Winnipeg Minute: Monument Relocation, Slurpee Setbacks, and Food Waste Stations

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 on Thursday at 9:00 am. No agenda is available for this meeting yet. The Governance Committee of Council will also meet on Thursday, at 1:00 pm. The agenda includes proposed changes to the Members of Council Code of Conduct Bylaw. The changes include restricting public funding announcements during election periods and permitting parties involved in Code of Conduct investigations to consult with legal counsel. The Committee will also discuss amending the City of Winnipeg Charter to re-establish Community Committees as a requirement.
  
  
• Also on Thursday, at 5:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the Winnipeg Committee for Safety. The Committee will hear an update on the planning progress of the Neighbourhood Watch Forum scheduled for November 16th, 2024. Citizen Member Applications will also be addressed as the Committee is seeking to fill three vacancies.
  
  
• Winnipeg, known as the Slurpee Capital of the World, is set to lose four 7-Eleven locations due to rising crime and theft. The closures will impact stores on Ellice Avenue, McPhillips Street, and Pembina Highway, with City Councillor Ross Eadie highlighting significant financial losses and violence against clerks and customers as key factors. In 2023, the North End locations reported $1.4 million in losses due to over 1,000 theft incidents, with the situation worsening in early 2024.

Last Week In Winnipeg:

• It was announced that a historic Winnipeg war monument, honouring the 231 Bank of Montreal employees who died in WWI, will be relocated to reopen the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street to pedestrians. The statue, currently positioned outside the former Bank of Montreal building, is partially in the way of planned foot traffic. The Manitoba Métis Federation, which owns the building, has agreed to gift the statue to the City and cover the relocation costs. The monument will be moved to the Field of Honour in Brookside Cemetery. The relocation plan has received support from the Bank of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Legion.
  
  
• The City announced that, starting on October 15th, it would launch 15 food waste drop-off stations throughout Winnipeg to help reduce food waste in landfills and combat climate change. Mayor Scott Gillingham suggested that diverting food waste can significantly cut CO2 emissions, stating that each tonne of diverted waste removes two tonnes of emissions. Residents are encouraged to collect food scraps in any container, which can be lined with materials like newspaper or compostable bags, and store them in their fridge or freezer until taken to a station. Managed by Compost Winnipeg, the stations will remain operational until 2030, when the curbside food waste collection program is expected to begin. The City aims to eventually expand the number of drop-off locations to enhance accessibility for residents.
  
  
• Lyft has been approved to operate as a ride-hailing service, joining Uber and several local app-based options. This addition is expected to enhance competition in the local market, providing more choices for customers and options for drivers. Lyft has completed the necessary licensing and is now focused on hiring and training drivers before launching services. The use of ride-sharing and taxis in Winnipeg has surged, with trips increasing from 6.68 million in 2022 to an anticipated 10 million this year. Currently, ride-hailing services account for 48% of all vehicle-for-hire trips, nearly matching the 52% provided by taxis.