Ontario Votes 2025: Housing, health care and affordability are issues for Windsor West candidates

The riding of Windsor West will be one to watch on Ontario's election day. 

It's represented by the region's lone NDP MPP Lisa Gretzky — a patch of orange on a map otherwise awash in blue this side of London. She's held the seat since 2014.

The PCs have not been shy about their aspirations for the riding, and Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford launched his campaign from the riding last month. 

Just a day later, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles travelled to Windsor to make her party's case with local candidates. 

The riding encompasses much of Windsor, minus the areas of Walkerville and east of Ford City. Just about a third of eligible voters in the riding cast a ballot in the 2022 Ontario election, compared to the provincial average of about 44 per cent. 

Here's who's running, in alphabetical order: 

Mark Dewdney - None of the Above Direct Democracy Party

Mark Dewdney is a retired first responder from Toronto who moved to Windsor in 2022, citing housing affordability as a key factor in that move.

He now owns a first-aid company that provides training and event first-aid and says he was homeless for a period as a teen.

"None of the Above Party is basically a collection point for those who are feeling disenfranchised," he said. "Those people who say, 'well, what's the use? They're all the same.'"

Dewdney says the province's financials and budget are a priority for him. if elected. He also said, "you cannot cut your way to a healthy or smart population."

He pledged to tie his salary to Windsor's median and donate the rest to local charities and work to diversify Windsor's economy into greener automotive manufacturing. Dewdney also said he wants to see the city become the home of an renowned medical school to train more doctors and better manage the budget to spend billions to end the province's nursing shortage. 

"Windsor's next. It's our time," he said. "We're on the rebound here. It's a great community that puts its nose to the grindstone like none other. I love the local Windsor ethic and they need somebody who's going to get out of their way."

Tony Francis - PC Party of Ontario

Tony Francis is running as the PC candidate in Windsor West. 

His campaign did not respond to interview requests from CBC News. 

His website notes he is a professional with an MBA in finance and a bachelor's degree in engineering. It describes him as someone who is passionate about business and the community who will work to drive economic growth and support local businesses in Windsor West. 

He joined party leader Doug Ford when he launched his re-election campaign in Windsor. 

Matthew Giancola - Ontario Party

Matthew Giancola is the Ontario Party's candidate for Windsor West. 

He was unable to accommodate an interview with CBC News for scheduling reasons.

But on his campaign website, Giancola said he is campaigning against high energy costs, tariffs, crime and homelessness. 

He also noted protection of parental rights and issues including expanded children's services and doing more for expecting mothers and on suicide prevention. Giancola also said he is anti-abortion and has posted about the Ontario Party promise to ban gender affirming surgeries and introduce "anti-grooming" laws. 

(Incumbent) Lisa Gretzky - Ontario NDP

Incumbent candidate Lisa Gretzky has held the riding since 2014. 

Homeless as a teen, she says she's lost a family member to addiction and understands the struggles and challenges facing people on a personal level. 

Overall affordability, she said, is the biggest concern for the riding. 

"Whether that's housing, the cost of groceries, their regular monthly bills," said Gretzky. "Housing is a big concern. Whether that is families who have adult children at home who can't afford to move out by their own home or can't even afford to rent because the Conservative government rolled back rent control.

"Bring back real rent control. If you look around our community, everywhere you look you see wartime homes. Those were built by government to address an affordable housing need and we could certainly do that again."

She said her priorities include keeping the province's health-care system publicly funded and delivered, and working to recruit and train more doctors so every person has a primary care provider. To assist with this, Gretzky pledges to recognize the credentials of internationally trained professionals. 

Joshua Griffin - New Blue Party

Joshua Griffin is the Windsor West candidate for the New Blue Party. 

Griffin, married with two grown children, says he's alarmed by the lack of affordable housing and the increasing cost of living and was spurred to run by the need to "leave a future for my children and hopefully future grandchildren."

He identified health care as his top priority, saying the region's new hospital should add new beds in the region and that he'd like to see the area's medical school — a satellite campus of Western University's Schulich school — expanded into its own building. 

"Attract these doctors that we need to teach, attract students here to come and study, and provide a way to entice them to stay in the area after they come here," said Griffin.

He also said more reform is needed for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) so recipients are not penalized based on their spouse's or adult child's earnings. 

"We know what people are going through. I'm going through it," he said. "A vote for me is a vote for you, or a vote for your neighbour, a vote for the person across the street who may lose their home, a vote for the person who has lost their home who works full-time."

Nick Kolasky - Green Party of Ontario

Nick Kolasky is running to represent the Green Party in Windsor West. 

He ran a manufacturing business for 15 years before he retired and says he views himself as a Green-leaning independent. 

"Sometimes you sit in a coffee shop or a bar and you discuss politics and you complain about it. So why not step up, get involved and try and do something about it?," he said. 

He noted opposition to Doug Ford's spending on putting beer in convenience stores and on Ontario Place as issues, saying the money could have been better spent tackling the province's homelessness problem. 

Kolasky says his major concerns are homelessness, education and health care.

He suggested an entrepreneur operate a cross-border tunnel service after the Transit Windsor service ends, or that the City of Windsor operate a bus that travels to the Gordie Howe International Bridge so Windsorites can take advantage of the walking path that will extend across the bridge once open.