes bike path is likely the best in the city, it connects to Main Street — every cyclists nightmare. 

Main Street is the most direct link between the East and West quarters of the city. But only cars can feel confident on the Main street highway. This street is just another example of the difficulties that bike commuters face in the city. There are bike lanes in some areas but not others, poorly integrated lanes that make turns difficult and, not to mention, high speed traffic which poses a real threat to cyclists without a protective lane barrier. 

Still, infrastructure is only one part of the problem. Sharing the road can only go so far in a culture built around cars. Robust infrastructure changes need to come with a culture shift that encourages alternative transportation, especially active transportation like biking and walking. 

As advocates encourage the city to improve conditions for cyclists, some have seen changes, especially for students. Ward 1, the ward in which McMaster university is located, has the potential to lead the city towards multi-modal and active transport. Maureen Wilson, the ward 1 city councillor, met with bike advocates in September 2019 to discuss York Boulevard and Queen Street. The latter street has had multiple accidents, prompting city officials to convert the popular street from a one-way street to a two-way street. This change will make room for improvements for pedestrians and cyclists as the city builds new infrastructure. 

Cycle Hamilton & Ward 1 meeting to discuss: a) Queen Street conversion & cycle crossings. b) York Blvd pic.twitter.com/y7friVhmNw

— Maureen Wilson (She / Her) (@ward1wilson) September 30, 2019

Elise Desjardins, a McMaster graduate student and cycling advocate, said, “The city has been very engaged with the community around cycling infrastructure by providing opportunities for people to weigh in.”

Even with the city’s proposed improvements, Desjardins and Zaslavsky agree: Hamilton needs to look Eastward. European cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen offer a guide for what bike infrastructure could be. Desjardins wants to see the city work towards bike lanes that are fully separated and that leave room for cyclists to engage with their community and feel safe. 

“I always like when bike lanes have a lot of trees beside them. I think that extra buffer — that general sense of friendliness on a street — is always really wonderful,” said Desjardins. 

Zaslavsky agrees that fully separated lanes can make new and experienced cyclists alike feel more safe commuting. 

“A lot of research has shown that the main reason people don’t bike is that, aside from accessibility to a bike — which is a lot better in Hamilton than other places — is that they don’t feel safe.” 

Hamilton, a mild-winter city with the same metro-area population as Winnipeg, currently has zero (0) physically protected bike lanes. https://t.co/66GboO6OpT

— McMaster Librarians (@MUALA_CA) September 19, 2019

Whalen describes the difference between real and perceived safety and why they both matter. Feelings of safety and actual risk management measures both impact cyclists’ experience. A painted line on the road doesn’t do much to make cyclists feel safe. 

As Whalen said, “When you put a concrete barrier with a little patch of grass between the 1000 pound fast moving vehicles and the vulnerable user of transportation, that changes the game.”

“When you put a concrete barrier with a little patch of grass between the 1000 pound fast moving vehicles and the vulnerable user of transportation, that changes the game.”

It changes the game for specific groups of people too. Women, elderly and low-income community members rely on alternative modes of transportation. Transit, especially active transit, has real implications for these groups. It may not seem like it, but a concrete barrier is about equity. 

“We can’t be building transportation systems that prioritize the ability for one type of person to get around more than others,” said Whalen.

“We can’t be building transportation systems that prioritize the ability for one type of person to get around more than others,”

Transportation justice is often left out of the discussion. Transportation justice highlights that we don’t just use transportation to get around. We also use it as a way to access resources. Transportation is necessary for community members to access basic needs, social interaction, health care and more. 

“We have demographics that are to a certain extent socially isolated because there are certain seasons where they just cannot get around. We know that about 30% of any one community doesn’t drive due to age, financial ability, or physical ability. How are they getting around if they can’t drive? And sometimes as bus isn’t an option either,” Whalen said.

Beyond safety and equity, Whalen also wants people to enjoy how they get around. When infrastructure supports it, walking and cycling can bring a sense of community, safety and joy. While cars do have a certain amount of joy for commuters, public transit doesn’t keep up. When Whalen switched from a car to a bike, she realized that she was able to be a more engaged member of her community. Biking increased her social interaction which led her to research the topic. And the numbers back it up: cycling can be an enjoyable experience with opportunities for community engagement. 

Desjardins agrees, noting that there isn’t actually much of a negative impact of bike lanes. Arguments against additional infrastructure often cite road congestion or a lack of rule enforcement for cyclists. These concerns don’t quite check out, though. While protected lanes might impact how quickly cars can get through an intersection, roads only show a limited picture. Road safety and cars’ impact on the environment also needs to be taken into consideration, not to mention the traffic that cyclists bring to local businesses.

