Windsor Star
CHEERING ON CANADA
Jo'neal Weatherspoon, left, and Maria Faiyz, Grade 4 students at St. Anne's French Immersion School in Windsor, show their support for Canada while watching the Olympic men's hockey game on Friday. Powered by a lineup of NHL stars, Canada secured its...
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SLIP INTO THE FOG
A woman walks along the downtown waterfront on a foggy Tuesday. Dense fog led to the cancellation of all Essex County school buses Thursday morning — the second time this week — and motorists are being warned to be cautious on the roads. Environment...
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Amid Trump's threats, Gordie Howe bridge authority searches for new CEO
As it faces threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to block the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the Canadian agency overseeing the massive infrastructure project is searching for a new leader. Charl van Niekerk told the Star he left his position...
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`JOY IN EVERY BITE'
Wladimir Morales was among the Windsor-essex residents who picked up some freshly made traditional Polish treats from Blak's Bakery for Paczki Day, Tuesday.
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Woodlot, wetland owners fear impact of proposed power line
A planned high-power transmission line between Windsor and Lakeshore has sparked concerns among Woodslee residents who fear it will “destroy” some of the area's remaining patches of rare woodlands and wetlands. Hydro One is studying possible routes...
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`SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE'
The long-awaited third shift at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant starts back up Tuesday, returning more than 1,700 workers to the shop, Madeline Mazak reports.
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CANADA OFF AND RUNNING IN MILAN
Bo Horvat of Team Canada, centre, celebrates his goal against Czechia with Drew Doughty and Brad Marchand during their opening game of the men's hockey tournament at the Milan-cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday. Canada won 5-0. This year marks the...
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Billionaire's lobbying behind bridge threat: ex-governor
A former U.S. ambassador to Canada and Michigan governor says President Donald Trump's threat to stop the Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening is likely the result of lobbying by the billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge. With his...
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Carney `looking forward' to opening of new bridge
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to indefinitely delay opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge, while also demanding “at least” half ownership of the massive infrastructure project that Canada is paying for in full. “I will not allow...
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Waterfowl trapped in region's wintry grip
Human handouts and changing farming practices are among the factors that are keeping many large waterfowl from flying south for the winter, creating potential peril when bitterly cold, lake-freezing temperatures strike. “Any large-body waterfowl does...
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LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Team Canada members enter San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy to an enormous cheer Friday during the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Singer Mariah Carey provided the musical entertainment for the ceremony.
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Essex County to phase in development charges
A tug of war over who should help fund the cost of new growth in Essex County ended Wednesday with a decision to phase in development charges over five years starting in 2028. The charges will total just under $8,600 per single residential unit and...
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Lake Erie ice cover hits 95% amid deep freeze
Lake Erie is almost completely frozen over, with more than 95 per cent of its surface covered in ice — a record not seen at this time of year since 2011, according to Great Lakes researchers. And as the colder-than-average weather continues, that high...
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ISLAND INVESTMENT
Canada geese fly near Peche Island on Friday. Environmental advocates are lauding the city's decision to spend $600,000 to remove silt buildup in the island's waterways, which will enhance aquatic habitat conditions and support marsh birds and other...
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Humane society celebrates 100 years
From one of Canada's most notorious dog abuse cases to a fugitive bear from Detroit, the local humane society has had the furry backs of vulnerable animals for a century. Surrounded by dozens of animals up for adoption, the Windsor-essex County Humane...
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HOSPITAL `MILESTONE'
Brandon Bailey, vice-president of redevelopment for Windsor Regional Hospital, announced on Wednesday at the Met campus that a Request for Proposal has been released for Phase 2 of construction of the Fancsy Family Hospital.
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MENTAL HEALTH BOOST
Rylie Fisher, left, mental health promotion co-ordinator, and Kerri Hill, community engagement manager with the Canadian Mental Health Association's Windsor-essex County branch, show off their pushup prowess on Tuesday. The organization is holding a...
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So, who has to do all that shovelling — you or the city?
The heavy snowfall that blanketed Windsor-essex over the weekend left roads and sidewalks buried — raising a common winter question for those trying to dig out: who's actually responsible for clearing what? The answer depends on where you live. And...
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DANGEROUS COLD SNAP
People gather near the Downtown Mission on a bitterly cold Thursday. With Environment Canada warning of the season's coldest weather for the region, the city has expanded emergency shelter capacity to ensure anyone in need can get out of the cold and...
