08 May Walkable Neighbourhoods Attract Creative Jobs in Hamilton

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce released a report today entitled Walkability and Economic Development: How Pedestrian and Transit-oriented Environments attract Creative Jobs in Hamilton.

Building on a recommendation from last year’s Hamilton Economic Summit, the Chamber commissioned the Centre for Community Study (CCS) to look at links between walkability, transit accessibility and creative industries in the City of Hamilton. As one of six sectors found within the City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Strategy, creative industries represent a newer sector that is important for the city to continue to diversify and grow the local economy. In 2011, creative industries in the downtown grew by almost 20 percent from 2010, the largest growth of any sector tracked. 

The Walkability and Economic Development report shows that the neighbourhoods in Hamilton that rank higher in walkability and transit accessibility have significantly higher concentrations of creative jobs across the city. Particular clusters of note include the neighbourhoods in and around downtown Hamilton (Central, Beasley, Durand, Corktown), the south-west (Strathcona, and Kirkendall North), as well as downtown Dundas. 

 This research supports the Chamber’s policy theme of growing Hamilton’s economy through green infrastructure and is an important first step at investigating how new business growth and job creation in Hamilton is linked to key Quality of Life (QOL) indicators like walkability and transit access.