MEDIA STATEMENT | WINDSOR MAYOR DREW DILKENS
Today, after consultation with Windsor Police and City Administration, I am lifting the declared State of Emergency related to the illegal occupation of the Ambassador Bridge and the associated disruption along Huron Church Road. The immediate threat has been cleared and we have experienced about a week of cross border trade, unimpeded. The City of Windsor secured an injunction from the Ontario Superior Court to further arm law enforcement with the tools to protect this vital trade infrastructure and the municipal road that connect to it.
At the same time, we continue to experience the ongoing price of protecting this vital national trade corridor. Many businesses and residents in West Windsor are still coping with the enhanced security presence and restricted access along Huron Church. Windsor Police are evaluating the national security situation on a daily basis and we have seen progressive reopening of east-west through streets over the course of the past week.
Our local entrepreneurs deserve equitable access to federal government support programs that have already been launched to assist downtown Ottawa small businesses.
The City of Windsor will work with the Windsor Police Service in the coming weeks to make a formal request for financial support to cover all costs associated with clearing the illegal occupation and securing Huron Church Road for the Province and Federal government to cost-share. It would be unreasonable to expect the citizens of Windsor to shoulder the costs associated with this national security operation on our own.
The past few weeks have been difficult for many in our community. The protests in Ottawa, Alberta, and right here in Windsor exposed the deep divisions that exist among Canadians as it pertains to ongoing public health measures. Leadership at all levels of government will be required in the months ahead to help Canadians heal.