WINDSOR, ONT. -- Air traffic controllers at Windsor’s international airport have received notice they may lose their jobs.

The airport is currently part of a review that could see the removal of their tower service.

Nav Canada is currently reviewing services at seven air traffic control towers to determine whether flight service stations are necessary.

“Letters of vulnerability” were sent to employees Jan. 14 indicating the company’s intent to change the level of service at the facility, according to Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens.

“It certainly makes the review look like a sham and something that the outcome was already determined before it began,” says Dilkens, who also serves as chair of the board.

Dilkens believes airlines will refuse to fly into airports with no staffed tower service because it will increase their insurance and risk.

“It will have a safety impact on air traffic in a very complex air space with Detroit Metro and Detroit City airport very, very close to us,” he says.

In a statement to CTV News, Nav Canada says:

“Given the current financial pressures, Nav Canada must act promptly to safely streamline operations. These difficult decisions have not been taken lightly.”

In the event the studies do not support a change, surplus letters would be rescinded.

A local member of parliament says he’s presented legislation that would allow the minister of transportation to stop the possible closure from happening.

“Right now, we’re having Ottawa thrust on Windsor as opposed to Windsor being presented in Ottawa. People don’t like that down here,” says Brian Masse, MP for Windsor-West.

One local pilot also believes with no tower, pilots will have a difficult time creating space between aircrafts.

“I’ve been up there when the tower is open and is staffed and it’s been a really busy day and it’s still hectic,” says corporate pilot, Dante Albano.

Passenger traffic at YQG has grown 300 per cent in ten years.

“Nav Canada has some explaining to do and you know what, if they think we’re just going to back down and take this lying down, they’ve got another thing coming,” Dilkens says.

He tells CTV Windsor almost 400,000 people travelled through Windsor Airport in 2019.

“So in 2015, for the first time in its history, YQG gave the City of Windsor a million dollar dividend because of the success of operations,” says Dilkens.

If Windsor’s tower is deemed inessential, it will take six months before notices come into effect.