7
2 CROSSWORD Take a coffee break from work and challenge yourself with our crossword.
3 ESSEX ECONOMICS
A series of guest columns by business executives on various trends in the region.
8 PRIME PROPERTY
A look at recent commercial property transfers in the city of Windsor .
“We’d have customers come in and order a pound to take home,” said Jenna Skieneh, one of her family’s co-owners. “We’d spend a whole day just making the garlic sauce.”
Continued on page 4
• A recent survey shows two-thirds of Canadians (67 percent) believe Canada should abolish tipping culture, while 93 percent say tipping is out of hand and is applied to goods and services they don’t think warrant tipping.
• A vast majority of Canadians (89 percent) say they resent businesses with tip prompts for payments they don’t think warrant a tip. In fact, 41 percent avoid going to places they know have tip prompts at cash out, such as coffee shops, convenience stores, fast food or self-serve counters.
• Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (65 percent) say they feel less awkward in opting for the ‘no tip’ option when promoted, with 67 percent increasingly opting for the ‘no tip’ option.
• Overall, 89 percent think the tipping percentage amounts have become too high, with 79 percent entering their own choice of tip amount where possible.
• Approximately 57 percent of Canadians say they’re frugal tippers and tend to opt for the lower tip option, and/or only tip for exceptional service.
• Most Canadians feel tipping lets employers off the hook to pay employees’ full wages. Furthermore, 91 percent said Canada should have less of a tipping and gratuity culture, as employers should cover their employees’ full wages.
Source: HR Block Canada, February 2026. 1. Canadian attitudes toward tipping
Frugal tippers Enter custon tip amount Resent tip prompt
Feel less awkward selecting no tip Choose “no tip” more often Avoid places with tip prompts
Tipping % is too high Abolish tipping culture
Tipping is out of hand
THEY GAVE ME THIS NICE GOLDEN PARACHUTE, BUT I’M HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ACTUALLY USING IT.
“To most outsiders, corporate IT departments are not typically thought of as fun places to be. They have a reputation for being dispassionately procedural, and predictably answering ‘no, it can’t be done.’
“Several years ago, we discovered the same natural laws which regulate self-promotion and career advancement in sales were also at work governing career advancement in corporate IT departments.
“Over a five year period, the number of promotions and the amount of salary increases in non-sales, administrative management personnel were directly correlated with one, and only one, personality factor – willingness to self-promote.
“Individuals moving up the corporate ladder the fastest, and landing the biggest salary increases, were not necessarily the best on-the-job technicians. They were most willing to self-promote. In sales terms, they ‘prospected’ for pay increases.
“In political terms, they ‘ran’ for promotions. Those not faring so well sat and waited to be recognized. They’re still waiting.”
VOLUME 29, ISSUE 11 • APRIL 2026
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia H. Shousher
ART DIRECTOR David Cowx
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Blasingame, Dan Chase, Mike Chase, Dale Dauten, Paul March, Devan Mighton, J.T. O’Donnell, Ron Stang, Joe Symchyshyn
Windsor Business is published monthly by The Page Publishing Corp. and is distributed through Canada Post to every business address in Windsor and Essex County and Chatham-Kent. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. Copyright The Page Publishing Corp., 2026.
THE PAGE PUBLISHING CORP. 552 PITT STREET WEST, SUITE 101
WINDSOR, ONTARIO N9A 5M2
TEL: (519) 255-9775
info@windsorbusiness.net • www.windsorbusiness.net
NADIA H. SHOUSHER
It’s true that time flies, so I am taken aback when realizing the full passage of time. Windsor Business magazine is now in its 30th year of publishing.
Think about it: 30 years multiplied by 12 editions per year – that’s about 360 issues we have published since the magazine was launched.
As the only business-to-business media in southern Ontario, this gorgeous glossy tabloid has been delivered to your office month after month, year after year. And if you will allow me to brag just a bit, we’ve earned a reputation as the area’s most authoritative source for business news.
If we didn’t get so many calls and Emails every month from readers, I don’t know if I would believe it myself. Most reader response is positive, and appreciative of the information they get (and use) from Windsor Business. Of course this is treasured by those who have committed their souls to the success of the magazine, but we get a lot of other feedback worth noting as well.
Although not many business owners would consider regular complaints and threats of legal action positive feedback, I do. And I’ll tell you why: If so many are offended because we published what they paid for their commercial property, or who sued them for breach of contract, or the reasons behind their company’s closure, all I hear is that we are doing our job. This is the stuff of business, of economic change and future opportunity. These are the things every executive needs to know to do better business in this area.
When I started the company back in 1996, I had a hard time gathering the type of information I needed in order to determine if Windsor-Essex was the right market for my idea. I wanted to know if the labor pool was sufficiently qualified to hire from, if the region was in growth mode or a decline, what was reasonable to pay for office space, what was the pattern in commercial and residential property values, and how the rate of commercial and consumer bankruptcies in the area compared to other markets I was considering.
I recall being frustrated in my search. It took forever to get the information I wanted and most of it was poorly collected, improperly organized and woefully incomplete.
