Windsor mayor plans to veto tunnel bus subsidization due to tariffs

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens will veto City Council’s decision to continue funding the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Bus.

Dilkens made the announcement through a post on X, stating the bus brings around 40,000 people to Detroit annually.

“Why would we want to subsidize economic development in the U.S. when their president is assaulting our communities?” Dilkens questioned. “We receive no benefit in return.”

In a press conference, Dilkens told reporters the decision is a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement over the weekend that he intended to tariff Canadians goods.

The decision has since been delayed by 30 days following an agreement between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“The real overarching issue in my mind is this is in an unprecedented time, with the prospect of these tariffs over there and a 30-day reprieve, if that’s what we end up getting from the president today, does nothing to change my mind,” Dilkens said Monday afternoon. “We still have that level of uncertainty out there, and until I have certainty, I’m not willing to consider any other alternative on the tunnel bus.”

Dilkens initially voted against continued tunnel bus service during budget deliberations on Jan. 27. However, the vote passed 7-4 to keep the bus on the road.

With the use of strong mayor powers, Dilkens has the ability to veto amendments to the city’s budget. Immediately following the decision last month, he stated he would consider using the legislation for the first time.

“I see the comments on social media and some of the emails that have come in saying that, you know, I had this in my mind all along to veto the tunnel bus,” Dilkens said. “I was actually doing a, what I would always do, which is a fair and honest review, trying to make a good decision for the residents of the city of Windsor and the taxpayers of the city of Windsor.”

The mayor noted his actions are a “small signal” to the U.S. government.

Dilkens stated he intends to maintain the licensing for the tunnel bus in the event the city ever intends to revive the service.

City council will have the option to override Dilkens within 15 days of his veto. Council will require at least eight members to vote in favour of maintaining the tunnel bus service for the vote to succeed.

Previous budget estimates indicated cutting the service would save the city about $1.4 million.

Dilkens noted he will look to use savings from the tunnel bus to temporarily maintain some school bus extra routes until the end of the year. Those routes were cut as part of the city’s budget deliberations.

In addition to cutting funding for the tunnel Bus, he said Windsor will pull its sponsorship of the Detroit Grand Prix if the tariffs are implemented.

All other spending will be reviewed “to ensure the City of Windsor is maximizing purchases of Canadian made goods.”