Winnipeg Minute: Issue 64

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• The Executive Policy Committee will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. They will discuss a recommendation from City Administration to establish a Youth Programming Fund. The fund would amount to a total of $3 million over three years ($1 million annually from 2025 to 2027). Seventeen organizations across 12 electoral wards - particularly the six wards with the highest poverty rates - were recommended for annual grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. Funded programs include mental health support, arts, mentorship, sports, food security, Indigenous cultural activities, newcomer integration, and anti-violence initiatives. The selection criteria focused on poverty reduction alignment, cost-effectiveness, organizational capacity, and ability to reach youth broadly. The grants would be funded from existing budgets, and the Community Services Division would provide progress reports back to the Executive Policy Committee by June 2028 to evaluate the results and impact of the fund.
  
  
• The Committee will also discuss a proposal by the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) for the creation of a new 2025 capital project to expand its Firearms Investigative Analysis Section (FIAS). The project would have a budget of $524,010 funded through reallocated provincial funds from a previous holding cells project. This expansion aims to enhance firearm investigative analysis by providing on-site Canadian Integrated Ballistic Identification System (CIBIN) searches for all Manitoba police agencies, in order to speed up ballistic evidence processing. The project includes renovations to WPS Headquarters to accommodate additional staff and studies to identify a suitable location for a provincial firearms laboratory. Since 2020, WPS has conducted on-site CIBIN searches, reducing the wait time for results from about a year to less than three days and generating over 200 investigative leads. The Government of Manitoba has committed $5.2 million in initial capital and ongoing operating funds to support the province-wide expansion of these services.
  
  
• The Manitoba government is launching its second Downtown Safety Summer Action Plan to improve safety in downtown Winnipeg starting June 17th. The 16-week initiative will focus on crime prevention, community engagement, and mental health and addiction support. As part of the plan, the province is providing $500,000 to the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, which will work with groups like Bear Clan Patrol and O.P.K. to provide immediate help on the streets. Additionally, 12 new Winnipeg police officers, funded with $3 million in permanent annual provincial funding, have begun patrols downtown. While some residents have welcomed the increased police presence, others are concerned that policing is receiving significantly more funding than community-based resources. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe emphasized the goal of creating a safe, vibrant downtown for everyone. The City of Winnipeg and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ are also contributing $50,000 and $25,000 to the initiative, respectively. 
  
  
• Speaking of safety, the City's Safe Winnipeg initiative has begun rolling out in the West End, aiming to improve public safety by better coordinating efforts among community groups, police, and emergency services. Mayor Scott Gillingham emphasized the importance of working together to create a “blanket of safety” covering downtown, the West End, and the North End, where most service calls occur. The initiative focuses on sharing information to identify crime trends and avoid overlapping services, with the goal of supporting residents, businesses, and vulnerable populations. Local business owners have mixed reactions: some welcome increased patrols and collaboration, hoping it will revitalize their neighbourhoods, while others express frustration over repeat offenders and call for tougher penalties. Despite concerns, the mayor stressed that improved coordination is essential to addressing crime effectively. No specific timeline has been provided for the initiative’s full implementation.
  
  
• Workers' compensation costs for City of Winnipeg employees have more than doubled over the past five years, rising from $11.8 million in 2020 to $25.5 million in 2024. The biggest increases in time lost were seen among fire-paramedics and Winnipeg Transit drivers, with psychological injuries accounting for 54% of all time-loss claims last year. Union leaders say the numbers reflect growing violence, burnout, and understaffing, with many paramedics and drivers reporting workplace violence and mental health issues. For example, 44 transit drivers were off work for mental health reasons in December alone, resulting in over 19,000 lost workdays. Rising call volumes, especially for fires and medical emergencies, have placed unsustainable pressure on emergency responders. Mayor Scott Gillingham emphasized the need to rehabilitate workers and reintegrate them quickly to manage both staffing and costs. These compensation costs have significantly drained the City’s rainy day fund, though a recent operational surplus is helping replenish it, with the reserve expected to reach $36.4 million by year-end. A report on strategies to reduce compensation costs is expected later this year.
  
  
• Councillor Sherri Rollins described last week’s zoning hearing as chaotic and disappointing, warning that the new zoning changes could actually reduce housing density in parts of her ward. Despite a two-year lead-up, last-minute motions created confusion and contradicted existing policies, leading Rollins to oppose the final bylaw. She highlighted that the new rules, including a 60-foot minimum lot width for multi-unit buildings, would restrict developments like four-plexes that were previously allowed on narrower lots in areas such as Osborne Village. Rollins criticized the added requirement to route variance applications through community committees, calling it unnecessary red tape since most are routinely approved. While supportive of increased infill housing and the national housing strategy, she felt the changes were not meaningful for neighborhoods already embracing such development. The long and complex hearing process delayed progress and risked federal funding tied to the changes. Rollins emphasized the need for improved planning and collaboration in future efforts to address housing supply.
  
  
• Speaking of public hearings, cycling advocates are criticizing City Councillors for delaying public input on a proposed temporary bike lane along Wellington Crescent, where cyclist Ron Jenner was killed in 2024. More than 27 registered delegates were scheduled to speak at the June 12th Public Works Committee meeting, but Councillors voted to postpone their presentations until July 3rd, citing a request for more time from City engineers. The decision sparked anger from attendees, with some accusing the Committee of silencing citizens and overstepping their authority.  Some advocates who took time off work to attend, said they felt disrespected and may not be able to return next month, while others warned that the move could discourage public engagement altogether. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

We know the news has been heavy lately, so here’s something a little more fun - it’s patio season in Winnipeg!

Help celebrate summer by voting for your favourite local patio and supporting the businesses that make our city great.

Cast your vote before Thursday, June 19th - the results will be published in the Winnipeg Sun on Sunday, June 29th:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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