The region is definitely changing gears in business and politics this year. Photo credit: © CanStockPhoto /iqoncept

2019: “A Change Would Do You Good” Windsor Essex!

As a new year begins, there’s renewed optimism across the Windsor Essex region with new Mayors and Councillors bringing fresh ideas to the table, while business owners are confidently expanding and seeking new customers.

The title of this cover story quotes a song recorded and written by Sheryl Crowe (along with co-writers), and for many, change means hope for improvements and a better tomorrow. Change is nothing to be scared of either, in fact, for Windsor Essex, it seems to point towards exciting times for the coming year.

Commercial growth across the region is a strong indication that business owners believe consumer confidence will be a major economic factor throughout 2019.

Beyond municipal politics and business expansion, there’s a new President and Chief Executive Officer at the head of the Windsor Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce with Rakesh Naidu taking over from interim President and CEO Janice Forsyth.

There are changes on the downtown business scene as well, with a new slate of officers sitting on the board of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association, where a new Chairman will take over from long time downtown booster Larry Horwitz.

The new board will meet January 24 at which time a new Chairman is set to be selected by a board, which consists of seven new members.

There are also changes at a number of small, but well-established, businesses with Property Mom joining forces with eXp Realty, a cloud-based real estate company; Marica Soleski taking over from veteran Colleen Hurst as head of PROSTAFF Employment Solutions and Eddy Hammoud opening a second Eddy’s Mediterranean Bistro on Lesperance Road in Tecumseh.

For retail, things are looking up over at Tecumseh Mall with some new big retail shops, as well Devonshire Mall has already undergone extensive renovations and updates last year with a new food court and Mandarin Restaurant on site.

On the political front across the county, there’s a new Mayor in Leamington where Hilda MacDonald unseated incumbent John Paterson.

Retirements created openings for new Mayors in the nearby towns and municipalities where in Essex Larry Snively replaces Ron McDermott; in LaSalle Marc Bondy replaces Ken Antaya and on Pelee Island where Raymond Durocher takes over from Rick Masse.

It’s a time for change and renewal as a new year begins and what follows is just a small compilation of what Biz Xmagazine readers can expect to experience over the next 12 months and beyond.

Rookies Looking To Make A Mark

The landscape of Windsor City Council changed dramatically in November 2018 when four new councillors were elected — Fabio Costante (Ward 2); Gary Kaschak (Ward 8); Kieran McKenzie (Ward 9) and Jim Morrison (Ward 10).

All four face a steep learning curve when it comes to building a partnership with fellow members of council and working with administration to see their individual priorities come to fruition.

For McKenzie (see photo on front cover of this issue), it’s mostly about infrastructure in his ward where pedestrian crosswalks, a nature-focused community centre and a library adjacent to Devonwood Conservation Area are high on his constituents’ list of priorities.

“A crosswalk on Calderwood Avenue near Woodward Boulevard has been recommended by administration and it will be dealt with during the budget process,” explains McKenzie. “The other at Caron Avenue and Cabana Road has not been recommended, but I believe it’s just as important.”

Devonwood, indicates McKenzie, is a gem in the middle of the city, off Division Road and while it’s on protected land, he believes there is ample adjacent land to accommodate a community centre and library, both a first for Ward 9.

For Costante, the major issues on the west side range from property standards, rodent control and infrastructure to funding a community centre and ensuring that community benefits flow in a timely fashion from the international consortium building the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

“And as far as the Ambassador Bridge project is concerned, we need to ensure that all conditions are met before construction even begins,” states Costante. “I refer to these projects as 100 year bridges and we have one chance to get it right.”

Costante adds, “They will have a major impact on the west side, in particular Sandwich, and the residents need to be protected from negative impacts wherever possible.”

Meanwhile, Ward 8’s Kaschak — who had run for council twice before — is banking on being able to deliver a community centre for his constituents, as well as dealing with homelessness, addiction and crime, which all go beyond the borders of his ward.

Morrison, who also ran for council four years ago, believes it’s time to focus on infrastructure across the city, even at the cost of big-ticket items such as a new central library.

In his ward, traffic congestion at Dominion Boulevard and Northwood Street is a major issue given the close proximity of schools and a mosque, which create problems on a daily basis, not only for commuters, but also residents.

Work is expected to begin later this year.

All in all, it’s expected to be a busy year for these four rookie councillors as they try to balance campaign promises with the hard realities of city-wide spending and balancing the budget.

