Ambassador bridge forum and London’s two new parts plants

Ambassador Bridge to host community forum

On Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. the Canadian Transit Company will continue to host a community forum to discuss issues related to the Ambassador Bridge replacement project.

For the last few months the company has been hosting these forums to gather community input and explain their plans directly to the community. I attended my first one two weeks ago – and learned much about the project and realised that people and community groups in the community are actually interested as well (despite what the Windsor Star will have us believe). Now, I haven’t agreed with everything, but I found the session informative and very constructive.

The company is extending an open invititation to anyone in the community who wishes to offer suggestions and constructively discuss the project. However, you are asked to RSVP in advance. Please email me your name and telephone number (for verification and I will provide location details) and I will forward your RSVP.

Refreshments and light snacks will be offered.

London to gain two new auto-parts plants

The auto sector continues its expansion in Ontario. Today, the London Free Press announced that two auto-parts plants will announce their plans for London within 4 months creating upto 600 jobs.

“A Southwestern Ontario commercial real estate conference, held by CB Richard Ellis, heard yesterday that major industrial projects are on the horizon for London as the manufacturing sector booms...The city is enjoying a boost from Woodstock’s new Toyota assembly plant.”

London posted the cheapest industrial land in Southwestern Ontario, lower than Woodstock and Windsor, at less than $100,000 an acre, compared to nearly $300,000 in Waterloo. London is also the cheapest place to build, with land and construction costs totalling less than $5 a square foot, compared to more than $10 in Waterloo.

Then, I found this article in the paper entitled: City readies for war over growth. It would appear the rapid growth in London is affecting the city’s development reserves. Imagine! In Windsor our reserves have been pilfered to pay for essential services – but in London, theirs have been reduced because of rapid development!

Oh to have their problems! Curiously, the CAW responds to Toyota’s expansion in this manner. Buzz Hargrove, back in 2005 stated: “I cannot express how important our no-concessions policy was to the success of our 2005 Big Three bargaining.”

Yes, it would appear that your bargaining was very successful – especially for Windsor. Contrary to what Buzz Hargrove will have us believe, “the Canadian auto sector is actually doing really well,” according to Dennis DesRosiers. In the last eight years, Canada has seen an increase in 20,000 net auto jobs and about $4 billion a year in new capital in the industry. Canada is up about 20,000 net auto jobs in the last seven to eight years, he says, and is attracting about $4 billion a year in new capital into the industry.

Hargrove disagrees, but if the story from London is any indication, I’d be placing bets on DesRosiers.