Affordable housing consultant wins byelection to represent Windsor’s west end

Frazier Fathers, a local researcher who campaigned on doing more to make sure west end housing is safe and affordable, is Windsor’s newest city councillor-elect.

Fathers was elected Monday to represent Ward 2, which includes Sandwich and other parts of the west end. With all 14 polls reporting, Fathers had 983 votes, or 47.17 per cent of the total.

Fathers, a consultant on non-profit and affordable housing, will serve for a year before the municipal election next year. He was in a crowded field of 15 candidates.

He campaigned on traffic calming, maintaining the city’s parks and doing more to crack down on unsafe housing.

In particular, he campaigned on the city having a permanent rental licensing program. A recent licensing program saw landlords with five or fewer units need to get a building inspection, fire code check and electrical system safety assessment before renting their units. 

Fathers said this month that that a rental licensing program “gives the city better data to track problem properties, hold neglectful landlords accountable, and support those who maintain their buildings responsibly.”

“Ultimately, this is about fairness, safety, and empowering existing residents so their quality of life isn’t degraded by a few bad actors.”

Fathers worked at the United Way of Windsor-Essex for six years. He also led community consultation and idea submissions for the Gordie Howe bridge project’s community benefits program. 

He lives on Manchester Road in Ward 2.

Fathers said among other issues, he wants to focus "on the little things that really matter, whether that's a speed bump on a road or a minor improvement in the park" or "getting a sidewalk replaced, painting lines on a street."

One of Fathers's first issues will be a city budget where Mayor Drew Dilkens will use his strong mayor powers to order a zero per cent tax increase.

"I'm looking forward to meeting with the mayor and chatting with him about his vision in a bit more detail than what was shared, and what are his priorities and then how what I've heard during this election could help influence those priorities."

That will include, he said, "standing up for some of those issues that Ward 2 residents said were important during that budget process."

Fabio Costante resigned as councillor earlier this year after nearly seven years in the seat, which caused the byelection. Costante took the top gig at the community housing corporation.