Building Hamilton’s future together
McMaster President Patrick Deane met with Hamilton City Council’s General Issues Committee Wednesday providing an update on the many city-building initiatives that are underway with the University.
Deane highlighted the most recent Hamilton university partnerships including the Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Project Centre (BEAM) at the McMaster Innovation Park, raising the City’s profile and McMaster research to international leaders at the Americas Competitiveness Exchange tour in October, and the new CityLab collaboration, which will bring city staff, faculty and students together to lead research in areas of interest and of need to the community.
He also talked about the importance of continuing to find new ways to retain University graduates in Hamilton.
“The City has done a great job in creating the type of community and lifestyle that attracts young talent,” Deane told the committee. “It’s fair to say that as more of our students discover everything Hamilton has to offer that their enthusiasm to work and live here increases.”
Deane also discussed the impact of McMaster’s downtown facilities city, including the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, One James North and The Forge entrepreneurial centre on James Street.
“I believe that our relationship continues to grow stronger and that together we’re being even more ambitious about what we can accomplish.”
Councillors had the chance to ask questions with many focussing on the success of current partnerships and the potential to find new ways for the City and the University to work together to help strengthen Hamilton. Mayor Fred Eisenberger commented that whenever he travels on city business, people know about McMaster and he wants to find ways to build on those connections to help diversify and expand Hamilton’s economy.
