Winnipeg Minute: Issue 81

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Finance and Economic Development. The Committee will review the Entertainment Funding Tax Annual Report - 2024. The report notes that net revenues from the tax totalled $2,167,295, while grants to arts and cultural organizations amounted to $6,717,123. The tax, which is 10% on admission prices of $5 or more for cinemas and large entertainment venues, is intended to fund arts and culture initiatives across the city. Net revenues decreased slightly from 2023 but remain consistent with post-pandemic levels. Some tax revenue is refunded to organizations like True North Inc., the Winnipeg Goldeyes, and the Winnipeg Football Club under long-term agreements, and these amounts are excluded from net revenue calculations. The grants distributed include operating, capital, and in-kind support for arts and culture programs.
  
  
• City Councillor Markus Chambers has resigned as chair and member of the Winnipeg Police Board, ending his tenure as the Board’s longest-serving chair. Chambers, first appointed in 2018, said he stepped down after completing key goals, including guiding the force’s five-year strategic plan and overseeing the hiring of new Police Chief Gene Bowers. Vice-chair Colleen Mayer will temporarily fulfill the chair’s duties until Mayor Scott Gillingham nominates a replacement. Chambers reflected on leading the Board during challenging periods and emphasized the importance of body-worn cameras, school resource officers, and reconciliation work with Indigenous communities. He praised Chief Bowers’ efforts and encouraged the next chair to collaborate closely with Board members. Chambers has not ruled out running for Council again in 2026 but noted he has other personal priorities at present.
  
  
• The Manitoba NDP is planning a 72-hour “protective care centre” for people found highly intoxicated, which could be located at 190 Disraeli Fwy if Bill 48 passes. The centre would provide short-term detox, medical care, and support services, including prenatal testing and treatment for infections, with an initial 20 beds planned and potential expansion. Premier Wab Kinew highlighted the need for the facility to improve safety in neighbourhoods affected by public intoxication and meth-related incidents. Bill 48, introduced by Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith, would replace older legislation and extend the length of time individuals can be held in a detox centre. Opposition critics have raised concerns about costs, vagueness in the bill, and potential impacts on surrounding areas, as well as how rural communities would manage the process. The Disraeli site was chosen in part because it is already government-owned and near existing detox facilities. 
  
  
• Residents of Winnipeg’s Spence neighbourhood are raising concerns about 8 vacant lots on Furby Street between Ellice and Sargent avenues, many left empty after fires in recent years. Neighbours say the lots pose safety and hygiene risks, attract drug use, and reduce the value of nearby homes. A local group, Furby United Residents, has called on municipal, provincial, and federal governments to build housing on the lots to improve the neighbourhood and provide affordable housing options. While the City is advancing housing projects on City-owned land through the federal Housing Accelerator program, there are no plans to acquire privately owned vacant lots. Some residents see the empty spaces as a broader failure of housing policy, arguing that filling the lots with homes would create a more stable, settled community. Currently, one City-owned lot is used as a community garden, and no changes are planned for it.
  
  
• Winnipeg Transit is proposing to extend the operating hours of its on-request bus service to address complaints about limited evening transportation options after the City’s recent network overhaul. The Public Works Committee endorsed a plan to keep 10 on-request routes running until nearly 2:00 am from Monday to Saturday and until about 12:45 am on Sundays and holidays, with implementation expected on December 14th pending full Council approval. The temporary expansion, estimated to cost about $560,000 between December and April, would require 15 to 16 new full-time staff if made permanent. City officials describe the move as a short-term solution to help late-night commuters while a larger review of fixed bus routes is underway. Winnipeg’s on-request service allows riders to book trips online, through an app, or via 311, offering more efficient coverage by operating only when trips are booked. The Committee also postponed a decision on ride-hailing pickup zones for further consultation and requested a speed limit review for Arlington Street due to noise and traffic concerns.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

But, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!