$20M announced to help protect east Windsor homes from flooding

Windsor is getting $20M in provincial funding to support storm water infrastructure. CTV Windsor’s Bob Bellacicco explains.

The Ontario government is investing almost $20 million to improve stormwater infrastructure within the Pontiac Stormwater Pumping Station drainage area in east Windsor, much to the delight of Omar Abouhussein.

“We call it Lake Elinor,” said Abouhussein about the nickname his street has picked up because of its issues with flooding. “Our sump pump constantly runs. There’s nowhere for the water to go. My neighbours, myself, we talk about it all the time. It’s been an issue. The water gets pretty deep. There’s no walking outside during the rain.”

“I’m so excited. I know my neighbours, everybody’s been on this for a long time so it’s really nice to see,” he said.

MPP Andrew Dowie was joined by City of Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens at the pumping station on Friday to announce the funding.The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS), which has increased by $700 million for a total of $875 million to support access to safe drinking water, housing, job creation and protection for communities in the event of extreme weather events.

“As part of our government’s commitment to Protect Ontario, this nearly $20-million provincial investment will help better protect homes south of Sand Point and Stop 26 Beaches from flooding and increasingly severe weather,” said Dowie. “I thank the City of Windsor for its strong leadership in modernizing stormwater infrastructure, strengthening local flood protection, and ensuring critical community infrastructure is built to be resilient — helping to safeguard residents and keep communities strong.”

The MHIP-HSWS funding will be used to improve current stormwater infrastructure within the Pontiac Stormwater Pumping Station drainage area, specifically through the City’s East Marsh Drainage Redirection project and Cedarview Relief Storm Sewer project.

The focus of these stormwater improvements is to reconstruct local roads, upgrade the storm sewer system, and reduce the risk of surface flooding in the drainage area resulting in improved resiliency from both rain-derived flooding risk and coastal flooding risk.

The following roadways are included in the East Marsh Drainage Redirection project:

• Florence Avenue from Wyandotte Street East to Riverside Drive East
• Menard Street from Florence Avenue to Elinor Street
• Clover Street from Clairview Avenue to Wyandotte Street East
• Clairview Avenue from Clover Street to Adelaide Avenue
• Elinor Street from Clairview Avenue to Wyandotte Street East
• John M Street from Clairview Avenue to Menard Street
• Clairview Avenue from Clover Street to Florence Avenue

Both projects have been identified as immediate priorities in the City of Windsor’s Sewer and Coastal Flood Protection Master Plan.

“These vital works identified and prioritized as part of Windsor’s ambitious Sewer Master Plan represent another significant investment in growth towards building Windsor’s flood resilient future,” said Dilkens.

“When I walk my dog, as soon as I get to the end of my driveway it’s holding out hope that you’re not slipping and falling on the ice in the winter or wearing rubber waders just to get through the road,” Abouhussein said.

The provincial investment helps unlock $7.6 million through the City of Windsor.

“Now that we have the confirmation that the money is coming we can get the tender documents out and start lining up the construction schedule that will allow the project to move forward,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens.

According to the city, design for the Cedarview Relief Sewer project will begin immediately with construction starting in spring of 2027. It is slotted to be complete later next year.

The East Marsh project will be completed in phases once the design is complete. The work will span two seasons with the first phase beginning in the spring of 2027 and completion in 2028.

This funding is part of an investment of $4 billion in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), included in Ontario’s $220 billion capital plan.