For more information on how to get in touch with all Windsor City Council members or to learn about City Hall matters, visit the website: CityWindsor.ca.

The Future’s Bright For Tecumseh Mall

This year will ring in even more changes at Tecumseh Mall where Europro (Tecumseh Mall) LP, the mall’s new owners as of November 2018, promise a complete exterior retrofit will be completed in 2019.

Europro, a Canadian commercial property management company, already owns three other commercial properties in Windsor. New exterior tenants already include: Marshalls, Home Sense, Giant Tiger, PetSmart and Sky Zone trampoline park and the mall’s management team is hard at work to fill interior vacancies.

Debra McVeety has returned as General Manager and been joined by Retail Manager Katarina Taylor.

“We will have a number of announcements to make in the coming months as we finalize agreements with a new roster of tenants for our inside spaces,” McVeety informs us. “It’s an exciting time at Tecumseh Mall and we are confident our customers will be happy with the changes and additions we have made.”

The mall was built in 1973, redeveloped in 1985 and a $16 million expansion was completed in 2001. It is situated at the intersection of Tecumseh Road East and Lauzon Road.

The current renovation is expected to cost $16 million and will bring the total number of tenants, when all vacancies are filled, to 54.

To see a current store directory or find information on events please refer to: TecumsehMall.com.

People For Job, Jobs For People

Matching people with jobs and jobs with people remain the goals for PROSTAFF Employment Solutions, heading into the year.

The agency — located at 2557 Dougall Avenue in Windsor (PROSTAFFworks.ca) — is now run by Marica Soleski who bought the business from founder Colleen Hurst in August of last year.

“I don’t plan on changing anything,” explains Soleski. “It’s a great company with great staff. I also have Colleen helping out as a mentor and I couldn’t think of a better person to help me out than Colleen.”

Soleski says the biggest challenges facing employment agencies is matching skill sets and finding general labourers who are in short supply throughout the Windsor area.

“When the minimum wage increased, it seemed to spur more people into looking for work,” Soleski notes of last year’s bump to $14 an hour.

A second increase to $15, which was scheduled to kick in January 1, has been cancelled by the new Conservative government.

Soleski points out that two indicators of a growing economy are low unemployment rates and increasing numbers of people seeking work.

“We’re constantly seeking people to fill jobs and we are also seeking new clients who need employees,” remarks Soleski. “It’s challenging, but it’s a great job and I look forward to getting up every morning and coming to work.”

A New Real Estate Experience

Team Property Mom is now part of eXp Realty, a fast-growing cloud-based realty company where agents train, work and collaborate in a virtual world without ever having to go into an office.

Kim Zdunich, formerly Broker of Record for Property Mom Real Estate Brokerage, folded that company into eXp last August and renamed it, Team Property Mom.

“It was getting to be too much work to run a stand-alone company, so we joined up with eXp, which operates in 50 states and three provinces so we can offer our service to a large number of buyers and sellers,” Zdunich expresses.

Zdunich explains that with eXp, all training is done in a virtual world where agents can collaborate in a virtual campus environment without actually meeting in person.

Property Mom employs eight full-time agents and one full-time administrator and is actively recruiting more agents for eXp.

Looking ahead into 2019, Zdunich expects prices in the local market to continue growing, but at a slower rate than in previous years since interest rates are expected to rise, which often causes a reduction in home sales.

Zdunich discloses that listings are down from previous years, which often leaves potential sellers reluctant to list for fear of having nowhere to go.

And growing support for an open-bidding process rather than the current blind-bid system is also expected to have an impact on sales prices, she believes.

“In a blind-bid process, you would often get one offer that was way over the odds compared to the rest because nobody knew who was bidding how much,” states Zdunich. “In an open-bid system, everyone knows what’s on the table, which will likely lead to the seller getting less for the home.”

As for eXp Realty, the company’s offices are owned by agents who also participate in a revenue-sharing system, which rewards everyone when sales are made so there is less competition among agents.

“We don’t have to compete for the same listing because we all share in each other’s success,” Zdunich indicates.

For more information on this company, check: PropertyMom.com or eXpRealty.com.

COVER STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

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Windsor Essex 2017 Vital Signs Report Released

The Windsor Essex 2017 Vital Signs report has been released to the community. Our community responded that we are doing OK when it comes to the quality of life in Windsor-Essex and identified priorities to address moving forward.

“We found survey responses to be quite positive with many reflecting that Windsor-Essex is on the right track within most areas.” stated Lisa Kolody, Executive Director.

