WINDSOR, Ont. – A Conservative candidate in this vital border city said a Liberal-led coalition would kill the DRIC project if it takes power after the federal election.

Voters need to elect a Conservative majority and unseat Windsor’s two NDP MPs to guarantee the public crossing gets built, Essex MP Jeff Watson said at a news conference near Brighton Beach, the proposed site for the span on the Canadian side.

According to the Windsor Star, Watson said that by voting against the Conservative budget last month, NDP MPs Joe Comartin and Brian Masse also opposed the $550-million loan to Michigan that is essential in getting the American approval for the bridge.

Watson said that Michael Ignatieff’s and the NDP’s opposition to the budget means that a "coalition will end the DRIC bridge."

Instead, candidates Lisa Lumley in Windsor West and Denise Ghanam will push the legislation through, he added.

Masse, though, has specifically been one of the region’s most vocal supporters of the DRIC project.

After Watson’s statements, Liberal spokesman on infrastructure and transportation John McCallum issued a news release stating the Liberal Party supports DRIC and "we unequivocally reject claims that challenge our commitment to this important infrastructure project."

His predecessor, Liberal MP Joe Volpe did criticize the $550-million offer to Michigan when he was transportation critic, however.

Masse pointed out that Watson didn’t support the DRIC project when governments were deciding in 2005 the options to expand crossing capacity at the Windsor-Detroit gateway.

Watson instead preferred the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership, a plan to convert the old rail tunnel into a truck border crossing, Masse said.