The MP for Windsor West is calling for community benefits when the Ambassador Bridge replaces its aging span.
Brian Masse said they must be equivalent to the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Fund.
He wrote Transport Minister Marc Garneau demanding that the order be amended to include a mandatory community benefits fund.
“For the government to issue an order-in-council approval for the replacement span for the Ambassador Bridge, a private business, without a mandatory community benefits fund is beyond an oversight, it is an outrage,” Masse stated. “They must be held to same standard and requirements as the publicly-owned Gordie Howe Bridge which has a community benefit fund and announced the programs and projects supported by it.”
An Order in Council (OIC) is a legal instrument made by the Governor in Council (The Governor General of Canada) pursuant to a statutory authority. All OICs are made on the recommendation of the responsible Minister of the Crown (or federal cabinet) and take legal effect only when signed by the Governor General. In this case, it is under the authority of the International Bridge and Tunnel Act and was signed and issued on August 31, 2017.
"Amendments to OICs are routine and common procedures," said Masse.
On June 14, 2019, the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority revealed the community benefits from a $20 million fund divided equally on each side of the border, for Sandwich Town in Windsor and Southwest Detroit, after years of consultation with residents.
“The minister can correct this with a simple amendment. He needs to act now,” Masse added.
Masse said Sandwich Town is one of the poorest communities in Canada and the need for both community benefits is overwhelmingly apparent.