Winnipeg Minute: Issue 77

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• The Standing Policy Committee on Finance and Economic Development will meet this morning at 9:30 am. The Committee will hear that the South Winnipeg Recreation Campus (SWRC) project is progressing on schedule, with 55% of the work completed. Design of the Recreation Centre and Child Care Centre is well advanced, targeting completion by late summer 2025, with construction tenders planned for late 2025. Construction of the Pembina Trails Collegiate Vocational Building is on schedule and budget, currently 60% complete, and is expected to open in September 2026. Key risks include potential cost increases from international trade tariffs, scope adjustments, and required provincial pre-tender reviews, all of which are being actively monitored. Funding comes from a combination of City cash, external debt, and provincial and federal contributions. The SWRC is designed to serve a growing southwest Winnipeg population.
  
  
• The Executive Policy Committee will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The agenda includes a review of the 2026 - 2028 Business Plan and 2024 audited financial statements from the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres Inc. (GCWCC). The plan outlines GCWCC’s priorities over the next three years, including improving governance, supporting volunteers, maintaining contemporary facilities, and enhancing programming. Council is being asked to refer $1,691,334 in annual grant funding to the 2026 budget and to consider additional funding requests: a one-time $35,000 legal support grant for management agreements, a new $250,000 annual Programming/Wage Subsidy Grant to help community centres hire staff, and a $12,000 increase to the Graffiti Control Program Grant. Council will receive the plan as information and consider the funding recommendations through the 2026 budget process.
  
  
• Mayor Scott Gillingham plans to introduce weekly “repeat offender bulletins” to pressure Ottawa into tightening bail laws and reducing judicial discretion in releasing accused individuals. The bulletins will share case details, but not names, of people accused of committing new crimes while on bail, highlighting concerns over public safety. His push comes after several high-profile incidents involving accused offenders out on bail, including a deadly stabbing in Hollow Water First Nation and a fatal crash near Portage la Prairie. Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives and the Winnipeg Police Service have also voiced support for bail reform, with police saying repeat arrests strain resources. Despite overall crime rates declining in Winnipeg over the past two years, Gillingham argues residents still feel unsafe and need reassurance. 
  
  
• Dog owners in the North Kildonan neighbourhood are opposing plans to build a road through Kilcona Park, which would cut through the off-leash area they regularly use. The City’s revitalization plan includes a paved parkway and new fencing that would also restrict access to a nearby lake, prompting an online petition with over 500 signatures. Residents argue the construction will disrupt dogs’ ability to roam freely and reduce the park’s recreational value. While the plan includes upgrades such as new access points, amenities, shade canopies, and improvements for mobility, opponents say the road is intrusive and unnecessary. The City expects construction to begin next year and continue into 2027, with a $5-million budget for the first phase. Supporters of the revitalization appreciate other elements, like demolition of derelict buildings and new picnic areas, but remain critical of the road itself.
  
  
• Winnipeg’s latest library report shows a decline in security incidents and an overall increase in attendance for the second quarter of 2025. Between April and June, incidents across all branches fell 7.5% compared to last year, while visitor counts rose nearly 11% system-wide, though Millennium Library saw a 6.1% decrease due to reduced hours and changes in bus service. Referrals by community crisis workers surged almost 193%, highlighting the growing role of support services. Community safety hosts continue to manage incidents, allowing staff to focus on customer service, but the closure of the Community Connections space has limited one-on-one support. Millennium Library still accounted for over half of all incidents, with police called 23 times to the branch during the period. Attendance declines at some branches, such as Sir William Stephenson Library, are still being reviewed. The report is part of ongoing monitoring since enhanced security measures were implemented following a 2022 fatal stabbing.

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