Weekly Regional Business Intelligence
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Written by Kieran Delamont, Associate Editor, London Inc.
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Forget Trump’s 51st state nonsense. Should London annex Arva?
London’s planning and environment committee chair Steve Lehman is suggesting that London should be considering the possibility of annexing some of its smaller municipal neighbours. The question was prompted by a request from Middlesex Centre to revisit the cap placed on how much sewage London accepts (the request was ultimately denied). Lehman then suggested that instead of granting the request, perhaps the solution would be to think about turning a town like Arva into a London neighbourhood. “London is knocking on Arva’s door. Is this the time to have a bigger discussion? I don’t know. I think at some point the province has to be brought in to maybe have an honest discussion of where we are going,” he said at a committee meeting this week. The issue from London’s perspectives is generally one of services: many residents of the exurbs make use of London’s roads, sewers and infrastructure, while paying property taxes that stay in the exurbs.
The upshot: Comparisons to Cheeto-in-Chief aside, it’s a can of worms that, if London’s population keeps growing the way it does (and in the direction ― outward ― that it has), is going to need to be opened eventually. Lehman is broadly correct that London is “running out of room.” And there are good arguments in favour of annexation: it gives the city more land with which to plan future growth and turning London into a larger regional entity will give it a bit more sway at the provincial and federal levels. There are also arguments against: promised tax savings from past amalgamation efforts in Ontario have never materialized, it tends to fuel urban sprawl and politically it can result in a rural-urban divide that gridlocks city council. Has Lehman finally cracked open that discussion? Maybe. “What I want to see,” he said, “is an overall plan regarding infrastructure and how we are going to work with our neighbours now that we are [growing] beside each other.”
Read more: London Free Press
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RIP The Bay? And what will fill the anchor tenant spaces in London?
The 355-year-old Hudson’s Bay Company ― a corporation significantly older than Canada itself (and thoroughly entwined, historically) can now count the remaining Bay Days on one, maybe two, hands. As of press time, a judge had still not approved liquidation plans, but it does look like the writing is on the wall for the iconic retailer. That’s going to leave two massive holes in London’s retail landscape, with The Bay occupying more than 165,000 square feet at White Oaks Mall and more than 85,000 square feet at CF Masonville Place. “These are big holes,” Cushman Wakefield’s Brent Rudell told the The London Free Press. What will fill those holes remains to be seen. Some retail experts figure that Cadillac Fairview, owner of Masonville Place, is likely to divide that space into smaller units and fill it without too much difficulty. (Neither CF nor Westdell, which owns White Oaks, have said much yet.) “Cadillac Fairview does really well with that mall and smaller retail will likely have success,” Rudell said. Other solutions, like conversion into office or entertainment space, might also be on the table.
The upshot: The Bay has certainly faded in the public’s esteem, and ecommerce hasn’t been kind to the department store model overall, but damn, the exact moment that Canadian economic sovereignty is thrust centre stage is incredible timing for the country’s oldest corporation to go into receivership. When people joke that Canada is three corporations in a trench coat ― for at least a couple hundred years Hudson’s Bay was one of those corporations. The history books and analysts will point to any number of reasons for the company’s decline ― poor operational performance, declining relevance, the role of American private equity in asset stripping, bad product mix… you name it. For now, everyone will just have to wait and see if an eleventh-hour financier is found, but don’t hold your breath until your next chance to browse the aisles. “There is a way forward for the mall,” said Western University consumer behaviour professor Jamie Hyodo. “They have to find creative solutions.”
Read more: CBC News London | London Free Press
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New SaaS startup looks to streamline the homebuilding and renovation fields
Tony Boyle, the former founder of human resources software, content and advisory support firm HRdownloads, announced this week that he was part of a team launching a new software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform aimed at the homebuilding and remodelling industry. Called Graditi, the software bills itself as an “innovative construction management software,” which “empowers construction professionals to not only keep pace with the influx of work but to win more projects, deliver high-quality results and foster better communication between clients, teams and tradespeople.” Boyle (pictured (sunglasses) with Graditi leadership team) reportedly began working on the software while building his own home with Ken Bell of London-based Crown Homes. “We wanted to create something that would streamline the process, improve communication and give builders and remodelers the tools they need to be more successful,” said Boyle. “After years of experience in both tech and construction, we saw a clear gap in the market. Graditi is our solution ― a better way to build.”
The upshot: Construction management is hardly the sexiest topic, but there’s a big market for anything that can increase the efficiency of Canadian homebuilders. While promises have been made about homebuilding targets from governments of all levels, less has been said about the how of it all ― a report last year pointed out that each individual construction worker would need to individually build three-quarters of a home every year to hit those targets. Which is to say, the more that can be done to streamline the process and mitigate even the small inefficiencies, the better. So far, thumbs-up from builders. “We were initially concerned about the learning curve, but the platform was so intuitive, and our team picked it up quickly,” said McKenzie Homes’ Trevor McKenzie, who has been working with Graditi. “Not only has it given us a quicker view of where each project stands, and who is working on what, but it has also allowed us to elevate our personalized customer service in a whole new way.”
