MEDIA RELEASE

INDUSTRY EDUCATION COUNCIL LAUNCHES PROGRAM TO CLOSE SKILLS GAP IN HAMILTON

HAMILTON, ON (Oct. 6, 2016) -- The Industry Education Council of Hamilton (IEC) is launching a new program to train youth for high-demand jobs with local manufacturers.

The Employer Skills Training Advantage to Employment (ESTATE) program was developed by IEC in direct response to the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development and the Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel.

Up to 48 high school graduates will be enrolled in the 28-week program at Mohawk College’s Stoney Creek campus starting in January 2017. Students will train for jobs in advanced manufacturing / computer numeric code (CNC) and mobile industrial / hydraulics. Registration is $350 with a $200 refund on successful completion of the program.

The ESTATE program is being delivered by IEC in partnership with Mohawk College, Mohawk College Enterprise, Express Employment Professionals, the City of Hamilton, the Government of Ontario and several local companies.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Growth has invested $627,500 in the ESTATE program with an additional $627,426 in in-kind services from participating community partners.For more on the ESTATE program, email estate@iechamilton.ca or call 905.529.4483 ext. 226.

QUOTES

“The ESTATE Program will support the Hamilton workforce by creating unique training and employment opportunities for our youth with local employers. This is an effective experiential learning program, made possible through the support of our strong educational and community mentors, who guide and shape the training.”

- Cesare Di Donato, Executive Director, IEC of Hamilton

“The funding support for the ESTATE Program from the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth is another vote of confidence in Hamilton by the Province, recognizing that we are doing great things here in our community. The work of the Blue Ribbon Task Force has provided relevant information to inform this project, which is one of several positive outcomes.” – Mayor Fred Eisenberger, City of Hamilton

“Closing the skills gap is a priority for Mohawk and our industry partners. We’re proud to be working with IEC on developing and delivering the curriculum for a program that will meet the workforce needs of employers and open up a world of opportunity for young people.” – Ron McKerlie, Mohawk College President and Chair of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development

“Fruitland Manufacturing recognizes the need to excite and engage students for the CNC machinist trade. We are committed to developing a strong relationship with all stakeholders of the ESTATE program with the intent to provide stable career employment opportunities.” - Chris White, President & COO, Fruitland Manufacturing

For more information, contact:

Cesare Di Donato, Industry Education Council of Hamilton Executive Director, Cesare.didonato@iechamilton.ca, 905.529.4483 ext. 225.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA INVESTING IN REGION’S FIRST DIGITAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ACCESS CENTRE AT MOHAWK

HAMILTON, ON (September 7, 2016) – Mohawk College is launching the region’s first Technology Access Centre for Digital Health to support innovation, adoption and commercialization of digital technology into the healthcare sector.

Filomena Tassi, Member of Parliament for Hamilton West – Ancaster – Dundas, today announced the Government of Canada’s $1.75 million investment over five years in Mohawk’s Technology Access Centre with a College and Community Innovation Program Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Set to open in January 2017, Mohawk’s Technology Access Centre in Digital Health will draw on the expertise of more than 30 faculty, staff and students working in the college’s award-winning mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC). The team will work with small and medium-size companies to design, build, test and implement digital health technologies and also deliver customized training.

Digital health uses informational technology and electronic communication tools, services and processes to deliver health care services in new ways.

QUOTES:

“I am thrilled to make this major funding announcement for Mohawk College today. This grant is proof that Mohawk is a college on the move. The funding will help Mohawk continue to build its dynamic presence as a leading Ontario centre for innovation in e-health and mobile health, as well as contribute to our economy by offering innovative opportunities to small and medium sized businesses in our region and around the province. I am so happy for the hard-working faculty, students and staff at Mohawk College." – MP Hamilton West – Ancaster – Dundas Filomena Tassi

“We are proud to invest in Canadian colleges and CÉGEPs that are at the forefront of applied research and technological innovation. This unique program supports R&D excellence and invests in the next generation of highly skilled innovators. By deepening interactions between the college community and businesses we’re helping local companies increase their R&D capacity, access new technologies and boost their competitiveness.” – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada President Dr. B. Mario Pinto

“The Government of Canada’s $1.75 million investment in the region’s first Technology Access Centre for Digital Health will allow Mohawk to share our wealth of expertise with even more college partners. Our team will help companies bring innovative digital health solutions into homes and hospitals, create new jobs, further develop the skills of our students and help build healthier communities.” – Mohawk College President Ron McKerlie

“Mohawk’s Technology Access Centre will bridge the gap between small and medium-size companies and our healthcare system. Our centre will give these companies full access to our talent, technology and our connections to more than 1,000 digital health professionals from around the world.” - Mohawk College Director of Digital Health Applied Research Duane Bender

FAST FACTS:

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada awarded $32.7 million in College and Community Innovation Program Grants to 32 applied research projects at colleges across Canada.