“The Vital Signs report is an excellent resource that we use throughout the year to guide our grantmaking at the WECF. It outlines where the strengths and needs exist in Windsor-Essex, identifies local priorities, and it informs where our funding will provide the greatest impact locally.  More and more local agencies are incorporating Vital Signs data in their program planning.” – Lisa Kolody, Executive Director

Vital Signs is a community resource that builds knowledge, informs grantmaking, and identifies strategic priorities in our community. It is the only community report published annually that incorporates community feedback with local, provincial and national data. Learn more about out what makes Windsor-Essex a great place to live, work, play and grow.

There are 32 Canadian community foundations participating in the Vital Signs program this year, with 80 community foundations participating globally. This is the fifth year the WindsorEssex Community Foundation has published a Vital Signs report.

You can read the report here Windsor Essex 2017 Vital Signs Report. Paper copies will be distributed as an insert in the Windsor Star on Saturday, October 7^th.

Vital Signs is a national program led by community foundations and coordinated by Community Foundations of Canada that leverages local knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities and supports action towards improving our quality of life. Started by the Toronto Community Foundation in 2001, today over 100 communities across Canada and around the world use Vital Signs to mobilize the power of community knowledge for local impact.

The WindsorEssex Community Foundation, originally founded in 1983 as Heritage Windsor, is a perpetual community trust for philanthropic purposes. It exists to manage donors’ legacy funds and make grants to support local community programs. Through grant making activities, the WECF is able to establish partnerships to assist a broad range of community organizations. Learn more here.

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Yahoo! Windsor Essex Makes Top 10 List

This entire issue is dedicated to small businesses and the people who run them, just in time for “Small Business Month” in October. And I can’t think of a better way to kick start our tribute to small business than with a bit of good news!

In early September, Site Selection magazine recognized Windsor Essex in the “Top 10 for Best Locations in Canada for Investment.” The region was joined by: Calgary Economic Development; City of Mississauga Economic Development; Montreal International; Invest Ottawa; Quebec International; Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority; Toronto Global; Vancouver Economic Commission and Waterloo Economic Development Corporation.

The Canada’s Best Award was received by the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation (WE EDC) on behalf of the Windsor Essex region.

“It’s an honour to receive this award on behalf of the Windsor Essex region,” says Stephen MacKenzie, CEO of WE EDC. “To be recognized among the Best Places in Canada to invest is an outstanding achievement and speaks volumes about our region’s exceptional position for economic growth and business development. It’s also a privilege to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Locations for Investment by a third party such as Site Selection magazine, who is known as a trusted advisor to corporations, government, investment and economic development agencies around the world.”

Significant projects in the September article referenced Cavalier Tool & Manufacturing Ltd., Canadian Salt and Stratus Plastics.

Site Selection magazine is an international publication that is recognized as the leading publication in corporate real estate, facility planning, location analysis and foreign direct investment. You can read the 2017 Canada’s Best Location report posted here: SiteSelection.com.

In 2011, 2014 and 2015 Site Selection’s Annual Canadian Ranking recognized the Windsor Essex region with awards within the categories of Top 10 Canadian Economic Development Groups and Canada’s Best Locations for Investment. Visit: ChooseWindsorEssex.com/awards to see other notable past recognition the area has received.

With so many challenges in business these days, coming from things out of our control like flooding disasters, high energy costs and sky-rocketing expenses on gas or even from your suppliers, we all must prepare to do battle to fight another day and stretch those dollars as much as possible.

Whereas there are a few industries profiting from work due to the flood (the most recent setback), most of us are in the same boat of making sure all the bills are paid and holding onto all the customers we have. So when encouraging news happens, we can hopefully see the bigger picture.

Being in the “Top 10 for Best Locations in Canada for Investment” points entrepreneurs (past and new) in the right direction to help the Windsor Essex business community survive well into the future.

So this Thanksgiving, we need to be thankful for all that we have. And everything our region can and will be — a great place to invest, work and live.

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Flood Relief: U-Haul to Provide 30 Days Free Self-Storage in Windsor

U-Haul Company of Western Ontario is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container usage to help with flood relief to residents in and around Windsor who have been or will be impacted by flooding.

Heavy rains in southwestern Ontario have left flooded streets and homes. Windsor saw 285 millimeters of rain in less than 24 hours.

“We had record rainfall on Monday night and there is more in the forecast,” U-Haul Company of Western Ontario president David Anstett said. “As a caring community member, U-Haul is pledging to help by offering families a safe and dry place to store their possessions.”

