They City of Windsor is taking legal action against the federal government. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced details of the lawsuit on Monday. He says it’s for the reimbursement of $900,491 in costs arising from the 2022 blockade at the Ambassador Bridge.
“The City’s lawsuit against the federal government is about justice and fairness for Windsor taxpayers. While wholeheartedly commending the response of our emergency services, City Council unequivocally agrees that our residents should not bear the financial burden for ensuring safety and security of the Ambassador Bridge, which is the responsibility of the federal government,” said Dilkens. Dilkens says this lawsuit underscores the city’s continued demand for equitable support in protecting federal infrastructure, which is essential for the city and Canada as a whole.
Windsor’s lawsuit seeks the following: The Ambassador Bridge blockade in February 2022, part of the Freedom Convoy protests, impeded access to Canada’s busiest commercial land border crossing, severely disrupting national and international trade. Dilkens says the city responded swiftly to manage the incident, taking on significant expenses in policing, legal fees, and emergency services, all of which were vital to ending the blockade and reopening the bridge on Feb. 14, 2022.
Dilkens says on Dec. 29, 2022, the federal government, through an official agreement, pledged up to $6.9 million in federal funding to fully cover Windsor’s extraordin.