'Nothing short of a kick in the teeth': City calls on feds to ‘pony up’ fair share of anti-flooding funds

The City of Windsor is calling on the federal government to pay their fair share for previously approved sewer and flood-mitigation projects as out-of-control inflation is pushing project costs through the roof.

The City of Windsor applied for and received funding through the Disaster Adaptation and Mitigation Fund (DAMF) back in 2018 after back-to-back major basement flooding events in 2016 and 2017.

The funding, which was approved in 2019, totalled roughly $90 million for 16 projects, mostly in the Riverside area, ranging from sewer to work pump-house upgrades.

Under the DAMF program, the city agreed to fund 60 per cent of costs, about $58 million and the feds are on the hook for the other 40 per cent, about $32 million.

“However, since that time, costs have increased dramatically due to construction price inflation,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.

According to a city report, some bids for sewer work are coming in 100 per cent higher than budgeted and that $90 million price-tag has since ballooned to $176 million.

Despite requests that the federal government stick with the 60-40 split and like the city, pay more, the feds have responded that $32 million is the most the city will get for the pre-approved projects.

“We're trying to be fair and reasonable here and that should be the takeaway,” said Dilkens. “We're not asking for a free lunch but we need them to play their share, the federal government to play their share, as we're going to play ours.”

The hardest hit area in those major rainfall events in 2016 and 2017 was right in Ward 6 councillor Jo-Anne Gignac’s neighbourhood of Riverside.

“Certainly, the information that we're sharing with you today is nothing short of a kick in the teeth,” said Gignac at a media event held just off Wyandotte Street East Friday morning.

That’s where the bulk of the sewer and infrastructure work is being done with this round of funding, 20 per cent of which is now complete, according to the city.

Gignac wants the feds to pony up another $26 million, otherwise residents will likely see their taxes and sewer surcharge go up, or worse, the full scope of work may not be completed as quickly, which she warns could lead to more basement flooding.

“We sure as heck cannot afford the additional $80 million that we know these projects are going to cost,” said Gignac.

Windsor-West MP Brian Masse has taken the fight to Ottawa, penning a letter to Infrastructure Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

“Why we are fighting over this, I have no idea,” said Masse from his office in Ottawa Friday. “It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just the reality we’re all facing.”

“It should be moving forward, because it’s good on climate change, it’s good for the economy, it’s good for the environment and it’s going to create jobs,” he said, noting he will continue to advocate to LeBlanc.

Windsor-Tecumseh Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk was a city councillor in Windsor when the major flooding events happened and tells CTV Windsor he’s always been a very strong advocate for DAMF funding for the region.

“As I have done since day one, I will always work with the mayor and council to go after additional DAMF funding,” said Kusmierczyk.

He adds the original agreement between the city and federal government clearly states the maximum federal contribution is “up to $32 million” and that the city is contractually responsible for cost overruns, which includes inflation.

“I categorically reject the mayor’s characterization that somehow the federal government is not living up to its side of the agreement,” he said.

Kusmierczyk is meeting with Mayor Dilkens and coun. Gignac Friday afternoon to discuss the matter.

The city’s sewer master plan calls for $4.9 billion of work over the next 50 years to bring Windsor’s water management infrastructure up to snuff.