So, it’s surprising I gambled my entire future and fortune on opening my business here. No regrets, although this anniversary caused me to become a little teary-eyed. Teary in gratitude, considering most small businesses fail within their first year of operation. And teary because there is more left to do, learn, see and experience, and Windsor-Essex strikes me as exactly the place in which to do it all.
Here’s to another 30 great years.
Nadia
H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
JOE DIGIORGIO
Over the past decade, businesses have increasingly adopted phone-based technologies to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Automated phone systems, text notifications and AI-driven call routing have made it faster and easier for companies to manage large volumes of customers.
While these tools save time and reduce operational costs, they often come with an unintended consequence: significantly less direct interaction with clients. In many cases, the efficiency gained through technology may also mean missed opportunities for stronger relationships, and additional revenue.
Phone technology has transformed the way businesses communicate. Automated menus, self-service scheduling systems, and SMS reminders allow customers to complete tasks without speaking to an employee. For businesses, this can reduce staffing needs and minimize time spent on routine calls.
For example, a customer can book an appointment, confirm it and receive updates entirely through an automated system. From an operational standpoint, this level of automation is incredibly appealing because it reduces human error and increases speed.
However, when businesses remove human interaction from the process, they also remove valuable moments where relationships are built. A simple phone conversation often provides insight into a client’s needs, preferences and concerns. Employees can ask follow up questions, recommend additional services, or identify problems the client may not have mentioned in an automated form.
Another issue is that automated systems can create frustration for customers who need more nuanced support. While many people appreciate the convenience of self-service options, others find rigid phone menus and automated responses impersonal and limiting. When clients feel like they cannot easily reach a real person, their perception of the business may decline. This frustration can lead to lost loyalty, negative reviews or customers choosing competitors that offer more accessible human support.
Small businesses may feel the impact of this shift. Personal relationships and trust are often key differentiators for smaller companies competing against larger corporations. When technology removes the personal touch, businesses risk losing the very advantage that sets them apart.
None of this means phone technology should be avoided. The challenge lies in finding the right balance between efficiency and human connection. Businesses that combine automated tools with accessible, meaningful customer interaction are more likely to capture both operational efficiency and growth.
Ultimately, technology should support communication rather than replace it. Companies that remember the value of a simple conversation may find the opportunities created by human connection far outweigh the time saved by automation alone.
The Sobeys store property in Blenheim has been sold as part of a wider transfer of properties to a Toronto real estate investment firm.
Blenheim Portfolio Inc. of Toronto sold it for $6.8 million to Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd.
The store, which opened in 2002, was part of 22 “well located” retail properties – among them seven grocery or pharmacy sites –that Crestpoint acquired in January.
The firm said these are in some of the country’s “most resilient retail markets.” No overall dollar figure was provided. Crestpoint is part of Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group Ltd. This acquisition adds to the more than $12-billion in assets it manages on behalf of “institutional and high-net-worth clients.”
A spokeswoman declined further comment, and Sobeys corporate didn’t respond.
The Blenheim property’s value is no surprise to local Ward 2 Chatham-Kent councillor, Anthony Ceccacci, as he said the town is increasingly becoming “a strategic place to invest.”
Sobeys may be among the earlier national chains to locate in the town of 4,500 southeast of Cha-
tham. But Blenheim is now experiencing “strong, multi-sector growth, reflecting both sustained community investment and new demand driven by residential expansion,” he said.
Newer chains have been Pet Valu, McDonald’s and Dollarama
“These additions signal confidence in Blenheim’s market viability and growing consumer base,” Ceccacci said. “National brands typically conduct detailed demographic and market analysis before choosing a location, so their arrival demonstrates that Blenheim is increasingly seen as a strategic place to invest.”
The town is also experiencing
“significant residential development,” both in new single-detached subdivisions and multiresidential projects, he said.
This has triggered the Blenheim Health Hub’s move to a 26,000square-foot building providing integrated services.
Ceccacci said Sobeys “stands out as an important corporate citizen,” providing local employment, “stable grocery service” and community participation.
“Despite recent changes in property ownership at the national portfolio level, Sobeys continues to operate locally and remains committed to serving Blenheim’s growing population,” he said.
BY RON STANG
Continued from page 1
One of those customers managed the Sobeys next door and soon displayed the product on his shelves. Sales took off; and independents like Joseph’s and Remark started calling for it.
“The retail was going so well, and we couldn’t juggle both” so the family closed the restaurant and set its sights on mass retail, Skieneh said.
Now the company is building a new plant on Temple Drive to take its product to the next level. Currently, the company is manufacturing in a rented building on Rhodes Drive, but the 4,000-square-foot manufacturing space is not big enough.
“At the beginning we started locally, but now we’re sold throughout Canada and the U.S.,” Skieneh said. Besides selling to national grocery chains, Grape Leaves is about to partner with Sysco, the international restaurant distributor. The product will be distributed from Michigan to Florida.
