Frazier Fathers, a local advocate for safe and affordable housing in the west end, has been elected as the new city councillor for Windsor. Fathers won the election on Monday to represent Ward 2, which covers areas like Sandwich and the west end. He secured 983 votes, making up 47.17% of the total votes, in a competitive field of 15 candidates.
As a consultant specializing in non-profit and affordable housing, Fathers will hold the position for a year until the next municipal election. During his campaign, he emphasized initiatives such as traffic calming, park maintenance, and addressing issues related to unsafe housing conditions.
A key aspect of Fathers’ platform was the implementation of a permanent rental licensing program in the city. He believes that such a program would provide valuable data to identify problematic properties, hold negligent landlords accountable, and support responsible building maintenance practices.
Having previously worked at the United Way of Windsor-Essex and contributed to community consultations for the Gordie Howe bridge project’s benefits program, Fathers brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He resides on Manchester Road within Ward 2 and aims to address community concerns, including minor infrastructure improvements and neighborhood enhancements.
One of Fathers’ early challenges will be navigating the city budget, where Mayor Drew Dilkens plans to enforce a zero percent tax increase using his strong mayor powers. Fathers looks forward to collaborating with the mayor to understand his priorities and ensure that Ward 2 residents’ needs are considered during the budget planning process.
The byelection in Ward 2 was prompted by the resignation of Fabio Costante, who served as councillor for nearly seven years before taking a new role at the community housing corporation. Among the other candidates, Nick Amlin and Sam Romano received 254 and 259 votes, respectively. The remaining contenders included Brian Green, Michael DiPierdomenico, Mo Zafar, Christie Nelson, John Cutting, Patrick Sutherland, Krystalynn Singh, Ilene Muise, Cynthia Ann Van Vrouwerff, Jun Wayan, Tecumseh MacGuigan, and Jake Kelza Pollock.