Windsor-Essex MPs laying groundwork for infrastructure spending

When the Canadian government goes on its infrastructure spending spree, New Democrat MPs in Windsor and Essex County say they want to lock down funding for their communities.

Essex MP Tracey Ramsey has been visiting municipal leaders throughout her riding trying to determine spending priorities for those communities, particularly looking at projects that could start construction soon.

Essex MP Tracey Ramsey has been visiting municipal leaders throughout her riding trying to determine spending priorities for those communities, particularly looking at projects where construction could start soon.

Recognizing that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is prepared to have the federal government take on debt in order to stimulate the economy, Ramsey expects shovel-ready projects to have a better shot at getting approved for funding.

"I really think the municipalities are the ones who understand best how to infuse their communities with jobs, how those funds will be used best," she said. "So I'm really looking to them for guidance and then to bring that back up to the government."

Ramsey's already been to Lakeshore council and planned to be at Essex and Kingsville councils on Monday.

Political colours

Even though Windsor and Essex County voters sent three New Democrats to Ottawa in a federal election that restored the Liberals to a majority government, the MPs don't feel they'll be shut out of infrastructure spending.

Windsor West MP Brian Masse said he was regularly reminded of the kind of money his riding received when the Conservatives were in power.

"When I was in the House of Commons, [former infrastructure minister] John Baird used to always note that when we had the infrastructure investment, the highest per capita was always Windsor West," Masse told CBC News.