The University of Windsor and St. Clair College presidents have committed to working with local business to help with diversification as the region continues to adapt to increased tariffs and the changing business landscape.
Both St. Clair College Mike Silvaggi and University of Windsor President J.J. McMurtry spoke at the Annual General Meeting of the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
"This is exactly the time that society needs universities and colleges to be stepping up to provide the education that we need in order to address the needs of the country and address the new world that's coming towards us," said McMurtry.
Silvaggi spoke to the need for collaboration with business as government grants become available to assist in diversification.
"Because we're lean, we have the ability to be very reactive and can follow a government directive or an industry directive," said Silvaggi. "But we need that information and we are out there trying to get it."
The Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce will celebrate 150 years in the community in 2026.
President Ryan Donally says they will continue to advocate to the provincial and federal governments for more supports for local businesses.
Donally says he expects that advocacy will pay off in the form of government grants early in the new year to help businesses diversify.
"I think it's important to recognize that the goal of what we're trying to do is not necessarily take the same size pie and cut part of the US out of it, or take the same size pie and cut part of the automotive sector out of it," said Donally. "We're going to try to work on behalf of the region to expand that pie so it's automotive and defense, automotive and oil and gas, automotive and aerospace."
