Members of Activate Transit Windsor Essex (ATWE) say they are gutted over city council's decision not to overturn Mayor Drew Dilkens' veto of a budget amendment that continued funding the tunnel bus service.
In a recorded vote at a special council meeting on Friday, the motion failed by a 6-5 vote, ultimately ending the cross-border service.
ATWE member Josh Sankarlal says they were surprised to learn the vote was even happening.
"Watching it live, not being able to be there, not being able to speak on that issue, and just having to watch this service get dismantled in front of the city's eyes with nothing that we could do, it was gutting," he said.
He says the city is making cuts to Transit Windsor at every opportunity.
"Whether that's through fare rises that push people out beyond the point where they can afford it, or just pulling service completely, and then pointing to transit as a whole and then saying 'oh it doesn't, let's privatize it.' as the mayor and councillor Jo Anne [Gignac] said over and over again [Friday]," Sankarlal said.
Sankarlal says their organization is disappointed in ward 4 Councillor Mark McKenzie.
"Our members reached out to [McKenzie] numerous times, none of them reported back that they received a response back from the councillor," he said. "For someone who is currently throwing their hat in the ring for a Conservative MP spot, what's really disappointing to hear is how unwilling he was to even consider speaking to Detroit."
Earlier this week ahead of the vote, McKenzie told AM800 News that Detroit officials had reached out to Windsor administration.
McKenzie stated he would have loved to see Detroit be a partner with Windsor on the tunnel bus.
Dilkens says the tunnel bus may run until the end of August, but that will be decided by a city committee.
ATWE is a grassroots advocacy group, describing themselves as working for a more accessible and sustainable transportation system in Windsor and Essex County.
-With files from AM800's The Shift with guest host Kristen Siapas