Skieneh said the success of the garlic sauce follows the growing popularity of Middle Eastern foods. As well, the product’s fluffy texture lends itself to unconventional spreads such as on pizzas. “Customers will make special dips for vegetables, they’ll put it on sandwiches or throw in a scoop while cooking,” she said. “I think they’re just finding a lot of versatility with it.”
Secret recipe aside, the sauce’s ingredients include garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt and egg whites.
There are three flavors – the Original, Extra Strong and Habanero Hot. The firm also sells fattoush salad dressing and chicken shawarma marinade. “The Original (sauce) is our most popular,” Skieneh said.
Despite the company’s success, Skieneh said it was “a slow process to get the product on store shelves. “It has been a lot of back and forth, a lot of patience. Sometimes things have taken years.” They’ve had rejections “but you just keep trying.”
Most retailers are stocking the product regionally, although Giant Tiger sells nationally. “The problem is we’re stuck in the ‘local’ program for a lot of these chains,” Skieneh said. “So, while we are distributed all the way to Ottawa, they still have us as a ‘local’ program.”
The firm purchased the 1.3 acres on Temple for $620,000, planning for an eventual 12,000square-foot plant, according to realtor Mark Tesolin, who is working with the company. The family hopes it will open by the end of the year.
Tracey McIntyre, head cashier at Joseph’s Farm Market, called the garlic sauce product “pretty popular. It’s funny, I just bought some for lunch today,” she said. “It’s actually really good and we sell a lot of it” in different sizes.
Amherstburg’s long-time
The Fort Fun Center has been sold.
Over the past decade, the event center and eatery has offered a potpourri of family entertainment, with a restaurant, games, and even comedy nights. It was converted long ago from the town’s oncehallowed Verdi Club, an Italian community hall on Texas Road in the center of the Italian community.
The Jones Group , a development, real estate, construction and demolition company with long-held ties to the ‘Burg, had been running the “all-in-one family center” until the recent sale.
“Yes, the Fort has changed hands,” facility director Gregory Harter told Windsor Business in an Email. “The only thing I can say, on the record, is that I don’t have any plans of leaving any time soon.”
One of the new owners, Chandra Ravi, said “We are in the industry and have had experience in the Toronto area running entertainment more focused toward the kids.”
But for now the team is “doing a deep dive study,” to “understand
what residents would like. That place has a rich history,” he said.
The building already offers bowling, an arcade, laser tag and beach volleyball. And it plays on the Amherstburg theme, with signs of famous landmarks of the downriver community.
The center also partners with a wide variety of community organizations such as Rotary , Cross Roads Church and Sprucewood Estate Winery
Harter said he is “staying on as GM and will be working closely with the new owners to keep growing what we have already done.” He said he has been “working hard to get more events to The Fort. We now have at least one bigger event/concert planned for every month from April to October.”
The Verdi Club was sold in 2016 to Jones and the Hearn Group . It opened in 1958 and at one time had 600 members. But an aging ethnic population saw a decline in membership, similar to other ethic clubs in WindsorEssex which have closed over the past decade.
The club was named after the famous Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi.
BY RON STANG
The University of Windsor has ranked highly in a world survey of universities.
Time magazine, along with Statista R, ranked the university among the top eight in Ontario and 22nd in Canada. Thirty-eight countries were surveyed, and the Canadian universities made the top 500 among 2,500 worldwide.
What stood out was not just academic performance, but student involvement in research and the school’s impact beyond its walls, even globally.
Cheryl Collier, interim provost and vice-president academic, said the university has made a “deliberate effort” to involve students beyond strictly the classroom environment.
“More than most other universities, our undergraduate students work alongside faculty in laboratories, contribute to applied industry project, and engage in community-based research initiatives,” she said.
Collier said this builds on the “fundamentals” that have always applied: gaining knowledge and developing critical thinking skills. But, today, students “can participate in research earlier in their ac-
ademic careers, and connect more easily with community and industry partners.”
This is “broader and more interconnected than it was decades ago.”
Collier said the school’s location also helps.
“As a border city university, we
are well positioned for cross-border partnerships and international collaboration.”
Examples are the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, engineering “capstone” projects with industry, and “numerous” exchange and internship programs.
Amajor office and manufacturing building in the Walker Farm industrial park has been sold.
The two-storey building houses Windsor’s venerable Curry Repro| Graphics, a unique company that dates from the 1940s. Its graphic work is immersed in multiple diversified industries locally, from construction to billboards.
The $1.9-million sale of 3340 Mannheim Way was by Roscon Holdings of LaSalle, to a numbered company associated with Arlen Tool. The property is less than an acre, and the building is characterized by a glass facade.
BY RON STANG
Neither seller nor buyer returned requests for comment.
But the long-standing tenant, Curry, will not be impacted by the sale. “It’s just an ownership change,” said Curry Repro|Graphics president, Tony Plowman.
Curry has been in the building since it was constructed in 1991.
The specialty print company is unique. “I guess you could say that if anybody’s building anything in the city, we are likely producing the construction drawings for the architects, the engineers, the contractors, the subtrades,” Plowman said. “We supply engineering materials to a lot of the design shops, whether
they be construction or architecture, tool, mold, manufacturing, electrical, hydraulics. You name it.”
