Our Vision and Commitment

The Hamilton Community Benefits Network envisions Hamilton as an inclusive, thriving city in which all residents have equitable opportunities to contribute to building healthy communities and a prospering economy. Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) are a proven approach to achieve this vision.​

​A CBA will help ensure that a skilled workforce is ready and available for the completion of private and public infrastructure projects by tapping into the capacity of Hamilton’s diverse communities. A CBA will contribute to the establishment of a shared framework for workforce development that ties together community based organizations, governments, colleges, training agencies, local unions, professional societies and subcontractors involved in the trades, professions, and ancillary industries. By contributing to the capacity of the training and workforce development system to work in a coordinated and collaborative manner today, a CBA will foster a long term commitment to workforce development through existing training delivery agencies and union training programs.

Accessible transit is critical for the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of our city today and into the future. Transit and other infrastructure projects are engines for neighbourhood and environmental improvements.
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The expansion of infrastructure that is envisioned for Hamilton will result in opportunities for good jobs in construction and operations. It is crucial that all Hamiltonians have access to economic opportunities stemming from infrastructure investments.

A Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) will initially develop, resource and implement an economic inclusion strategy to ensure that the diversity of the workers on the LRT project reflects the diversity of the residents of Hamilton.

Working in tandem with community-based organizations, labour and other partners, a CBA will implement specific strategies, including targets that expand opportunities among historically disadvantaged communities and equity seeking groups.

Outreach strategies will be an important part of reaching groups which include: residents in low income neighbourhoods, including Neighbourhood Improvement Areas; urban Indigenous populations; racialized and marginalized communities; people with disabilities as well as youth and women who are disadvantaged.
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As a community network, we initially commit to working in an ongoing partnership with Metrolinx and all other partners on a Community Benefit Agreement that will advance our vision for an inclusive, accountable and thriving City where everyone has a safe, clean, and affordable places to live, work, learn and play.

Community Benefit Agreements

​A CBA is founded on a shared, legally binding commitment between government, the contracting firm and community to build and complete public infrastructure projects through an effective, efficient, transparent, fair and inclusive process that supports good jobs and prevailing industry standards.
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The initial focus of applying the Community Benefit Agreement model is around transit expansion in Hamilton. The HCBN will be entering into negotiations with Metrolinx for a CBA on the Hamilton LRT Project which will begin later in 2018-2019. The HCBN is committed to negotiating a Community Benefit Framework, under which there is a legally binding  ​agreement for a Community Benefit plan between the government (Metrolinx) and the successful contractors, and sub contractors being selected through the Infrastructure Ontario, Metrolinx, and the City of Hamilton RFQ/RFP process for the complete execution of the Hamilton LRT Infrastructure Project and operation and maintenance of LRT system.

​The Framework provides a process to which the HCBN can hold the four parties accountable (IO, Metrolinx, City of Hamilton & Project Co/Subs) to the Community Benefit plan. The HCBN remains committed to developing three-way legally binding Community Benefit Agreements in Ontario. 

Objectives

1. Provide equitable economic opportunities that promote economic inclusion through apprenticeships

Apprenticeships in the construction industry create both long term careers and short-term jobs for Hamilton communities. As entry level jobs they offer opportunities to people who are beginning their careers.

Specific measures should include, but not be limited to:

• Specific targets and timetables in: pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs;
• Initiatives that enhance career awareness in construction trades for local residents and communities in Hamilton;
• An inclusive training to employment strategy within workplaces.

2. Contribute to the integration of skilled marginalized population into Professional, Administrative and Technical jobs

Professional, Administrative and Technical (PAT) job categories are part of every major construction project and Transit System. Many newcomers to Canada have much needed and valued skills, but may lack professional networks to find jobs in their field. The HCBN will work with workforce development agencies to match skilled workers into PAT jobs.

Specific measures should include, but not be limited to:

• Resourcing the development of a shared framework of community organizations and workforce development agencies geared to infrastructure opportunities;
• Initiatives that enhance PAT job awareness for local residents in the communities along the transit lines and across the City;
• Recruitment, training and employment opportunities connected with the Infrastructure projects must start with engineering and design work and include ancillary roles, in addition to ongoing access to jobs in maintenance and operations.

3. Support social enterprises and other related vehicles to economic inclusion through commitments to social procurement

Social enterprises are businesses that are directly involved in the production and/or selling of goods, services and training for the blended purpose of generating income and achieving social, cultural, and/or environmental aims. A CBA will be integral in fostering the establishment and successful growth of social enterprises affiliated with the infrastructure project.

Specific measures should include, but not be limited to:

• Social procurement policies that enable social enterprises to deliver construction, catering, printing, security and post construction services and/or recruitment and training delivery, plus other services;
• Social procurement practices that encourage staging contracts so that smaller businesses can have access to tendering opportunities;
• Work with the Social Enterprise sector to ensure that social enterprise companies can opt in to Metrolinx related contract opportunities if they wish.

4. Contribute to neighbourhood and environment improvements through building new infrastructure

Most residents will experience long-term benefits, thanks to physical improvements and street beautification as a result of new infrastructure, affordable housing, access to more transit options and diversification of local economies. All expropriated/reclaimed properties along the Hamilton LRT route, allow for new opportunities and solutions between stakeholders working in partnerships with Metrolinx, Project Co, City of Hamilton and the HCBN, for a made in Hamilton commitment to address affordable housing shortages stemming from the increased commercial and residential redevelopment along the Hamilton LRT corridor.

Specific measures should include, but not be limited to:

• Where several properties are being expropriated along the Hamilton LRT route, there needs to be a plan to re-invest a portion of these properties or their value, back into affordable housing stock, to help and assist many of the previous residences, who have been displaced due to the sharp increases of property value along the LRT Corridor;
• The Hamilton LRT Project and Hamilton LRT Infrastructure will be built to a high environmental standard, and include accessible indoor and outdoor spaces for riders, and community to use along the LRT Corridor;
• The CBA will commit parties to work with appropriate levels of government to mitigate gentrification along the transit lines, and to develop a sustainable funding model, which secures long term funding for affordable housing through ridership fees, development fees or a prorated profit sharing agreement with Metrolinx, and Project Co. regarding the long term operations.

5. Ensure clear commitments and accountability from all parties to deliver to the CBA

HCBN will work with key stakeholders to finalize a strategy for operationalizing CBAs. It will be built on the shared commitment by all parties to achieve the objectives of the CBA within the context of successfully delivering on Metrolinx project deliverables. The CBA will define the specific roles and responsibilities of Agencies, Contractors and its Subcontractors, labour/trades, and other key stakeholders in the Agreement.

Specific measures should include, but not be limited to:

• An open and public monitoring process to be carried out by the Hamilton Community Benefits Network and Metrolinx or neutral third party;
• Details of how and when signatory partners will be evaluated;
• Assignment of a lead person who will be responsible for the implementation of the CBA with each of the main project stakeholders;
• A resource strategy that enables the Agreement’s five objectives to be achieved.