2012 Warden's Luncheon Speech - Chamber of Commerce

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Page 2 region continues to be surrounded by resolve has been tested - we have businesses of Essex County know onl With a steely and unwavering resolve succeed. choppy economic waters. While our not backed off. The residents and one way - straight ahead forward. we persevere, we overcome and we The signs of recovery are evident all around us. Essex County and the City of Windsor have been the recipient of numerous provincial, national and international awards and accolades over the past year or two. Not only do global economic players now know who we are and what we are capable of, they are now investing or preparing to invest in Essex County and Windsor. As the promotional video for our region declares, we are indeed a " "Quiet Giant ". Together with Mayor Francis and the City of Windsor, we continue to cooperate and collaborate to create economic prosperity for our region. As we "break away from the pack ", we will not be half mile dashers that run out of gas after a quick burst from the starting gate. Far from it. Our region will be measured, strategic and astute as we size up the field and make our move. We are world -class and we continue to prove it. Innovation, cooperation, collaboration, partnership, knowledge economy, transition, transformation. Who among us has not heard these terms over and over again as responses to today's global economic conditions? What community from St. John's to Victoria to Resolute has not promoted itself as embodying any or all of these principles? The advantage our region holds is that we just don't talk a good race, we deliver. Authoritative sources including the Intelligent Community Forum, the Conference Board of Canada, Site Selection Magazine, the Economic Development Council of Ontario and fDi Magazine have all identified Essex County and Windsor as a pre- eminent location to invest and reside. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. The field is poised to close in on us if we let our guard down. At the recent Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation's Report Card and Outlook event, Ron Gaudet, WEEDC's CEO advised that, since 2010, our region has created over 1,800 new jobs, retained over 6,000 jobs and received over $77M in new investment. Our region is indeed on the radar screen of economic development site selectors and investors worldwide. You have heard me say it before, but it bears repeating - teamwork and regional collaboration is critical for future success. Such collaboration must extend beyond just the County and the City to include WEEDC, TWEPI, Connecting Windsor Essex, the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, local school boards, health care institutions, the not - for - profit sector and the private sector. We saw last