Statement by Ross Godsoe & Tim Mattioli

The Ambitious City. Coined in the 1800s, this Hamilton moniker has resurfaced in the past few years and is an encouraging sign that our city is ready to boldly tackle the 21st century challenges it faces. Along with other deindustrializing cities in North America, Hamilton is discovering that success relies on a combination of factors: a diverse economy with job opportunities, quality housing and vibrant, livable neighbourhoods. First and foremost, a successful city must be one in which people want to live.

Hamilton is a city on the rise. We're attracting attention from all sectors and our economic development department has been busier than ever, but there is still much work to do. Our property taxes are high, our downtown is still in recovery and the city is still trying to move beyond its industrial past.

We need to be forward thinking in our plans for the future, and we believe that light rail is one of the best ways to achieve many of the city's goals. These include continued revitalization of the downtown core, intensification along main corridors, further economic development and a broadening of the tax base.

That's why in 2008, the REALTORS Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) took an official position in support of light rail. In the six years since, our position hasn't wavered. This is because, even in the early days, it was apparent to us that this is more than just a state-of-the-art transportation system, it is an investment in the future.

The City has been studying LRT since 2008, and study after study has concluded there will be a return on investment for the B-line. The City's own Rapid Ready report provides some very positive numbers, with the following financial benefits from LRT:

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