General News
May 3, 2016
Don’t Miss the 2016 Bay Area Economic Summit!
Bay Area Economic Summit to Advance Regional Development
June 21 Leadership Gathering Will Feature Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne
HAMILTON April 27, 2016: The stage is set for the second Bay Area Economic Summit, a marquee leadership event devoted to promoting strategic cooperation between Hamilton and Burlington with a view to help advance regional economic development, prosperity and quality of life.
The summit — a joint initiative of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and Burlington Chamber of Commerce that is expected to draw a capacity gathering of 350 senior delegates — will take place at Royal Botanical Gardens on Tuesday June 21, 7:30 am-5:00 pm, followed by a leadership reception.
Honourary summit co-chairs, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring, will play key roles in the proceedings along with other elected and non-elected community builders.
Program highlights will include a keynote address by Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne. Prominent business leaders, including IBM Canada president Dino Trevisani, as well as influential economists, planners and academics, will be among the featured speakers.
One timely point of emphasis will be an update from the federal government on stimulus funding opportunities available to the Bay Area community.
The day will build on the momentum of last year’s inaugural intercity summit and the recommendations cited in a post-event discussion paper. It will also benefit from extensive ongoing consultations with key stakeholders.
“This year, we’ll focus on significant opportunities of mutual interest ranging from regional transportation and growth management to big data, workforce development and environmental stewardship,” said Keanin Loomis, president and CEO, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. “It’s all about responding to the needs of our stakeholders and building a bay area partnership required to strengthen teamwork, and attract talent and investment.”
The agenda, built around the tagline Leading Change in a Regional Age, will dive into three interrelated themes of interest to decision- and policy-makers on both sides of the bay and beyond:
- The evolving role of the Bay Area in a growing regional and international economy
- Strategies and tactics to position the Bay Area for long term success
- Priority planning and actions to drive collaborative change
“The Bay Area, anchored by Hamilton and Burlington, is a dynamic community with all the ingredients for exceptional performance in a modern economy that rewards innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration,” said Keith Hoey, president and CEO, Burlington Chamber of Commerce. “Now is the time to be more intentional in how we work together to unlock the area’s full potential.”
In addition to morning and noon hour plenary sessions that provide a platform for key messages and announcements, the agenda will include 12 interactive breakouts on topics ranging from regional superclusters and transformations in healthcare to waterfront development and mixed use transit hubs, to name a few.
The summit will wrap up with the release of a communique crafted by event leaders that outlines a commitment to key actions moving forward.
To register or learn more, visit www.bayareasummit.ca or contact Whitney Eames at w.eames@hamiltonchamber.ca or 905-522-1151 x 100.