“People care about the environmental impact of traffic and single-occupancy vehicles,” says Desjardins. “They care about their health, their care about their kids getting out to their neighbourhood and not being confined to a car. Cyclists care a lot about their community. And they show up to things where they have an opportunity to weigh in and make it better.”

With rising cycling numbers the city needs to do better to make room for bikes on the road. Car-focused streets negatively impact the Hamilton community, while bikes open up possibilities for community members to connect with the people and businesses around them. Looking forward, advocates agree: move over cars, pedal powered transportation is taking the lane.

Photo from Silhouette Photo Archives

By: Donna Nadeem, Anastasia Gaykalova and Matthew Jones

At the McMaster Students’ Union Student Representative Assembly on Nov. 25, the SRA passed a number of policy papers, including “Tuition & Student Financing in Post-Secondary Education,” “On-Campus Infrastructure” and “Student Engagement & Retention.”

 

“Tuition & Student Financing in Post-Secondary Education”

Rising tuition is one of the most pressing issues affecting post-secondary students in Canada.

Once enrolled, OSAP provides a number of grants and loans to students with financial need to lessen the costs of tuition.

While not mentioned in the policy paper, it should be noted that Ontario government’s recently announced changes are expected to reduce tuition by 10 per cent but also scrap OSAP grants for low-income students and remove the six month grace period that students were previously given to pay off their loans following graduation.

The policy paper argues that restrictions to the current OSAP deny many individuals access to its services, pushing back these students’ entry into post-secondary education.

It also notes that tuition increases by a substantial rate each year, continually surpassing the rate of inflation.

According to the paper, currently, 53 to 70 per cent of student financial aid through OSAP includes loans.

Although offering loans to pay back tuition later may appear to help with accessibility and enrollment, the more tuition rates increase, the greater the amount students will have to pay back.

During student interviews included in the policy paper, students said that they have noticed tuition rising, but not at a specific rate, and acknowledged that they were unsure of the details surrounding tuition rate.

However, students also said they felt strained financially and found it harder to pay off their debt each year.

The policy paper also points out that McMaster has one of the lowest budgets for entrance scholarships in Ontario.

McMaster’s automatic entrance awards are lower than those offered at Queen’s University, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto and the University of Guelph, for instance.

The MSU recommends that McMaster consider a monthly tuition payment plan.

Recommendations for the government  include re-evaluating interest rates on student loans and making OSAP cover a larger percentage of tuition for low-income students in some programs.

 

“On-Campus Infrastructure”

Major themes in the Infrastructure policy paper include campus accessibility, transparency, deferred maintenance and student study spaces.

The SRA’s first recommendation is for facility services to oversee a new campus accessibility review with a new action plan, examining infrastructure concerns in more detail.

Regarding accessibility, the SRA believes elevator issues and the installment and repair of automated doors should be seen as priority areas for maintenance.

The policy paper also affirms that “bad weather should not be a deterrent for students to access their education.”

Another concern addressed is the lack of air-conditioning in some residences. Currently, only five out of twelve residences have AC.

During warm weather, the heat poses a risk for students’ health, as many reported experiencing heat stroke symptoms during Welcome Week this past year.

The paper  recommends that all residences have AC and that Residence Life provide more fan rentals.

Another infrastructural problem is that buildings at McMaster are not as well maintained as they should be, creating a non-ideal learning environment for students.

For instance, many older buildings have broken seats and tables.

The policy paper also touches on insufficient and inefficient on-campus workspaces.

For instance, the university does not have enough group study facilities for its growing student population. Many such places are often full or completely booked.

These issues are planned to be resolved by introducing more compact book stacks to free up space.

Some on-campus spaces also lack reliable wifi.

The policy paper explains that the university is planning to create a self-reporting network tool for students to report “dead zones,” which can be fixed.

To ensure future buildings consider the needs of students, the SRA suggests that some MSU members sit on a design committee for the coming Peter George Centre residence.

 

“Student Engagement & Retention”

This policy paper highlights key issues regarding student engagement and retention, including student dropout rates and off-campus students’ engagement within individual faculties and services.

At McMaster, 10 per cent of first-year students do not continue onto pursue their degree. The policy paper notes that marginalized students are more likely to experience barriers to completing post-secondary education.

