Local News

 Good News for Housing in Windsor

Good News  for the housing market in Windsor. That's according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Its "Fall Housing Market Outlook" predicts single-detached home construction will increase 30-percent in 2010. But sales will drop two-percent. The C-M-H-C is also predicting the average price of a resale home in the Windsor  area will increase to 160-thousand dollars

Windsor Ontario Chrysler minivan plant starts to make right hand minivans 

Chrylser LLc’s assembly plant in Windsor Ontario has started to produce right hand drive minivans for international ,markets.

Great Britain is perhaps the most popular country known for left side driving. Other countries with left side driving include, Indonesia, Austrailia, New Zealand, Japan, India and some countries in southern Africa.

The Windsor Ontario plant was retooled last year and was supposed to start production of the Chrysler Grand Voyager early 2009 but the company sought bankruptcy protection. The move comes after the carmaker went into partnership with Fiat Group.

NEW ESSEX ARENA OPENS

   The town of Essex has received the keys to its new twin-pad arena complex. The 15.2-million dollar arena also includes a walking track and community room. A free skate will be held at 1pm Sunday afternoon. - News from AM 800 CKLW

NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION TO REBOUND

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation expects the new home construction market locally to rebound in the second-half of this year.   Greater Windsor Homebuilders Association Executive Officer Mike Dinchik says builders he has spoken to indicate a lot of residents are thinking about buying new homes.   He says there's pent up demand, and once consumer confidence improves, so will sales. -News from AM 800 CKLW

 

Windsor and Area gets Federal funding for three new projects.

     3 projects in Windsor and Essex County are getting a funding boost from the federal Conservative government.  Essex MP Jeff Watson announced 17.7 million dollars for three area projects.  Projects includes 11.3 million to Amherstburg for infrastructure projects, 5 million to St. Clair College in Windsor for a new Journalism School  downtown and 1.4 million dollars to Lasalle for tree planting and the development of heritage plans.- AM 800 CKLW News

 

 Federal Help for small to medium sized businesses in Essex

 Small to medium size businesses in Essex have some financial help.  Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency Gary Goodyear has announced 1.3 million dollars for the local Community Futures Development Corporations.  He made the announcement in Essex this morning.  The program provides loans for local businesses to expand and create jobs- AM800 CKLW news

 

Housing Market to Rebound in Windsor, ON 

There's good news in the real estate market in Windsor-Essex.   One BMO economist sees things on the rise in this area.  BMO economist Sal Guatieri says Windsor's lagging a bit behind the rest of the country, with high unemployment the biggest factor.  In Windsor, we're seeing housing sales rise, about 7 percent last month from a year ago, and up about 1/3 from the decade low reached last January.   Guatieri spoke with local real estate officials and the  media today. -News from CKLW AM 800

New Medical School in Windsor

Major Employers in Windsor includes University of Windsor and St. Clair College. University of Windsor has a recent addition of medical school which will open in September, 2008. It will enhance the scope of both the Windsor region's economy and the status of the university and positively impact Real Estate in Windsor.

 

New Airline in Windsor

Sunwing Airlines will begin flying out of Windsor this winter. Destinations will be Cuba and the Domenican Republic. Great expectations for Windsor especially since there is no flight to Cuba out of Detroit.

 

Windsor and Leamington named as two of the best places to live in

Windsor and Leamington are included in this year's 'Money Sense' magazine list of the best places in which to live in Canada. Leamington is ranked 15th, Windsor 21st among 154 communities surveyed.  The survey takes into consideration such things has weather, crime, household income, unemployment and doctor availability.

 

New life for former van plant

The former Pillette Road can plant in Windsor is going to be turned into an industrial park. Windsor company, Rosati Group has purchased the 160-acre site and is calling the property"Grand Central Business Park." The industrial park will be geared towards the transportation sector along with researchand development.

 

Affordable Housing

Census figures show Windsor and Essex County have affordable housing. According to 2006 Statistics, the average household spent 18.2 per cent of its income on housing, or $823.00.That includes mortgage payments, property taxes, condo fees and utilities.

 

Public School Literacy Results

The Greater Essex County District School Board has released the results of the latest provincial literacy tests for Grade 9 students. The board had an 81 per cent pass rate -- a five per cent improvement over the last five years. Massey students had a 92 per cent succes rate. The E-Q-A-O office applauds how the South Windsor high school has integrated literacy into every subject.

 

Young Minds

Windsor has been chosen as one of 25 Canadian cities to promote and encourage youth entrepreneurship in Canada.  It would be a first for Canada and Windsor-Essex if the city agrees to hold events during Global Entrepreneurship week in November.  Canada has never participated in Global Entrepreneurship week before.

 

Dieffenbacher Investment

A Windsor company is investing eight-million dollars to build two new machining centres.    Diefenbacher North America on Twin Oaks Drive manufactures wood products and lightweight components for the auto industry.   The new machining centres in the city will focus on light weight auto parts to make vehicles lighter and more fuel efficient.

 

Cruise Boat Gets Green Light

Despite concerns from some councillors over size and location, city council has approved a cruise ship on the waterfront.  Rose City Cruise Lines will offer sightseeing tours and dinner starting later next month.  Parks director says a ticket kiosk will not obstruct the view of the river near the foot of Ouellette Avenue.  The cruise ship could begin tours late next month.

 

Miracle League

The Rotary Club of Amherstburg is launching a $2.3-million fundraising campaign to develop Canada's first fully accessible baseball diamond.  Amherstburg Minor Baseball President Steeve Bouchard says the "Miracle League" diamond is being developed in conjunction with the Premiere Diamond at Larry Bauer Park.  Bouchard says the Ontario Baseball League and Baseball Canada are excited about the project and want to get involved.

