Amherstburg businesses worry about losing police contracts

Some businesses in Amherstburg are worried they'll lose a valuable customer when Windsor police take over law enforcement for the town, but Mayor Aldo DiCarlo says there's little they can do.

The contract between the town and city police service is still being negotiated, but the switch is scheduled to happen on Jan. 1, 2019. Town officials say they will save about $600,000 a year for the next two decades by making the move.

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Derek Didone owns County Towing and said he, and others who have deals with Amberstburg police for everything from servicing to tires, will end up losing a big part of their business once the transfer takes place.

"We just don't want to be left out of the equation," he explained. "Towing in a rural area and towing in an urban area are two different animals. I hope they can look at that. Just take into consideration, that's all we're asking for."

DiCarlo added the change might actually present an opportunity for businesses in Amherstburg that will now have a change to compete for a police contract.

The mayor added there's not much the town can do to ensure local companies will get the deals.

"Obviously, we can ask," he explained. "Windsor has been very co-operative addressing concerns that we've brought to their attention, but at the end of the day, we are contracting a service from Windsor, so the costs that they gave us, I assume are based on how they procure services and goods, and that may very well mean that you know these businesses would have to put in bids like any other business and some of them may lose that income, I guess."