Windsor West

Windsor West is an urban riding at the southwestern tip of Ontario, defined by its position on the Canada-United States border and its deep ties to the North American automotive industry. In 2025, Conservative Harb Gill made history by winning the riding for the first time ever for his party, ending the more than two-decade tenure of NDP incumbent Brian Masse.

Candidates

Harb Gill (Conservative) -- A veteran police officer with nearly three decades of service in Toronto and LaSalle, Gill holds a double honours degree in criminology and sociology along with a background in civil engineering. He campaigned on affordability, public safety, and opioid awareness.

Richard Pollock (Liberal) -- A Windsor litigation lawyer with decades of experience at the firm Mousseau, DeLuca, McPherson, Prince LLP, Pollock has served as chair of the Board of Governors of St. Clair College and on the board of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. This was his third time running in Windsor West for the Liberals, having previously contested the riding in 2002 and 2004.

Brian Masse (NDP) -- First elected in a 2002 by-election, Masse served as MP for Windsor West for over two decades, making him the longest-serving member of the NDP caucus. A former Windsor city councillor and community worker with the Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities, he held critic portfolios including industry, automotive, and the Canada-U.S. border.

Jacob Bezaire (People's Party - PPC) -- The People's Party candidate in Windsor West.

Louay Ahmad (Green Party) -- The Green Party candidate in Windsor West.

About the Riding

Windsor West encompasses the western half of the City of Windsor, including the downtown core, the Ambassador Bridge, and the entrance to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. The riding sits directly across the Detroit River from Michigan, making cross-border trade and relations an ever-present factor in local life. Windsor's economy has historically been built on automotive manufacturing, and the sector continues to employ thousands of residents either directly or through the vast supply chain that crosses the border daily.

The 2025 campaign unfolded against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods, which struck at the core of Windsor's economic identity. Job security and the future of the auto industry dominated conversations at the doorstep, while affordability and the opioid crisis also ranked among voters' top concerns. Windsor has experienced some of the highest unemployment rates among major Canadian cities in recent years, adding urgency to the economic message.

Masse's defeat after more than two decades marked a dramatic realignment in a riding that had been an NDP stronghold since 2002. The Conservative breakthrough reflected a broader sweep of Windsor-Essex, as voters opted for change amid economic uncertainty and frustration with the status quo.