Ontario Investing $271K to Help Alleviate Flooding in Windsor

August 11, 2025

Windsor project is part of the province’s $7.3 million investment to improve the health of local waterways and strengthen infrastructure

WINDSOR – The Ontario government is investing $271,000 in the City of Windsor to support the implementation of the Sewer and Coastal Flood Protection Master Plan (SMP). This investment supports an immediate priority project identified in the SMP: sealing sanitary maintenance hole covers (MH Sealing) through the installation of rain catchers. The City is contributing approximately $96,000 toward this project.

Funding for this project is part of Ontario’s broader $7.3 million initiative to support local organizations across the province with projects that help strengthen the health and resilience of the Great Lakes and their connecting waterways. These natural resources are vital to Ontario’s communities, tourism, and agriculture.

“Flooding has been a real concern for families and homeowners in Windsor,” said Andrew Dowie, Member of Provincial Parliament for Windsor–Tecumseh. “This funding will help the City take practical steps to reduce the risk of basement flooding and protect our neighbourhoods. It’s about making sure our infrastructure keeps up with the challenges of today’s climate, while also caring for our Great Lakes.”

Rain catchers are designed to reduce the amount of rainwater entering maintenance holes, helping to lower the risk of basement flooding, particularly as the region experiences more frequent and severe weather events.

This work is part of the City of Windsor’s broader Sewer Master Plan (SMP), a 50+ year roadmap recommending about $5 billion in improvements. So far, the city has committed $419 million, with nearly $100 million already invested.

As part of the MH Sealing project, around 1,000 rain catchers will be installed in low-lying, high-risk areas. These devices aim to prevent stormwater from entering the sanitary sewer system, reducing the likelihood of flooding, sewer overflows, and treatment plant bypasses.

Installations will be tracked using GIS-based mapping for real-time monitoring and future infrastructure planning. The project supports climate resilience, system efficiency, and better flood protection for the community.

“The Great Lakes hold 20 per cent of the world’s fresh surface water — providing vital water resources to our communities and driving tourism and economic growth across the province,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Our government is proud to support organizations whose hard work and innovation will help preserve the Great Lakes for generations to come.”

Local Great Lakes initiatives are funded by two provincial programs, the Great Lakes Program and the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.

Projects selected for funding are led by community-based organizations, municipalities, conservation authorities, academic institutions and Indigenous communities to protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes and their watersheds. Funding for these projects is part of the government’s commitment to the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy.

“The City of Windsor is committed to ending basement flooding, and we are working deliberately and strategically to realize that goal through key projects and initiatives identified in the Sewer and Coastal Flood Protection Master Plan,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “We are Building Windsor’s Future through a focus on investment, growth, and sustainability, which includes safeguarding the vital infrastructure that provides the foundation for all development. Our sincere thanks goes to Minister McCarthy, MPP Dowie, Premier Ford, and the provincial government for this significant investment that will help build Windsor’s flood-resilient future.” 

“Windsor was hard hit by severe flooding events in 2016 and 2017, and we’ve put in the work to understand the causes, evaluate the short-term and long-term solutions, and get to work to make a difference,” said Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac, representing Windsor’s Ward 6 in the east. “Certainly, we cannot do this alone, and we are grateful for this investment from the province that supports work in areas of the city that are most vulnerable to the impacts of stormwater.”  


QUICK FACTS

  • Of the $7.3 million investment, $5.5 million is provided through the 2024/25 Great Lakes Program and nearly $1.8 million is provided through the Great Lakes Local Action Fund. 
  • The Great Lakes economy is the third largest in the world. Almost 83 per cent of Ontario’s power generation and 95 per cent of Ontario’s agricultural lands depend on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin.
  • Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested $80.7 million in approximately 679 projects to safeguard the Great Lakes. During that time, 52 environmental clean-up actions have taken place across 17 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes.
  • Working with the Great Lakes community partners, our government is making progress on actionsincluded in Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy, such as: 
    • restoring 14 Areas of Concern around the Great Lakes
    • expanding the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail so it now stretches over 3,600 kilometres and connects 170 communities, villages and First Nation communities.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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