Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens maintains his position on involuntary addiction treatment.
The Compassionate Intervention Act was passed this week in Saskatchewan allowing for involuntary addictions treatment to support individuals with severe addictions who are not capable of seeking help.
The conversation has floated around in Windsor for many years, with many for and many against the idea of involuntary treatment.
In October 2024, Brampton mayor Patrick Brown called on the province to implement a pilot project that would allow first responders to put those suffering into a psychiatric facility against their will - if a doctor deemed it necessary.
Following that call, Dilkens publicly stated his support for Brown's perspective, and stated that he believed expanding involuntary treatment options could be a vital part of the solution.
Now in May 2026, Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens says he still stands by his original comments of support.
Dilkens says he feels that this is the only pathway forward to solving this issue.
"Unless we get back to a point where people who are so incapacitated because of mental health and addiction issues, who can't make sensible decisions for themselves... unless there is a pathway to get those folks off the street and into treatment, into a place where they can get the help that they need, I don't see a way out of this."
He says he understands there's a hefty cost to addressing this issue.
"I understand the complexity of dealing with that, but at some point, as a nation, we have to wake up and say 'this is not going to get any better, we have to do something different', involuntary treatment in my humble opinion is a big part of the pathway to getting to the other side of the problem."
Windsor Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie says he applauds city council for trying to be part of the solution and feels saying no to forms of treatment and to an approach that leads to better outcomes isn't helpful.
"I will continue to be open minded and hear the feedback, receive the feedback and ensure that that's carried over to the minister of health and the associate minister of mental health and addictions."
If Ontario moved to this model, it would require changes to the Mental Health Act.
Currently patients in Ontario can only be detained for assessment for up to 72 hours, with potential extensions if they meet specific criteria.
-with files from CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco