Winnipeg Minute: Issue 75

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• This is our 75th edition of Winnipeg Minute, marking 75 weeks of tracking City Council meetings and summarizing key details for residents! This newsletter was created to make local politics accessible, cutting through lengthy reports, jargon, and marathon meetings so more residents can stay informed and hold leaders accountable. We have covered debates on spending, taxes, and City priorities, highlighted good and bad decisions, exposed waste, and shown when core services are neglected. Funded entirely by readers, Common Sense Winnipeg relies on donations to continue its work, so if you appreciate our work to improve City Hall accountability and ensure citizens stay informed, please consider making a donation to keep this newsletter and our other important municipal work going!
  
  
• A new Probe Research poll shows Winnipeggers are deeply conflicted about their city, with three-quarters saying Winnipeg is a great place to live while the same proportion believe conditions - especially crime, infrastructure, and leadership - have never been worse. Respondents identified crime and public safety as the most pressing issue, followed by dissatisfaction with elected officials and concerns about infrastructure. Perceptions of safety are strongly linked to homelessness and addictions, which many residents see as intertwined problems. Despite frustrations, many residents remain hopeful about downtown redevelopment projects, such as Portage Place and new pedestrian corridors, which they believe could improve safety and vibrancy. When asked about the city’s best qualities, Winnipeggers highlighted its people, cultural life, and affordability, though these positives were overshadowed by rising concerns over safety and livability. This was the first time Probe asked residents if conditions were the worst they had ever seen, and researchers say they plan to track the sentiment in future surveys.
  
  
• Winnipeg’s new “spine-and-feeder” transit network has increased the need for transfers, but riders say the 75-minute transfer window is no longer enough. The redesigned system uses straighter, high-frequency routes along main roads with feeder routes serving residential areas, meaning passengers often need more buses to reach their destinations. Some riders report taking up to four buses instead of two, with longer wait times making transfers difficult within the current time limit. Complaints have surfaced about people having to pay twice when their transfer expires mid-trip. In response, St. Vital Councillor Brian Mayes has introduced a motion to extend transfers to 90 minutes, arguing it would remove unnecessary costs for riders and better encourage public transit use. The proposal will be considered at the Riel Community Committee meeting on September 4th. City officials say they are aware of the issue but note that system adjustments will take time.
  
  
• New Statistics Canada data shows Winnipeg has the highest percentage of commuters among major Canadian cities. Most residents drive to work, with just over 11% of workers using public transit in May. About 6% of Winnipeggers rely on active transportation, such as walking or biking. Commuters in Winnipeg spend an average of 23.4 minutes getting to work, shorter than the national average of 26.7 minutes. Overall, 82% of Canadian workers were commuting in May, up from 75% in May 2021 during pandemic restrictions. Ottawa-Gatineau and Toronto had the lowest commuting rates. 
  
  
• Speaking of commuting, a new CAA Manitoba survey shows that more parents are driving their children to school due to traffic safety concerns, which is increasing congestion around school zones. The survey of 516 parents found that 62% consider their local school zones “very unsafe,” with 90% witnessing dangerous behaviours such as speeding, distracted driving, and blocking bus zones. The share of families driving children to school rose from 35% in 2023 to 43% in the latest study, with convenience, distance, and safety cited as the main reasons. City Councillors recently approved a study on the most-ticketed school zones, which will be reviewed by the Public Works Subcommittee in September. Community input, including suggestions from families, is being encouraged to improve congestion and safety around schools. 
  
  
• Winnipeg’s latest street census indicates homelessness has reached its highest level since surveys began in 2015, with at least 2,469 people identified as unhoused in November 2024. This marks a sharp increase from 1,256 recorded in 2022. The survey highlights systemic inequities, with 62% of homeless individuals identifying as First Nations and 15% as Métis, and nearly half reporting prior involvement with Child and Family Services. The average age of those experiencing homelessness was 41, while youth and newcomers represented growing portions of the population. Most respondents (82%) cited affordable housing as their primary need, alongside mental health and supported housing services. The Province has introduced a strategy aiming to end chronic homelessness in Winnipeg by 2031, including new social housing units and targeted moves out of encampments. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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