Windsor mayor orders hiring freeze as preparation begins for 2025 city budget

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced that a corporate hiring freeze would take effect immediately for all permanent full-time positions at the City of Windsor. (CBC - image credit)
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced that a corporate hiring freeze would take effect immediately for all permanent full-time positions at the City of Windsor. (CBC - image credit)

Windsor's mayor on Thursday placed the city in a hiring freeze in anticipation of "significant budget pressures" in the 2025 budget.

Drew Dilkens announced a corporate hiring freeze would take effect immediately for all permanent full-time positions at the City of Windsor.

"Earlier this week, I established three finance committees of councillors to examine and provide recommendations for operational and service savings in the 2025 city budget," Dilkens said in a news release.

"Today, I'm taking an additional step to honour my campaign commitment to keep budgets in line with inflation by implementing an immediate corporate hiring freeze at the City of Windsor."

The release said the directive will be subject to a review by the chief administrative officer of each position for operational needs.

A city spokesperson said they could not on Thursday answer questions about the current number of vacant positions and whether the freeze impacts currently posted openings, saying the city would need time to gather that data.

CUPE Local 543, which represents inside workers City of Windsor, declined to comment Thursday.

Mayor's budget consultation process underway

The city launched the mayor's budget consultation process on Tuesday to provide an additional avenue for council engagement and resident feedback to support the 2025 city budget.

Beginning the week of Sept. 23, and sitting at a frequency as recommended by a committee chair, each committee will work alongside appropriate city commissioners and staff to explore options and submit their recommendations to city administration for consideration in the 2025 budget.