Klein vows city ombudsman would bring transparency

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein is promising to build public trust in city hall, if elected, with a new municipal ombudsman.

Klein expects the change would ramp up transparency and ensure complaints are thoroughly reviewed.

An independent municipal ombudsman would receive reports from whistleblowers and the public, then publish findings. That person would not answer to city staff or the mayor, Klein said.

“It will make hiding a bad file much harder. And it will make having meetings behind closed doors very difficult,” he said.

The ombudsman would investigate cost overruns on projects and share their findings, noting the approved cost, final cost, who signed off on any changes and whether someone should be held accountable for any issues.

The platform announcement took place in front of the Granite Curling Club Monday morning.

The club is suing the city over its decision to proceed with a 111-unit housing project on its city-owned parking lot. City council approved the project, with supporters arguing it could offer desperately needed homes downtown.

However, the city rejected a Manitoba Municipal Board direction that the municipal government develop a parking plan that satisfies the club in the process. The Granite’s legal challenge argues the city lacked the power to reject that recommendation. A judge has reserved his decision on the matter.

“I think you have to listen to the Municipal Board and sit down and negotiate more with the Granite club. The Municipal Board made the decision. I don’t think you can just brush it off,” Klein said.

He estimates a municipal ombudsman would cost about $1 million per year and says he would cover the cost by cutting the chief construction officer position, which is currently vacant, and reducing city spending on external legal and consultant fees.

A city report shows the chief construction officer received $175,454 in compensation in 2025, an amount that can include salary, overtime, sick pay and other benefits.

While City of Winnipeg complaints can already be reported to a provincial ombudsman, Klein said those who do often face long wait times.

He also vowed to pair every new city program that costs more than $5 million with a “kill date” if it doesn’t meet its set results.

“We need to hold these programs accountable and not just hand over taxpayer money. If they miss the target, the program ends or it comes back to council for a recorded vote to provide more funding,” Klein said.

He also promised to hold community meetings in each of the city’s 15 wards twice a year and to broadcast them on the city’s social media accounts.

Mayoral contender Don Woodstock also shared new promises Monday. If elected, he would support Canada Day events that dedicate the morning of July 1 to truth and reconciliation, followed by a celebration of Canada in the afternoon and evening.

“We’ll have a sacred fire at city hall on that morning. And, after that, we will walk to The Forks, hand in hand with anyone who (wants) to join us … The idea of us picking one or the other, no, that’s not the way I think we need to go,” Woodstock said.

He hopes to close Osborne Street on Canada Day to vehicle traffic to allow a block party, ensure a mainstage celebration with multicultural performances takes place at The Forks and to synchronize fireworks over the Red and Assiniboine rivers at The Forks, as well as at Assiniboine and Kildonan parks.

Woodstock believes any operators of the sites would agree to the plan.

He also challenged incumbent mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham to a one-on-one town hall and debate on Winnipeg Transit policy and city governance within the next week.

Gillingham suggested he’s unlikely to take part.

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“I’m not looking to do any single debates, one on one, and my team will determine which debates we’re going to focus on,” he said.

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Chris Clacio promised changes aimed at increasing equity and strengthening reconciliation, if he’s elected.

In a news release, Clacio said he would appoint an all-female executive policy committee. He would also create an elders and knowledge keepers governance circle, a matriarch community advisory council and a restorative justice committee to help guide decisions at city hall.

He plans to seek a formal civic agreement with Circle of Life Thunderbird House to further the city’s reconciliation efforts and said he would expand a city employment program for Indigenous youth and other young workers.

Election Day is Oct. 28.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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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.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.