Winnipeg Minute: Issue 83

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• Emma Durand-Wood has been elected as the new Councillor for the Elmwood-East Kildonan ward following a byelection held to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Jason Schreyer. She secured 1,567 votes, ahead of Abel Gutierrez with 887 and Braydon Mazurkiewich with 842. Durand-Wood, a long-time community advocate, has previously campaigned for initiatives such as tree planting and infill housing and says she’s committed to building a “stronger, happier, and more connected community.” Her campaign emphasized improving infrastructure, enhancing public safety, and expanding community programs. Voters also chose new school trustees in two divisions: former NDP Cabinet Minister Peter Bjornson for Louis Riel School Division Ward 3 and Samantha Pope for Pembina Trails School Division Ward 1.
  
  
• The Property and Development Committee has approved a plan to sell several City-owned lots for $1 to allow non-profit organizations and the Province to build supportive housing for vulnerable residents. The decision excludes one West End property on Sherburn Street after local residents objected to losing green space. Under the amended plan, properties on McPhillips Street, Stella Avenue, and Plessis Road will be sold, while a potential sale on Poseidon Bay in the Grant Park area will be considered separately. The proposed housing projects are intended to support individuals facing barriers such as homelessness, mental health challenges, or transitioning out of care. City officials said the initiative is part of a larger effort to increase access to stable housing and integrated social services. The plan now advances to the Executive Policy Committee and, if approved, will move on to City Council for final consideration.
  
  
• Homeowners in East Transcona say Winnipeg Transit’s new FX3 Primary Bus Route is damaging their properties and disrupting daily life. Since June, long articulated buses have been running every 11 minutes along Victoria Avenue East, a narrow residential street not designed for heavy traffic. Residents report cracked foundations, shaking walls, and constant noise caused by the frequent bus traffic. A petition has been organized urging the City to reroute the FX3 line to nearby Pandora or Kildare avenues, which are wider and built for heavier vehicles. They argue the current route violates City bylaws that restrict large buses from non-truck routes. Despite multiple complaints submitted through 311 and to Councillors, residents say they have received limited responses. Winnipeg Transit has said it will monitor the new system for a year before making changes.
  
  
• Residents in Point Douglas raised concerns after the City appeared to approve a facility combining supervised drug consumption and sobering units on Disraeli Freeway without public consultation. The permits, issued one day before legislative hearings on Manitoba’s new addictions bill, led to accusations of a lack of transparency and oversight on the part of the City. Following the backlash, the City clarified that the permits were issued only for temporary sobering units and that a clerical error caused the confusion. Officials said the registry has been corrected and the community informed. Community members hope the incident will lead to stronger transparency standards and more open engagement on future development decisions.
  
  
• The Province is providing nearly $900,000 in grants to five community organizations that support newcomers and low-income residents. Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine said the funding will help reduce homelessness and provide Manitobans access to stable housing and employment. The grants come from a $20-million endowment established by the Province and The Winnipeg Foundation to support projects assisting people on Employment and Income Assistance. Recipients include the Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, the Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute, New Journey Housing, the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council, and Healthy Muslim Families. The organizations will use the funds for programs such as housing support, language and employment training, financial education, and legal aid for refugees. Fontaine said the selected groups have demonstrated strong results in helping Manitobans overcome economic barriers. 

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