Some people may think of this as blueprinting, “but we don’t blueprint anymore; everything is done digitally,” he said.
The firm also has a division that prints pretty much anything from business cards to billboards. At Caesars Windsor, virtually every graphic inside and out – including those large entertainer banners over McDougall Street’s valet parking –are produced by Curry.
Plowman’s family started the business in the 1970s and, in the 1980s, bought Curry Blueprint.
It would be hard to find a better location. Local developer Dino Maggio, of Mid South Land Development Corp., has purchased a large chunk of vacant land at the prime location of County Road 42 and Lauzon Parkway. The name of the site was recently changed to the Cabana Road extension.
The location is Sandwich South, smack dab where the city has designated a major future urban growth area. Next door is the Windsor International Airport lands, also slated for industrial development. The next concession west is where the new Fancsy Family regional hospital is going to be built, with con-
struction to begin this year.
Maggio said there are no immediate plans for the acreage.
“This is what we do for a living, we assemble land,” he said. But “eventually I’m sure that it’s going to be a great piece. I buy stuff with a gut feeling.”
The almost 33-acre site sold for $2.95 million.
Sales documents cited “named individuals” as the seller, and Maggio said he purchased through a Realtor. It was just one total piece and not a parcel.
“It’s right in the heart of where the boom is going to be,” he said.
In 2002, the City of Windsor ex-
propriated 2,600 hectares from Tecumseh for future development in the area. It completed a master servicing plan two years ago.
“This zone was designated for future growth over the next 20-plus years by the City. Growth will include a variety of land uses,” the plan states.
The city predicts Windsor will experience a population growth of 14,210, an increase of 4,999 housing units and an increase in employment by 9,486 jobs by 2041.” The study anticipated “the majority of the employment growth will occur within the Sandwich South Planning District.”
BY RON STANG
One of North America’s largest independent industrial rental equipment firms has acquired Windsor’s Riverside Rentals
Stephenson’s Rental Services of Mississauga has now rebranded the local company, expanding the breadth and depth of services it offers.
The owners knew one another and had spoken about a possible merger for the last few years. Stephenson’s CEO Rob Wilson said the two companies’ values were the same.
“We’re honest, we treat people fairly, to employees we’re just the same – family-focused,” Wilson said. Stephenson’s had also been interested in expanding its own footprint. “To us, southwest Ontario is an attractive market (with many customers) we couldn’t really serve as well as we wanted to.”
Stephenson’s will be providing more technology, crucial in today’s highly competitive market with independents and multinationals.
As well, there will be expanded product categories and specialty divisions. Examples are temporary heating and cooling systems, scaffolding, site security fencing and higher aerial lifts – from Riverside’s current 45 feet to Stephenson’s 150 feet.
A priority is securing Riverside’s staff and opportunities for advancement. Operating in three provinces with 26 locations, “it’s
easier to move not only geographically, but we’ve got a lot of openings for growth within the organization,” Wilson said.
Former owner Phil Morand, still part of Stephenson’s, had worked for Riverside since the 1980s in high school. He and father Gene purchased the firm from the original owner.
The business started renting smaller tools and landscaping equipment. They then got into skid steers and, “We were the one of the only companies renting them at that time,” Morand said. Riverside’s inventory went from equipment weighing at most a few hundred pounds, to equipment that weighed 10 to 15 tons. This included lifts, booms, demos and excavators.
Retail and construction “were our primary targets,” Morand said. And the firm was “one of the larger independents.” Growth has been “relatively steady,” with 14 staff.
“My competitive advantage comes from deep, hands-on experience combined with strong expertise in business strategy, marketing and accounting. I follow a simple rule: I won’t delegate or outsource anything until I understand it thoroughly myself. Marketing is a perfect example.”
Rick Wilkinson, Owner, Walkerville Candles.
“For me, our edge is being more of a partner than just a service. We truly listen, understand each business, deliver solutions that fit, and stick around to help them succeed every step of the way.”
Mike Sanders, Business Consulting Manager, Peninsula.
“At Edward Jones trust drives advice, not incentives or quotas. I work one-on-one with families across generations, building longterm relationships through human guidance – not algorithms or sales pressures that compromise financial planning needs.”
Antonella Chisesi, CFP, Financial Planner, Edward Jones.
“Attention. We pride ourselves on having a concise client list rather than a robust one. Longstanding relationships, built on reliability and quality of work. Offering the experience of the larger companies, yet attention to detail making you feel like you're our only client.”
Christian Pinard, Owner, All In Landscape & Snow.
“We don’t just broker deals, we engineer outcomes. Through our partnership with UCC Mortgage Co., we integrate real estate strategy, financing and execution under one roof. We give clients a clear path from acquisition to completion with speed, certainty and the right partners at every stage.”
Razvan Mag, Broker, Real Fi Group at LC Platinum Realty.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
SOLD
Address: 1000 County Rd. 22, Lakeshore
Selling Price: $1 million
Vendor: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Purchaser: Belle Energy Inc.