“[The] policy aims to utilize evidence-based research to identify gaps and targeted opportunities for particular focus groups of students, including first-year students, first-generation students, racialized and marginalized students and student groups, and commuter students,” reads part of the paper.

The MSU paper emphasizes that marginalized students should have “equitable access student success and satisfaction on campus” in response to structural barriers.

The policy paper makes several recommendations, such as the incorporation of prior-learning assessments for students who want them.

The paper also raises concerns regarding off-campus students’ engagement with respect to public transit, volunteering and community engagement.

“The MSU advocates for greater transparency and efforts by the university towards student engagement on campus and within the broader Hamilton community,” reads part of the paper.

According to the paper, commuter students face a higher risk of dropping out when they feel disengaged and disconnected from campus.

Commuter students may be restricted from developing social connections or a sense of belonging on campus.

The paper recommends creating a “centralized social hub” to address the disconnects faced by commuter students and the campus.

Additionally, the document advises the off-campus resource centre to work more to encourage campus opportunities to bolster social events while also increasing the number of resources for students who commute.

 

All of the policy papers be found in the “SRA documents” section of the MSU website.

 

[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]

Photos by

By Rob Hardy

The latest chapter in the decade long saga of Hamilton's road to building light rail transit has brought us to yet another mayoral election.  Endless dawdling over trivial minutiae prevented council from finalizing construction plans, giving opportunistic politicians a chance to win election votes from wary residents unsure of the project.  

First it was Doug Ford who campaigned provincially for city votes by promising to keep funding in Hamilton should council axe LRT, and now Victor Sgro is seeking municipal support to follow through on Ford's words.  Our current mayor, Fred Eisenberger, is determined to ride out this latest threat to Hamilton's LRT dreams and hopefully, finally, complete the last phase of planning so that shovels will indeed soon be in the ground.  

No one can blame you if over the course of years you have switched sides on this issue, perhaps more than once, given how long this tiring soap opera has dragged on.  After all, when decisions which have been voted on multiple times somehow repeatedly get challenged and second-guessed, it's inevitable that our community will become as unsure as its councillors.  Indeed, there are some who just want this issue settled once and for all, regardless.

But there are several things to consider as you weigh the pros and cons of who to vote for.  First of all, as of now all systems are a go for building LRT in Hamilton, as slow as things are going.  In the years since full funding was given to Hamilton, businesses have made contingency plans, residents have paid a premium to buy homes near a promised LRT line, while others have moved, and considerable investment has occurred because rapid transit was a factor.  Backing out now would be bewildering to stakeholders.

With LRT possibly shelved, we have to consider what would replace it.  Well, nothing. Sgro's plan, as per his campaign website, is to invest $300 million towards adding more buses, some of these being express routes to rural Hamilton locales where most residents have cars.  I'll leave it up to voters to decide if transit usage on the HSR is going to increase or become profitable based on merely updating and reshuffling bus routes.

Moreover, a vote for Sgro is not necessarily a vote to kill the LRT project.  The mayor can neither unilaterally save nor scrap the project. Council would still need to formally vote to back out, and given recent criticism against our provincial premier and his political conduct, it is plausible that city council might not find Ford's promise credible enough to depend on.  In other words, even those against LRT might prefer to stay with the current plan rather than gambling on vague alternatives.

If LRT were to actually get nixed, plans for a future BRT at some point would still be years away, as even the best case scenario would involve some more lengthy planning, and further back and forth squabbling, given this is Hamilton we are talking about.  This means that current HSR riders will remain trapped on the same and only transit system we have for the foreseeable future.

This also means that despite what Sgro's camp asserts, growth and investment in Hamilton would certainly be adversely affected.  For instance, there is a reason why downtown Toronto attracts millions of tourists a year, and a reason why Niagara Falls does the same.  It isn't a mystery why Hamilton, despite being an attractive, sizeable city halfway between the two, does not see the same brisk business.

One of the main debates regarding LRT cites the city's falling transit usage.  With a considerable portion of residents falling within a very low income bracket, it is a very curious thing to wonder why so many people find ways to avoid using the HSR.  A reasonable hypothesis is that what is being offered is so unappealing that massive upgrades are needed, and that buses alone aren't enough to attract a wider ridership.

Whether it is LRT or BRT, a subway or a sky train, Hamilton needs to revamp its image and infrastructure, and we can't afford to wait any longer.  Given that LRT is the option we've chosen, and the only one possible to begin implementing within the year, this is the project that will finally see Hamilton soaring to new heights.  

