Winnipeg Minute: EPC Changes, Community Hub, and City Budget Amended

Winnipeg Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Winnipeg politics

This Week In Winnipeg:

• A meeting of the Assiniboia Community Committee, originally scheduled for this morning, is cancelled, and the Lord Selkirk - West Kildonan Community Committee, originally set for Tuesday, is rescheduled for February 7th. The East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee meeting will go ahead at 9:30 am this morning, and the City Centre Community Committee will take place on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The Riel Community Committee will meet on Friday at 9:30 am. No agenda is available for that meeting yet.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Special Meeting of Council. Council will discuss borrowing more than $96 million. Of this, almost $74 million will be used for the 2025 Capital Budget and $23 million will be used for the South Winnipeg Recreation Complex.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 9:30 am, City Council will have a meeting. The agenda is lengthy and covers everything from the Downtown Arts Capital Fund Grants to an update on the Encampment Clean-up Pilot, as well as a Video Camera Enforcement Program for illegal garbage dumping and some land use amendments.

Last Week In Winnipeg:

• Councillor Sherri Rollins resigned from the Executive Policy Committee, citing concerns over the lack of information flowing to council members. Rollins, who had served on the Committee since 2018, was particularly worried about delays in hiring key City officials, including a new Police Chief and Chief Administrative Officer. Mayor Scott Gillingham has appointed Councillor Ross Eadie to fill the vacancy, along with shuffling other leadership positions. Eadie will be the Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Water, Waste, and Environment, while Councillor Evan Duncan will become the Chair of Property & Development. Councillor Markus Chambers will be Deputy Mayor, and Councillor Janice Lukes will take on the role of Acting Deputy Mayor.
  
  
• Speaking of the Executive Policy Committee, they approved an amended 2025 City budget, adding $22 million to demolish and begin redesigning the Arlington Bridge, which was closed in late 2023 due to safety concerns. This move aims to prevent future costs associated with delaying the demolition, with a new bridge estimated to cost $166 million and take six years to build. The budget also cancels a proposed snow-clearing pilot project and reallocates space at Millennium Library for community programming. Additionally, the City’s 2025 budget includes a 5.95% property tax increase and plans for substantial capital spending on infrastructure. The amended budget will go before Council for approval on January 29th.
  
  
• The Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) has proposed a two-month trial to replace the Community Connections hub at Winnipeg's Millennium Library, which closed after its funding ended in December 2024. The new satellite space would provide outreach workers with a location for casework and support services, aiming to address community needs. DCSP intends to offer rides to shelters, non-emergency medical assistance, and referrals to other services, without becoming a drop-in center. This initiative is still in the planning stages, with ongoing discussions with community partners and stakeholders to refine the program.