October 2025 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: City pushing forward with Route 90 projects (Oct31'25)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Oct '25

31 Oct '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City pushing forward with Route 90 projects Critics argue more Kenaston lanes won’t cure congestion, while costs also a concern https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/10/30/council-votes-to-… A MASSIVE project is moving forward to expand Kenaston Boulevard and replace key infrastructure around it, despite some concerns it won’t have a lasting impact on the area’s traffic-snarling congestion. On Thursday, city council voted 11-2 in favour taking the first steps to begin the plan next year, with construction to begin as soon as 2028. The proposal would earmark $5 million to start property acquisitions and set early planning to begin in 2027, pending approval in the city’s 2026 budget. “The Route 90 projects, plural, are all about the potential of Winnipeg. It’s all about… unlocking our future potential as a city,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, deeming the boulevard a critical trade route. The mega project would widen Kenaston-Route 90 to offer three lanes in each direction between Taylor and Ness avenues. It would also replace the St. James bridges, separate aging pipes to reduce combined sewer overflows and add active-transportation pathways on both sides of Kenaston. It’s expected to cost $614 million, plus $143 million in interest, if the city funds it entirely through debt. In her first city council meeting after winning last Saturday’s Elmwood-East Kildonan ward byelection, Coun. Emma Durand-Wood joined Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) in opposing the project. “It’s just a very unaffordable project that takes away resources from other priorities that we have in the city,” said Durand-Wood. She said the city should instead focus its limited funds on expanding public transit and active transportation. “There’s ways that we can (improve transportation) without just adding more car lanes,” she said. Couns. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) were absent from the meeting and the vote. City council’s chairwoman of public works said widening the street is essential for promptly delivering goods throughout the city. “Transportation is the backbone of our economy, so we need to move people and we need to move goods. And the Route 90 (expansion) is doing all of that,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West). The decision comes after members of the Transportation and Land Use Coalition urged councillors to reject the project. During Thursday’s council meeting, coalition member Tim Fennell argued the city simply can’t afford the Kenaston overhaul and shouldn’t “saddle” future generations with paying off the tab. “It’s a lot of money we’re talking about here… We’re planning to pay for it over 30 years,” said Fennell. Fennell also questioned why a third party cost benefit analysis was not fully released to the public. To date, only the executive summary has been published. That Deloitte review predicts the project would produce about $10 million more in benefits more than it will cost throughout its life cycle. Coalition member Brian Pincott said adding traffic lanes will attract more vehicles to the route, quickly eliminating any improved traffic flow. “Kenaston is horrible to drive on. They’re… thinking if we add another lane we’ll improve traffic flow, we’ll reduce congestion. Any transportation planner knows that induced demand chews up your extra capacity right away,” said Pincott, who acknowledged the need for bridge, sewer and road-resurfacing components of the project. Gillingham said a traffic increase in the area is not a risk but a guarantee, noting the Naawi-Oodena redevelopment of the former Kapyong Barracks is expected to add up to 3,100 more residential units in the area. “This is not an induced demand, this is an inevitable demand,” he said. The mayor said the road widening would be needed to create the capacity required to expand transit in the area. “The only way that we could expand transit is to expand that road. The potential growth of transit in that area would be completely tied to (that),” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Trustees want say in school zone redesign (Oct31'25)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Oct '25

