Winnipeg Minute: Issue 104

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• The City of Winnipeg is moving forward with a plan to install nine new large bus shelters, including seven heated shelters at locations with existing electrical connections, while two will initially be unheated. In addition, the City is purchasing 15 smaller, unheated shelters to be installed later, though their locations have not yet been finalized. The initiative comes after years of funding constraints slowed shelter construction and widespread vandalism caused over $1 million in replacement costs in the past five years. New shelters will be installed on pre-built concrete platforms along major routes, and the City is testing shatter-resistant polycarbonate panels to make them more durable and easier to repair. Bids for the contract are due in April, with installation expected later this year.
  
  
• The City of Winnipeg will continue funding Main Street Project’s 24/7 mobile outreach van, providing $387,275 for services from April 1st through the end of 2026. The van operates citywide, checking on people experiencing homelessness, transporting them to shelters and housing, and distributing clothing, blankets, and water. Funding is contingent on MSP following the City’s encampment policy and submitting regular data reports, including quarterly point-in-time counts, to support planning and the Province’s Your Way Home strategy. MSP’s Executive Director emphasized the importance of the service for building trust and connecting vulnerable individuals to stability and housing. Other outreach providers, including St. Boniface Street Links, criticized the funding as insufficient, noting that additional resources were required to maintain 24/7 service.
  
  
• Two City Councillors, Jeff Browaty and Evan Duncan, are warning residents that steep increases in the education portion of property taxes, which are collected by the Province on behalf of school boards, may cause confusion and backlash. Since 2023, some school divisions have raised taxes by up to 43%, far exceeding the City’s 17.5% increase, with the education portion now representing over half of total property taxes. The Councillors argue that the Province should issue a separate bill for school taxes so residents clearly see where their money is going. Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed support for the idea of separate billing if the Province approves it.
  
  
• The City is considering providing up to $5 million to support converting the historic Marlborough Hotel into 307 residential units, including 40 affordable units, in downtown Winnipeg. The funding, proposed through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund and administered by CentreVenture Development Corporation, would also support commercial space in the building, such as bars, restaurants, and a banquet hall. The project aims to help the City meet federally mandated housing targets, particularly for units near frequent transit, where Winnipeg is currently lagging. Funding is conditional on the developer securing a full building permit by November 1st, 2026, and the City receiving its fourth federal HAF installment. Officials say the project could catalyze downtown revitalization but note risks if permitting timelines or housing targets are not met, and Council approval is required to finalize the grant.
  
  
• The City will again use hotel tax revenue to cover a $1.3-million annual loan payment on a $33-million loan guarantee linked to the 2016 convention centre expansion. This marks another in a series of annual payments since 2017, bringing the total paid to over $12 million. The loan was originally tied to a planned hotel opening that would generate revenue to support the expansion, but the Sutton Place Hotel only recently began construction after COVID-related delays. The City says that the convention centre is expected to reimburse all payments eventually, and finance chair Councillor Jeff Browaty said using hotel tax revenue in the meantime is standard practice and supports an important City amenity.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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