Windsor’s economy is expected to continue to grow this year, with energy and insurance costs, a shortage of skilled labour and issues crossing the U.S. border among the most common potential problems identified by local business owners and executives.

Business professor Pete Mateja released the seventh annual Odette School of Business “Pulse of the Region” business confidence survey last week. With the support of the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Odette School of Business, he gathered data and insight from manufacturers, service providers and professional firms to draw comparisons and identify trends.

Generally, respondents are optimistic—40.9 percent of firms expect to hire more employees, a drastic change from the 12.9 percent who said the same in 2010, Mateja reports. About half expect higher sales this year as well, based on perceived strengthening of the both the Canadian and U.S. economies.

However, national and international issues threaten to derail the economy, including “soaring” energy and insurance prices, a skilled labour shortage and challenges posed by the border, says Mateja.

“Living in Windsor, we all know about the U.S. border crossing issues,” he says. “With the recent signing of the presidential permit by U.S. President Barack Obama for the second bridge, we are still about seven years away from a permanent solution.”

The 2013 Pulse of the Region Survey is available free of charge by contacting Mateja via e-mail at pmateja@uwindsor.ca or phone at 519-253-3000, ext. 4943.