SOLD
Address: County Rd. 2, Part Lots 1 & 2, Lakeshore
Selling Price: $2.765 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: 851381 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 5015 Santarossa St., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $2.4 million
Vendor: Castle Gate Towers Inc.
Purchaser: ITC Plaza Inc.
Address:
SOLD
Address: 1 Main St. W., Kingsville
SOLD
Address: 69 McNaughton Ave.,
Selling Price: $5.15 million
Vendor: Kingsville Properties Ltd.
Purchaser: 1 Main Street Kingsville Inc.
Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $800,000
Vendor: 1015098 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: Fox Automotive Tire & Battery Inc.
SOLD
SOLD
Address: 283 Seacliff Dr. W., Leamington
Selling Price: $7.385 million
Vendor: Green Leaf Acres Inc.
Purchaser: Loesen Farms Inc.
Where: 1146 California
Property Size: 37’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,807
Listed For: $389,900
Sold For: $385,000
Where: 2526 Francois Rd.
Property Size: 40’ x 98’
# Bedrooms: 4 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,535
Listed For: $389,900
Sold For: $416,000 SOLD
Where: 1994 Jefferson
Property Size: 50’ x 151’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,158
Listed For: $379,900
Sold For: $375,000 SOLD
Where: 11896 Cobblestone
Property Size: 45’ x 114’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $6,097
Listed For: $649,900
Sold For: $650,000 SOLD
Where: 3509 Mulford Crt.
Property Size: 40’ x 100’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,032
Listed For: $369,900
Sold For: $388,000 SOLD
Where: 550 Rodfam Dr.
Property Size: 25’ x 125’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $3,708
Listed For: $439,900
Sold For: $430,000
SOLD
Where: 2995 Turner Rd.
Property Size: 60’ x 94’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,819
Listed For: $629,000
Sold For: $605,000
SOLD
Where: 1630 Darfield Rd.
Property Size: 61’ x 123’
# Bedrooms: 4
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $9,952
Listed For: $999,900
Sold For: $985,000
SOLD
Where: 1935 Canard Dr., LaSalle
Property Size: 70’ x 152’
# Bedrooms: 4 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,997
Listed For: $679,000
Sold For: $675,000
SOLD
Where: 654 Primrose Pl., St. Clair Beach
Property Size: 55’ x 127’
# Bedrooms: 4
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $5,215
Listed For: $735,000
Sold For: $750,000
SOLD
Where: 145 Lincoln Crt., Colchester
Property Size: 125’ x 72’
# Bedrooms: 2
SOLD
Where: 168 Pacific Ave., Amherstburg
Property Size: 60’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $4,127
Listed For: $599,000
Sold For: $600,000
SOLD
Where: 360 Ridgeview Pl. N., Amherstburg
Property Size: 123’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,800
Listed For: $624,900
Sold For: $610,000
SOLD
Where: 33 Fort St., Tilbury
Property Size: 66’ x 132’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,800
Listed For: $249,000
Sold For: $270,000
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,404
Listed For: $419,000
Where: 237 Sandybrook Way, Kingsville
Property Size: 64’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $6,289
Listed For: $799,000
Sold For: $795,000
Sold For: $428,500 SOLD
Where: 992 Point Pelee
Dr., Leamington
Property Size: 40’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $6,513
Listed For: $749,000
Sold For: $714,000
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL:
• The Province of Ontario Minister of Infrastructure is renovating offices on Richmond St. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Pure Flavor Farms is building a new agricultural building on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $5 million.
• Lambton Kent District School Board is doing mechanical work at a secondary school on St. George St. N. Value of construction: $1.2 million.
• 2831004 Ontario Ltd. is renovating a hotel on Victoria Rd. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Handy Bros. Home Comfort is building a storage warehouse on Classic Car Dr. Value of construction: $350,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are converting an existing unit into a two-bedroom unit on Sheldon Ave. Value of construction: $50,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Pioneer Line. Value of construction: $1 million.
• Johnson Construction is building an addition to a single-family residence on Kilbride Ave. Value of construction: $135,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Courtyard Walk. Value of construction: $80,000.
• Brombow Developments Ltd. is building a single-family residence on Mackenzie Crt. Value of construction: $450,000.
• Individuals are doing renovations to a single-family home on Mariners Rd. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Sparks Dr. Value of construction: $50,000.
• Individuals are pouring the foundation for a single-family residence on Buckingham Ave. Value of construction: $60,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Lantern Lane. Value of construction:
$650,000.
• Contractors are doing interior fit ups to a Baskin Robbins store on Sandwich West Pkwy. Value of construction: $75,000.
• Contractors are doing renovations to a Tim Hortons store on Sandwich West Pkwy. Value of construction: $450,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building two Accessory Dwelling Units to a multi-family residence on Croydon Rd. Value of construction: $406,800 each.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Normandy St. Value of construction: $1,517,730.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Fiorina St. Value of construction: $1.5 million.
• Individuals are renovating a sin-
gle-family home on Terra Bella Dr. Value of construction: $500,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON COMMERCIAL:
• Contractors are building an addition to a retail store on Erie St. S. Value of construction: $20,000.
