Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman delivers his final State of the City address

I look at myself then and I was green, now I’m graylaunches Mayor Bowman, after seeing himself in an introductory video, which provoked laughter from his audience.

Brian Bowman announced in the fall of 2020 that he would not seek a third term in the 2022 municipal elections, which will be held on October 26. He will have served two terms as head of the city.

During a 40-minute speech, Mayor Bowman reflected on his ambitions for the City of Winnipeg when it was first elected in 2014, his accomplishments while projecting the city into the future.

” Winnipeg is now the 6th largest city in Canada. If we continue like this, we could reach one million in less than 15 years. »

We have to prepare for a city of a million now you can’t wait for hundreds of thousands of new residents to arrive before acting and thinking that we will need repairs to the roads, a modern transport system and increase wastewater treatment capacity.

Mr. Bowman points to the development of the downtown area and its attractiveness as a good example to prepare for this growth.

It recalls the construction of the 42-storey building at 300 Main, True North Square as well as the recent announcement of the transformation of the Hudson’s Bay building into affordable housing for Aboriginal people.

He adds that in 2016, about 14,500 people lived in the city center. In 2021, there were more than 18,000 residents in downtown Winnipeg, he said, citing census data.

Mr. Bowman praises the international attention his city is getting with Winnipeg’s appearance in Times magazine last year, among other things.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman’s final State of the City address was watched closely and sparked a lot of laughter from the crowd at the Winnipeg Convention Center on Wednesday.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Gary Solilak

He also noted his achievements in terms of public transport, but also in terms of reconciliation with indigenous peoples.

We believe in the strength of our diversity, we recognize the truth of the past and present, and we put the well-being of Winnipeggers at the center of everything. The acts of reconciliation, supported by all governments and the community, demonstrate that a new history of peace is being writtenindicates Mayor Bowman, also emphasizing the fight against racism, while the City has adopted a policy in this direction.

The importance of transparency

Brian Bowman also returned to his first years at City Hall, where he had made it his mission to clean it up.

In its early years, he points out, it passed multiple regulations to ensure more transparency in municipal politics, because transparency also helps ensure our development.

Moreover, he has pledged to devote the last weeks of his mandate to holding accountable those who have committed acts of corruption within the municipal administration.

Without naming him directly, he was referring to the financial scandal relating to the construction of the police headquarters.

He also urges the future mayor and city council to support the ongoing legal process.

Former Winnipeg manager Phil Sheegl is appealing a Court of Queen’s Bench ruling that he took a $327,200 bribe from contractor Armik Babakhanians and must pay $1.1 million to the City.

Winnipeg is also suing Mr. Babakhanians and dozens of other defendants in a second part of the lawsuit.