The Wrap: Complete city budget coverage, asylum seeker’s 20,000-km journey to safety and Brady’s heart is in Winnipeg

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

'We need more revenue'

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham has warned Winnipeggers that inflation, rising labour costs, pandemic financial blows and soaring Winnipeg Transit subsidies would force “difficult” spending decisions in the upcoming city budget.

With the release of the city’s proposed four-year financial blueprint Wednesday, those warnings came one step closer to reality. While holding the line at Gillingham’s promised 3.5 per cent per year property tax increase, the new budget proposes hikes to many other fees, including garbage charges for apartments and condominiums, an increase in bus fares and a new 911 upgrade fee.

Joyanne Pursaga:

Proposed city budget holds property taxes at 3.5%, but raises, adds fees for many services

Winnipeg’s preliminary four-year budget proposes to hike many fees, impose a new garbage-diversion charge for apartments and condominiums, and add a 911 upgrade fee, while also raising bus fares and s... Read More

Danielle Da Silva:

Key elements in proposed civic budget

10 takeaways from the 2024 preliminary budget Read More

Danielle Da Silva:

CentreVenture expected to focus on downtown housing with new mandate, money

Winnipeg’s downtown development agency is set to receive an injection of public money as city council debates giving CentreVenture a new mandate — and more than a half-million dollars — to deliver nee... Read More

Dan Lett:

Mayor takes revenue generation to new level

It wasn’t the sexiest individual line item in the 2024 City of Winnipeg operating budget, but it might turn out to be among the most effective. The budget proposes an increase to the accommodation ... Read More

'There is a lot of suffering on the journey'

A 28-year-old asylum seeker left his home in N’Djamena Chad in October and travelled some 20,000 kilometres — by plane, boat, vehicle and foot, often having to pay thousands to human smugglers — before finally arriving in Winnipeg.

His story is a harrowing tale of the dangers faced by migrants as they attempt to cross the border illegally in their bid to seek refugee status in Canada.

Chris Kitching:

‘I feel good being here’: two months, 20,000 kilometres in run for life from Africa

Annour finally felt safe when he trudged across the Canada-U.S. border into Manitoba on a chilly December day, two months after he’d embarked on a peril-filled odyssey to flee persecution in Africa. ... Read More

'My heart is just tied to Winnipeg'

Tailback Brady Oliveira took centre stage Wednesday to make it clear that his hometown is always where his heart is, and any hesitation he might have demonstrated through his words and actions was all part of contract negotiations with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Jeff Hamilton:

Dipping and ducking to a new deal

Oliveira negotiated wisely to remain in Winnipeg Read More