• Contractors are building an storage building to an agricultural business on Mersea Rd. 6. Value of construction: $70,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a single-family residence on Emerson Ave. Value of construction: $18,000.
• Contractors are building two sets of multiple-unit dwellings on Sherk St. Values of construction: $400,000 each.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a single-family residence on Sturgeon
Meadows Ave. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Wigle St. Value of construction: $150,000.
TOWN OF ESSEX COMMERCIAL:
• CSC Providence is renovating a daycare facility on Grondin Ave. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Harrow Public School is doing major renovations on Centre St. E. Value of construction: $7 million.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• K. Brady Construction is building a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit to a single-family residence on Fairview Ave. W. Value of construction: $260,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily unit on County Rd. 20 E. Value of construction: $285,000.
• Alpine Construction is building
Continued on page 13
THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS RECENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN
COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT:
Continued from page 12
an addition to a single-family residence on Masaccio Dr. Value of construction: $128,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Ferriss Rd. Value of construction: $72,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE COMMERCIAL:
• A contractor is constructing an industrial building on Union Ave. Value of construction: $1 million.
• A contractor is building a shop at an agricultural property on Kratz Sdrd. Value of construction: $240,000.
• A contractor is doing alterations to a commercial business on Main St. E. Value of construction: $370,000.
• Marcovecchio Construction is erecting the shell of a commercial building on Dimar Dr. Value of construction: $4.1 million.
• 2796047 Ontario Ltd. is doing alterations to a commercial building on Wigle Ave. Value of construction: $35,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE RESIDENTIAL:
• A contractor is building a multifamily residence on Graham Sdrd. Value of construction: $600,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LAKESHORE RESIDENTIAL:
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Patillo Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Lakeshore Park Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily dwelling on East Pike Creek Rd. Value of construction:
$ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Muskie Lane. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Southwood Dr. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building two units of a semi-detached dwelling on Fletcher Cr. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Markham Dr. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Campana Cr. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Individuals are demolishing a single-family home on East Pike Creek Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Individuals are demolishing a single-family home on County Rd. 31. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Individuals are renovating a single-family home on St. Clair Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Patillo Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A
• Individuals are doing interior renovations to a single-family home on Russell Woods Dr. Value of construction: $ N/A.
• Individuals are doing interior renovations to a single-family home on St. Clair Rd. Value of construction: $ N/A.
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Dear J.T.: My company is pushing me to return to the office again. Leadership says it is about collaboration and culture, but, most of us feel it is about control. I do my job well from home. I hit my numbers. I am more productive without a commute. How do I push back without looking uncommitted or difficult?
—Productive but Pressured
Dear Productive: You are not alone. What began as an emergency shift to remote work has turned into a long negotiation about power, trust and performance. Hybrid work is no longer framed as temporary. It has become a symbol. For some leaders, it represents flexibility and modernization. For others, it represents risk. That tension is playing out in offices everywhere.
The first thing to understand is this: return-to-office decisions are rarely just about productivity. They are about visibility, management comfort, real estate costs and leadership philosophy. When executives talk about culture, they often mean cohesion and oversight.
When employees talk about flexibility, they often mean autonomy and quality of life. Both sides believe they are protecting something important.
Your strategy depends on one key factor: leverage. If you are interviewing for a new role, flexibility should be clarified before you accept an offer. If you are already employed and facing a mandate, your approach needs to be measured and
strategic.
The mistake many professionals make is arguing from preference. "I like working from home." "I save time." "I feel better." Those reasons are valid, but they are personal. Organizations respond more readily to performance language. Shift the conversation from where you work to how you perform.
Request a conversation with your manager and frame it around outcomes. You might say, "I want to make sure I am delivering at the highest level. Here are the metrics I am accountable for. Here is my current performance. I have found that a hybrid schedule supports strong results. Could we define clear expectations and evaluate flexibility based on outcomes?"
This reframes the issue. You are not resisting policy; you are proposing accountability. If possible, suggest a pilot period. Six weeks is reasonable. Identify specific measures such as response times, project milestones, stakeholder feedback or revenue targets. Agree to revisit the conversation with data. Leaders who are skeptical about remote work often worry about loss of control. Data reduces anxiety.
There are also moments when pushing back is not realistic. In a cautious hiring environment, some companies know employees have fewer options. They may enforce stricter attendance requirements simply because they can.
If you assess that you have lim-
ited leverage, shift your focus to optimization. Use in-office days intentionally. Schedule stakeholder meetings. Build relationships. Increase visibility with senior leaders. Volunteer for high-profile initiatives. Make your presence count.
Hybrid work is not simply about location. It is about trust. Organizations that measure commitment by badge swipes send a signal about how they define performance. Organizations that measure outcomes send a different signal.
You cannot always change the system you are in, but you can control how you position yourself within it. If you decide to advocate for flexibility, anchor your case in results. If you decide to comply, be intentional about turning physical presence into a professional advantage.
And if you decide neither path aligns with your priorities, begin exploring environments where flexibility is structurally supported rather than reluctantly tolerated.