The Government of Canada has invested more than $4.3 million in Mohawk’s mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC).

Mohawk ranks among the top 20 colleges in Canada for applied research activity and has set a goal of being among the top 10 colleges within the next five years. Mohawk is recognized as a leader in applied research in digital health technology, additive manufacturing and energy.

MEDIC was established in 2007 and has worked with more than 60 private, public and non-profit sector partners in 10 countries. Partners include Canada Health Infoway, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, eHealth Ontario and PATH, an international health organization

MEDIC faculty and staff have educated approximately 700 Mohawk students through co-op work terms, capstone projects and classroom instruction.

MEDIC was a finalist for PwC’s (formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers) 2016 Vision to Reality Innovator of the Year Award and received a Canada Health Infoway  Standards Collaborative Team Peer Award in 2010.

Mohawk is a member of the Synapse Life Science Consortium, which includes St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, the City of Hamilton, Innovation Factory, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Bay Area Health Trust.

Hamilton’s health service and research sector is the city’s largest employer, with more than 1,350 healthcare, information technology, software and medical equipment and device manufacturers in the region.

CONTACTS:

Jay Robb, Mohawk College Director of Communications, 905.979.8893, jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

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Mohawk College educates and serves 30,000 full-time, part-time and apprenticeship students at three campuses in Hamilton, Ontario. Mohawk has been ranked number one in student satisfaction among all colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for six consecutive years and number one in graduate satisfaction for the past four years.

Mohawk finished first among all GTHA colleges for student satisfaction for the sixth consecutive year in the Government of Ontario’s annual Key Performance Indicator (KPI) survey results. Student satisfaction with the quality of Mohawk’s facilities and services also ranked highest among GTHA colleges.

Mohawk ranked first among GTHA colleges for graduate satisfaction and graduate employment rates for the fourth consecutive year.

Employers also gave Mohawk high marks, with 88.4 per cent reporting they are satisfied with the Mohawk graduates they’ve hired.

Mohawk’s KPI scores will be posted at www.mohawkcollege.ca/kpi.

The Government of Ontario and the province’s 24 colleges have collected annual performance data from students, apprenticeship students, graduates and employers since 1998. The latest KPI results were gathered by two independent research firms between March 2015 and February 2016.

QUOTE:

FAST FACTS:

KPI survey results for students:

• 91 per cent of students would recommend Mohawk to friends or family
• 94 per cent of apprenticeship students would recommend Mohawk to friends or family
• 79 per cent of students report being satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of Mohawk’s facilities
• 66.1 per cent of students report being satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of Mohawk’s services

KPI survey results for graduates

• 96 per cent of graduates would recommend Mohawk to friends or family
• 85.5 per cent graduate employment rate
• 81.3 per cent of graduates report being overall satisfied with Mohawk
• 89 per cent of graduates report being satisfied that Mohawk courses are up-to-date
• 84 per cent of graduates report being satisfied that Mohawk prepared them for the type of work they are doing.

Number one among GTHA colleges for employer satisfaction and number one among Ontario colleges for graduate employment are among the goals in Mohawk’s new strategic plan.

Mohawk College educates and serves 30,000 full-time, part-time and continuing education students from three campuses in Hamilton, Ontario. Mohawk has ranked first for student satisfaction among all colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for six consecutive years. Mohawk has also been named one of Canada’s greenest employers and one of the best employers in Hamilton and Niagara.

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For more information, contact:

Jay Robb, Director of Communications, 905.979.8893, jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

Hamilton, ON (April 4, 2016)

Completed on time and on budget, the new transit terminal at the Fennell campus will improve commutes for Mohawk College students, faculty, staff and Mountain residents. The terminal also supports Mohawk’s efforts to create a more pedestrian-friendly campus.

