Winnipeg faces significant challenges, and it’s time for city councillors and Mayor Gillingham to focus on solving the real issues. Crime, infrastructure, cost of living, transit safety, and customer service in departments like Property and Planning are the pressing concerns that citizens care about. Yet, when was the last time anyone in city leadership presented clear solutions to these problems? Instead, we hear endless excuses about financial constraints while witnessing decisions that appear disconnected from residents’ priorities.
The issue of crime is growing worse. Winnipeg’s crime severity index is among the highest in Canada. Car thefts, break-ins, and violent assaults have become daily news. Proactive community policing is essential, but the city has repeatedly underfunded the Winnipeg Police Service. Councillors have opposed increasing police resources while approving expenditures on less critical initiatives. The result? Public spaces feel less safe, businesses face escalating costs from theft and vandalism, and residents are left feeling vulnerable in their own neighborhoods. Ignoring crime fosters a cycle where businesses leave, and communities deteriorate further.
Infrastructure is another glaring issue. The state of Winnipeg’s roads and bridges is notorious. Potholes are more than an inconvenience; they’re a safety hazard and a financial burden on drivers who pay for repairs to their vehicles. While some repair work occurs, it often feels like too little, too late. Maintenance is deferred, leading to costlier overhauls in the future. Cities like Edmonton and Calgary have prioritized preventative maintenance to stretch their budgets further, but Winnipeg continues to fall behind. Without reliable infrastructure, the city’s economy suffers, as businesses and residents lose confidence in local governance.
The rising cost of living is another crisis facing Winnipeggers. Inflation, high mortgage rates, and escalating utility bills are putting immense pressure on households. Winnipeg already has some of the highest mortgage default rates in the country. Yet, instead of addressing affordability, Finance Chair Jeff Browaty has hinted at property tax increases. How does taxing residents further solve affordability? The city needs innovative approaches to ease financial pressures, such as streamlining permit processes to encourage affordable housing development or freezing unnecessary fees. Doubling down on taxes without addressing core spending inefficiencies only exacerbates the problem.
Transit safety is an issue that affects everyone, not just regular transit users. Unsafe buses lead to fewer riders, which results in reduced revenue and more vehicles on already congested roads. Transit operators continue to voiced concerns about their safety, yet little has been done to address it meaningfully. The new Safety Officers are too few and unequipped to deal with the violent incidents on buses. Winnipeg’s transit system must work harder to regain public trust and increase ridership.
Customer service in departments like Property and Planning is another sore point. Builders, homeowners, and business owners frequently complain about delays, inefficiencies, and a lack of accountability. This department plays a crucial role in shaping Winnipeg’s future, but its shortcomings are driving away investors. Streamlining processes and ensuring staff accountability would not only attract development but also create jobs and stimulate the local economy. A poorly functioning Property and Planning department sends a message that Winnipeg is closed for business. This is the “real” housing issue in Winnipeg that money from the federal Liberal’s will not fix.
While leaders lament a lack of funds, they continue to make questionable spending decisions. Mayor Gillingham, Councillor Markus Chambers, and a city staff member recently attended the Grey Cup in Vancouver. Taxpayers deserve transparency: who paid for this trip? In a time of fiscal restraint, such expenditures feel tone-deaf. Then there are the bus benches and garbage containers adorned with councillors’ photos. This practice is nothing more than taxpayer-funded advertising, costing thousands of dollars annually. It does nothing to address the city’s core issues. Meanwhile, these same councillors often ramp up these expenditures as elections approach, focusing on re-election rather than governance.
Cuts can and should be made to unnecessary spending. Eliminating taxpayer-funded vanity advertising like bus bench ads is a start. Reducing non-essential travel for city officials and cutting back on special-interest projects would free up funds for more pressing needs. For example, the city could divert funds from unnecessary public art installations to improve road safety or expand community policing programs. A well-run city government prioritizes the essentials and postpones luxuries until critical issues are resolved.
City governments exist to serve the public by ensuring safe streets, maintaining infrastructure, providing reliable services, and fostering a thriving local economy. They should not focus on projects outside their mandate, such as operating entertainment facilities or funding niche interest groups. The city’s role is to provide foundational services that benefit all residents. When leadership loses sight of this, it leads to inefficiency, frustration, and distrust among citizens.
The consequences of inaction are dire. Businesses already burdened by crime and poor infrastructure will relocate to more welcoming cities, taking jobs and investment with them. Rising costs will drive more residents into financial hardship, increasing reliance on social services and exacerbating poverty. An unsafe and unreliable transit system will discourage ridership, leading to more congestion and pollution. A poorly managed Property and Planning department will push developers and investors to other municipalities, leaving Winnipeg to stagnate while surrounding communities grow.
Addressing Winnipeg’s top five issues is not rocket science. It requires prioritization, discipline, and accountability. City councillors must focus on crime reduction, infrastructure repair, affordability, transit safety, and customer service—nothing else. Once these critical issues are resolved, they can move on to secondary concerns. However, many councillors spend the fourth year of their term prioritizing re-election strategies rather than tackling the city’s challenges. This cycle of political self-interest must end.
Winnipeggers deserve leadership that puts their needs first. The solutions are not unattainable; they require commitment and a willingness to make tough choices. By redirecting resources, cutting unnecessary spending, and focusing on foundational responsibilities, Winnipeg can overcome its challenges and thrive as a city. But it starts with councillors getting to work and addressing the issues that matter most.
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