Winnipeg Minute: Technology Liaison, Pickleball Expansion, and Vacant Building Fires

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

This Week In Winnipeg:

• There will be a City Council meeting on Thursday at 9:30 am. Council will discuss ending the work from home practice for City staff, directing all City employees to return to their respective offices. Also on the agenda is a discussion about providing free parking next to and around City Hall, and the establishment of drink, coffee, tea, and snack machines inside City Hall for the public. These latter two policies came about due to public hearings sometimes being quite lengthy.
  
  
• Dan Vandal, the Northern Affairs Minister and a longtime politician in Winnipeg, will not be running again in the upcoming federal election. Vandal has represented the St. Boniface - St. Vital riding since 2015 and previously served as a City Councillor from 1995 to 2004 and again from 2006 to 2014. At 64, Vandal noted that he feels it is time to transition to the next stage of his life.
  
  
• Mayor Scott Gillingham is proposing the establishment of a provincially funded emergency service to handle mental health calls that do not require police, paramedics, or firefighters. He believes that a dedicated response is necessary to ensure that individuals in crisis receive appropriate assistance rather than a uniformed presence. He sees the ongoing provincial review of the Mental Health Act as a timely opportunity to advance discussions on this new emergency service.

Last Week In Winnipeg:

• Mayor Scott Gillingham has appointed Councillor Matt Allard as the City's first Technology and Innovation Liaison to enhance service delivery through advanced technology. In this role, Allard will focus on integrating artificial intelligence to improve various City services, emphasizing efficiency and speed in processes for residents. He will serve as a bridge between City Council and the innovation sector, collaborating with the Mayor's Office to refine policy and procurement practices. Allard will oversee AI pilot projects in 2024-2025, which aim to automate processes like 311 inquiries and streamline non-emergency police calls. His first official task was representing the City at the launch event for the Manitoba Association of AI Professionals.
  
  
• City Councillors voted to increase fees for fire responses at vacant buildings, despite recommendations from Administration to lower them. Property owners like Maria Suzuki, who was charged $138,000 after five fires at her vacant property, expressed frustration over the high costs, calling them unfair. A City report revealed that while $1.2 million in fees were issued last year, only $79,000 was collected, with some suggesting the fees discouraged property repairs and may have led to more fires. The new fees will range from $10,000 for the first fire to $50,000 for repeat incidents. Critics argue the policy punishes owners who are often victims of arson.
  
  
• Winnipeg's TPC Development Corp. has entered into a partnership with the American pickleball chain Picklr to spearhead a significant expansion of pickleball clubs across Canada, with plans to establish 65 new facilities over the next five years. This expansion is particularly noteworthy for Manitoba, which currently has no dedicated indoor pickleball facilities despite rising interest in the sport. The initiative aims to meet the demand for indoor courts, as the president of Pickleball Manitoba noted that the number of outdoor courts could “probably triple” and still not suffice to accommodate players.