Winnipeg Minute: Issue 57

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• On Wednesday, April 30th, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Meeting. Council will consider a new Percent-for-Art Program to include public art in major capital projects starting in the 2028-2031 budget cycle. The program will allocate 0.25% of capital project budgets for public art, capped at $250,000 per project. Instead of being tied to individual projects, funds will be pooled for more strategic decisions on where to place art. The goal is to improve transparency and align art installations with the City's strategic plans.
  
  
• Winnipeg is hosting two sustainability initiatives this May - a curbside giveaway weekend (May 10th - 11th) where residents can place unwanted but reusable items marked "free" at their curbs for others to take, and a compost giveaway (May 9th - 11th) where residents can collect free compost at designated locations. The curbside event promotes reuse of household items like furniture, books, and small appliances. For the compost giveaway, residents must bring their own containers and shovels, with a limit of 100 liters per vehicle at locations including Brady Road and Kilcona Dog Park.
  
  
• Winnipeg residential neighbourhoods are experiencing conflicts over private backyard pools being rented out for parties, with one resident formally complaining to authorities about a neighbour's pool rentals that bring crowds of up to 30 people to quiet suburban streets. These rentals violate Manitoba's Swimming Pools and Other Water Recreational Facilities Regulation, which requires pools "operated for use by the public or rented as a user group" to obtain permits from health inspectors. The issue has been exacerbated by apps like Swimply (dubbed the "Airbnb for pools"), which allows homeowners to rent private pools hourly but leaves legal compliance to hosts.
  
  
• The Manitoba government is investing $1.2 million into upgrades at the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s Journey to Churchill exhibit. The funding will enhance the exhibit’s infrastructure, including a new polar bear pool chiller, improved geothermal and filtration systems, and facility upgrades. Opened in 2014, the exhibit is internationally renowned for its immersive experience and educational focus on Arctic wildlife and climate change. The upgrades aim to ensure animal health and safety, especially for polar bears, while maintaining the zoo as a key tourist attraction. In 2023, Manitoba saw over 10 million visitors, with the zoo playing a significant role in tourism revenue. The renovations are scheduled to start later this year.
  
  
• FortWhyte Alive has officially opened its new Buffalo Crossing visitor centre, which also marks the first time the nature centre is accessible via public transit. The two-storey, 18,000-square-foot building, designed to meet passive house and zero-carbon standards, is located on a four-hectare site and will serve as the southern gateway to the property. The facility, which uses energy-efficient design and fossil-free geothermal heating, is the province's first commercial building to meet these standards. The opening also coincides with the introduction of new Winnipeg Transit routes and traffic lights.
  
  
• CentreVenture Development Corporation has signed an agreement to fund the first phase of a heritage rehabilitation study for Holy Trinity Anglican Church in downtown Winnipeg. Built in 1884, the church, a National Historic Site of Canada, faces an estimated $7 million in repairs due to severe structural issues, including water damage and cracks in the walls. The partnership includes the Parish of Holy Trinity, the Diocese of Rupert's Land, Monteyne Architecture, and CentreVenture. The study, led by Monteyne Architecture, will assess the building's condition, including surveys, structural analysis, and a proposed foundation redesign. The church, which has been in need of repairs since the 1980s, could face collapse without significant intervention. Mayor Scott Gillingham and local leaders have expressed strong support for preserving the historical landmark.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

It’s Election Day! Voters from coast to coast are casting their ballots to decide who will form the next government. Make sure you take the opportunity to have your voice heard.

Need details on where to vote, what ID to bring, or who’s running in your riding? Visit the Elections Canada website for everything you need to know:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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