Windsor doesn't have property large enough to submit provincial job site proposal

Windsor might not have a piece of land big enough to submit a proposal for a new Ontario job site challenge. 

The provincial government is calling for proposals for mega sites where automakers or other manufacturers could build a new assembly plant — but they have to be at least 500 acres in size.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is calling for a regional approach in order to submit a proposal.

"We really need to have regional cooperation with our county partners," said Dilkens. "Knowing that this particular program is looking for a minimum of 500 acres that would likely be serviced and ready to go ... this would be very, very difficult for any individual municipality."

In Tecumseh, Mayor Gary McNamara said they have a site in mind and plan to put in an application. 

"There are not too many places in the whole province of Ontario where you could say there's aggregated lands in one spot and that size," said McNamara, adding he's open to collaborating with other municipalities in the county and with the City of Windsor. 

According to Matthew Johnson, director of investment attraction for the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, the program was launched to compete with southern U.S. states. 

Johnson wants to see if smaller site proposals can be submitted, as long as they add up to 500 acres total. For comparison, the Windsor Airport property is close to 500 acres — and the Fiat Chrysler Automobile footprint in Windsor is only about 250 acres. 

WEEDC meets with the City of Windsor and the County of Essex Friday to discuss submitting a regional submission.