Election Day in Ontario is fast approaching, and if you're unsure who to cast your ballot for, here is the list of candidates running in the riding of Windsor-West.
WindsorNewsToday.ca reached out to all seven candidates running for the Member of Parliament seat in the Riding of Windsor-West. Some candidates were reached directly. Communication was also attempted by sending the questionnaire to the political parties or the candidate's campaign manager.
Candidates were asked six questions. Each response is edited for clarity and brevity.
Lisa Gretzky, New Democratic Party of Ontario (incumbent)
Q: Municipalities have been calling on the province to upload services for the homeless -- while asking other infrastructure, like the E.C. Row Expressway, be uploaded too. Do you think uploading is the answer?
A: Last year, we (the Ontario NDP) put forward our plan to invest in strong and caring communities by delivering a new deal for municipalities. Our plan includes a commitment to reverse decades of unfair provincial downloads and funding cuts. This means reuploading provincial financial responsibility for affordable housing, shelters, and homelessness prevention programs, we will increase funding for mental health service providers while maintaining locally focused delivery by municipal service managers. This also includes the restoration of 50% provincial funding for municipal transit net operational costs. We are committed to working in partnership with municipalities to build strong and caring communities and a stronger economy. Similar to what was done with the deal for Toronto – a NDP government would upload the E.C. Row Expressway.
Q: How would your party address the shortage of healthcare workers, including family doctors?
A: Every Ontarian deserves access to healthcare and care where and when they need it. We need to address the crisis in our healthcare system. The Ontario NDP will recruit and support 3,500 new doctors. We will cut red tape so doctors spend more time with patients, not paperwork. We will fast-track solutions in the first 100 days—in the form of more family health teams, shorter specialist wait times, and flexible care options. We will clear the path for 13,000 internationally trained doctors ready to serve Ontarians and we’ll increase residency spots province-wide. Ontarians deserve a government that will fix public healthcare and deliver real solutions. The Ontario NDP will invest $4.05 billion over four years to hire more doctors.
With a new hospital promised in the Windsor-Essex region, it is so important that we have the healthcare workers – the doctors, nurses and support staff to be able to provide the care that our communities need. We will bring in safe nurse-patient ratios for better care and end the reliance on for profit private nursing agencies that are costing hospitals hundreds of millions of dollars.
Q: Does Ontario need an auto strategy? For decades, there have been calls to bring back the Canadian National Auto Strategy. How can Ontario help boost the local automotive industry?
A: Windsor is the automotive capital of Canada – we pride ourselves in this. We know that the looming Trump Tariffs are going to impact our region significantly. Now more than ever we need to be buying Canadian and building Canadian.
The Ontario NDP will create a more tariff-proof Ontario that can withstand any crisis for generations to come and we are committed to protecting the auto industry. We will partner with Ontario employers and unions to protect jobs now. We will work with trade-exposed industries, like the auto industry, to provide direct support, creating new supply chains, and finding new export markets for their goods in Canada and abroad. We will support the auto sector to bridge any interruption in production and preserve Canadian auto jobs. We will support bringing back electric vehicle incentives to encourage Canadians to buy Canadian. We are committed to ensuring that Ontario jobs in the automotive sector stay in Ontario.
Q: How would your party facilitate building affordable new homes?
A: Our plan, Homes Ontario, is a massive expansion of permanently affordable public, non-profit, and co-op homes. This plan will build homes for those who don’t have a home, for middle and working class families who have been priced out of the housing market, and for those struggling with skyrocketing rent. This plan will bring together municipalities, builders, non-profit developers, and the province to kick start the most ambitious home building plan that the province has seen in generations. In order to ensure everyone can find a home they can afford, the ONDP's plan will provide grants, low-cost financing, public land and other resources to help public, non-profit and co-op housing providers quickly increase the supply of permanently-affordable non-market homes. A ONDP government will get back in the business of building affordable homes in the same way as governments did decades ago building war time homes in Windsor.
Q: While the Ford government has invested in education, it hasn't kept up with inflation. How would your party address the education funding shortfall?
A: The Ontario NDP have a plan to fix schools, hire staff, feed kids, and make sure every single student has the tools they need to succeed. We’ll fix schools to give students a high quality, nurturing learning environment. We will invest an additional $830 million a year to clear the repair backlog within 10 years while keeping up with school maintenance needs. We will hire more teachers, educational assistants, child and youth workers, ECEs, custodial and trade workers – they make all the difference helping students get the one-on-one attention they need and maintaining a nurturing learning environment. We’ll create a universal School Food Program so that every child in Ontario is set up to succeed. We’ll make sure our public education system gives students with disabilities the support they deserve. We’ll end the practice of streaming and make sure we are using data to support more equitable schools. We will review the funding model to focus on student needs and not numbers of students to support vulnerable students. We have many plans to ensure children are getting the education they deserve!
Q: Do you think Ontario needs to find new markets, aside from the U.S., for the agrifood industry?
A: Yes, with the threat of Trump’s tariffs it is vital that we diversify our economy. That is why we will work with industries to provide direct support, creating new supply chains, and finding new export markets for their goods in Canada and abroad. We will promote interprovincial cooperation and break down trade barriers and launch a Buy Ontario campaign to promote Ontario goods. The agrifood industry brings good jobs, helps us procure locally, and cannot be put at risk. By supporting this sector with targeted investments, we can tariff-proof the region, create good jobs, and build a sustainable, future-ready economy. And we will support local farms by using fresh food prepared and grown right here in Ontario.
Matthew Giancola, Ontario Party
Q: Municipalities have been calling on the province to upload services for the homeless -- while asking other infrastructure, like the E.C. Row Expressway, be uploaded too. Do you think uploading is the answer?
A: I would like to see the homeless given the same benefits as refugees who receive publicly funded housing, employment opportunities, social services and financial assistance regardless of the level of government providing it.
Q: How would your party address the shortage of healthcare workers, including family doctors?
A: The Ontario Party recognizes that high immigration rates have led to an abundance of people competing for limited healthcare services and resources designed for a smaller population, and heavy taxation on hard working healthcare professionals has led many to prefer working in the US.
Q: Does Ontario need an auto strategy? For decades, there have been calls to bring back the Canadian National Auto Strategy. How can Ontario help boost the local automotive industry?
A: Ontario can become more attractive for investors, businesses, citizens and corporations if we lower expenses by avoiding tariffs, cutting taxes and committing to efficient, clean and affordable energy like natural gas and nuclear energy.
Q: How would your party facilitate building affordable new homes?
A: The Ontario Party suggests that it is faster and cheaper to lower the inflated real estate prices by banning foreign ownership of property than it is to build new homes at a snail's pace which can't keep up with our rising population.
Q: While the Ford government has invested in education, it hasn't kept up with inflation. How would your party address the education funding shortfall?
A: The Ontario Party will cut funding for the sexual education curriculum and other areas that are irrelevant to student success, and will increase funding and opportunities for important areas of education like math, literacy and science.
Q: Do you think Ontario needs to find new markets, aside from the U.S., for the agrifood industry?
A: Ontario should always be open to expanding business opportunities, but we must remain committed to the positive trade relationship that we have with the US and, therefore, Canada should agree to secure the border from illegal immigration and illegal smuggling of firearms, drugs and people.
Nick Kolasky, Green Party of Ontario
This candidate did not return his questionnaire after it was submitted to the Green Party
Tony Francis, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
This candidate did not return his questionnaire after it was submitted to the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Mark Dewdney, None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
This candidate did not return his questionnaire after it was submitted to the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
Joshua Griffin, New Blue Party
This candidate did not return his questionnaire after it was submitted to the New Blue Party