Councillor Kevin Klein
Councillor Klein said today he was disappointed but not surprised with the Mayor's EPC for giving little consideration or even discussing his motion to help vulnerable women in the community and create an incubator that was moved at Community Committee that would start us down a path of providing hope.
The motion was redirected to another committee (Governance) which does not have the jurisdiction to make a decision on this item. The motion should have been decided at the Property and Planning Committee.
"I want to apologize for this detour and delay, we won't give up advocating for a change in thinking at City Hall. An incubator space would be beneficial to many not-for-profit's in our City and I would think City Hall is an appropriate place to encourage change", said Klein.
Below is the original story published
The City of Winnipeg has vacant building space throughout the community. Some of the space is leased for $1 a year or sitting empty and costing you, the taxpayer, hundreds of thousands in expenses to maintain them. But there is a better way, a new way to utilize the space and reduce expenses.
In the past Councillor Klein had suggested to the Mayor and his colleagues on Council that we should consider creative ways to utilize the space. Presently we spend over $200,000 a year to maintain empty tower space next to Police Headquarters.
Klein suggested reviewing grants paid to not-for-profits and working with stakeholders to redirect those funds to provide office space downtown. This is merely one example of a new way of thinking we need in the City, simply doing what we've always done is not going to help.
On May 8th Councillor Klein and Nason introduced a motion to utilize the vacant space at City Hall. They asked the Mayor and EPC to direct the public service to negotiate with a group that supports experiential exploited women. The space would provide work experience and a sense of community.
Read more in this article by James Snell of the Winnipeg Sun, click here.