Windsor-West MP Brian Masse is calling on the Federal Government to include a Community Benefits Plan for the replacement of the Ambassador Bridge.
Masse believes it's mandatory to include a plan similar to the one that is in place for the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project.
He says the Gordie Howe project has set aside $20-million for a Community Benefits Plan and he wants the bridge company to do the same.
"With the government introducing the legislation for the Gordie Howe Bridge, we thought the equivalency would be fair to the Ambassador Bridge for community benefits," says Masse. "So we've asked for it to be pro-rated the same. So it's in the millions of dollars."
Masse says the government, along with the bridge company, have ignored the community.
"What we've asked for as a Prime Minister and I've done this in a very much open way is listen, you've made a mistake, you didn't include community benefits, it's included in the Gordie Howe Bridge so explain why one would get it and the other one wouldn't and you can fix your mistake," says Masse.
He says the community wants an update on the bridge project.
"We've asked for an update for the community because a lot of people are asking what's going on," says Masse. "How is it we don't even know, I mean that's just absorbed. There's a billionaire American wanting to build a new border crossing connecting into one of the most important cities in Canada and we don't even know the status of the this project, it's absorbed.
Masse has fired off a letter to the Minister of Transport Marc Garneau asking him to amend the Order in Council approval for the replacement of the Ambassador Bridge.
In September 2017, the Detroit International Bridge Company announced it received its final permit to build North America's longest cable stayed bridge next to the original crossing.
The $1-billion replacement bridge is expected to include six lanes, three in each direction along with a new and expanded CBSA commercial inspection facilities with 12 additional commercial inspection booths.
At that time, the bridge company said it construction would take about three-years.