• IA reviewed the Cow website and noted the following posting:
•  
• "Ask your insurance provider if your policy covers repairs to water and sewer line systems. If your policy does not cover water or sewer utility lines, consider the Service Line Warranty program."
• IA also inquired with other home insurance providers within Windsor regarding similar services. We noted that such plans are available with limited home insurance providers however the major difference between SLWC and Home insurance providers is that SLWC is a warranty program and does not charge a deductible like insurance companies. Further, not all insurers offer this endorsement or may not offer it at a comparable price.
• The City is providing an option for citizens to consider but should not be considered a financial advisor.

Conclusion: We detected no evidence to support the allegation that the City of Windsor spent money promoting this company other than using its existing internal resources to update its website, drafting and reviewing the agreement, reviewing and approving the content within the marketing letter, and spending time in carrying out the investigation about the credibility of the company. 

While some insurers may provide this endorsement as an option, not all appear to or some may be more costly. Others may offer more amenable terms. Further, several insurers are also local legal entities of non-Canadian corporations.

Allegation #3:

It would have been much more straightforward to advise citizens that they should inquire directly to their home owner insurance provider first, before promoting any external service provider.

Procedures and results:

#	Procedure	Results
3.1	What steps has the City taken to communicate options to citizens/ homeowners?	IA reviewed CoW’s website where the following information has been posted to make homeowners of Windsor aware of available programs: Background information on homeowners responsibilities regarding water and sewerage lines Information about the Service Line Warranties of Canada? Reason why City of Windsor choose to work with SLWC to offer warranty plans? Whether it is a City program or not? Whether City provided customer information to SLWC for the marketing letters? Details of program offeref by SLWC Information regarding Private Sewer Replacement Program offered by CoW Whether warranty plans considered insurance? Contact details for signing up
		On this website we noted that the City has the following statement: “Ask your insurance provider if your policy covers repairs to water and sewer line systems. If your policy does not cover water or sewer utility lines, consider the Service Line Warranty program.”
3.2	Should the City have communicated options to citizens before promoting an external service provider?	IA inquired with management whether the City communicated water and sewerage related options to homeowners before promoting an external service provider. Management indicated that the Water Line and Sewer options provided by the CoW (Private Sewer Replacement Program) are available since many years and such information has been published on the CoW website along with the services that the City is currently endorsing.
		In revewing CoW website, we noted that details for the Private Sewer Replacement Program are posted on CoW website as follows:
		Private Sewer Replacement Program Financing for Private Sewer Laterals (Drain Connection).