Latest news with #DrewDilkens
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Council approves spending millions to upgrade H4 site in downtown Windsor
The former Windsor Arena and former Water World property along Wyandotte Street East in Windsor.(Google Street View) The City of Windsor is going to spend millions to upgrade its Housing and Homelessness Help Hub, or H4. City council voted during an in-camera session on Monday to fill in the pool to create more space in the former Windsor Water World building on Wyandotte Street East near Glengarry Avenue and invest in improvements to the HVAC system. The exact dollar figure that will be invested is not being released, as the project still needs to be put out to tender, but Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said it will be in the millions. Dilkens said even as they work to find and build a permanent location, they know they need to operate at the current site for three to five years. 'It provides a lot more space that is unusable today. They also include some more restrooms and shower facilities, and of course, the HVAC system in the pool area hasn't been used for many, many years, so it needs to be upgraded anyways,' he said. 'So, it's not like we're taking good money and putting it after bad; we're actually upgrading a facility that we own that needs the work to be done.' In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city converted the building into a homeless shelter and since then has expanded the services available to include washrooms, beds, and access to several social and support services. Dilkens said they were going to have to fill in the pool in the future anyways, so council felt it was a good use of money. 'H4 is now open 24/7, 365 days a year. It is delivering services for very complex populations at that particular site,' he said. 'So it gives us some breathing room to be able to have people on some of the hottest nights of the year, or the coldest nights of the year in the winter, to have a place to take some of the surplus shelter capacity as well.' It's expected the project will not be finished until the spring or summer of 2026 given the scope of the work involved. The funding to pay for the work will come from money that was already budgeted for a permanent H4. Dilkens said there's really nothing in there right now; it's just a giant space that used to be a swimming pool that needs to be filled in. 'Once it is made functional, then we have the ability to offer a lot more by way of support for people who are hanging outside nowadays,' he said. 'We can bring them inside into the air conditioning, and we can have different programming that keeps them in the facility. There's already food service there; obviously restroom facilities and showers are very important.' The city recently expanded the search for a permanent H4 location beyond downtown Windsor after plans for a site at 700 Wellington Avenue fell apart due to the cost of land acquisition. Once the council has a location narrowed down, the city will seek funding from the provincial and federal governments to help build the permanent facility, which was previously estimated at over $50 million but is expected to be much higher depending on if the work involves retrofitting an existing building or servicing the location. - Written by Rusty Thomson/AM800 News.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
City teeing up plans for Roseland clubhouse overhaul
The City of Windsor is swinging ahead with plans to build a brand-new clubhouse at Roseland Golf Course — and it wants your feedback before going any further down the fairway. A public open house is set for Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the current clubhouse. An online survey will launch the same day and run through Aug. 15. The proposed design comes from international golf consultants GGA Partners. It would see the new clubhouse downsized to a single-storey, 5,500-square-foot building. Plans include covered outdoor seating in place of traditional indoor dining, grab-and-go food options, upgraded washrooms, storage and admin space are also in the mix. Roughly $5.7 million is already set aside in the city's 10-year capital plan to make it happen. Mayor Drew Dilkens calls it a 'significant investment at Roseland.' 'Public input on the concepts for the new clubhouse is vital to the overall success of the project,' he said. Roseland's historic 18-hole course — designed by Donald J. Ross — was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act back in 2003 and remains a centrepiece of the surrounding neighbourhood. Further details — and the survey, starting Thursday — can be found at
CTV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Homelessness climbs in Windsor-Essex, city officials call for upper-level support
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Windsor-Essex continues to rise, according to a new report received by Windsor City Council Monday. The 2024 Point in Time Count identified 266 people as experiencing homelessness locally. That's up from 251 the last time the count was conducted in 2021. The survey — conducted over 24 hours in late October — captured a wide range of contributing factors, with respondents citing everything from job loss and addiction to conflict at home and domestic violence. More than half said they'd been homeless for at least six months. Mayor Drew Dilkens acknowledged the growing pressure the issue puts on municipalities. 'We want to provide help and assistance to the people who need help and assistance to get back on their feet,' he told reporters after Monday's meeting. 'But recognize that we can't do this all from the property tax base.' Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac highlighted the millions Windsor has already poured into housing and shelter supports in recent years — a point echoed by Dilkens, who questioned if Provincial and Federal governments could do more. 'We're spending a lot of money to help those folks,' he said. 'But the other partners have to dial it up as well to make sure that there's enough housing, to make sure that the treatments for mental health and addiction are there when people need them.' Council unanimously supported a motion from Ward 8 Councillor Gary Kaschak directing administration to continue engaging with upper levels of government for funding and policy support.
