Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is promoting some “Buy Windsor” and “Buy Canadian” policies that he would put in place if he’s re-elected this October.
During a news conference Monday outside of the Hiram Walker distillery on Riverside Drive at Walker Road, Dilkens spoke about the rising trade tensions between Canada and the U.S., which includes tariffs, noting that whatever trade dispute occurs at the international level, it has a kitchen-table impact here in Windsor.
Dilkens wants to put a “Buy Windsor” policy in place to ensure that the City of Windsor only obtains Windsor-made vehicles for all fleet replacements.
He also wants a “Buy Canadian” policy that would ban U.S. businesses from winning City of Windsor contracts and launch a Procurement Review to add rated criteria to any bid that sources materials locally or can demonstrate municipal economic benefits.
Dilkens says it’s all about making Windsor resilient in the face of this trade war, but it will take some work to get these promises over the finish line.
“Making sure we are buying Windsor vehicles in our procurement for the city fleet, making sure that no U.S. contact can be let in terms of City of Windsor purchasing, that we are examining in greater detail the procurement rules and the ratings that we put in place and evaluate bids,” he says.
Dilkens says it’s all about looking at other options if there’s a Canadian source available to employ Canadians and send a signal.
“I recognize that these are small signals from a city the size of Windsor, but collectively working together, I think these are amplified,” he says. “It’s no different than people today who are making a choice, saying, ‘I’m not crossing the border. No one has told me not to cross the border; I just don’t want to spend money over in the United States right now because that’s the way I can send a signal.’”
Dilkens says part of the policy review will be to ensure they don’t overpay if there was a case there was only one Canadian option.
“Where there is a fair and balanced approach and a review that can take place, far more detailed than any review we can undertake today, I want to ensure and embed that happening in our procurement process just to make sure we are doing all that we can to Buy Canadian, Buy Ontario, and darn it, Buy Local as well,” he says.
Dilkens also wants to establish when he calls a Trade-Impacted Community Improvement Program (CIP) specific to sectors that have been targeted by U.S. tariffs.
He is promising to expand City Hall Service for Small Businesses: Establish a joint committee with the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce to provide direct support and help trade-impacted small businesses navigate government relief programs.
Dilkens also wants the federal government to create an Economic Development Fund for Windsor as the host community for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, similar to the one being provided to Michigan under the deal reached with the U.S. government to open the crossing.
In late July, city council voted to send a letter to the federal government asking if there were opportunities for Windsor under the new framework.
The 11 candidates running for Windsor mayor are Benjamin Danyluk, Aaron Day, Drew Dilkens (incumbent), Fred Francis, Dylon Graves, Tara Grayer, Nick Kolasky, Tristan Ty Morencie, Kat Pasquach, Patrick Sutherland, and Louis Vaupotic.
The municipal election is set to take place October 26.