Winnipeg Minute: Issue 74

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• The City is facing a dispute with the Granite Curling Club over plans to build a 111-unit housing development on the Club’s west parking lot. While Council approved rezoning and subdivision earlier this year, the Curling Club Board opposes the project because it would remove more than half of its parking spaces, threatening revenue and membership. Despite Council directing City staff to work with the club on a solution, little progress has been made, prompting the matter to be referred to the Manitoba Municipal Board. The housing plan includes a mix of market-rate, below-market, and rent-geared-to-income units. City officials emphasize that the project addresses urgent housing needs in Winnipeg. The Municipal Board hearing is scheduled for August 26th and could last three days.
  
  
• The City announced plans to develop five new supportive housing sites in partnership with the Manitoba government and non-profit organizations. These sites, located on Sherburn Street, Plessis Road, Stella Avenue, Poseidon Bay, and McPhillips Street, aim to provide affordable housing combined with on-site or nearby services such as healthcare, counselling, and safety supports. The initiative targets people facing barriers to stable housing, including refugees, youth aging out of care, individuals leaving hospitals or encampments, and those at risk of gender-based violence or with mental health needs. The City will provide the land and manage rezoning, while the Province and partners will design, build, and operate the residences. Public consultations are scheduled in early September, with a public hearing set for September 12th, allowing residents to submit feedback or speak in support or opposition. 
  
  
• The fourth floor of the Millennium Library has been temporarily closed as the City evaluates safety upgrades following recent concerning incidents, including a suicide. The City has increased security in recent weeks and is exploring medium- and long-term safety solutions, though specific changes have not been disclosed. The union representing library workers has urged the City to implement preventative measures, citing traumatic impact on staff and patrons. Councillor Vivian Santos noted the fourth floor could reopen this week. In the meantime, library services remain available on the first and second floors, including access to computers, newspapers, and inter-library loans.
  
  
• Winnipeg’s century-old Louise Bridge has reopened to vehicles and pedestrians. The bridge was closed in May for its annual inspection, with reopening postponed due to discovered corrosion. City officials are also moving forward with a long-term rehabilitation plan, aiming to extend the bridge’s lifespan by 25 to 40 years, potentially starting work in 2026 pending budget approval. The bridge has been the subject of ongoing debate over replacement versus repair, with past plans to expand it to four lanes never finalized. Last year, a report recommended repairs rather than immediate replacement. Meanwhile, work continues on decommissioning the Arlington Bridge, with funds allocated for demolition and design of a new structure. 
  
  
• Winnipeg is facing a shortage of ambulances and emergency responders, straining fire crews who must backstop medical calls, according to the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg (UFFW). On a recent Saturday, only 9 of 19 ambulances and 6 of 11 emergency operator shifts were staffed, leading to delayed response times for both medical emergencies and fires. Firefighters are increasingly attending medical calls, leaving fewer resources available for 911 calls. The City spent over $10 million on firefighter overtime last year, an amount that could have funded 70 full-time positions. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service plans to hire over 50 new firefighters and 25 paramedics by the end of 2025, but recruitment challenges and high call volumes remain. City officials say a new priority dispatch system is helping ensure the most urgent emergencies receive care first, though less time-sensitive calls may experience delays.

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