"So those homes have been sitting there, in some cases, for 25 plus years uninhabited," he said.
The city councillor indicated a preference for seeing the cleared land utilized for new residential development projects.
"I would like to see these properties reactivated," he said.
Fathers noted that the city remains open to reviewing any future planning permits submitted by the bridge company or private developers.
"The CTC at any point in time can put them for sale or put in a planning permit to put something on those properties.
And the city will consider that planning permit.
And if they sell it to, say, a private developer who wants to build housing, that would be amazing," he said.
Fathers also noted that housing is the only permitted land use for cleared properties sitting outside the bridge plaza footprint.
"If they showed up tomorrow, they could get a building permit to build a house here. I would not oppose new housing coming into west Windsor.
That's not a bad thing," said Fathers.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens noted in March 2025 that the city was attempting to resolve issues with the bridge ownership.
"We've got a great relationship with the Ambassador Bridge, with Mr. Moroun, trying to get to the other side of this," said Dilkens.
Dilkens later remarked that geopolitical events, including U. S.
ownership demands regarding the $6.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge project, complicated relations.
"In some ways it does feel like one step forward and two steps back," said Dilkens.
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The City of Windsor subsequently ended efforts to find a mutual resolution regarding the boarded-up homes outside of standard enforcement actions.