Read more: Graditi
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International Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board releases 2025-2026 Local Labour Market Plan
The Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board (EMOWPDB) has released its 2025-2026 Local Labour Market Plan (LLMP), offering a detailed analysis of workforce trends, challenges and opportunities across Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, St. Thomas and London. The LLMP draws from key data sources, including Statistics Canada, the Community Data Program, the Employment Ontario Information System and EMOWPDB’s Local Jobs Hub reporting tools. Insights are further informed by consultations with regional workforce stakeholders, ensuring a localized perspective on the evolving labour market. “Making our local labour market work means residents have a pathway to local job opportunities and our local employers have access to the workforce they need,” said Petrusia Hontar, executive director at EMOWPDB. “For the region to connect this supply and demand, local system planning should make decisions based on local data.”
The upshot: Citing the London Economic Region’s more than ten per cent population growth over the past five years, the report highlights a number of shifts in the local labour market, as well as ongoing challenges related to an aging workforce, skills gaps and recruitment difficulties. “Certain industries continue to expand, such as healthcare, manufacturing and construction, while retail and food services have seen employment declines,” EMOWPDB stated. “Migration remains a key driver of workforce growth, with increasing numbers of newcomers and temporary residents shaping labour market dynamics. Education and skills development challenges persist, with strong demand for skilled trades, apprenticeships, and specialized technical training. While median incomes have risen, wage gaps and affordability challenges continue for lower-income workers. Employers are also facing hiring difficulties in high-demand sectors, including healthcare, skilled trades, and technology-related roles.”
Read report: EMOWPDB
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Local cab company uses tariffs as ammo against ride-share services
U-Need-A Cab is wrapping itself in the maple leaf, trying to nudge riders towards local cabs over the predominantly American-owned ride-sharing apps. The recognizable black-and-yellow cabs are being decked out with “Support Local, Support Canadian” stickers on their rear windows. “We are a proud Canadian company, serving London for over 60 years,” U-Need-A manager Paul Gill told CTV News Lonon. “Many new Canadians have been able to start a new life in London because of the money made here.” They’re joining other cab services in Canada who have made similar pitches to consumers ― in Toronto, Beck Taxi (and a number of other cab companies) have asked to be included in any Buy Local campaigns; ditto in Ottawa, where the owners of Blue Line and Capital Taxi have made similar pleas to the public.
The upshot: It’s smart timing for taxis to make this pitch. Some riders still hold grudges against the taxi industry for their antics in trying to stop Uber and Lyft. (“Sorry, the giving credit machine is broken,” wrote one commenter in Toronto.) However, as the trade war continues, it will be interesting to see how Canadian consumer sentiment evolves. Thus far, the general focus has been on American-made goods, and American-made services are getting less attention, but that may start to change. “When you’re using rideshare apps, 70 per cent of your dollar ― every 70 cents of that dollar that you spend ― is going to U.S.-based companies,” said taxi PR advocate Roger Caranci. “The difference is that (with cabs) 100 per cent of your dollar spent in London, stays in London.”
Read more: CTV News London
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The Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship expands its entrepreneur certificate to all Western undergrads
Western’s Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship is expanding its popular Certificate in Entrepreneurship to the whole of the Western campus, the department announced this week. “We’ve had great success at Ivey through our certificate program, and it’s exciting to offer this proven concept to students at Western from various disciplines,” said Morrissette director Eric Morse. The expansion now means that Western students (as opposed to just Ivey students) will be able to enroll in courses such as the New Venture Project, first year Business Fundamentals and others. “Over the past few years, we’ve opened up a number of opportunities for students at Western to engage with entrepreneurship resources, but this is the first time they will have access to the rigour that comes with academic coursework,” Morse said. The first cohort in this certificate program will start in September.
The upshot: Western looks to be going all-in on entrepreneurship as a guiding principle in how they diversify and expand program offerings. Opening its new Ronald D. Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation ― a 100,000 square foot addition to campus ― was proof enough of that. And from Ivey’s perspective, there are probably benefits to attracting students studying other disciplines. “Two decades ago, there was a recognition at Ivey that new businesses don’t just appear out of thin air, and that existing businesses required employees who excelled at entrepreneurial thinking,” Morse said in a recent Financial Post article on Morrissette’s efforts to expand within Western. “Developing entrepreneurial thinking and entrepreneurs provided a new area of focus for Ivey in addition to finance and consulting.”
Read more: Western News
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Dispatch: March 21, 2025
A summary of recent business appointments and announcements, plus event listings for the upcoming week.
View listings here
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