Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Katz presents State of the City address, hints he may run for mayor again

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 03/7/2013 1:48 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 03/8/2013 4:11 PM | Updates

Mayor Sam Katz

Things in Winnipeg are looking up, according to Mayor Sam Katz, who hinted he will seek a third term in office.

On Friday, Katz delivered his annual State of the City address to a crowd of 1,000 at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce-sponsored luncheon at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Last year, the mayor used his address to complain the city needs a better funding deal with the province, as Winnipeg does not have enough funding to pay for new and existing infrastructure.

This year, Katz focused on the positives — including the downtown renovations of the Metropolitan and Avenue Building, the IKEA store and the overhaul at the Assinibine Park Zoo — saying Winnipeg is in a period of renewal.

The mayor made no new policy announcements, but reiterated the city’s pledge to reduce red tape for businesses through speedier permit process and adopting a national business number system. He said investors are lining up to come to Winnipeg, and the city wants to continue to support local communities through recreation and employment opportunities to keep the momentum going.

Following the speech, Katz hinted he may run for office again in 2014.

"Can you think of any reason why I should not run?" Katz said.

Katz was elected in a 2004 byelection, and previously supported the idea of term limits, saying two full terms as mayor should be sufficient. He will have served 2.5 terms when the civic election is held is 2014.

Watch the replay and highlights of the speech below.

History

Updated on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 1:08 PM CST: updates photo, live player

1:26 PM: updates with replay

1:40 PM: updates with full write-thru

4:11 PM: updates with full write-thru

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.