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Constitution advocates slam arrest of protester
A peaceful on-ice push for budget transparency landed a Windsor man in handcuffs this month, an arrest that caught the attention of a legal charity that defends Canadians' constitutional rights and freedoms. Spencer Allossery, 50, told the Star he was...
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`Weight of the world lifted' by murderer's conviction
Five years after the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old Windsor woman at a Fort Erie Airbnb party, guilty verdicts in a murder trial have finally brought a sense of relief to the victim's family. “I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my...
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Essex County makes latest pitch for help with $105M overpass
Essex County Warden Hilda Macdonald has hopes the province will come through with millions of dollars in funding assistance to build a $105-million overpass at one of the most congested intersections in the county. Macdonald and county chief...
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TREACHEROUS TRAVEL
A tractor-trailer on Manning Road in Tecumseh makes its way through blustery weather Monday, with winds gusting up to 60 km/h. Environment Canada issued a squall advisory as drifting and blowing snow across the region made for challenging driving...
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Pacifica refresh coming by late spring
The much-anticipated facelift of the popular Windsor-made Chrysler Pacifica minivan is coming in the second quarter of 2026, the head of American brands for Stellantis confirmed to the Star. “It's coming this year,” Tim Kuniskis said in an interview...
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Health unit boss slams bus fare hike
A City of Windsor budget proposal to hike the cost of bus rides could harm residents' health, the head of the local public health unit warned city council this week. “Transportation is a social determinant of health, just as much as housing, just as...
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NO COLD FEET HERE
Daylene Trudell and Sheldon Cadotte's wedding was “something to remember.” The hockey fans became the first couple married at a Windsor Spitfires game when they tied the knot at centre ice during Thursday's showdown against the Erie Otters at the WFCU...
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Hospitals warn of longer wait times
As the local health unit sounds the alarm on “the worst flu season in years,” residents heading to emergency departments in Windsor-essex are being warned they could face longer than usual wait times as local hospitals cope with increased patient...
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Local Venezuelans express fear, hope for the future
As turmoil continued to unfold in their country of origin over the weekend, nearly a dozen members of the Windsor area's Venezuelan community, rosaries in hand, gathered at a home in Tecumseh on Sunday for a group prayer. “We are praying and hoping...
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THRILL OF THE HILL
Chris Farrer and his children Liam 11, and Kylie, 8, fly down Hope Hill in east Windsor on Friday. The snow on the ground in the region is likely to last with the forecast calling for sub-zero weather through the weekend, but it should disappear next...
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New bridge hailed as `game-changer'
The new year brings with it an iconic addition to the local landscape and skyline — and a vital additional economic and social link between two cities and two countries caught in challenging times. “It's going to have a tremendous impact. It's a...
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WINDSOR REGIONAL'S NEW CEO
Leadership shakeups are coming at two major local hospitals after the announcement Monday that Erie Shores Healthcare CEO Kristin Kennedy will soon take over the reins at Windsor Regional Hospital. “I am humbled and excited to join WRH and very much...
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HIGH WINDS HIT REGION
Tim Lucier checks the damage to his car after a tree snapped in front of his home on Homedale Boulevard in Windsor on Monday. A wind warning was in effect Monday as gusts reaching 80 to 90 km/h moved through the region. Environment Canada said strong...
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IT WAS A TUMULTUOUS YEAR
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, and his threats to make Canada the 51st state, dominated the Windsor news story headlines throughout 2025. While his administration's actions presented — and continue to present — an...
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CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS DELIGHT
It's hard to miss the sparkle this time of year, as Windsor-essex homeowners flip the switch on bold, bright and sometimes overthe-top holiday displays that light up neighbourhoods after dark. From Amherstburg to Belle River, the glow of lights have...
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Fate of Sand Point Beach hinges on safety review
Whether or not swimming will be allowed again at a popular local summertime destination — Windsor's only public beach — will depend on the results of a review from Ontario's Lifesaving Society. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said recommendations from that...
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`WE'VE BECOME A NECESSITY'
Volunteers with the UHC – Hub of Opportunities handed out 700 Christmas food hampers this week — another example of how the happiest season highlights the hard times for many. “We were here for emergency situations, but now we've become a necessity...
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A TOWERING TASK
Workers take in the view as they install telecommunication equipment on an old water tower on Crawford Avenue in Windsor on Tuesday.
