[the dude]

the west harbour is a fantastic area and has nothing to do with our industrial east end. once it’s developed it’ll be the hottest bit of real estate in the region.

i always find it so perplexing that people actually want to see manufacturers close their doors. bring industry to an end and everything will be perfect…except for the masses of unemployed roaming the streets. you know, i’ve never been to a canadian city that didn’t have heavy industry. is toronto not an industrial city? of course it is. ever been to montreal? ever approached the city from the east or the west for that matter? it’s ugly but that doesn’t stop people from loving the city. we need to get over our aesthetic issues with heavy industry. we should be so lucky to have it remain a part of our lives.

as far as dofasco is concerned, it already provides specialized products and services that other steel companies do not. if they don’t survive then i don’t know who will. the pressures they’ll face will be related to the cost of fuel. if it can’t be done cheaply then it won’t happen at all. US steel hamilton currently employs approximately 1,500 people. i think their doors will close sooner rather than later. i really don’t think we’ll ever see those lands cleaned and cleared, though. far too costly.