Award-winning Windsor Star photographer Dan Janisse turned his lens on the defining moments of 2025, capturing a year marked by political upheaval, international tension, and profound local stories. His portfolio from the past twelve months serves as a powerful visual record of a community navigating a complex period.
A Year of Political and Economic Crossroads
The shadow of the Canada-U.S. trade war loomed large over the political landscape, influencing both provincial and federal elections. This tension was visually underscored when Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford campaigned in Windsor on February 26, 2025, the day before the Ontario provincial election. At the LiUNA 625 Training Centre, Ford displayed his "Never 51" hockey jersey, a symbolic gesture in a region acutely sensitive to cross-border relations. The trade war was a central issue, with federal leaders like Liberal Leader Mark Carney using the Ambassador Bridge as a backdrop for speeches on March 26, 2025.
Election day itself faced unexpected drama when a fire at the WFCU Centre on April 28, 2025 forced the last-minute relocation of a federal polling station, with Janisse there to document the billowing smoke that disrupted the democratic process.
Local Crises and Community Resilience
Beyond politics, Janisse's assignments frequently focused on pressing social and health issues in Windsor. A poignant image from May 16, 2025 shows a man sleeping in a chair near the Downtown Mission, illustrating the ongoing homelessness and opiate crises. The year was also marked by labour strife, as seen in a September 10, 2025 photo of Unifor Local 195 president Emile Nabbout and members rallying at Titan Tool and Die amid a protracted lockout with Futura Tool Inc.
Moments of danger and heroism were also frozen in time. On April 30, 2025, Janisse documented five men and multiple police officers rescuing a woman from the Detroit River. The work of first responders was highlighted in scenes of house fires on Alexis Road (February 6, 2025) and Moy Avenue (January 20, 2025).
Capturing Heroes and Heartbreak
Janisse's photos celebrated everyday heroes. One powerful image from August 12, 2025, shows Sonia Lamarche embracing Karla Noel Field, who had alerted Lamarche’s family to a fire on Tourangeau Road the previous week. The frame captures profound gratitude and community connection.
Conversely, the photographer also documented scenes of violence and investigation. On September 19, 2025, in the 700 block of Alexandrine Street, an investigator with Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit photographed bullet holes in a Windsor Police Service vehicle after officers shot a man following a weapons call.
Through elections, economic disputes, fires, and personal triumphs, Dan Janisse's camera provided an indispensable window into the life of Windsor in 2025. His work continues to be a vital part of telling the community's story, with a separate year-end portfolio of his best feature photography available at windsorstar.com.
