The Veterans Affairs office will re-open in downtown Windsor next year.
Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr made the announcement on Friday, which is being applauded by veterans in Windsor Essex.
The new office will open during the Spring of 2017 on the six floor of 1 Riverside Drive West.
Hehr says the office will employ 16 staff, who will serve approximately 2,800 local veterans and their families.
Hehr says they are working with Procurement Canada to get the office open as quickly as possible.
The old VA office on University Avenue was closed in 2014 under the Harper government. The Liberals promised to restore all shuttered offices across Canada during the last election campaign.
Essex MP Tracey Ramsey and her NDP colleagues applaud the new office, though she really wanted to hear an opening date.
But local veterans at Friday’s announcement say it’s better to wait seven months for an office than two years.
They also say they are thrilled the two-hour drive to the London office will soon be a thing of the past, and they look forward to the day where they can meet in-person with someone in Windsor to discuss their benefits and counselling services.
In total, nine offices were closed in 2014 and all are expected to soon resume operation.