The debate over hybrid work will likely continue. In the meantime, your strongest argument is not convenience. It is contribution. Focus on making your value visible wherever you sit.
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder and CEO of the job search career coaching platform Work It Daily. Visit workitdaily.com to submit your questions.
THE FOLLOWING WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT COMPANIES WERE RECENTLY ISSUED CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION UNDER ONTARIO’S BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT:
• 3871 Howard Inc.
• 65-67 Main Street West Inc.
• Abacai Delivery Services Inc.
• Adel Al Maaz Dentistry Professional Corp.
• Allawi Renovation Services Inc.
• Andrew Legal Services Professional Corp.
• Animal Antics Lakeshore Inc.
• Avishkar Infosys Testing Centre Corp.
• Basha Painting Inc.
• Bernat Investments Inc.
• Bilokraly Financial Inc.
• Bordercity Media Inc.
• Bravo Cement Contracting Inc.
• C&C Investco Inc.
• Candes Convenience & Sports Cards Inc.
• Center Cut Golf Inc.
• Conceivium Biotech Inc.
• David Robins Law Professional Corp.
• Deluzio Auto Service Ltd.
• Dr. Shipra Saraiya Dentistry Professional Corp.
• Eastsuper International Tech Inc.
• Geo Positioning Service Inc.
• Gingerbread House Leamington Inc.
• Greenfusion Services Inc.
• Ground Keepers Outdoor Living Inc.
• Halo Weatherproofing Inc.
• Hanaka Investment Corp.
• HDA Electric Ltd.
• Jax Trading Inc.
• JD Investing Inc.
• Kick Strategic Investments Inc.
• Kotow Brothers Construction Inc.
• Kylie K. Consulting Ltd.
• Lakeshore Lawn Lake And Land Inc.
• Licbox Canada Inc.
• Mantrinee Creative Works Inc.
• M. Savic Medicine Professional Corp.
• M.E.J. Construction Services Inc.
• Marchand Capital Investments Inc.
• Marina Liovas Medicine Professional Corp.
• Mindflare Consultancy Inc.
• Nelkor Heartland Holdings Inc.
• Northridge Facility Services Inc.
• Podium Tooling Inc.
• Pool Safety Warehouse Canada Inc.
• Principal Tooling Solutions Inc.
• Proseek Legal Services Inc.
• Ranchuk Capital Ltd.
• Rose City Homecare Inc.
• S. O'keefe Consulting Ltd.
• Shobha Hande Dentistry Professional Corp.
• Skory Trucking Inc.
• Sl Digitech Inc.
• Spots Painting Ltd.
• Summit Liquidation Market Inc.
• Sunday Dinner Co & Catering Inc.
• Tannous Dentistry Corp.
• Tedesco Capital Investments Inc.
• The Great Canadian Seafood Company Inc.
• Truenorth Strategy Partners Inc.
• Wallaceburg Wellness Inc.
• Westshore Ventures Inc.
BY RON STANG
Sarata in Sanskrit means value. And it’s what Sarata Manufacturing owner, Pruthvish Patel, hopes to find by expanding his four-year-old company to new digs on Janette Avenue in Windsor.
Patel’s holding company, AXR, purchase the property near Tecumseh Road West for $1.9 million last month. The 1950s era building had been sitting dormant for some time. At one time a machine tooling business was there.
Patel immigrated to Canada in 2015 and attended the University of Windsor, where he got his master’s degree. He likes the city, which he called “peaceful” and in a good location with its proximity to the border and southern Ontario markets.
This will be the firm’s third location – it’s currently on North Service Road – but this time he will own the property.
“We are going to move pretty soon, we are just waiting to do some
paint work and cosmetic changes,” he said. The move expands the company’s floor space from 8,000 to almost 20,000 square feet. “It was a good price, close to the border, and the zoning was good. I was looking for a location for two years.”
He lauded the site’s two-acre footprint, which allows future expansion.
The firm does CDC manufacturing and fabrication and has a dozen employees. Its markets are the auto and construction industries. Products include brackets and frames often used on assembly lines. Patel expects to add laser cutting machines as the firm specializes in the custom crafted business.
Current Canada-U.S. trade skirmishes has had some impact on Sarata, “but not a lot, as we picked up more local business,” Patel said. His plan is to grow the company by another 15 employees within five years.
BY RON STANG
Leamington-based Jacob and Margareth Harms have purchased a 100-acre farm on Mersea Road 3, by vesting order from the Superior Court of Justice after the previous owner went out of business.
The family paid almost $50 million for the farm, and is now investing $15 million in renovations to the three large greenhouses that cover 70 acres and over 3 million square feet. The former owner was Amco Produce, which had owned the farm for some 40 years.
The business apparently failed due to crop diseases.
The Harms family also owns four existing greenhouses: Albuna Express, Blue Sky Hydroponics, Yellow Line Farms and Elora Greenhouses. This new farm is called Newko Greenhouses. This brings their overall acreage to 150 acres. It’s truly a family business with the Harms’s four children involved in day-to-day operations.
