THE CITY OF WINDSOR

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR DREW DILKENS, DBA MAYOR

The City of Windsor is proud of its reputation in Canada and around the world for its work in design, construction, tool and die, research and development, automotive, and many other key sectors that form the broader manufacturing industry. Our strength as a manufacturing and automotive powerhouse have placed us on the world stage as a leader in the field of automation.

Our community is experiencing continued growth as a result of the game-changing announcement of the $5 billion NextStar Energy EV battery manufacturing facility. Work is underw ay to build this facility. Once operational, it will add over 3,000 new full-time positions to our community with significant additional spinoff jobs in supporting sectors. Of course, there’s a direct correlation between this kind of economic boost and the need for new housing options at a time of significant affordability challenges. Following a provincial Housing Summit, Premier Ford announced more than $45-million for a new Streamline Development Approval Fund. I was proud to be appointed as the Chair of Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan Implementation Team, which has been tasked with giving advice and proposing solutions to the province to tackle the housing affordability crisis. The Premier also announced a new plan to get housing built across Ontario, setting targets for 29 fast-growing municipalities to ensure the province achieves its overall goal of building 1.5 million new homes in a decade. Windsor is on that list, with a goal to see 13,000 new homes built by 2031.

As we continue the process to build our new regional acute care hospital, there is a need for our community to prepare the Sandwich South lands for future investment. This will mean new areas for industrial, commercial and residential growth Across the city, the Gordie Howe International Bridge continues its construction phase, with major impacts on our manufacturing sector. At the City of Windsor, we continue to support our rapidly changing global marketplace, positioning our region as a leader in the next industrial revolution. As the world pivots to EVs, Windsor -Essex has become the ‘Automobility Capital of Canada’

We are at a crucial point of unprecedented growth and opportunity, with more large -scale corporations, mid-size companies, small businesses, families and individuals looking at Windsor as the ideal place to invest, work, live, and lay down roots. Our manufacturers, our tradespeople, our innovators and dreamers are all at the heart of this exciting shift. I remain grateful for their continued support in building a strong and prosperous community.

Drew Dilkens