A member of the Windsor City Council has submitted his resignation as he is moving into a new role leading the area's community housing organization.
Ward 2 councillor Fabio Costante submitted his resignation to the city clerk Sunday evening after being hired as the new chief executive officer of the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation.
Costante's resignation from the council will be effective June 26 as he moves into his new role effective July 7.
He says he is resigning from council because it won't be possible to do both jobs to the fullest extent, and it was something the CHC also requested.
"There's so much overlap between the two bodies," says Costante. "There are so many housing issues that come before the council that I'd have to declare a conflict on. There's just operational fuzziness that would create issues."
The next municipal election is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, which means city council will have to decide on how to fill the Ward 2 seat following Costante's resignation.
Costante was first elected to city council in 2018, representing West Windsor, and then re-elected in 2022, and during that time served on many committees and boards, which included the Windsor Essex County Housing Corporation and as chair of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
He says he felt strongly that he could do more for the community in this new role as we're amid a housing crisis.
"I look at this as not stepping away; actually, I look at it differently," says Costante. "I look at it as diving deeper into community service and community service that is specifically focused on the biggest issue that we face unequivocally as a community today."
According to the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation's website, it is the largest social housing provider in Windsor and Essex County and the fifth largest in Ontario, offering over 4,900 homes to seniors, families, and singles in need of affordable housing.
Costante says he's proud of several accomplishments during his time serving Ward 2, including the $20 million University Avenue road improvement project, ongoing investments and upgrades to the Adie Knox Arena complex, road reconstruction and streetscaping work in Sandwich Town, along with several bylaw and policy items he was involved with advocating for, including the vacant home tax and improvements to the dirty yards bylaws to crack down on negligent and absentee landlords.
Costante says he can't thank the mayor and his fellow councillors enough for all the work they did together over the past six and a half years.
"I feel like I am and felt like I was part of the most amazing, hard-working community. Not just in our region but across the province. The west side-this is our cliché-the west side is the best side. It always was and always will be," he says.
According to a release issued Monday by the CHC, the hiring comes after a months-long recruitment and evaluation effort and the final candidates were independently assessed by Vokes Leadership Group, combined with input from the CHC board members, community partners, and oversight of external legal counsel, ensuring the appointment of the most qualified leader to guide CHC into its next chapter.
Joyce Zuk, Executive Director of the Windsor-Essex Ontario Health Team and member of CHC's Selection Committee, says, "the Selection Committee undertook a rigorous and thoughtful process to select the new CEO. We were fortunate to meet with an exceptional group of candidates, each bringing unique strengths. Fabio stood out as the clear choice-a leader whose vision, experience, and integrity make him exceptionally well-suited to guide CHC into its next chapter."
Joe Bachetti, chair of CHC's board of directors and deputy warden for the County of Essex, says, "Mr. Costante's appointment comes at a pivotal time in CHC's history. CHC's Board of Directors is confident that under Mr. Costante's leadership, CHC will effectively tackle the hurdles posed by the national housing crisis, advancing CHC's mission with purpose and integrity."
Nolan Goyette has been serving as interim chief executive officer of CHC since June 2024.