The Ontario government has invested $3.3 million, through Metrolinx, to help Mohawk College build the new transit terminal. Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in the province’s history — more than $134 billion over 10 years, which is making 110,000 jobs possible every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.

QUOTES:

QUICK FACTS:

More than 4,100 students, faculty and staff ride the HSR daily to and from Mohawk’s Fennell campus.

Construction on the Mohawk College Terminal began in September 2015.

The City of Hamilton received approximately $32.8 million in Metrolinx Quick Win funds through the 2008 Ontario Budget to be used for municipal capital expenditures for transit vehicles, infrastructure to support B-Line Improvements (King-Main corridor) and A-Line Improvements (James-Upper James Corridor), and James Street North Station improvements.

The Mohawk College Terminal services the HSR’s A-Line Express, Upper Kenilworth, Sanatorium and College bus routes and features outdoor heated shelters.

More than $90 million has been invested in new construction and major renovations at the Fennell campus for the direct benefit of students.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jay Robb

Mohawk College Director of Communications

jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

905.979.8893

Patrick Searle

Minister Del Duca’s Office

Patrick.Searle@ontario.ca

Kelly Anderson

City of Hamilton

Kelly.Anderson@hamilton.ca

905-973-4230

In case you missed it: Episode 21

Got a story idea? Pitch it to us. Email sean.coffey@mohawkcollege.ca or jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca in Communications.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlvfiD9u-sM])

• Route 34- Upper Paradise/Queen, will detour to use the James Street Hill while the Queen Hill is closed. Route 34 will serve the stops at West 5^th and Fennell for the duration of the detour.


• During periods of high congestion on the James Hill, southbound bus routes 20, 21, 33 and 35 may detour using the Jolley Cut to avoid delays. All local stops will be served.

• The Dundurn stairs will remain open for the majority of the project. Closures will be posted in advance.


• The Bruce Trail access to the Lower City is rerouted to the James stairs.

• To avoid delays, the City of Hamilton advises motorists to use the Claremont Access or the Jolley Cut to access the College, via Fennell Avenue.

Next week is Smart Commute Week at Mohawk.

From Monday, Sept. 17 to Friday, Sept. 21 everyone at
Mohawk is encouraged to use a sustainable mode of transportation for their
daily commute to and from campus. Ride your bike, take the bus, carpool, or
walk to Mohawk and you’ll be eligible for some great prizes, including a trip
to Montreal.

Each day will feature a different
Grand Prize related to Mohawk’s transportation theme of the day. There will
also be daily giveaways including free coffee vouchers, fresh local fruit,
wrist bands, and informational pamphlets, as well as some additional prizes
courtesy of Smart Commute Hamilton.

Smart Commute Week Events at Mohawk:

Tuesday, Sept. 18 – Carpool to Mohawk Day

Carpool to Mohawk, take a picture of
you and a friend carpooling, and register on carpoolzone.ca for the chance to
win!

Grand Prize: 1-Semester carpool
parking permit

Wednesday Sept. 19 – Cycle to Mohawk Day

Ride your bike to campus and stop by
our booth with your helmet for the chance to win

Grand Prize: $200 Mountain Equipment
Co-op gift card

Thursday, Sept. 20 – Totally Transit Thursday

Take the HSR to Mohawk and bring a
bus transfer to the Sustainability Office booth to be eligible for the grand
prize!

Grand Prize: $150 Grey Hound Bus
gift card

Contact alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca
if you have any questions. 

The Convocation Keynotes are also available on YouTube (see list at bottom of page). 

Click on a link below to view the corresponding Convocation ceremony.

