OTTAWA—Ottawa is sending a man to Windsor to get to the bottom of a mystery noise plaguing residents of the southwestern Ontario city.

The “Windsor hum” — described as a low frequency rumbling sound — has been sparking complaints from residents on the city’s west side for more than a year.

A federal study suggests the hum may be coming from the U.S. side of the Detroit River, in the general area of Zug Island, an industrial site.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says he’s sending his parliamentary secretary to look into the issue and find ways of dealing with it.

Bob Dechert will speak with Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis as well as various U.S. state and federal officials.

He also will tour Zug Island as part of his mission.

“The Windsor hum is having a negative effect on the day-to-day lives of Windsor residents,” Baird said in a statement Friday.

“We are prepared to collaborate with stakeholders and other levels of government to identify the source of the problem so that potential mitigation measures can be designed and implemented.”

Dechert plans to meet with representatives of the Great Lakes Commission, the Council of Great Lakes Industries, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and the Regional Office of the International Joint Commission while in the area Friday.

Baird’s office says the objective of the meetings is to seek advice and recommendations on a possible solution to the problem.

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Mysterious rumble plagues Windsor residents