Drew Dilkens
Welcome to the official campaign website for Dilkens For Mayor.
About Drew
Drew Dilkens is a lifelong resident of Windsor. He holds business and law degrees from the University of Windsor (called to Bar in 2012) and an M.B.A. from Wayne State University. He received his Doctorate of Business Administration from the International School of Management in Paris, France with a focus on municipal amalgamation in Ontario. He obtained the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from The Directors College (2021), and also holds the professional designation of a Certified Human Resources Leader, along with training certificates from the Canadian Foreign Service Institute, Canadian Securities Institute and Federal Bureau of Investigations in the United States.
Dilkens was elected Mayor of the City of Windsor on October 27, 2014. He was re-elected on October 22, 2018, for his second term, and on October 24, 2022, for his third term. As Mayor, he has been committed to a program of fiscal discipline, economic diversification, and investment, growth, and sustainability for the City of Windsor. Since being elected, he has continued to focus on improving the city’s infrastructure – including roads and sewers, keeping taxes low, supporting economic development that creates jobs and attracts investments, and positioning Windsor as a destination of choice for those looking to build homes, careers, and families.
In 2017, Drew Dilkens presented an 8-Point Plan to address flooding – including a push to expedite completion of the City’s Sewer Master Plan; the $5 billion plan for the next 50 years of sewer investments received Council approval in 2020. Under Dilkens’ leadership, significant investments have been made, and master plans approved that guide work for roadways, public transit, active transportation, parks, recreation and culture, public art initiatives, theming and districting, and more. While leading the community through major climate events involving floods and tornadoes, as well as the global pandemic (2020-2022), Dilkens also spearheaded the “Windsor Works” initiative to develop an economic strategy for Windsor’s future growth. Less than a year after the plan was adopted, Dilkens helped secure a monumental investment of $5 billion for the first domestic EV battery manufacturing facility (NextStar Energy) – the largest investment in Canada’s auto industry, and one of the largest investments in Windsor in a century.
The results of that plan are also tied to Windsor attracting and leveraging additional opportunities connected to large-scale infrastructure projects including the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the new Fancsy Family Hospital (Regional Acute Care Hospital), and more. To build out the area around the new hospital, and to unlock the potential of thousands of new homes and business and investment opportunities, Dilkens led Council through the development of a strategy to fund development in the Sandwich South area of the city.
As communities across Ontario and Canada have tackled significant challenges connected to housing and the impacts of homelessness, mental health, and addictions issues, Drew Dilkens led the City’s establishment of the H4 Homelessness and Housing Help Hub to support vulnerable residents, and developed a vision for "The Village at The Barn" supportive housing initiative. He was also a key leader in developing the Housing Solutions Made for Windsor strategy, helping create the robust Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan, working to advance the National Urban Park at Ojibway closer to the finish line, and gaining consensus around an expropriation plan to help increase housing supply and spur neighbourhood revitalization in Olde Sandwich Towne.
Drew is married to Jane Deneau, has two children, Madison and Jack, and a golden doodle named Finn. They are an active family that enjoys travelling together, as well as attending local events and festivals. A true history enthusiast, Drew can often be found researching local archives and books detailing the history of Windsor, and penning poems inspired by Windsor’s past, present and future.