Clarity of focus nothing without accountability

South Osborne

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This article was published 03/05/2023 (1196 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“This is a moment in Winnipeg’s history when we require exceptional clarity of focus and purpose.”

Those are the words that open Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham’s message in city council’s recently released Strategic Priority Action Plan. The document lays out several expansive (and expensive) ideas for the city’s public service to focus on between 2023 and 2026.

According to the document’s executive summary, council identified five “key priority themes for strategic focus and investment.” They are: the downtown; a strong economy; a livable, safe, happy, healthy city; a green and growing city with sustainable renewal of infrastructure; and a city that works for residents through improved customer service.

Hazel Borys, Winnipeg’s recently hired director of planning, property and development, seems to agree with the mayor. She told CBC News that she feels this is a “really critical moment in Winnipeg’s history,” when we have “both the opportunity and responsibility to become a more resilient, livable and inclusive place.”

The message isn’t a new one, but to that end Borys seems like a good hire; having been CEO of an urbanist consulting firm, she has a background in urban planning. Borys believes development can “intensify,” so long as the city modernizes the rules which govern land use.

For his part, Winnipeg chief administrative officer Michael Jack touted the action plan’s catchphrase in his own message at the beginning of the document. “Yes first,” in his opinion, means “thinking outside the box.” It also means “improved customer service.”

As a catchphrase, “yes first” might conjure up any number of ideas, but according to the plan, it is innovation focused, and intends to help Winnipeg become a stronger, more compassionate city for all residents.

Many of the ongoing construction projects around the city have already apparently been planned to this end. A case in point is the St. Vital Bridge rehabilitation project.

Along with resurfacing roads on the bridge itself and the streets on either side of it, the bridge deck is being widened to accommodate active transportation that would connect the relatively developed network in South Osborne to the neighbourhood immediately adjacent.

It makes reasonable sense, but similar projects on Roblin Boulevard, Hargrave Street, Day Street, and University Crescent intended to move Winnipeg’s active transportation agenda forward – each one planned and paid for – have gone uncompleted.

Even more concerning is that it is not clear where the money allocated to those projects went.

Mayor Gillingham argues that the Strategic Priorities Action Plan is good for civic accountability and democracy. He also recently said, when asked about ideas for the re-development of Portage and Main, that “it has to be something that is reasonable but also exciting.”

But if we can’t even pull off the reasonable, we have no reason to believe we can pull off the exciting.