What Jobs?

The consultants’ report released in mid-May on the airport employment growth district states: “it is anticipated that a large percentage share of the future employment growth in this area will be dominated by land extensive, low-density employment in the warehousing/transportation and wholesale trade sectors”.

It calculates these sectors will provide “approximately 41% of total employment growth” around the airport, but that it will eat up nearly 70 percent of the land area. And that may be underestimated.

The job densities used to calculate Hamilton’s industrial land needs were subjected to a peer review. It concluded that the projected densities are likely 20 percent too high, but city staff have rejected this conclusion because it would force higher densities on new residential subdivisions since the province is requiring an average minimum density on all greenfield development.

The next largest aerotropolis employee group is forecast to be “accommodation and food services” with 10 percent of the new workforce. On manufacturing the report has this to say: “Over the forecast period, it is likely that the overall rate of employment growth in the manufacturing sector will be minimal.”

These forecasts of job types don’t seem to offer anything to cheer about, but perhaps explain why the consultants argue that the lands around the airport are such a good place to build Hamilton’s main economic engine – “the proximity of the 403, the new highway 6 extension, and the airport.”