People seeking additional information about the 30 days free assistance or needing to make self-storage or U-Box arrangements should contact the nearest participating location:

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Forest Glade

9082 Tecumseh Road

Windsor, ON N8R1A2

(226) 315-1708

U-Haul Moving & Storage of South Walkerville

1508 Walker Road

Windsor, ON N8W3P4

(226) 216-0546

U-Haul Moving & Storage of South Windsor

5025 Walker Road

Windsor, ON N9A6J3

(519) 737-1391

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Windsor

2890 Dougall Ave.

Windsor, ON N9E1R9

(519) 966-3880

U-Haul is the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage with more than 21,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to its 30 days of free self-storage assistance, U-Haul is proud to be at the forefront of aiding communities during times of disaster as an official American Red Cross Disaster Responder.

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With Glowing Hearts, Windsor Essex Joins The Country With Canada 150 Celebrations

Across the country, Canadians are celebrating our nation’s 150^th birthday, and luckily for local residents, there’s no shortage of ways to commemorate Canada 150 in Windsor Essex!

Gordon Orr, Chief Executive Officer for Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, informs Biz X that all the towns and municipalities in the region are seizing this opportunity to celebrate and commemorate Canada 150, in an effort to evoke that pride of place and country we all know, appreciate and love.

“We have much to be grateful for as a nation and as a community,” states Orr.

TWEPI recently launched a website to create a regional hub that promotes events related to this milestone celebration, along with the hashtag #WE150 for social media.

“This hub promotes signature events in banner ads searchable by event or by community in an effort to draw more attention to what the municipalities and towns across the region have in store for the visitors to enjoy and experience,” explains Orr.

Part of the website is also dedicated to recognizing the storied past of Windsor-Essex and its role in the automotive industry, black history, War of 1812, and prohibition — all rich aspects of Canadian history.

Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations can be found right here in our community, asserts Orr.

“The party is being brought right to you — no need to travel further than your own ‘backyard’ to celebrate this milestone birthday for our great country and province,” Orr says. “It is a time to underscore the importance of our freedom and this year-long celebration gives us pause to do so. It is a festive occasion and needs to be celebrated with your family, friends and neighbours.”

Read on to discover the different ways and dates, throughout this summer, each local municipality is celebrating this national milestone birthday across Windsor Essex!

Amherstburg

Celebrations in Amherstburg kick off July 1 at the Fort Malden National Historic Site with the “Ice Cream Festival.”

“This traditional event is loads of family fun all day long, (also) with the popular night-time fireworks display along the Detroit River,” says Anne Rota, Manager of Tourism and Culture for the Town of Amherstburg.

This year’s “Canada D’Eh  5K Run/Walk” by Running Flat in Amherstburg has a special Canada 150 tie-in. All finishers receive a maple leaf medal along with a Canada D’Eh shirt, which sports the official Canada 150 logo on the back. The route goes through historic Amherstburg, from Fort Malden up Laird Avenue, around Toddy Jones Park, down Dalhousie Street and back. 

Also on Canada Day, at Fort Malden at 2 p.m., Amherstburg is honouring 150 residents with a medal of distinction for outstanding service or contributions to their community.

The town’s main signature event, above and beyond Canada Day, is the “Canuck It Up! Festival Canadiana” on August 5 and 6. The event takes place along the waterfront and in the downtown core.

“A huge street party is the best way to describe it,” exclaims Rota. “Everything you can imagine Canadian!”

General Amherst art students, in partnership with the Amherstburg Tourism and Culture Department, will “Canuck up” the hydrants in downtown Amherstburg. Each hydrant will be painted in Canada 150-themed artwork inspired by iconic Canadian images in time for the “Canuck It Up! Festival Canadiana.”

The main attraction, however, is the world’s largest rubber duck that weighs 1,250 pounds and is 61 feet high.

“It’s taller than some buildings,” notes Rota. It will be docked at the corner of Richmond and Dalhousie for the entire festival, for amazing picture opportunities.

Also docked at the waterfront will be the Tall Ship Appledore V, where you can take a deck tour presented by the Fort Malden National Historic Site.

Rota adds, “The very cool and fun West Coast Lumberjack Show and Rhythm of the Nation have scheduled shows throughout the event. And a ‘Just Ducky’ Kids Zone entertains the kiddies, while a farmers’ market, downtown restaurants and a food court are gearing up to serve Canadian treats!”

The event also includes foot and ship battle re-enactments and period activities. Live performances wrap up the day with a big band concert at King’s Navy Yard Park.

