Backgrounder

Investing in Windsor and Essex County

The Government of Ontario recognizes that Windsor-Essex County offers more than just a border crossing location to this province. That is why both levels of government have committed to making a wide range of significant investments in this area. 

Since 2003, this government has invested, or committed to invest more than $2 billion in this region in areas like health, education, and transportation.

Economic Development

  • $17 million to reopen the Ford Engine Plant
  • $400 million for the expansion of Casino Windsor
  • $5.6 million to Chrysler Canada employee training jointly funded by Ontario and Canada
  • $250,000 to support the Machine, Tool, Die and Mould Industry and Workforce Development Initiative

Education

  • $40 million to the University of Windsor for a new Centre for Engineering Innovation and $5 million for St. Clair College (Ontario)

Finance

  • $7.7 million for the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund

Health

  • $8.3 million for land ambulance funding
  • $2.7 million for public health funding

Municipal Affairs

  • $3.8 million through uploading of the Ontario Drug Benefit and the Ontario Disability Support Program
  • $3.3 million for social housing rehabilitation

Transportation 

  • $300 million under the Let’s Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy jointly funded by Ontario and Canada
  • $12.7 million gas tax revenues to the City of Windsor jointly funded by Ontario and Canada
  • $225,000 under Connecting Links for local roads connecting provincial highways
  • $8.8 million through Move Ontario
  • $2.3 million for transit in Windsor jointly funded by Ontario and Canada
  • $17.8 million for infrastructure improvements in the Windsor-Essex area under the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative
  • $20.7 million to widen Highway 3 from Windsor to Leamington

The Windsor-Essex Parkway is estimated to cost $1.6 billion (CDN – 2011 dollars), bringing investments in Windsor-Essex totalling more than $3.5 billion. The Windsor-Essex Parkway will create approximately 12,000 project-related jobs, with the majority in the Windsor-Essex region. The Government of Ontario is committed to investing in the future and prosperity of this important region.