Fred Francis

First elected in 2014, he is in his third term as councillor for Ward 1, and is the younger brother of Eddie Francis, who was mayor from 2003 to 2014. He launched his campaign in September 2026 against incumbent Drew Dilkens, and is a candidate for mayor of Windsor in the 2026 municipal election.

Career

Fred Francis was first elected Ward 1 councillor on Windsor City Council in 2014 and has served three terms. He is the younger brother of former mayor Eddie Francis, who held the office from 2003 to 2014. In 2026 he is one of eleven registered candidates for mayor, in a race in which Drew Dilkens, mayor for the past twelve years, is seeking a fourth term. Because Francis is running for mayor, his Ward 1 seat will have a new councillor.

Positions

AM800 CKLW reports that Francis presents affordability as the central issue of his campaign. He names affordable housing as a priority, linked to services for homelessness and addiction. He opposes the strong mayor powers and says he would not use them if elected, wanting to give councillors more influence. On the E.C. Row Expressway, he supports seeking provincial funding but opposes Windsor giving up control of the road. He criticises the incumbent for not securing a deal on it.

Summarised automatically from the linked sources. AM800 CKLW · Wikipedia