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Free mobile pet care clinic is on a roll
Barks and meows filled the hallways at a 920 Ouellette Ave, highrise on Monday morning as the Windsor/essex County Humane Society welcomed furry companions for the first day of a new mobile veterinary clinic. The pilot program, Helping Paws: Pet...
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FIRE DESTROYS HOUSE
Arson teams are investigating a massive blaze that gutted a downtown property near Mercer Street and Wyandotte Street East. There were no reported injuries.
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TOYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Santa and Sparky were on hand as Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant employees donated $18,000 worth of new toys during the Windsor firefighters' annual Sparky's Toy Drive this week. Nearly 3,000 children from about 1,200 families are expected to receive...
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WARMTH IN WINTER
The Salvation Army is expanding shelter services in downtown Windsor through the winter to give more vulnerable people — and their pets — a place to sleep during the coldest months of the year. “This temporary expansion is intended to help us meet the...
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SNOWY SURPRISE
Residents in Windsor and Essex County awoke to a heavy snowstorm Tuesday morning as a wide band of precipitation that formed over Lake Michigan made its way east. A weather bulletin warned that up to another 10 cm could fall in the region overnight,...
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FESTIVE GREETINGS
Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to the thousands of children and families who turned out for Windsor's 58th annual Santa Claus Parade on Saturday night.
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NEWEST RECRUIT
Windsor Police Service Const. Rylan Salmon puts his K9 partner Smoke through his paces at the Major FA Tilston Armoury & Police Training Centre. Smoke is one of two new K9 units that graduated to duty this week, Trevor Wilhelm reports,
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Downtown skating rink set to open
With Lasalle skaters already enjoying that municipality's new wintry outdoor ice “loop” offering, what's happening with Windsor's new downtown ice rink? “We're getting very close,” city manager James Chacko told the Star on Wednesday. While a grand...
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PULLING INTO PORT
Crew members of the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Samuel Risley docked the ship at the Dieppe Gardens Park in downtown Windsor Tuesday, just before a frosty turn in the area's weather. Sub-seasonal temperatures — not to mention frequent...
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What is Windsor's role in national fentanyl trade?
In an underworld of criminals, guns and deadly fentanyl, Windsor is a national nexus. Windsor's place in Canada's booming fentanyl trade was recently highlighted with a record-shattering 46-kilogram drug bust. The $6.5-million fentanyl seizure, a...
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SPREADING CHEER
Santa Claus and elf Ralphie had a busy weekend delighting people young and old across Sandwich Town. Santa met with families and participated in a pancake breakfast, story time at the library and in a tree-lighting ceremony at Prosperity Place.
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FINDING HELP AND HOPE
Bill Marra, Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare president, shows off a room at Windsor's HART Hub, which officially opened Friday. The provincially funded program provides a variety of supports to those experiencing homelessness, mental health and addiction...
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Residents can downsize blue bins
Following a flood of complaints, residents overwhelmed by the size of their new recycling bins should soon be able to request a smaller replacement, according to Windsor's mayor. During Monday's city council meeting, Drew Dilkens said the company...
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OPP investigating theft of cross
An investigation has been launched by Essex County OPP in hopes of recovering a historic church cross dating back more than 130 years that was stolen in the Town of Tecumseh earlier this month. The religious artifact, believed to date back to 1891,...
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Crowley introduced as city's new police chief
Another familiar face is taking the top spot at Windsor police with the announcement Monday that Jason Crowley is the city's new police chief. Crowley, a 32-year Windsor police veteran and deputy chief since 2022, begins a three-year contract as chief...
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A CITYWIDE CONCERN
Family and friends of Donna Whyte and Paul Gilbert, who were killed while walking along a sidewalk on Walker Road a year ago, gather for a memorial event on Tuesday. Collisions that result in pedestrian injuries and death remain a problem across...
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SHOWING THEIR METAL
Brian Banwell, left, and Miles Matthews prepare a massive steel plate for loading onto a tractor-trailer at Anchor Danly in Windsor on Monday. Rechie Valdez, Canada's minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business and...
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`Freedom comes at tremendous cost'
“Thank you for your son's sacrifice.” That heartfelt sentiment from a young stranger was expressed to Theresa Charbonneau after he was introduced to Windsor's Silver Cross mother next to the downtown Cenotaph ahead of Tuesday's Remembrance Day...
