WINDSOR -- In the hotly contested riding of Windsor West, the NDP incumbent is calling out the Liberals, who are firing back.

NDP candidate Brian Masse says the approval of the Ambassador Bridge's replacement span came with a lot of strings attached, but missing from that list is a community benefits package.

There was fanfare around securing the community benefits for the competing, publicly funded Gordie Howe International Bridge.

Masse is renewing calls to ensure the Ambassador Bridge is held to the same standard Sandwich Towne, has felt the effects of hosting North America's busiest border crossing.

"When you lose 140 homes. We've lost two schools, a high school and a grade school, we've lost that, we've lost our bank, our post office, or grocery store," says resident Maryann Cuderman.

Main amenities that community members believe sandwich lacks because of the Ambassador Bridge's long-boarded up homes, traffic congestion and pollution.

Masse believes it's not too late for the private bridge owners to make it right when they build the replacement span.

“Just as the new Gordie Howe bridge did, I would suggest that this does as well too," says Masse.

Masse is demanding the Liberals commit to amending the order in council that allowed the Ambassador Bridge to proceed with a replacement span by including a mandatory community benefits fund.

"How could you have the PM ask the public to be part of community benefits for the Gordie Howe bridge, but then draft special legislation for a private American billionaire that excludes him of the same expectations he has of Canadians?"

Windsor west Liberal candidate Sandra Pupatello counters "the only reason we have community benefits is because of a Liberal government."

Pupatello points out it was her efforts as a liberal MPP, that embedded community benefits into the construction of the Herb Gray Parkway language that was later used for the Gordie Howe Bridge benefits.

Also taking another jab at her political opponent for his party's stance on the new-NAFTA trade deal.

“If the NDP continue, they're the ones who are anti-NAFTA. We're not going to need a new bridge if that was the case,” says Pupatello. “We need NAFTA to be ratified, and the NDP, Brian Masse, Jagmeet Singh are actually opposed to NAFTA being ratified. I have a big problem with that and so do most people that work in this town."

Conservative candidate Henry Lau agrees with Masse, that community benefits need to be baked in.

"For the last 17 years, he can say a lot of things for the people of Windsor, they have a lot of good reasons, but when you are not at a government table, basically no one is going to listen to you,” says Lau. “If I can be at the table for Windsor West, I will get the job done.”

This is an issue Masse has pressed the government on before. He issued a letter to Minister Of Transport Marc Garneau this past July, before the election was called.

He says the government regularly makes these types of amendments.