Housing Solutions Made for Windsor
Investing in Housing for Windsor's Growing Community
In 2023, the City of Windsor began a process to review municipal lands throughout the community that could support developments aimed at addressing the housing crisis in Canada. That review identified several properties with significant and immediate potential for development covering all types of housing needs, including affordable housing and missing middle housing. On March 1, 2024, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced that members of City Council and members of City Administration have identified a list of municipal lands owned by the City of Windsor that are available for development.
Municipal Lands Ready for Residential Development
Sites with Open Expression of Interests
Visit Let's Talk Windsor Project Page
Sites with Closed Expression of Interests
Visit Let's Talk Windsor Project Page
Sites with Expressions of Interests Coming Soon (Map of Location Provided)
Expressions of Interest
Developers, seize this opportunity! We encourage you to download the Expression of Interest (EOI) package directly from Biddingo when they become available. Ensure you're ahead in accessing municipal properties open for development by signing up to stay informed and receive email updates. Join us in shaping the future with your innovative projects.
Choose Windsor
“Windsor was the top city … as having the brightest economic indicators of all two-dozen communities studied.” – Conference Board of Canada, 2023
Development Support
- Municipal Support: In alignment with its economic development strategy aimed at guiding Windsor's growth, the city extends comprehensive support to land development projects. This includes navigating the development approval process, offering development charges grant programs, and providing municipal services and resources. Emphasizing community engagement, Windsor fosters a beneficial relationship between developers and the community, ensuring projects are met with support and understanding.
- Streamlined Approval Process: Recognizing the importance of efficiency in development, Windsor has streamlined its approval processes to minimize delays and reduce unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. This approach ensures that developers can move forward with their projects in a timely manner, with the full support of municipal departments working in concert to facilitate success.
- Dedicated Development Application Coordinator: To streamline and personalize the development process, Windsor assigns a Development Application Coordinator to each project. This coordinator acts as the primary point of contact for developers, offering tailored guidance, facilitating communications across departments, and ensuring timely progress on the file. This role is crucial in demystifying the approval process, coordinating necessary approvals, and offering a single, knowledgeable point of reference throughout the project lifecycle.
- Incentive Programs: Windsor's commitment to supporting residential development is further exemplified through its incentive programs, carefully designed to encourage development and revitalization. These programs include tax increment-based grants for brownfield development, reductions, or waivers for development charges in targeted areas, and financial assistance for heritage property restoration, among others. These incentives are designed to make Windsor an attractive and cost-effective location for new residential projects.
Skilled Workforce
- Local Labour Market: Windsor has a network of architects, engineers, contractors, and other professionals with experience in development projects, providing access to expertise and resources that can support development efforts. Many opportunities exist given the local labour market conditions.
- Skilled Trades Availability: Windsor has a strong base of skilled trades workers, including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and others, essential for construction projects. Workforce WindsorEssex is also actively engaged in promoting the trades locally.
- Employment and Training Services: is an Employment Ontario service provider that provides employment services and one-on-one assessments to those unemployed and under-employed.
- Construction Management Expertise: The city has a construction association with several management firms and professionals with experience in overseeing large-scale projects, providing valuable expertise to developers.
- Education and Training: The city is home to several major research facilities and institutes of higher education, in particular the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, Collège Borèal, triOS College, Anderson College, and the Canadian College of Health, Science and Technology, as well as many facilities and programs that enable career based training.
- Diverse Workforce: Windsor's workforce is diverse, with people from various backgrounds and skill sets, offering a range of perspectives and expertise that can be beneficial for construction projects requiring innovative solutions.
Economic Outlook
- Infrastructure Investment: The city and province are investing in local infrastructure projects, such as the $5-billion, 4.3 million square foot battery manufacturing plant, NextStar Energy, the $5.7-billion Gordie Howe International Bridge, the $2-billion new, modern, state-of-the-art Windsor-Essex Hospitals System, and more.
- Diverse Economy: Windsor has a diverse range of industries including automotive, manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare. This can provide a stable foundation for long-term investment in construction projects.
- Population Growth: Data from Canada’s 2021 Census indicates that Windsor’s population grew by 5.7 per cent between 2016 and 2021 from 217,188 to 229,660. This makes it the 14th largest metropolitan area in Canada.
- Proximity to the United States: Windsor's hosts four Canada-U.S. surface crossings including Ambassador Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, Detroit River Rail Tunnel, and the Port of Windsor. We also have a fifth crossing, the Gordie Howe International Bridge set to be completed in 2025. The Windsor-Detroit crossing is the busiest commercial border crossing between Canada and the U.S., handling approximately one-third of all trade between the two countries.
- Tourism: Windsor, Essex, and Pelee Island are home to a vibrant arts and cultural community, with many outdoor adventures and entertainment experiences for area residents and visitors. The city is committed to being a creative and vibrant destination that encourages artistic expression and celebrates our cultural identity and diversity.
- Quality of Life: The city enjoys the warmest climate in all of Ontario combined with many sports, recreation, education, shopping, and dining experiences. All these options along with affordable housing rates when compared to other cities in Ontario. Are you ready to move here? Welcome to Windsor-Essex can help.
Map
Municipal lands identified for development at this time include the following sites:
- Former Lowe Secondary School site – 874 Giles Boulevard East
- Caron Avenue Parking Lot – Caron Avenue at University Avenue West
- Pelissier Street Parking Lot – Between Wyandotte Street West and Elliott Street West
- Roseland Clubhouse and Parking Lot – 455 Kennedy Drive
- Former Windsor Arena - 572 McDougall Street
- Former Grace Hospital Site - 339 Crawford Avenue
Page last updated: 20 Nov 2024, 09:11 AM
Webpages and Documents
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Development Incentives
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Brownfield Redevelopment Community Improvement Plan
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Central Riverfront Implementation Plan
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Facility Accessibility Design Standards (FADS)
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Heritage Fund Guidelines
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Official Plan
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Olde Sandwich Towne Community Improvement Plan
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Sidewalk Cafe Handbook
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Zoning By-law 8600
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Windsor Works Economic Strategic Plan
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Stormwater Management Requirements
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Cost Advantage Calculator