Entry is free to the “Canuck It Up! Festival Canadiana” and a small fee applies to Fort Malden’s special event. Find details with event times and an activity schedule online.

Rota says that Amherstburg is one of the oldest and prettiest towns in Southwestern Ontario, with history dating back earlier than the War of 1812. The actions, which took place at Fort Malden and other areas of the town, were pivotal in the destiny of Canada as a nation.

“Amherstburg’s history is part of what makes Canada what it is today — a free and an amazing nation,” states Rota.

Amherstburg is known for its quality events, being a walkable community with lots of parks, waterfront views, gardens, and open space with amazing venues — perfect for celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday.

“Canada 150 is a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate a milestone in Canada’s history, and it’s about creating memories of family, fun, unity and what makes living in Canada so special,” Rota comments. “Canadians are very inclusive and love to celebrate good times. Canada 150 is a great reason to do just that!”

To celebrate Canada 150, the Town of Essex is holding a one-day event on Saturday, July 29 called “Get Your Red & White ON.” It takes place 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Colchester Park and commemorates both Canada 150 and Colchester’s 225^th birthday.

“This family-friendly, public celebration aims to build awareness about Colchester’s early contributions to Canada and includes children’s activities, musical entertainment, beach volleyball tournament, a heritage plaque unveiling, and a spectacular display of fireworks over Lake Erie at nightfall,” describes Laurie Brett, Communications Manager for the Town of Essex.

Music headliners are the Celtic rock band, The Mudmen. This community celebration and commemorative event aims to connect participants to the historical and cultural roots of Colchester, the oldest English settlement in Upper Canada south of the Niagara region, she adds.

“Colchester is also the southernmost inhabited community on mainland Canada, positioned on and below the 42nd parallel along the vibrant Lake Erie North Shore wine route,” explains Brett.

Brett notes that this year is an historically important year as we celebrate Confederation and all the events and people who helped to build our nation. She also says that it’s important to celebrate all the historic moments that took place in Ontario — which is also celebrating 150 years — as well as the community of Colchester— which is celebrating 225 years.

“Confederation brought us together as a fledgling nation, but Canada’s origins are rooted much earlier in time than 1867, and Colchester, as an early settlement area of Upper Canada, is testament to the struggles and hardships of those pioneer days,” says Brett. “It is important that we celebrate all aspects of our rich history. It’s equally important that we view our future with great optimism. Canada’s 150 is an opportune time to remember the past, but it’s also the perfect time to pave the way to a greater future.”

Sylene Argent, Coordinator for the Essex Centre BIA, adds that Essex’s “20^th annual Classic Car Show” on July 8 has Canadian elements in celebration of the nation’s 150th birthday.

“As part of the giveaways, we raffle two prizes of $150 worth of Essex Centre Downtown Dollars — a numerical value chosen in celebration of our nation’s anniversary,” Argent mentions. “We are also encouraging our businesses to hang Canadian flags the BIA is purchasing, to celebrate the sesquicentennial during the car show. Our commemorative dash plaques also have an element of Canadian pride.”

The “Classic Car Show” and sidewalk sales take place along Talbot Street in Essex from noon to 4 p.m. on July 8.

On average, the event attracts around 300 vehicles of all different makes and models, according to Argent.

“Putting a Canadian-themed twist on local events is a great way for us all to come together to celebrate community and national pride,” states Argent. Visit online for the latest details.

Kingsville

Maggie Durocher, Manager of the Programs, Parks and Recreation Department for the Corporation of the Town of Kingsville, lists a full day of activities planned for Canada Day to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday this year.

Held at the Kingsville Arena, 1741 Jasperson Lane, families can enjoy a day of fun, taking part in: a Scouts BBQ from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; cake cutting at noon; Mad Science Shows noon and 2 p.m.; ACCESS Character Meet and Greet noon to 3 p.m.; horse drawn carriage rides 1 to 4 p.m.; Fantasy Express Train Rides 1 to 4 p.m.; Balloon Twist Artist noon to 3 p.m.; Magic of Wayne Tellier 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.; Border City Barkers Agility Show 1 p.m. and a Stilt Walker 1 to 3 p.m.

“It’s a great free community event that enables all residents to share in Canada’s 150 birthday celebration,” comments Durocher. “It is a celebration of a national nature that ties us all together, and it is a moment to reflect, on a personal and municipal level, on the importance and the privilege that it truly is to be Canadian.”

Cover story continues HERE

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