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MUDDY-BOTTOM BUOY
An almost 24,000-tonne bulk carrier that ran aground in the Detroit River Friday was successfully refloated Saturday afternoon. The Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin — a 225-metre freighter, equivalent in length to more than two football fields — became lodged...
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HONOURING SACRIFICE
A bagpiper leads a ceremonial `first walk' along a commemorative sidewalk that pays tribute to veterans outside Royal Canadian Legion Branch 255 in east Windsor on Oct. 31. Several events are planned in Windsor-essex to mark Remembrance Day.
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Calves a 1-in-11.2-million miracle
This cow had a better chance of getting struck by lightning. Abram Knelsen celebrated a moo-ving moment at his Kingsville hobby farm on Tuesday, when one of his Angus cows gave birth to four calves. The reported odds of that happening are one in...
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STANDING STRONG
Local ironworkers protest near the site of a new firehall under construction in Amherstburg on Tuesday at Meloche Road and Simcoe Street. The workers claim non-unionized labour who are not from the area are working at the site.
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Merging conservation areas bad for region: ERCA chair
The proposed amalgamation of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario to seven is "heartbreaking,” says Essex Region Conservation Authority chair Molly Allaire. Ontario Environment Minister Todd Mccarthy said Friday the Ford government plans to...
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Windsor-detroit Tunnel celebrates 95 years
One of North America's busiest border crossings is celebrating a milestone anniversary. The Windsor-detroit Tunnel, which operator Windsor Detroit Borderlink says sees more than 12,000 vehicles each day, turned 95 on Monday. “Ninety-five years is a...
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A NEGOTIATING PLOY BY TRUMP?
Local business and industry leaders think `there are other things at play' in U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to cancel trade talks with Canada. Some believe it's a move to increase leverage in the negotiations, rather than just a response to an...
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STAYING SPOOKY AND SAFE
An elaborate Halloween display sets the seasonal tone for a home on “Chill-ver” Road. The OPP are offering safety tips for trick-or-treating on Friday night.
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EYE OF THE HURRICANE
As one of the strongest hurricanes in history pounded the island of Jamaica, four Windsor-essex friends huddled in a hotel room with couches and mattresses barricading the balcony doors. Before losing contact with the outside world, Stoney Point's...
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`STARTING A CONVERSATION'
Street artist Daniel (Denial) Bombardier is the mastermind behind a campaign to plaster empty storefronts in downtown Windsor with Spirit Halloween posters, which he says is meant to draw attention to the profusion of vacant buildings in the city's core.
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Poilievre slams federal EV mandate, temporary foreign worker program
In a vow to fight for Canada's auto sector, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre renewed his push to scrap Ottawa's EV mandate and to kill the federal sales tax on made-in-canada autos during a trip to Windsor-essex. “We want the auto jobs to be...
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FALL FAIR FOR FISHING
Mike Denapoli tries his luck along the Detroit River in Windsor on a cool fall day on Tuesday. Sunny skies are in the forecast for the coming weekend with temperatures in the normal range — in the low teens with temperatures at night closer to freezing.
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`IT'S ALARMING'
Windsor-essex is near the top in Ontario when it comes to new cancer diagnoses, with a 10 per cent increase in new cases every year. “We are among one of the highest in terms of growth projections and growth year over year,” said Jonathan Foster,...
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`Downtown will be buzzing' as WIFF kicks off
WIFF is rolling. A keenly anticipated annual tradition for thousands of movie lovers began Thursday morning when the big screens lit up for the start of the 21st Windsor International Film Festival. “The fest will be going all 11 days from 9 a.m. to...
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Advocate seeks renewed action on Ojibway park
A Windsor environmental advocate is taking his group's message to Queen's Park and Ottawa over the next couple weeks to press both levels of government to follow through on the long-promised Ojibway National Urban Park. Mike Fisher, chair of the...
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Funding boost to add border officers in Windsor
As part of Canada's ongoing effort to beef up national security, funding earmarked in the upcoming Budget 2025 will add new Canada Border Services Agency officers in Windsor. While visiting Windsor's port of entry at the Ambassador Bridge on Friday,...
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TWO CHARGED IN DEATH OF MISSING CITY MAN
Police have charged two people and are searching for a third in connection with the suspected killing of David Pavao, who has been missing since August. Pavao's remains have not yet been recovered but investigators believe he was the victim of a...
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