Due to its close proximity to both Toronto and Hamilton, the city of Burlington has been looked at by some as an area where people who commute for work can make their homes in a less expensive, less busy part of Ontario. Burlington's prime transportation network does at first blush seem to uphold this title; it is incredibly easy to commute from Burlington to any one of the many other more industrial cities around it. And you certainly will find many people who do commute to a job in Toronto or Hamilton from Burlington. But to label Burlington as simply a bedroom community is to overlook several major facts regarding the development of the city. Most telling, perhaps, is the growth of Burlington over the past decade. It is one of Canada's fastest growing areas, with large numbers of immigrants and young families locating to the upper middle class city which now numbers over 164,000 residents. The transportation infrastructure and the proximity of Burlington to major centres have indeed contributed to its growth, but not as solely a living area for workers there. In any city with a large population there is bound to be those who take advantage of the market and establish their own ventures there, and Burlington has become something of a hot spot for the young and innovative. The fact that Burlington is enviably located on in one of the most prosperous areas in the whole country (known as the Golden Horseshoe) means that it is a prime location for many diverse businesses. The two sectors that contribute most to Burlington's prosperity as well as to its rosy future economic prospects are the automotive industry and the financial industry. The Intelligent Community Forum recently recognized the city of Burlington as a Smart 21 Community. Both Evertz and UPS Supply Chains have touted Burlington's location and transportation access as major reasons for locating new hubs within the city, and Mars Metal has also chosen to take advantage of Burlington as an incredible gateway for exporting. Taking advantage of the same factors that appealed to people working in the Toronto area, Burlington has grown into much more than a bedroom community. It is a viable and thriving city unto itself, with opportunities for employment and business development in many different sectors
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