Featured Guest
You’ll find this guest among our growing roll of Urban Champions.
Brian Bowman
Mayor of Winnipeg
5 Key
Takeaways
A roundup of the most compelling ideas, themes and quotes from this candid conversation|
Additional Reading
& Resources
1. The impacts of COVID 19 on vulnerable populations
We are all in the same storm but not all in the same boat. As in many other municipalities, the pandemic has exposed the precarity of those who are most vulnerable in Winnipeg — the homeless and those living with mental health and addictions, for example. But the ecosystem of support for the vulnerable has been strengthened by the COVID response, with a specific shout out to the Main St. Project. Will this lead to longer term change? Mayor Bowman believes it will: “We can’t go back to jamming people in (to emergency shelters) like sardines”.
2. Narrow margins and challenges of liquidity
The precarity of many local businesses has also been exposed by the COVID-19 crisis. Small businesses like restaurants have very narrow profit margins and are dependent on cash flow. Winnipeg joined with many other municipalities in deferring property and business taxes and has welcomed the support from other levels of government. When the province announced that patios could reopen, Winnipeg’s nimble public service worked over the weekend to speed up what would normally be a six-week process to get new patio licenses out to applicants anxious to take advantage of the opportunity.
3. Antiquated revenue tools
Winnipeg is currently losing $12 million per month and can manage at that rate until about August. After that time, the City will need support from other levels of government. The question of how to replenish reserves depleted by the COVID-19 response has served to highlight what Mayor Bowman identifies as the antiquated revenue tools available to municipalities. A conversation is needed with the Province to support a growth-oriented funding model with more progressive tax options: “It’s not about new taxes, it’s about smart taxes,” and Manitoba has an opportunity to lead.
4. Indigenous leadership and direction
Winnipeg is home to Canada’s largest Indigenous population, and as a proud Metis, Mayor Bowman is the first Indigenous Mayor in the city’s 140-year history. Among the many community leaders that Mayor Bowman has turned to during the COVID-19 pandemic have been members of the Indigenous Advisory Circle. In the efforts to create a new norm that lasts, wisdom from the elders of the Circle has provided important guidance as to the changes that are needed.
5. Weathering storms
Whether it is blizzards, spring floods, ice storms or COVID-19, Winnipeg knows how to weather a storm. Mayor Bowman spoke of being inspired by the empathy and humanity that Winnipeggers have shown during this crisis, from that of his own 9-year-old son to the many frontline heroes in his city. For example, number of local sports stars, celebrities and prominent citizens came together to create a Youtube video entitled Winnipeg Can Weather Any Storm. It is Mayor Bowman’s hope that the City of Winnipeg can keep this spirit going forward and come out stronger together.
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Post Pandemic Plan for Economic Recovery calls for renewed partnership between province and city.
Full Panel
Transcript
Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.
Full Audience
Chatroom Transcript
Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject line.
12:03:33 From Canadian Urban Institute: #citytalk
12:04:09 From Canadian Urban Institute: Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:04:32 From Jenna Grose: Hello from a former Winnipegger currently in Vancouver
12:05:01 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Today’s conversation is with Brian Bowman, Mayor of Winnipeg, MB.
https://www.mayorbowman.ca
12:05:15 From Canadian Urban Institute: CUI is looking for volunteers to help us continue the great work of our COVID-19 initiatives. If you can help, please contact us at covidresponse@canurb.org
12:07:50 From Gloria Venczel: Nostalgic hello from a former U of Manitoba architecture student settled in North Vancouver!
12:09:09 From Amarpreet Guliani to All panelists: Hello from another former Winnipeger now living in Regina SK.
12:12:41 From Abigail Slater (SCT): Very apt analogy.
12:12:49 From Abigail Slater (SCT): same storm different boats.
12:13:41 From Abigail Slater (SCT): What form of ongoing supports does the Mayor see going forward? At all levels of government…? Who administers the relief going forward?
12:14:46 From John Meyer: I’m a neighbourhood litter picker and a member of an organization that heavily supports mass transit. Do you have any workarounds to mitigate the effect of Covid-19 on short-circuiting initiatives to mandate reusable mugs for all take-out food and get people out of cars?
12:15:53 From Abigail Slater (SCT): When Covid began coffee shops no longer allowed me to use my reusable cup. I think it was for the staff’s protection over my protection, but it was frustrating.
12:17:29 From Abigail Slater (SCT): Sales tax are regressive too,,,
12:17:34 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at
https://canurb.org/citytalk
12:21:25 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/3drODeh
12:23:00 From Abigail Slater (SCT): There are times when deficit funding is warranted.
12:24:06 From Gloria Venczel: Cities need a “new green deal”-Mayor- great idea for a growth based tax revenue stream! Can cities be rethought as local economic power hubs? With ongoing covid issues, could part of the economy be repatriated to cities, neighbourhood based amenities supporting expanded home office practices? The “creative class” , drivers of the knowledge economies, love walkable cities, rich with amenities. Is this possible?
12:24:58 From Alan McNair: 1) Mayor Bowman seems very thoughtful but many municipalities are trying to sustain their local economies against contraction and depopulation, particularly in agricultural areas of Canada, rather than trying to develop a model that finances the city based on its growth. What if it has no growth? 2) It has been observed that the only organism that has continued growth is a cancer cell, until it overwhelms and kills its host. What can be an alternative model for sustainable communities rather than sustained growth?
12:25:54 From Amarpreet Guliani: Density plays a role in spreading the COVID-19 pandemic , but it also increases tax revenue for a City. How do you plan to balance this in the future?
12:27:59 From John Meyer: Agree we can’t focus on growth which is both environmentally and socially suicidal. We have to make our current workforce more productive – invest in people, training and equipment – to generate higher income and more tax revenue on the same number of service requiring bodies.
12:28:05 From Brian Owen to All panelists: Is is possible to go back to a Business Tax? I understand the history and why it was blended into property as is was harder to collect. The reliability of payment also funded the assessment to develop a BIA. Would the old BizTax formula ever work again?
12:28:31 From Canadian Urban Institute: Welcome new joiners! Just a reminder to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:29:01 From Brian Owen: Is is possible to go back to a Business Tax? I understand the history and why it was blended into property as is was harder to collect. The reliability of payment also funded the assessment to develop a BIA. Would the old BizTax formula ever work again?
12:33:17 From Abigail Slater (SCT): Amazing what can get done when there is a will.
12:36:05 From Gloria Venczel: Canada has one of the most educated population in the world.. What would be needed to create city based, home grown, green “knowledge economy” jobs from a city perspective?
12:37:11 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at
https://canurb.org/citytalk
12:37:22 From Anne Huizinga to All panelists: does the good will have to go away…?:(
12:37:25 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/3drODeh
12:40:12 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #citytalk
12:42:45 From John Meyer: In the years when Winnipeg was losing population, did housing become more affordable? Demand drives prices.
12:43:32 From Canadian Urban Institute: CUI is looking for volunteers to help us continue the great work of our COVID-19 initiatives. If you can help, please contact us at covidresponse@canurb.org
12:46:31 From Gloria Venczel: Bravo Mayor Bowman!
12:47:51 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/3drODeh
12:47:59 From Abigail Slater (SCT): Thank you !!!
12:48:23 From MARYAM MOMENI to All panelists: Thank you.
12:48:25 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: mayorbowman@winnipeg.ca
12:50:48 From Canadian Urban Institute: If you have final comments for the chat, please include them now as we will close the chat in a moment.
