First challenge for new Invest WindsorEssex CEO: navigate budget cuts

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It may only be a six-month stint for interim Invest WindsorEssex COO Keith Andrews, but he’s got a mammoth task — reviewing the economic development organization’s operations and overseeing development of a strategic plan while guiding it with a significantly reduced budget.

Under that broad umbrella, Andrews will first have to address the challenges presented by Essex County council’s decision to slash its 2025 contribution to Invest WindsorEssex’s budget by 15 per cent.

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“Any time you get a budget reduction, you have to pause and see what the impact is going to be,” Andrews told the Star. He has over 30 years’ experience in constructing strategic plans for both the private and governmental sectors.

“From an operational standpoint, we’ll have to look at that. I don’t know the impact yet (on employment levels). We’re not there yet.”

The county’s decision to make a 15 per cent cut leaves IWE with an annual budget that is only a quarter of the $8 million the London Economic Development Corporation gets.

The City of Windsor hasn’t yet finalized its decision on IWE funding.

Andrews said reduced funding means Invest WindsorEssex is going to have to do things differently. He said all ideas brought forth will be on the table, including looking for support outside of government funding.

“I think we have to get very creative working with our partners, whether it be federal, provincial or municipal government or working with the private sector,” Andrews said.

“I think there’s enormous value working with the private sector having a stake in our business. In a lot of places, companies are involved in economic development by supporting it financially.

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“It’s not, ‘Give me a handout.’ You’re making an investment.”

Invest WindsorEssex currently receives no private sector financial support, but Andrews points out Windsor/Essex’s County’s competitors in the investment attraction wars are moving in the opposite direction.

“This business we’re in is incredibly competitive,” Andrews said. “I get shareholders have the right to question the value they’re receiving.

“At the same time, if you want to be in the game, you have to have the resources to compete and so, from my perspective, I think we can collectively do a better job with speaking with our partners, showing the value of our organization both in tangible numbers of what we’ve been able to produce.”

Andrews said IWE plans to take a hands-on approach to being more transparent with its funding partners and better at explaining its activities, successes and where improvements need to be made to attract investment.

He expects IWE’s higher profile and improved communication will help municipal partners better understand the complex machinations of investment attraction, particularly of large, foreign companies.

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“Economic development doesn’t mean I have to have a plant in my backyard,” Andrews said. “It means there’s a broader multiple that happens by being able create the investment that then reaches throughout the whole region.

“We have to stop thinking about it as what I’ve got in terms of a building. It’s everything combined that creates the economic growth.”

Invest WindsorEssex will push for more regional collaboration to resist the temptation to slip into municipal silos, Andrews said.

He noted a regional approach is imperative given the cost of making sure the area has enough shovel-ready industrial land, the right workforce and to fend off the forces of uncertainty being unleashed by incoming U.S. President Donald Trump.

“There are a lot of unknowns right now,” Andrews said. “The federal government has to take the lead on this. Local companies affected by this (potential tariffs) have it high on their screens.

“We’re making sure we keep local companies informed and offer the supports necessary.”

Andrews said the construction of the strategic plan will require input from municipal funders, community partners, the private sector and IWE staff. The prep work for the plan’s development is already underway.

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The plan will include ways to capitalize on the opportunities the NextStar Battery plant and its supply chain continue to provide, diversifying the region’s economy, fostering regional collaboration and increasing industrial land supply.

“The strategic plan is a living document to guide the organization for the next five years,” said Andrews, who won’t be involved in the search for a permanent CEO.

“There’ll be accountability measures. The board and shareholders (funding partners) expect that.

“They want a return on their investment.”

Andrews said there are still plenty of opportunities to wring out of the battery plant and its supply chain.

However, there will also be an effort to look at other things such as the highly sophisticated agri-tech sector and other non-automotive opportunities.

“We also have to keep a focus on helping and retaining small businesses,” Andrews said.

“We want to diversify and attract new opportunities, but you also must pay attention to your strengths. It’s a balance.”

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