Province boosts infrastructure cash to City of Winnipeg

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This article was published 28/06/2023 (844 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg looks set to enhance its public safety communication system for first responders, create new grants and boost its North District police station budget, thanks to a surge in provincial funding.

The Manitoba government boosted its “strategic infrastructure basket” funding for Winnipeg this year, raising it to $89.8 million from $75.3 million, which made new spending possible, a new city report says.

Prior to the increase, the funding had been frozen since 2020, the report notes.

In addition, the province committed $20 million to help extend city services to CentrePort South. Another $6.2 million wasn’t allocated when the budget was adopted, the city said.

As a result, $40.7 million is available to be spent on other projects, pending council approval.

Council’s finance chairman said the additional funding is needed.

“It’s really good that the provincial government has ended that freeze because the cost of these types of capital projects have gone up exponentially,” said Coun. Jeff Browaty.

Should council approve the spending plan, the councillor said the city is confident the province will also sign off, based on early discussions.

The largest pocket of proposed new spending would devote $19.98 million to a public safety communication system, which is used by first responders and transit supervisors. The city would join the provincial system and install radio-related infrastructure to support it, the report notes.

“There are now issues with the (current city) system, including; coverage issues in the downtown (notably in-building coverage), interoperability limitations, and the need to enhance security. These issues necessitate a renewal of the current system,” the report notes.

The provincial system the city would join is used by all major police and public safety agencies outside of Winnipeg.

“There have been changes to technology, so we need to make sure that we have a system where there’s no gaps, there’s no drops in calls, there’s no dead zones and all of our emergency services can communicate without any interruptions,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The report calls for council to devote $1 million to a community incentive grant program, add $8.2 million to the North District Police Station project at 80 Sinclair St. and add $1.5 million to parks and recreation enhancements.

The report notes council had approved $5.9 million for upgrades to recreation facilities and the Old Exhibition Arena to support the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre, whose current offices will be demolished to make room for the new North District station on the Old Ex grounds.

The report describes the initial funding as a “placeholder budget” that’s insufficient to build new WASAC offices, reconfigure space within the arena and study additional recreation options. That work is now expected to cost an additional $8.2 million, bringing the budget to $14.1 million.

“This redevelopment of the recreation space is an integral component of the relocation of the NDPS, which is currently under construction,” the report notes.

The parks and recreation funding is expected to pay for play structure and park amenity improvements.

The report notes the new infrastructure funding will also cover $8 million needed for a sewage disposal project, $1.4 million to study the feasibility of the proposed Kenaston Boulevard widening and Chief Peguis Trail expansion and more than $600,000 for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

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