Dilkens pledges to push for provincial takeover of E.C. Row; mayoral rivals question timing, delivery

As CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru reports, the E.C. Row Expressway has become a municipal campaign issue, as candidates consider returning responsibility to Ontario.

Drew Dilkens says getting the province to take back responsibility for E.C. Row Expressway would be one of his top priorities if re-elected as Windsor mayor — but two of his opponents are challenging his claim that he is uniquely positioned to make it happen.

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The expressway has been Windsor’s responsibility since 1997, after it was downloaded to the municipality by the province.

Dilkens argues that arrangement no longer makes sense for a road that serves drivers across the region and now provides a connection toward the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

“This is distinct and dissimilar from any other road that was downloaded, because it is now a link to an international border crossing,” Dilkens said.

He compared E.C. Row with Highway 3, which remains a provincial responsibility despite serving communities throughout Windsor-Essex.

Dilkens said Windsor currently spends about $6.6 million annually on capital and operating costs associated with the expressway, with that figure projected to rise to roughly $7.5 million over the city’s 10-year budget.

Under his proposal, the city would stop carrying those costs and shift the savings toward neighbourhood infrastructure.

“It is a strategic move working with the relationships and working with the province of Ontario to get this off of our books and to redirect the funding into what Windsorites care about, which is the residential roads, which they know in many cases need more attention,” he said.

Dilkens said the money would flow through Windsor’s asset management plan and be dedicated specifically to residential road rehabilitation.

But the announcement was also set the stage for election barbs.

Dilkens pointed to his work with Queen’s Park on projects such as the new acute care hospital and said those relationships would be critical in convincing the province to assume another significant financial responsibility.

“We’ve been planting seeds for a number of years, and I’m confident if re-elected, I can get this over the finish line,” he said. “I’m the only one who can do it.”

Fred Francis, whom Dilkens repeatedly referred to as his main opponent, agrees the province should take the expressway back.

His criticism centres instead on the timing of the promise.

“It’s a 25-year-old idea,” Francis said. “Previous mayors have advocated for it. Previous city councillors have advocated for it, myself included.”

Francis said Dilkens has already had three terms in the mayor’s office to move the file forward.

“Drew has been mayor for 12 years. Why haven’t you gotten it done?” Francis said. “You’ve had an opportunity to do it.”

The candidates also disagree over how much a mayor’s existing political relationships would matter.

Francis said his own time on council and work outside city hall have put him in contact with officials at both the provincial and federal levels.

“Whoever is the elected official in the City of Windsor for mayor, the province is going to work with that person,” Francis said.

The proposal also revived a longstanding dispute between the two candidates over how Windsor pays for infrastructure.

The city’s asset management plan has been funded in part through a dedicated levy that has now reached the end of its scheduled run.

Francis has consistently opposed that levy, arguing council could have freed up more infrastructure money by controlling costs elsewhere.

“If we weren’t over budget on the trolley, if we weren’t over budget on the ice rink, that’s $25 million cumulatively that we could have saved the taxpayers of Windsor and put towards those projects without having to charge them an additional capital tax,” Francis said.

Dilkens framed those expenditures as part of a broader responsibility to invest in both core infrastructure and amenities.

“My opponent will say, well, if we didn’t do the streetcar and we didn’t do the ice rink, we’d be able to fix the world,” Dilkens said.

“It’s not true. What kind of city would you have if all you had was roads and sewers and nothing else to do? You have to find the balance.”

Dilkens and Francis are among 11 candidates running for mayor.

Kat Pasquach was the only additional candidate to respond to a CTV News request for comment.

She supports shifting responsibility to Ontario, but said securing provincial support should not depend on one politician’s existing network.

“I don’t believe that he’s the best suited to do that,” Pasquach said.

“We need a council to come forward and build relationships in all capacities. It’s not one person’s relationships that are going to make this city better.”

Pasquach and Dilkens also differ on how prominently the file should feature in the next mayor’s transportation agenda.

Dilkens described it as being near the top of his provincial wish list.

Pasquach said the transportation concerns she has heard while campaigning have centred elsewhere.

“When I’ve spoken to residents, not one person has ever brought up E.C. Row as a priority,” she said.

“The number one concern is road safety in terms of accessing the day-to-day commute, road safety for bike lanes. Those are the number one concerns that I’m hearing from our residents in our city.”

The 11 candidates running for mayor are Benjamin Danyluk, Aaron Day, Drew Dilkens, Fred Francis, Dylon Graves, Tara Grayer, Nick Kolasky, Tristan Ty Morencie, Kat Pasquach, Patrick Sutherland and Louis Vaupotic.

Dilkens has said, if re-elected, his fourth term as mayor will be his final one.

Windsor’s municipal election is Oct. 26.