“The long-term family goal is that one day they each go on their own way, and we have all these separate farms they can take over,” Jacob said.
The Harms have been in the business since 2012.
Renovations are designed to bring the site up to date. They will then grow bell peppers and cucumbers; planting will be in early spring with continuing upgrades including packing equipment.
Production is for both the Ca-
nadian and United States markets. Harms said the Leamington location is ideal because of large nearby urban markets. “Whatever we pick today can hit the shelves the next morning in a grocery store,” he said.
BY RON STANG
Abuilding housing long-time engineering and law firms on University Avenue West has been sold to an evangelical church.
At 800 University, the property sold in March for $1.56 million to Deeper Christian Life Ministry Canada. The seller was a numbered company associated with RC Spencer Associates
The handsome single-storey building housed professional offices for many years; back in the day, Blondie & Little Insurance operated there.
Both the law and engineering firms have long since moved out.
Fox McNiven MacKay (one-time named Ducharme Fox) moved out in October of 2024 to the Midtown Centre office tower on Ouellette Avenue near Eugenie.
The firm specializes in family law, including separation and divorce, child custody and access disputes, separation agreements, marriage contracts and prenuptial agreements.
“We heard that Rick (Spencer) was selling the building, and we needed more boardrooms. We were able to get three large boardrooms here (at Midtown) and decided to go that way,” said Thomas MacKay.
The firm had been on University since about 2000.
MacKay reminisced about the University Avenue building. “When I was a kid, my grandfather would take me to Blondie and Little to pay his insurance bill. There was an army of people on typewriters inside,” he said. “He’d go every month with exact change and pay, and everybody was smoking in there.”
Ducharme Fox renovated when it moved into the building. “And then when Rick purchased the building he also did some renovations. It’s still very nice inside.”
For its part, RC Spencer has moved to 1610 Sylvestre Drive in Tecumseh; attempts to reach the firm were unsuccessful.
The church appears to be headquartered in Edmonton and, after initial contact, no one followed up to a Windsor Business query.
WB
Hundreds of years ago, the seed of a giant sequoia redwood tree germinated and took root. At that moment, it was genetically predetermined that this tree would become, well, a giant.
If the germinating seed of a Bradford pear tree could know anything, it is that its issue will never be very tall. As trees go, Bradford pears are short. It’s in the genes.
A tree’s growth plan is fairly simple: soak up as much sunshine and water as possible, fight off the pests
and the competition, and let genetics take care of the rest.
Businesses are not like trees. There are no genetic codes for our businesses – nothing predetermined to take us off the hook in terms of how large our organization should become. Whether our company becomes a giant or an ornamental is up to us, the owners.
Yes, there are marketplace factors that influence growth, like capital availability, competition and general economic conditions, plus
our own business acumen and management ability. But these are environmental influences, like food, water and sunshine. Not genetic code.
A Bradford pear tree cannot decide to grow as tall as a giant redwood, but in a free-market economy, the size of a business can be what the owner makes it. And for small business owners, that fact creates two questions we ask ourselves: how big do I want my business to be? And how fast do I want
to get to that size?
There are no right or wrong answers. That’s the beauty of a free market economy: it’s your business – you get to decide. But there are right and wrong reasons. For business owners, growth is a rope that can be made into a ladder or a noose. With the right business model, capitalization and effective leadership, you can design and build a rope ladder you can climb to great heights. But growth for its own sake is or-
ganizational suicide. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the Dot Com revolution that created the Dot Bomb graveyard.
There are two questions more important than the previous two, which small business owners should ask themselves: Do I want my business to grow? If so, why?
Just as you have the right to grow your business, you have the right to limit growth. And believe it or not, the latter is more difficult for most of us than the former. Here’s why:
• Entrepreneurs are hard-wired to create more of the object of their entrepreneurialism.
• The culture of the marketplace encourages, recognizes and rewards growth.
• The marketplace is nothing if not competitive. And the most prominent byproduct of being a successful competitor is growth.
Peter Meyer is the author of Warp Speed Growth. Early in his book he lists some fallacies of growth. Here are two, with my comments:
Fallacy #1. You can grow out of an organizational problem. Sometimes, in a state of denial or ignorance, small business owners think getting bigger will fix their management and organizational shortcomings. If a tree is bent, fertilizing it won’t make it grow straighter – only faster in the wrong direction. If you have organizational challenges, don’t grow until you resolve those challenges.
Fallacy #4. If you grow, customers will benefit. Peter says focusing on growth is focusing on yourself. Every minute your company focuses on itself is a minute diverted away from focusing on the customer.
I’m the last person to tell you that growth is bad, or that you should be happy with the size of your company. But I do want to encourage you to make sure that when you grow your business, it’s because you’ve thought about why and how.
Write this on a rock: Businesses are not like trees. How big your business becomes is not genetically predetermined. It’s up to you. Just because you can grow your business doesn’t mean that you should.
Jim Blasingame is the author of The 3rd Ingredient, the Journey of Analog Ethics into the World of Digital Fear and Greed. Visit jimblasingame.com.