Friday night,  three awards were presented at the Beverly Golf & Country Club to honour excellence and achievement in the community. Keynote Speaker was George Chuvalo, former Canadian Boxing Champion.  The Dundas division of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce congratulates the following individuals:

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR (Sponsored by RBC Royal Bank):  Tom Bontje

Tom Bontje, a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient, has positively impacted the lives within 73 agencies and 222,000 individuals through his commitment to United Way, Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas Historical Museum and the Dundas Arts Community Foundation.  He was instrumental in getting government funding to support those community arts organization in Dundas.  Tom has also been involved with Big Brothers and the Cancer Society along with coaching basketball and acting as a liaison in the St. Mary’s High School Rowing Team.

YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (Sponsored by Dundas Valley Collision Centre): Sydney Stenekes

Sydney Stenekes has a reputation of being one of the most capable and dependable students in Parkside High School.  She is head of the Parkside Ambassadors that greet visitors to the school during special events.  She is a member of Me to We and helped organize their Halloween for Hunger event.  She is a member of the Healthy Action Team which staged a campaign to promote positive mental health.  Sydney also volunteers during the Parents Night Out program at Rock Chapel United Church entertaining a large group of children while their parents get the night off.    Her above 90% average at school also shows she can successfully merge academia and volunteerism.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:  The Village Bakery

The Village Bakery is a full service, from scratch, just like mom used to make bakery.  Every product, created on site, from old family recipes.  They have a small seating area for light lunch and is a great place for the community to meet and relax.  Customer Service is paramount and keeps their customers loyal...in fact they have received a Tourism Award for it.  The community of Dundas wanted this business so much that when a devasting fire put the bakery out of commission, they raised the funds to assist them to re-open.

Bruce McCuaig, president and CEO of Metrolinx (pictured above), was in town this morning to kick off an engagement session to seek input on how to fund the Big Move - the visionary regional transportation plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).  Metrolinx has teamed up with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and its network of local chambers and boards of trade to host similar events throughout the region.  The Hamilton session, organized by the Hamilton Chamber and the Light Rail Transit Task Force, drew a cross section of community leaders from across our city, including Mayor Bob Bratina.  Attendees were asked to weigh in on a suite of potential revenue generating tools ranging from tolls and taxes to development charges and parking levies.  Richard Koroscil, interim president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber and a member of the Metrolinx board of directors, told the gathering that outputs from the session will be used to help inform the Hamilton Chamber's official position on the Big Move funding model expected to be announced this May.  To learn more, visit The Big Move.

CLICK HERE to listen to Mr. McCuaig's remarks.

Congestion costs us $6 billion in lost productivity. We all agree we need to invest in transportation infrastructure.The question on everyone's mind is: How are we going to pay for it?

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a discussion with Metrolinx on how to fund The Big Move.

This is your chance to provide input on how YOU think we should pay for transportation infrastructure in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

What revenue tools are on the table? What are the implications for your business and community?  You are invited to take part in an exclusive discussion with Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig, on April 24, 2013 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Liuna Station, 306 James Street North, Hamilton, L8E 5E9.  (Light Breakfast to be served)

This event is free to attend.

To Register contact Whitney at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 905-522-1151 ext. 100.