Yes. The Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation does have a role to play in helping Windsor's impoverished neighbourhoods.
Interim CEO Rakesh Naidu says the corporation may not get as much attention for its work with small and medium businesses, but it's always looking for ways to help them out.
"Economic development is about creating opportunities and basically increasing the prosperity in the region," he says. "That includes working in the community."
Naidu is commenting after the United Way released a report last week on impoverished neighbourhoods. It's calling on community organizations, including the economic development corporation, to do what they can to reduce poverty. The report singled out west Windsor, downtown Windsor, Ford City and the Glengarry Marentette area.
He says the corporation already meets with agencies like the United Way and Pathway to Poverty to boost investment in those areas, but it could always do more.
As for those portfolios, the corporation is better known for; Naidu says having healthy neighbourhoods is a boon to a community looking for those bigger investments that provide hundreds of jobs. He points to retail as one sector that could be an excellent fit in a stable neighbourhood.
"They look into whether there's enough foot traffic -- what is the disposable income. These are the neighbourhoods that investors would like to invest in."
Manager of Community Impact and Learning at the United Way, Frazier Fathers says the data shows when people take pride in their neighbourhood, crime rates go down.