Mohawk College Brantford

Convocation 2012 (Post Secondary and Apprenticeships)

Mohawk College School of Business

Morning Convocation 2012

Afternoon Convocation 2012

Mohawk College School of Engineering Technology

Morning Convocation 2012

Afternoon Convocation 2012

Mohawk College School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeships

Convocation 2012

Mohawk College School of Community and Urban Studies

Morning Convocation 2012

Afternoon Convocation 2012

Evening Convocation 2012

Mohawk College School of Media and Entertainment

Convocation 2012

Convocation 2012 Keynotes:

Rob MacIsaac, President Mohawk College

Blair McKeil, Chairman & CEO, McKeil Marine - Mohawk College Fellowship and Honourary Business Administration Diploma Recipient

Tammy Plummer, Alumnus, School of Community and Urban Studies

Mary Long, Alumnus, School of Community and Urban Studies

Len Potts, Alumnus, School of Health Sciences

Joanne VanDongen, Alumnus, School of Community and Urban Studies

Fred Eisenberger, Alumnus, School of Engineering Technology

Derrick LaRiviere, Alumnus, School of Engineering Technology

Andy Ross, Alumnus, School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeships

Allan Giacomelli, Alumnus, School of Media and Entertainment

A total of 339 Mohawk students, faculty and staff signed up for the annual Clean Air Commute week with 208 reporting at least one active or alternative commute. Overall, Mohawk participants prevented the release of more than 1.68 MT of carbon emissions during the week.

Everyone who logged at least one commute were entered into this year’s bike draw that included a new Raleigh Cyclone mountain bike. This year's winner was Mohawk student Daniel Heersink (pictured right). All other prizes are administered by Pollution Probe. Participants will be notified via email if they are the lucky winner of one of those prizes. 

Simply register here  for your chance to win one of the following prizes:

• VIA Rail trip for 2 to Quebec City,  


• Weekend Getaway to St. Catharines,


• $100 Gift Certificate to Mountain Equipment Co-op

Stop by the main entrance of the C-Wing between 8 a.m. and 11a .m. on May 28, check in to receive your thank you gift and light breakfast refreshment provided by the Sustainability Office.

If you haven’t cycled to work or school yet, this is a great opportunity to start. Grab your bike and try an active, convenient, and cost-effective commute that is fun!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact: alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca or visit http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/environmental-sustainability/transportation.html for more details.

Stop by the main entrance of the C-Wing between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to register and receive your thank you gift for cycling in. The Sustainability Office will be holding a draw for a $100 gift certificate to Mountain Equipment Co-op for one lucky cyclist.

Register now for Bike to Work Day on May 28^th at:  www.smartcommutehamilton.ca

If you haven’t cycled to work yet, this is a great opportunity to start. Grab your bike and try an active, convenient, and cost-effective commute that is fun!

Get Connected:   

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca

Joseph Cinq-Mars (left) won the gold medal in the Industrial Mechanic / Millwright competition at the Canadian National Skills Competition in Edmonton, Alberta this week. A graduate of Mohawk's Industrial Millwright Mechanic Program, Joseph competed at the national skills competition after winning the gold medal at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition earlier this month.

Technological skills competitions are Olympic-style events that give newcomers to skilled trades the opportunity to put their newly developed skills to the test. At the Ontario Skills Competition, Joseph, 21, competed in four events, including a lathe project, a gearbox inspection, a coupling alignment and completing a pneumatic circuit. He won gold in that event which qualified him for the National Skills Competition in Edmonton where he went up against gold medal winners from every other province and territory. Similar to Ontario Skills Competition, Joseph has to complete a series of projects including the complete assembly of a work station to precise specifications and side projects such as pneumatic circuits, welding and lathe work.

A native of Cayuga, Ontario, Joseph is making preparations to move to Norman Wells, North West Territories to start a job with Imperial Oil. 

Bike for Mike

Proceeds from this year’s Mike Ride will support the Mike’s Bikes initiative, which aims to ensure that every child in Hamilton can have a bike.

This Sunday, May 6 is the 2^nd annual Mike Ride at Hamilton’s beautiful Bayfront Park. Choose from 3 different routes to suit your level of cycling experience (all routes begin and end at Bayfront Park), and stick around after the ride for refreshments, live music and a community cycling expo!

Register, contribute or learn more at www.bikeformike.org

Mohawk will host the 54-hour event which focuses on helping entrepreneurs connect with like-minded people to turn concepts into reality.

Geared towards software developers, graphic designers and business people, Startup Weekend was founded by a global network of leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate and motivate others. People come to the event to share ideas, form teams and launch startup companies.

Startup Weekend Hamilton2 has been organized by Hamilton Regional Innovation Centre, the Innovation Factory and Software Hamilton. For this year's event, Startup Weekend Hamilton has partnered with other local innovation centres from Halton and Niagara to attract participants from those communities.

