Windsor's mayor has taken some of the city's biggest long-term issues to the provincial government.
Drew Dilkens is in Toronto this week, where he was meeting with several ministers in the Ford government. He told WindsorNewsToday.ca that one of the issues he had been pushing is the potential for provincial funding to help offset Windsor's COVID-19-related expenses.
"Our situation and circumstances are absolutely unique with the ownership of an airport and an international border crossing," said Dilkens. "So we continue to press on all fronts, and we hope that a window will be opened so that we can apply, and that taxpayers can be made whole for a problem that they didn't cause."
The mayor was due to attend a housing summit Thursday, presided over by Premier Doug Ford, but the meeting was cancelled. Dilkens said he was still able to connect with the premier.
"He, like always, is so positive about Windsor-Essex and wanting to see great things happen down our way," said Dilkens. "It's a relationship that I certainly value, and try to present opportunities for him to make investments in our community that are going to be meaningful."
The largest local investment the province is involved with is the new acute-care hospital, which Ford had called Windsor-Essex's top infrastructure priority. One of Dilkens' meetings was with Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney concerning road and traffic capacity for projects like the hospital.
"What I was focused on with Minister Mulroney was just looking at different connections that the City of Windsor has approved environmental assessments for, in figuring out how we can get traction on some of those important road projects to be able to connect to the hospital, to be able to look forward to the economic future of this city," said Dilkens.
Dilkens also met with representatives from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) concerning hydro support, and with the Ministry of the Environment on the Ojibway Shores area.
The mayor is due to meet with additional government officials on Friday.
