[Jon Dalton]

I will attempt to answer this why at least on a psychological level. The small contingent of Hamilton residents who take interest in our city's built form are people who value traditional urban design. We see the downtown core as the centre of our universe and the place of highest social and economic importance. It follows that it should be full of services, amenities, places of employment, and all types of people. I don't mean to speak for anyone else here, but I'm sure many will agree.

Being part of Toronto's metro positions us as not the centre of our own jurisdiction, but the most far flung suburb of another. This renders our own central business district at best a satellite downtown of Toronto's, like Mississauga City Centre.

In reality I suppose it doesn't matter much as the gravitational pull of Toronto has and will have its effect regardless. Many of our residents commute there leaving our own downtown emptier. We're the last stop of their transportation network, whereas 100 years ago we were the centre of our own. You just can't fight demographics.