The first Startup Hamilton weekend was held last October and attracted a large crowd of designers, developers, students and business people. This year's event will be held in the Collaboratory at Mohawk College's Fennell Campus.

Tickets are $99 per person or $49 for students. For more information or to register visit the Startup Hamilton website.

May we suggest:

Follow on Twitter: @StartupWeekend

Find it on Facebook: Startup Weekend Hamilton

Discuss it on Linked In: Startup Weekend Hamilton

Visit the global Startup Weekend site: Startupweekend.org

Created by Hamilton's Innovation Factory, the Factory Floor offers users access to a "hot desk" and meeting space that can be reserved on a daily, weekly or occasional basis for a monthly fee  ($60/month part time, $150/month full time). There's also free WiFi, coffee, a copier and other office necessities available to you.  

Interested? The Factory Floor is holding open houses every Wednesday thoughout the month of May. Drop by between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. or come early for a free lunch and learn (registration required). You can also book an individual tour by contacting the Innovation Factory.

Visit the website for complete details and photos of the space. The McMaster Innovation Park is located at 175 Longwood Road South. The Factory Floor is in Suite 305A.

Be a part of the journey. Rick Hansen's 25th Anniversary Relay will make its way through Hamilton on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 12 and the morning of Sunday, Nov. 13.

It's been 25 years since the Man in Motion's historic cross-Canada journey inspired millions to make the world more accessible and inclusive. The 25th Anniversary Relay, which began on August 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, Newfoundland will make its way across Canada ending in Vancouver on May 22, 2012. Along the way, the Relay will travel through more than 600 communities and log more than 12,000 kilometres.

This time around, it's not Rick but 7,000 Medal-Bearers who have taken up the challenge to wheel, run, walk or bike along stretches of highway and roads all across the country to complete the Relay. Each Medal-Bearer will carry the single Rick Hansen Medal that was produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Mohawk's Fennell Campus will serve as the end of day celebration stop for Greater Hamilton during the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay. The festivities will get underway at 3 p.m. and continue to 5:30 p.m. on the 12th. The Relay will depart from the College on Sunday.

Citizenship Week is an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the values that make Canada great. Last year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada held 1,723 swearing-in ceremonies across Canada, and welcomed 143,545 newcomers.

Today's ceremony at the College was the last step in a journey that involved years of transition, and in some cases, extreme hardship.

Mohawk hosts two citienship ceremonies a year and was the first college in the province to become a chapter of the Institute of Canadian Citizenship. The Institute is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to engaging Canadians about citizenship. It was founded and is co-chaired by the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson (a former Governor General of Canada) and John Ralston Saul.

Agencies Attending:

Robert Land Community Association

Neighbour to Neighbour

Habitat for Humanity

Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton

VON-Hamilton/Niagara

Walk Smart

Homestead Christian Care

Hamilton & District Extend-A-Family

Scouts Canada

Green Venture

Earth Day- Hamilton/Burlington

St. Joseph’s Healthcare

Canadian Blood Services

Brain Injury Services

Friends in Grief

Canadian Red Cross

The Brant Centre, Long Term Care (LTC)

Continuing Education: NFP Studies-Mohawk College

Special Olympics Ontario

SACHA: Sexual Assault Centre

The Print Studio

The Hamilton LGBTQ Community Wellness Centre

Volunteer Hamilton

The Aids Network

Hamilton for Steel

City Kidz

Big Brothers and Big Sisters: Hamilton & Burlington District

Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

Mohawk College: Peer Tutoring

gritLIT, Hamilton’s very own literary festival, starts Thursday. Below is a summary of some of the exciting events planned for this year's festival. iPhone users don't forget to download the gritLIT app from iTunes. The app is your mobile connection to festival events.

Thursday, April 7: Evening of poetry at the Art Gallery o f Hamilton featuring local award-winning poet Gary Barwin and multi-award winners Karen Solie and Evelyn Lau.

Friday, April 8: Some Cole for a Winters’ Night, featuring local luminary Trevor Cole and both Kathleen Winter and Michael Winter reading from their most recent, critically-acclaimed novels.

