Upload E.C. Row & Invest More in Local Roads
An historical “April Fools” effort by a former Ontario Government, E.C. Row Expressway was downloaded to the City of Windsor on April 1, 1997. Since that time, Windsor residents have borne the costs for maintenance, upgrades, and snow clearing, costing the municipality about $7.5 million per year. In the past two years, the Government of Ontario has formally committed to uploading similar expressways in Toronto and Ottawa. The Don Valley Parkway (Toronto) and Ottawa Highway 174 represent direct precedents, and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is committed to pressuring the Government of Ontario to deliver the same benefit for Windsor.
Growth across the City of Windsor and Essex County has long meant that the costs to maintain this regional expressway – which all local communities benefit from – is today the sole responsibility of Windsor taxpayers. When Dilkens is successful in convincing the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to reassume the maintenance and operational cost for Windsor’s E.C Row Expressway, then 100% of the cost savings would be redirected to the local residential road rehabilitation capital program.
“As a matter of basic fairness, we should expect the Government of Ontario to immediately begin discussions to upload E.C. Row,” said Drew Dilkens. “This was never a cost that should have been transferred to local government. I plan to take this fight directly to the Premier and Cabinet, and expect them to listen and deliver.”
Only Drew Dilkens, with a history of delivering results for Windsor, has the experience and connections to deliver this multi-million dollar win for local residents.
“Just imagine what an additional $7.5 million per year could deliver for Windsor’s capital plan,” continued Dilkens. “The fact is, that’s a rounding error for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, but significant opportunity for Windsor to reprioritize vital municipal roads projects on backlog.”