Winnipeg Minute: Issue 93

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

📅 This Week In Winnipeg: 📅

• Winnipeg Transit riders are facing another fare increase as the City’s 2026 rate schedule takes effect. Adult cash fares have risen to $3.45, while youth and seniors now pay $2.95. Peggo e-cash users continue to receive discounted rates, though those prices have also increased. Monthly passes now cost $119.35 for adults, $88.55 for youth, and $59.70 for seniors, with higher prices for day and weekly passes as well. The changes also affect post-secondary students and low-income riders using the WINNpass. The City of Winnipeg says the adjustments reflect a long-standing policy of gradual fare increases to keep pace with operating and inflationary costs. Rider reactions have been mixed, with some expressing frustration over rising costs amid concerns about service reliability. City officials maintain that incremental increases are intended to avoid sharper fare hikes in future years.
  
  
• The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is urging Winnipeg to withdraw from the federal firearms buyback program, arguing the initiative is costly, ineffective, and increasingly isolated. In a letter to Mayor Scott Gillingham and Council, the Federation said Winnipeg is now the only Canadian jurisdiction whose police service has agreed to administer the program, as provinces and municipalities elsewhere opt out or push back. The Federation pointed to low collection rates in a recent federal pilot project and raised concerns about transparency, shifting firearm classifications, and escalating costs. The City and the Winnipeg Police Service have budgeted more than $2.8 million over the next two fiscal years to support the program. The letter also comes as Ottawa expands its list of prohibited firearms following recommendations from a federal advisory panel. The Federation argues resources would be better directed toward crime reduction measures rather than compensating licensed firearm owners and is calling on the City to reconsider its participation.
  
  
• During Winnipeg’s recent 60-hour residential parking ban from December 21st - 23rd, the City issued 5,546 tickets, a sharp increase from 3,631 during a similar snow-clearing operation last year. Councillor Janice Lukes stressed that drivers are responsible for moving their vehicles, noting that the City communicates extensively about parking bans and provides alternative street parking. While she was surprised by the rise in tickets, she hopes the $200 fine - $150 if paid within 30 days - will encourage compliance and even suggested fines could be increased in the future. Around 20 enforcement vehicles, each typically with one officer, were deployed to cover more ground efficiently, while three to ten officers issued paper tickets nightly. Lukes emphasized that Winnipeg drivers should remember the City’s winter rules - when it snows, the City plows.
  
  
• Vehicle smash-and-grab incidents are trending upward in parts of Winnipeg, according to recent data from the Winnipeg Police Service, with inner-city neighbourhoods seeing the sharpest increases. While citywide thefts from vehicles rose modestly year over year, some areas experienced significant jumps, including Point Douglas and downtown neighbourhoods. Other parts of the city, such as River Heights, saw smaller increases or remained below longer-term averages. Auto glass repair shops report a noticeable spike in broken windows tied to theft and vandalism, particularly over the holiday season. Police say these incidents are often crimes of opportunity, with visible items inside vehicles frequently triggering break-ins. Police continue to encourage preventative steps, including removing all visible belongings from vehicles. Despite enforcement and community outreach efforts, thefts from vehicles remain a persistent issue, affecting residents across multiple neighbourhoods and placing ongoing demands on policing and repair services.
  
  
• Residents near Henteleff Park in south Winnipeg are concerned about a proposed zoning amendment that could allow a four-storey apartment building with pickleball courts next to the park. Members of the Henteleff Park Foundation argue the courts would introduce persistent noise and disrupt what they describe as a rare quiet, natural space along the Red River. The proposal would modify plans approved by Council in 2018, replacing previously planned townhouses with an apartment building and outdoor courts. The developer says the courts were intended as a community amenity and that they are open to alternative uses. Area Councillor Marcus Chambers said the amendment will be reviewed by the Riel Community Committee on January 7th, noting the need to balance development with residents’ desire to preserve the park’s passive, quiet character.

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