HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDAC - 2025-02-26 RTCHENER
Economic Development Advisory Committee
Committee Minutes
February 26, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
Electronic Meeting
Present: Councillor D. Schnider, Member
Councillor A. Owodunni, Member
Councillor Margaret Johnston, Member
Chuck Howitt, Member
L. Rodriguez Reyes, Member
J. Malfara, Member
M. Lam, Vice-Chair
J. Curto, Chair
M. Bingeman, Member
Laura Philippe
Matthew Chandy
Staff: Cory Bluhm
Brian Bennett
N. Nandakumar, Committee Administrator
Aura Hertzog
Lidia Feraco
Jennifer Sandoval Penilla
1. Commencement
A virtual meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Committee was held at
11:04 a.m. on February 26, 2025. Chaired by Joe Curto.
2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None
3. Delegations
None
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4. Information Items
4.1 Vision and Expectations for the Committee
J.Curto provided an overview of the mission and goals of the committee.
4.2 Tariffs
J. Curto opened the discussion on the agenda topic. He shared the following
information -
• On Mar 4th, the United States will impose a 25% tariff on Canadian
exports.
• Kitchener Waterloo Cambridge (KWC) has been identified as the fourth
most vulnerable Canadian city to the proposed tariffs.
The committee identified the following as key areas of focus -
• Impact on business and support from the City
• Financial support for Small Business Establishments
• Implications on Manufacturing and Tech Industries
• Support Canadian Initiatives
• Federal and Provincial government advocacies
C. Bluhm referenced the use of a synergistic approach working jointly with the
Region of Waterloo and City of Cambridge.
The committee agreed to maintain 'Tariffs' as a standing agenda item.
4.2.1 Discuss the merit of forming a sub-committee on tariff-related impact in
Kitchener
During the discussion, the members expressed their decision not to support the
creation of a subcommittee at this time as members felt it would result in
duplicated efforts.
4.3 Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy
The presentation was jointly delivered by B. Bennett (City of Kitchener), L.
Philippe and M. Chandy (Region of Waterloo).
The following key points were highlighted during the presentation -
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• Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy (WREDS) is a
collaborative document outlining the community's collective economic
development priorities.
• It was jointly developed by the WREDS Working Group:
o Region of Waterloo
o Seven area municipalities
o Waterloo Economic Development Corporation (Waterloo EDC)
The WREDS Steering Committee comprises of the Chief Administrative Officers
of the Region of Waterloo and each area municipality, as well as the Board Chair
for Waterloo EDC's Board of Directors have the final decision making and
approval authority.
• The document aims to guide economic development activities across the
region to
o increase efficiency,
o identify opportunities for collaboration and
o support a coordinated, regional, and strategic approach to economic
development.
• As part of the strategy development process, over 1,800 individuals were
actively engaged through focus groups, workshops, surveys, and
interviews.
• The results from research and engagement influenced the formulation of
the five strategic pillars of the 2025 strategy:
o Talent - focused on attracting and strengthening the workforce by
improving talent readiness and integration through training and
employer support. Post Secondary institutions can provide support.
o Land Readiness - land development strategies and projects, including
associated infrastructure strategies to expedite business development
and long-term planning. Kitchener has reduced industry ready lands.
o Scaling Local Innovation - Supporting local business retention and
expansion and increasing collaboration to support entrepreneurship
and innovation. Investment into incubators spaces - Velocity,
Communitech, 44 Gaukel and Commercial Kitchen for entrepreneurs
at the Kitchener market.
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o Strategic Sector Support - improving investment readiness in key
sectors and coordinating advocacy efforts to grow emerging sectors.
Increase support through the Arts & Cultural Industries, Business
Outreach
o Quality of Life - ensure that wrap-around support, amenities, and other
services that support our workforce are adequate for our growing
community, fostering a sense of civic pride and belonging. The Conrad
Centre, BIA to aid the process.
• The following 8 themes span all the pillars and reflect the concerns,
priorities, and values of our community, and are present in & throughout
the strategy
o Immigration
o Equity & Reconciliation
o Housing
o Childcare
o Transit & Mobility
o Family physicians
o Climate action
o Rural success
• The Working Group will meet biannually to report and review progress,
identify opportunities for new initiatives, and assess the Pillars' relevance
to current community needs.
• Progress will be reported to the Steering Committee annually and
recommended changes will be reviewed and approved as necessary.
• Timelines -
o Jan-Mar 2025 - Strategy Review by Area Municipal Councils and
Waterloo EDC Board of Directors
o Jan-Mar 2025 - Public Review
o March -April 2025 - Presentation to the Council for approval.
• More information can be read and downloaded at
https://engagewr.ca/w reds
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5. Adjournment
On motion, this meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.
Navitha Nandakumar
Committee Administrator
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