Saturday, April 9: Afternoon non-fiction panel on Diversity and Tolerance, built around The Jew Is Not My Enemy by Tarek Fatah and Wayde Compton’s After Canaan, is guaranteed to spark some lively discussion. On Saturday evening it's a blend of the comic writings of acclaimed author Drew Hayden Taylor and the stand-up comedy of CBC Radio personality Jonathan Goldstein in Live from the Westside, It’s Saturday Night.

Saturday, April 9: Workshop at Mohawk College: How to Write Funny with Drew Hayden Taylor.Join multi-award winning playwright, novelist, comedian and journalist Drew Hayden Taylor as he discusses the how-to and why of incorporating humour in your writing.

Saturday, April 9: Workshop at Mohawk College: Telling Details with Erin Bow. CBC Literary Award Winner Erin Bow leads a hands-on workshop designed to show writers how to choose the best descriptive details for your characters, settings, etc.

Sunday, April 10: More poetry readings featuring some of the most exciting up-and-coming voices in Canadian Literature – Alexander MacLeod, Zoe Whittall and Alison Pick to name a few.

Complete festival schedules and locations can be found on the Festival's website: www.gritlit.ca.

Tickets for individual events will be available at the door ($10 for evening events, $5 for afternoon, with 20% discounts for Students/Seniors/Underemployed) and Festival Passes ($25) are available at Bryan Prince Bookseller in Westdale and at Mixed Media on James Street North. Please contact gritLIT if you have any other inquiries.

gritLIT was established in November, 2004, by Hamilton writer and Mohawk College professor Krista Foss. It started as a small, intimate festival, with readings taking place in the Staircase Theatre. Over the past seven years, gritLIT has evolved into a larger-scale and wider-reaching endeavor. It has spread out to encompass a number of venues including the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Workers' Arts and Heritage Centre, the Sky Dragon Centre, the Westside Concert Theatre, and, in previous years, the Dowtown Arts Centre and the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts.  

gritLIT, Hamilton’s very own literary festival, is just a few weeks away. Below is a summary of some of the exciting events planned for this year.

Thursday, April 7: Evening of poetry at the Art Gallery o f Hamilton featuring local award-winning poet Gary Barwin and multi-award winners Karen Solie and Evelyn Lau.

Friday, April 8: Some Cole for a Winters’ Night, featuring local luminary Trevor Cole and both Kathleen Winter and Michael Winter reading from their most recent, critically-acclaimed novels.

Saturday, April 9: Afternoon non-fiction panel on Diversity and Tolerance, built around The Jew Is Not My Enemy by Tarek Fatah and Wayde Compton’s After Canaan, is guaranteed to spark some lively discussion. On Saturday evening it's a blend of the comic writings of acclaimed author Drew Hayden Taylor and the stand-up comedy of CBC Radio personality Jonathan Goldstein in Live from the Westside, It’s Saturday Night.

Saturday, April 9: Workshop at Mohawk College: How to Write Funny with Drew Hayden Taylor.Join multi-award winning playwright, novelist, comedian and journalist Drew Hayden Taylor as he discusses the how-to and why of incorporating humour in your writing.

Saturday, April 9: Workshop at Mohawk College: Telling Details with Erin Bow. CBC Literary Award Winner Erin Bow leads a hands-on workshop designed to show writers how to choose the best descriptive details for your characters, settings, etc.

Sunday, April 10: More poetry readings featuring some of the most exciting up-and-coming voices in Canadian Literature – Alexander MacLeod, Zoe Whittall and Alison Pick to name a few.

Complete festival schedules and locations can be found on the Festival's website: www.gritlit.ca.

Tickets for individual events will be available at the door ($10 for evening events, $5 for afternoon, with 20% discounts for Students/Seniors/Underemployed) and Festival Passes ($25) are available at Bryan Prince Bookseller in Westdale and at Mixed Media on James Street North. Please contact gritLIT if you have any other inquiries.

gritLIT was established in November, 2004, by Hamilton writer and Mohawk College professor Krista Foss. It started as a small, intimate festival, with readings taking place in the Staircase Theatre. Over the past seven years, gritLIT has evolved into a larger-scale and wider-reaching endeavor. It has spread out to encompass a number of venues including the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Workers' Arts and Heritage Centre, the Sky Dragon Centre, the Westside Concert Theatre, and, in previous years, the Dowtown Arts Centre and the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts.