Winnipeg Minute: Issue 66

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• After 46 years, Winnipeg’s iconic Portage and Main intersection has reopened to pedestrians, ending a ban that began in 1979. The City removed barricades and unveiled new walk signals, allowing people to cross at street level for the first time in decades. Mayor Scott Gillingham called it a historic moment, highlighting the intersection’s importance to Winnipeg’s past and future. While some residents, including accessibility advocates, praised the change for improving safety and access, others expressed concerns about potential traffic delays. The reopening followed an eight-month construction project costing about $21 million, which altered traffic patterns to accommodate pedestrian crossings. The underground tunnels and mall remain open, with no plans for closure. The move aims to revitalize downtown and create a more pedestrian-friendly urban space, despite mixed opinions from the community.
  
  
• Winnipeg Transit launched its most extensive single-day network overhaul yesterday, changing nearly every bus route in the city. The current "hub-and-spoke" system, which routes buses through downtown, will be replaced with a "spine-and-feeder" grid model featuring high-frequency routes on major roads connected to smaller local routes. This new design aims to provide more reliable, efficient service with straighter routes, fewer stops, and less downtown congestion. While some passengers may need to transfer more often and walk further to stops, wait times on frequent routes during peak hours are expected to be 15 minutes or less. About 1,700 stops were removed, and 460 new ones were added. Winnipeg Transit has deployed travel trainers to help riders adjust to the changes. Officials acknowledge there may be initial challenges but expect improvements over time. 
  
  
• The City of Winnipeg has ended its policy of providing free courtesy tows for vehicles that block snow clearing during residential parking bans, a practice in place since 2013. Instead of moving vehicles at no cost, the City will now issue tickets and plow around cars that aren’t moved. This change follows a significant drop in calls for courtesy tows last year and concerns about the high cost of the service, which exceeded $930,000 in 2021. Councillor Janice Lukes supported the decision, arguing that taxpayers shouldn’t cover costs for those who violate parking rules. The City is also considering increasing ticket fines to encourage vehicle removal during snow events. Snow clearing expenses have exceeded budgets recently, with last year’s costs running $14.4 million over the $40.5 million budget. This year’s budget is set at $45.7 million. 
  
  
• Winnipeg plans to install new digital "smart" water meters starting in 2026, replacing 221,000 analog meters over five years at a cost of $135 million. These meters will automatically send encrypted water usage data to the City and are expected to improve accuracy and leak detection. Although some residents raised health and privacy concerns, a City report recommends against offering an opt-out program due to low expected participation and high costs to maintain the old meters and hire meter readers. The opt-out program could cost up to $252,000 annually and would require customers who opt out to pay significant fees. 
  
  
• A byelection will be held on October 25th to fill the Council seat for the Elmwood-East Kildonan ward, following the death of Councillor Jason Schreyer in April. Voters will also select school trustees for the Louis Riel School Division Ward 3 and Pembina Trails School Division Ward 1 on the same day. Schreyer, who served on City Council since 2014, was known as an independent voice and was remembered fondly by colleagues for his unique personality, including his habit of singing during Council prayers. He was the son of former Manitoba Premier and Governor General Ed Schreyer. The City of Winnipeg has made voting and candidate information available on its website ahead of the byelection.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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