Should Canderel Be A "Sick Building"

As you know, I have been a big supporter of bringing doctors to Windsor. (See my BLOG, September 19 "Is There A Doctor In The House?") So I was interested in Councillor Zuk's idea to attract new doctors to Windsor by giving them rent-free office space in the Canderel Building. We are paying for the space there anyway so why not make it worthwhile is the argument being made.

Frankly, that idea makes little sense since all it does is make doctors who already pay for their office space angry. Why shouldn't they be subsidized too? It's like the idea of giving doctors memberships to the Yacht Club that was "floated" a few years ago. It's really not going to attract a doctor who would not come here anyway. We need foreign trained doctors to come to Canada to work. They will pay to come here and to be educated to Canadian standards. We don't need to throw away money.

Anyway, do you really think that the Chrysler executives want to share the elevators in Canderel with sick people or does Joyce know something about them moving to Toronto. I know patients might help fill the parking garage but people who are ill will probably not eat too much at The Keg.

In passing, what was funny was that I heard Councillor Halberstadt say at Council that it might take a million dollars to upgrade the work environment for the City's HR Department. Wasn't that the number being thrown around too to do the leasehold improvements for the two floors at Canderel. [Note the City is willing to pay $20 per square foot to a tenant of the 2 floors if someone will take it off our hands or slightly more than $500K]

Joyce's idea is a good one for economic development rather than for doctors and should be followed up immediately. (Too bad we do not have anyone who seems to do economic development but that's another story!)

I met a developer in town a few months ago when I started doing this BLOG for a coffee. He told me how another City started their software development industry-----by doing precisely what Joyce suggested. They allowed software developers to rent office space for free but in exchange for a piece of their company. Obviously, some of the ideas worked and the City did well financially. More importantly, the building became the centre where developers came and gradually the area expanded as more and more companies came to town.

It's not quite as simple as I outlined obviously. I am sure that this developer would be interested in helping out. All someone at City Hall needs to do is call me and I will put them in touch with the person.

Frankly, I won't hold my breath waiting!