Getting over the COVID-19 hump is the City of Windsor's main focus heading into 2022.
This from mayor Drew Dilkens who says the pandemic has been disruptive for so many families and businesses across the region and getting everyone back to work will be priority one.
He says shrinking the unemployment rate is a must.
"We had unemployment down under 7% for the first time in years prior to the pandemic and people were flocking to Windsor because of affordable housing, because of our border proximity. But now we face that combined risk of continued border crossing issues, supply chain challenges, housing prices that are making affordability a real issue."
Dilkens says the city will continue to push for an auto strategy as the industry transitions to more electric vehicles.
"We all have to work together to turn the dial. So from my perspective, we need that automotive strategy from the federal government to help us pivot to the transformation in this auto world which is the move to electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles and hybrids and all the technology that comes with that."
He says work continues to keep Windsor in the running for a new electric vehicle battery plant.
"The prospect of a battery factory in Ontario, it's probably a $3-billion to $4-billion investment and probably will hire 2,000 to 3,000 people. Our bread and butter here, for a long time, it's been automotive and we are pushing on all fronts to be included in consideration for that type of investment."
November numbers show Windsor's unemployment rate at 8.1% — well above the provincial average of 6.4%.
— with files from AM800's Rusty Thomson