Raise the Hammer

A very nice suggestion indeed Ryan! However, I believe the contracts being referred to above may be with Bombardier.

Nonetheless, offering ideas, strategic expertise, assistance and incentives to RETOOL the existing infrastructure of industries that have lost markets; or are compelled to move out of Hamilton on account of a better business environment - is a very critical and proactive stance, which can prevent our local economy from hitting bumps frequently.

Our EcDev office needs to pursue this approach promptly - before the Siemens plant is stripped of life and the property turns into yet another brownfield site for sale.

In order to foresee and plan for all worse case scenarios and eventualities, our city needs to develop strategic business intelligence of the morphing markets and business conditions of our existing local industrial manufacturers.

We have emergency preparedness plans for most natural and man-made disasters and calamities - yet we fail to prepare and actively manage an emergency plan for our more basic economic disasters.

A Plan B needs to be developed and kept ready for all our industrial companies and many core assets - which are crucial to the economic wellbeing and identity of our city and region.

In the case of Siemens, if we had our radars on, we could have compelled Siemens ahead of its move, to segue into a direction that we as a community desire to see our city go in.

Siemens has a highly diverse set of businesses, any one of which if co-located per plan B - in Hamilton, would have ushered in economic prosperity in the Barton street neighborhood.

An effective Plan B, would have seen a smooth transition from their present turbine manufacturing business to something like -- The Siemens Building Technologies - ReNew Hamilton Works.

Given our need to launch green industries, Siemens could become a strategic partner in not only retooling its industrial base locally, but also playing a very critical role in retooling Hamilton's economy itself for the coming generation.

Siemens Building Technologies, Ltd. which is presently headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, is one of the family of Siemens Canada operating companies. SBT is a leading single-source provider of cost-effective facility performance solutions for the comfort, life safety, and security of some of the most technically advanced buildings in the world. In Canada, SBT employs 700 people and provides local service from coast to coast.

It may still not be too late for Hamilton's Economic Development department to quickly approach Siemens / SBT, with a strong proposition to collaborate with the City in developing the basis for Green industries in Hamilton.