[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]         

Two buildings on the McMaster campus will soon be torn down to make way for a new one. The University recently announced that T28 and T29 will be replaced by a new “Living Learning Center.” The 359 000 square foot building will boast residence space, classrooms, underground parking, and will house certain student and hospitality services. The building will also be the new location for the daycare that was displaced when construction began on L.R. Wilson Hall.

Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett was excited to discuss the initiative. “There isn’t really a lot of space on campus to put up new buildings so we’re looking at this as an opportunity we have to take advantage of... I’m not sure we’ll have another chance like this in the foreseeable future,” he said.

The project has been allotted a $118 million budget and will be financed by the University. “Similar to how a household would take out a mortgage,” Van Koughnett explained.

The current proposal shows the building to be 12 storeys, eight of which will be residence floors. A total of 500 new suite style and traditional with washroom spaces will be available, which will significantly contribute to meeting the demand for more residence rooms. The remaining floors will hold large and small classrooms and student services, specifically the Student Wellness Center and Student Accessibility Services. The building will also include public space for students to relax and hold informal meetings.

Although the Student Wellness Center was renovated last winter, Van Koughnett expressed the desire to put these services in a more prominent and convenient location. The SWC was renovated to improve accessibility for students in wheelchairs and make reception areas more private so more students felt comfortable seeking help. “These were deficiencies that were important enough to address now and we determined that it shouldn’t wait four years… students entering first year this fall will be done before the building is projected to open,” Van Koughnett said.

While current students will have graduated by the time the Living Learning Center is slated to open in Fall 2019, Van Koughnett emphasized the importance of student involvement in the project, citing former MSU President Teddy Saul’s involvement on the design committee. Once an architect has been hired and details have been confirmed, he said “we definitely want [student] involvement on all aspects of the building.” He is hopeful that an architect will be hired over the course of the summer and that ground-breaking is anticipated within the next year.

Van Koughnett anticipates the Living Learning Center will be a successful and rewarding endeavor. He said, “I’m confident that if we get the right people involved, and we have a student voice that we’ll end up with something we’re really proud of.”

Site Selection Magazine in Atlanta reports that Hamilton generated the highest number of expansion projects during the past year that have drawn at least $1 million, created at least 50 new jobs, or made use of at least 20,000 square feet.

Analysts ranked cities based on new projects mostly in the private sector that would attract potential investors.

Norm Schleehahn, manager of business development at the City of Hamilton, says the university’s main contribution to Hamilton’s 2012 ranking is its new automotive resource centre (MARC) at McMaster Innovation Park (MIP).

The federal government has injected $11.5 million into the new facility, which will cover approximately 80,000 square feet of space in a former industrial warehouse across from the MIP Atrium.

For the most part, MARC will be a laboratory facility to accelerate research in the automotive sector, focusing on hybrid vehicles.

The project costs $26 million in total and is expected to employ 120 to 150 people.

McMaster’s downtown health campus, to open two years from now, will make the list of projects for 2013, Schleehahn said.

Nick Bontis, professor in the DeGroote School of Business, says the City is pushing forward with downtown renewal and McMaster faculty and students are leading the charge.

Bontis said facilities like MIP offer researchers a bridge between doing research in the lab and finding opportunities to commercialize ideas in the marketplace.

“That’s why McMaster University acts as an engine of growth for the manufacturing sector,” he said.

“We’re sitting on a large supply of potential commercialization projects,” he continued. “But we don’t have enough horsepower or capacity for faculty to both do the research and commercialize the research. That’s where we need the community to get involved.”

MIP, a $69 million off-campus facility used mainly for conferences, is in the midst of discussions with private developers to build a hotel at the park. Plans haven’t been finalized but the hotel would accommodate researchers, entrepreneurs and the general public.

In addition, the federal and provincial governments have invested heavily in the university’s health and engineering research facilities.

A grant announcement in early August revealed the province would provide $4.6 million for 14 projects in the research sector.

Over the past two years, McMaster has received $38.5 million through the Knowledge Infrastructure economic stimulus program for post-secondary infrastructure enhancements across Canada.

$22 million will help create new research space and stimulate increased production of medical and industrial isotopes at McMaster’s nuclear research facilities. The remaining funds will help build two new centres for cancer and spinal cord research.

“Hamilton has been a leader in the manufacturing industry but our economy is diversifying. There are a lot of businesses in the city that are thriving,” Schleehahn said.

He added that the city’s new status as an investment hotspot provides a reason for students to consider staying in Hamilton post-graduation.