 

FORD Investment

The head of C-A-W Local 200 calls today "a great day for Windsor and Essex County."   Ford has announced its investing 473-million dollars to produce greener, fuel-efficient engines at the Essex Engine Plant.  The federal government will contribute up to 80-million dollars over the next five years.    Up to 757 will be created or sustained and 215-thousand engines will be produced in the new flexible assembly plant.

 

Windsor Regional Hospital

Windsor Regional Hospital has been ranked among the top three in the Province when it comes to patient care. The Ontario Hospital Association cites 5 leading patient care practices, including child-friendly preparation for M-R-I and C-T scans, shorter wait times for lung cancer patients and ensuring a smooth transition from hospital to home for new mothers and their babies.

 

Windsor Lands another Convention

Windsor has been picked to host another convention. Next fall, the Ontario Tourism Summit will be held at "Caesar's Windsor." Windsor beat out London and Hamilton for the event, which is expected to generate more than half-a-million dollars for the area.

 

Auto Research expected to rebound in Windsor

A leading Canadian auto analyst says Windsor needs to take advantage of the coming decade of opportunity in the auto industry as he calls it.  Windsor native Dennis Desrosiers says the next 10 years will see record levels of auto investment in research, design and development and Windsor should be at the front of the line because of all the research being done here.  Desrosiers says new government vehicle regulations will keep innovation centres like Windsor very busy in the future.  He also predicts the auto industry has hit its lowest point and will rebound soon.

 

Border Jobs

Local business and labour will have a chance to meet with provincial officials in a couple of weeks to discuss job opportunities when the new border access road is built.  Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the 9-kilometre, 1.6-billion dollar Windsor-Essex Greenway along the Huron-Church corridor is a very important road in Canada and the project needs to move forward.  The road links the 401 to the new bridge to be built in Brighton Beach in 2010.  Construction of the new Windsor-Essex Greenway could begin as soon as June.

Money For Sarnia Border Crossing 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced 13.5-million dollars to fast-track upgrades to what he calls a crucial trade link between Canada and the U-S.   Harper says the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, near Sarnia, is the second-busiest border crossing for commercial traffic in the country.   The Prime Minister says the funding will allow construction to be completed two years ahead of schedule.  He says the project will reduce border congestion and improve trade.  The work on the bridge, which will include new approach lanes and inspection booth, will start in May

Chysler is #1  It's 'hats off to Chrysler.  The latest quality survey done by JD Power and Associates has the Dodge Caravan rated number 1.  It beats out the Ford Freestar and the Toyota Sienna.   The Windsor made mini-van was the lone winner on the list of products produced by Chrysler.

Vehicle Sales Up 

Vehicle sales revved up retail sales in Canada in January.  Stats Canada says retail sales rose nearly two per cent, thanks to a 3.8 per cent increase in the automotive sector.   The federal agency says there was a 6.4 per cent rise in the value of sales at new car dealers.

 

Canal Project for Downtown Windsor Feasible

 The proposed canal and marina project in downtown Windsor is feasible and "do-able."   Mayor Eddie Francis says a draft report has been completed by the project's working group.   He's pleased with the pricing estimates and says there's nothing "engineering-wise" to stop the project.

ENGINEERING BUILDING APPROVED

Construction of the 112-million dollar Center for Engineering Innovation should begin this September. The University of Windsor Board of Governors approved the project Tuesday evening. The construction is expected to create 16-hundred jobs and generate 270-million dollars for the local economy. The building at the on Wyandotte Street West at California should be completed by the summer of 2012.

Another first at Winsor Regional Hospital

Windsor Regional Hospital will be the home to Ontario's first regional assessment and treatment centre for bariatric surgery. The centre means that patients will be seen, assesses and find out if they qualify to have the surgery in Ontario The centre is expected to be be up and running this summer.

 

 Infrastructure Investement in Windsor

Windsor is getting a multi-million dollar infrastructure investment from the 2 senior levels of government.  The city will be able to invest $44-million in a range of projects in 2009 through the program.  Ontario And Ottawa will put in a combined $30-million while the city makes up the balance.  The announcement was made in the middle of the airport lands between the runways.   It was pointed out the thousands of serviceable lands in that part of Windsor is a major economic asset to attract industry in the future.

Investement Money for Windsor 

The Windsor-Essex Development Commission is benefitting from a new federal fund.   The commission is receiving 45-thousand dollars to develop a database of manufacturing, tool and die and mould capabilities.  Essex M-P Jeff Watson says 1.1-million dollars is being made available to Ontario communities to attract and expand direct foreign investment.

The "seed of a new industry " in Windsor 

What's being described as 'the seed of a new industry' has been sown in Windsor.  A working agreement has been signed among the University of Windsor, St. Clair College and the two city hospitals. Finance Minister, Dwight Duncan, says it has the potential to make health care the largest employer in the area and to be the sector to rebuild and strengthen the local economy after the recession.

The Windsor Regional Hopsital Expansion to begin

Construction due to start on a 92-million dollar expansion and renovation of the Western Campus of Windsor Regional Hospital.  The project includes a new 65-bed mental health facility and a renovated rehabilitation centre.  The project is slated to be done in the spring of 2012.

New Green Jobs for Windsor 

A new partnership is creating some 50 local jobs in the green technology sector.  Green Sun Rising and Manor Tool and Die have partnered and are going to start making solar water tanks for German manufacturer Huch.  The Windsor Essex County Economic Development Commission helped put the deal together after taking part in the European Solar Energy Conference last month.

 Ontario and Alberta residential single family permits up

Residential single family permits were up 11.4 per cent to $1.6 billion in April 2009, with Alberta and Ontario responsible for growth.  Statistics Canada