Winnipeg Minute: Issue 109

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• Winnipeg’s Executive Policy Committee has voted to recommend removing Councillor Russ Wyatt from five committees and boards following recent charges of sexual assault. Mayor Scott Gillingham, who introduced the motion, stated that while Wyatt is presumed innocent, the measure is necessary to maintain public confidence and the integrity of Council. Because Council lacks the legal authority to suspend a member facing criminal allegations, removing Wyatt from these roles - which include the Winnipeg Public Library Board and the Transcona Museum Board - is the only formal action currently available. Wyatt has denied the allegations and intends to continue representing the Transcona ward. He was previously charged with sexual assault in 2018, but those charges were stayed. A final vote by the full City Council is scheduled for April 30th.
  
  
• Councillors and the Mayor are raising concerns after Salisbury House lost its long-standing contract to provide food services at two municipal golf courses to Aramark Canada, a subsidiary of a US-based multinational company. The local restaurant chain had held the contract since 2009, and some officials and community members are questioning why a Winnipeg-owned business was not retained. City officials say the contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process, with Aramark scoring highest under the City’s evaluation system. Mayor Scott Gillingham emphasized that procurement rules and trade agreements limit the City’s ability to favour local companies, even if there is political pressure to do so. Some Councillors are now asking for more details about how the decision was made and whether it can be revisited, though officials warn reversing the contract could carry legal and financial risks. Salisbury House says it is disappointed but hopes to compete again when the contract is next up for renewal.
  
  
• Mayor Scott Gillingham told a Senate Committee that support for bail reform is not about being “blindly tough on crime,” but about responding to repeated patterns of violent and repeat offending that he says are straining police and community safety. He argued that current bail practices allow some individuals with prior convictions to be released with minimal conditions, only to reoffend, creating what he described as a cycle that undermines public confidence in the justice system. The Mayor was speaking in support of Bill C-14, federal legislation that would make it more difficult for repeat and violent offenders to obtain bail and would prioritize public safety in bail decisions. 
  
  
• The City of Winnipeg is suing Tartan Towing, alleging the company failed to remit fees it was required to collect and pay under its contract for towing vehicles ordered removed by police. The City claims the company did not submit a $25 cost-recovery fee per tow, which was part of a 2019 agreement covering vehicle removal and storage services. According to court filings, Winnipeg is seeking more than $300,000, including unpaid fees for thousands of tows, interest, and taxes, with some disputes stretching back to earlier contracts. The lawsuit also alleges the company has denied owing the amounts in question, and no statement of defence has yet been filed, meaning the claims have not been tested in court. This dispute adds to a history of legal conflict between the City and Tartan Towing, which have previously sued each other over contract-related issues. 
  
  
• City officials in Winnipeg are warning that delays in securing provincial and federal funding for the final phase of the $3.1-billion North End Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade could increase costs and reduce competition for major construction bids. The City is seeking confirmation by May 20th that both levels of government will each cover one-third of the $1.57-billion nutrient removal phase, which is essential to improving wastewater treatment and reducing nutrient pollution flowing into Lake Winnipeg. Officials say uncertainty could discourage contractors from bidding or lead to higher-priced proposals when bids for the design contract are due June 19th, as firms prioritize projects with clearer funding certainty. City staff and Water and Waste leadership emphasize that early funding confirmation helps lower project risk and keeps pricing competitive. Mayor Scott Gillingham has warned that without senior government support, the City may need to fund the project through water and sewer rates, potentially leading to significant increases for residents, while continuing to push for timely commitments from both levels of government. The Province has reiterated support for the project and indicated existing infrastructure funding streams will be directed toward its completion, though exact timing remains unresolved.

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