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
CMHC says Tecumseh's HAF funding now in question after council vote
The Town of Tecumseh town hall in Tecumseh, Ont. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor) The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says Tecumseh's eligibility for the remainder of its $4.4 million Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) agreement is under review — after council voted down a key requirement tied to the deal. In a 4–3 decision Tuesday night, Tecumseh council rejected a proposal to allow up to four residential units as-of-right on lots in low-density neighbourhoods. That change was a condition of the town's federally approved HAF Action Plan. In a statement sent to CTV News, a CMHC spokesperson said: 'Conversations with Tecumseh are ongoing, and CMHC is committed to continuing our work with the Town to assess the outcome of yesterday's vote relative to their HAF agreement.' CMHC confirmed municipalities must fully implement their Action Plans and meet housing growth targets to receive the full amount of committed funding. In Tecumseh's case, only $1.3 million of the $4.4 million has been disbursed so far. Future payments depend on whether the town follows through on the terms of its agreement. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens — whose city also turned down the fourplex requirement — weighed in following Tecumseh's decision, calling the federal program too rigid. 'Cities were encouraged to apply for this vital funding… only to find out the minimum ticket to entry changed to include agreeing to 4-units as-of-right after applications had been submitted,' Dilkens said in a statement Wednesday. He added that Windsor exceeded its housing targets and submitted a locally focused plan — but ultimately said no 'out of respect for our residents, our neighbourhoods, and our future.' Housing policy expert Mike Moffatt says Ottawa's response to similar decisions in other cities is inspiring municipalities to test the boundaries of the program. 'When the City of Toronto voted down sixplexes across the city — one of their HAF requirements — the federal government didn't immediately respond,' Moffatt told CTV News. He says that silence created space for other municipalities to believe they could 'have it both ways — collect the funding and not necessarily live up to their full obligation.' Moffatt says unless Ottawa enforces those conditions clearly and consistently, the program risks losing credibility — and future housing agreements may become harder to negotiate and easier to ignore. While CMHC hasn't ruled out continued discussions with Tecumseh, the agency is signaling a firm stance — noting that future payments are issued annually, but only 'subject to the conditions and targets within their agreement being met.'
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Windsor to change budget process for 2026, councillors to forego committee work
The process for the 2026 budget will be different from last year in Windsor. A brief update was provided to city council on Monday regarding the process and dates for when the budget will be tabled. For the 2025 budget, the 10 city councillors served on three different committees to find savings. Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens has announced that will not be occurring for the 2026 budget. Dilkens says he heard feedback from the councillors that they felt the meetings weren't productive based on the outcome. Administration stated during the meeting that it was still too early to give an indication of where the budget is at. A 12.9 per cent tax increase had been proposed in September 2024 for the 2025 budget. Dilkens then tabled the budget in early January 2025 with a 2.99 per cent tax levy increase. The budget was finalized at 2.98 per cent. Janice Guthrie, commissioner of Finance and City Treasurer, says the city will have to tighten up the belt strings on spending. 'The mitigating measures we have put into place, some of those are drying up, and so we are going to have to look deep. And so in terms of our Agencies, Boards, and Committees, we have always asked them to keep their budget at the previous years approval.' Dilkens says there won't be committees in place for this upcoming budget. 'I spoke to every member of council, and most of them actually said they didn't find it that helpful. So, if we're not adding value in the process through that structure, I'm certainly willing to work with council to find another structure that they think is appropriate, but I haven't had any of them come back to me and suggest another structure. And so, they always have the ability as they always have to apply in on the budget, to feed into the budget, to make recommendations.' He says the pressure this year is not as large as it was last year, but it's not far off. 'I'm not saying we're breathing a sigh of relief, we still made a commitment, I made a commitment to bring the budget in at or below the rate of inflation - that's still my goal,' says Dilkens. 'But every year when you have a lot of pressure it becomes more difficult to do that work. And so, we're only in July, we're halfway through the year, so there's a lot more clarity that has to come which will come over the coming months.' Another update on the budget is expected at the next council meeting this month. Administration estimates having the 2026 Operation and Capital budget approvals well before the legislative tabling date of Feb. 1, 2026. Under Ontario's Strong Mayor Powers, once the budget is tabled council will have 30 days to review and make any recommendations for change. Ward meetings will also continue this upcoming September and October to allow residents the opportunity to meet with the mayor and city council members and offer feedback. — Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News
