Dilkens seeks re-election as Windsor mayor, saying it's not a time for 'radical' ideas

Drew Dilkens says he'll run for a third term as Windsor's mayor in the upcoming municipal election, saying people know what they're going to get with him. 

Dilkens made the announcement Friday in front of a future site of the $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant on Twin Oaks Drive. He'll run against Chris Holt, an outgoing central Windsor city councillor, as well as Ernie Lamont and Benjamin Danyluk.

Dilkens distributed a list of priorities that included seeing the battery plant built, getting shovels in the ground for a new regional acute care hospital, revitalizing downtown and making the city more affordable.

"I stand on my track record," he told reporters. "People know what they get when they get Drew Dilkens."

Windsor is going through a time of "significant challenge and change," he said in his media release.

"Now is just not the time to take a major risk on untested leadership and radical ideas that would put all of these gains in jeopardy."

Dilkens cited boons from his term, including record building in the city, and a battery plant that's expected to create thousands of jobs.

"My platform will include aspirational goals that are now in our grasp."

Dilkens's last term also saw some scrutiny. Most recently, he included a promotional insert with tax bills that critics said looked like a campaign advertisement distributed on the taxpayers' dime.

Resident Timothy (T.J.) Bondy started a petition then asking Dilkens to reimburse taxpayers for the insert. He said more than 500 people have signed the petition. 

Though the insert wasn't in violation of the campaign rules, Bondy said Dilkens was violating the "spirit of the campaign laws to keep things fair." Dilkens said then that he was communicating with residents, and he wouldn't apologize for it. 

Bondy stood outside the fence at Dilkens's announcement Friday with a sign that read, "Pay us back for your tax insert." 

"I really want to bring to light the already unfair advantage that an incumbent has going into an election, and even more so when you have the power of the taxpayer dollars to fund campaigning before even announcing," said Bondy.

He said plans to launch a podcast that will help voters — particularly younger ones — understand municipal election issues. 

Holt tweeted following the announcement, though he didn't mention Dilkens by name. Holt declined to comment further to CBC News. 

In an email, Danyluk told CBC News that with Dilkens, the community will continue to see "neglect" and the misuse of funds.  

His statement continues to say that when Dilkens uses money for beautification projects, he takes away from the communities. 

"[Holt and Dilkens'] idea of fixing problems is the same old policies, of tossing taxpayer dollars at the private sector and making the problem worse," he said. 

CBC News has not heard back from Lamont. 

Candidates have until Aug. 19 to file to run. The election is Oct. 24.