31 Oct '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Trustees want say in school zone redesign Move to make 30 kilometres per hour the residential default speed also on the table https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/10/31/trustees-want-say… TRUSTEES are calling on Winnipeg City Council to redesign 30 km/h school zones to better protect everyone who lives, learns and works in their wards — and they want a say in an infrastructure makeover. For Ryan Palmquist, an active cyclist, dad and first-term trustee, road safety is both a passion and frequent source of frustration. His son’s trek to École Varennes serves as a daily reminder of why he remains committed to the cause. “My oldest son crosses a crosswalk — every single day, twice a day, to go to school — where a kid died,” the father of three said. On Feb. 13, 2018, an eight-year-old boy was struck by a motorist when he was crossing Ste. Anne’s Road at Varennes Avenue. Grade 3 student Surafiel Musse Tesfamariam’s death resulted in significant upgrades at the intersection. No charges were laid. The tragedy and others like it are what motivated Palmquist to mount a 2022 campaign for Ward 3 trustee in the Louis Riel School Division. In the lead up to the last municipal election, he went door-to-door to promise voters he’d lobby for safer streets and learn-to-swim programs. Palmquist, who was previously an executive assistant for Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), a well-known supporter of active transportation, made good on both promises this fall. The Louis Riel School Division board unanimously approved his motion to ask metro boards to join forces to demand more inter-governmental collaboration so they are regularly consulted on “matters of traffic safety in and around schools.” The Manitoba School Boards Association is gathering trustees in Region 5 — seven boards inside the Perimeter — on Saturday to short list their priorities for 2025-26. If Palmquist’s motion is deemed a priority, it will be brought to the association’s 2026 annual general meeting of 38 boards. Also this weekend, attendees will vote on whether they should appeal to all trustees in Manitoba to petition higher levels of government to establish 30 km/h as the default speed limit on all residential streets. City hall’s special liaison for school boards has heard from multiple board chairs with concerns about school speed zones since Labour Day. Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) has asked trustees if they are in favour of 24-7, year-round reduced school speed zones — a proposal she received from the Winnipeg School Division last month. “School properties and nearby amenities are active well beyond those restricted hours,” Santos wrote in an Oct. 9 letter to board chairs. “Children, families and seniors regularly use these spaces — whether it’s teens attending after-school programming offered by the city or the school division, families visiting playgrounds during summer holidays, or seniors walking or cycling around school areas for recreation and exercise.” Santos is set to meet with board chairs to discuss the subject next week. The Free Press’ ongoing investigative series on school zone safety has revealed the 30 km/h limit in place to protect students has not reduced traffic violations. There are approximately 150 school zones in Winnipeg with reduced speed limits in place between Sept. 1 to June 30. They are typically in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays over that 10 month period, regardless of whether classes are in session. Last year, there were nearly 32,000 photo radar violations between the top 10 revenue-generating stretches, according to enforcement data obtained via freedom of information requests. A University of Winnipeg research team’s historical database shows many of the 2024-25 hot spots — including behind River Elm School (Talbot Avenue) and beside Greenway School (St. Matthews Avenue) — are chronic problem areas. There have been more speed camera flashes on Talbot between Watt Street and Gateway Road than anywhere else since it became a designated 30 km/h area. There were upwards of 5,000 tickets generated in the area last year. There has been little political will to make signage or other infrastructure related improvements to reduce violations that raise tens of millions of dollars for the city annually. The majority of 30 km/h school zones in Manitoba aren’t enforced around the clock, but some — like those in Portage la Prairie — are, said Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association. Campbell said every school grapples with congestion during drop off and pick up, but he declined to weigh in on whether reduced speed limits are effective when it comes to changing motorists’ behaviours. “Ninety-nine per cent of schools in Winnipeg don’t have adequate drop-off zones,” said the longtime trustee who is a transportation director for a city school division. Many aging neighbourhoods, which were built to prioritize walkability, are not equipped for the current level of bus and personal vehicle activity, Campbell noted. As far as Palmquist is concerned, members of the Manitoba School Boards Association are among the most critical road safety stakeholders, but their input is often overlooked. He cited trustees’ concerns about the predatory nature of photo radar as one example. “Predatory speed traps could easily be redesigned or re-engineered to eliminate speeding,” Palmquist said. “I support what (Santos) wants to do in principle, but it is inextricably linked to this other problem that we have to fix before we can move forward.” Both Palmquist and Ian Walker, a trustee and member of Safe Speeds Winnipeg, has called on the public works committee to study ticket hot spots and make adjustments to deter violations. Board chair Sandy Nemeth said she’s optimistic other boards will endorse the Louis Riel motion because every school community is affected by traffic violations. Near-misses and collisions take a toll on individuals and school communities at large, Nemeth said. There have already been at least three incidents involving students at Louis Riel division schools since classes began in September. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Seven kids struck by vehicles in one month (Oct24'25)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Oct '25

24 Oct '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Rash of ‘close calls’ prompts MPI to urge patience Seven kids struck by vehicles in one month https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/10/23/distracted-impati… MANITOBA children have been hit by vehicles 36 times this year. Seven of the incidents were in September, as kids made their way back to school after the summer break. Manitoba Public Insurance’s latest analysis of road incidents also reveals there have been dozens of collisions involving school buses in 2025. The numbers represent “close calls, injuries and lives forever changed,” said Maria Campos, vice-president and chief customer and product officer at the public insurer. “They show why extra vigilance around school buses and in school zones is so critical.” MPI unveiled a new awareness campaign Thursday calling on all road users to practise patience, especially throughout the 2025-26 school year. Rows of yellow buses belonging to the River East Transcona School Division served as the backdrop for the event. Martin Monette, the division’s transportation director, oversees a team of more than 100 people who get thousands of students to and from class every school day. Combined, his front-line staff rack up more than a million kilometres every year. They travel about 5,500 kilometres each school day. Monette’s drivers have reported that other drivers’ impatience and distractions are getting worse every year. And they’ve come to a collective conclusion that Winnipeg Transit’s recent system overhaul is contributing to the problem by backing up traffic “more than anything.” Asked about what motorists could do to make school bus drivers’ jobs and, as a result, their young passengers safer, Monette had a quick answer. “Stop at a stop sign,” he said. “It’s that simple.” It is illegal to pass a bus with flashing red lights — an indicator that it is either loading or unloading students. The rule applies to oncoming traffic, as well as vehicles behind a bus. The law demands that drivers stop at least five metres from a school bus if its overhead lights and stop-sign arm are activated. Rule breakers face a $672 fine and two demerit points on their licence. Campos noted that oncoming traffic is not exempt because children may be crossing in front of the bus. Speeding or distracted driving can have tragic consequences, she said midway through Manitoba’s annual school-bus safety week. “Treat every school zone like your own family is there,” she said. Sandra Hofer, now a trainer in RETSD, began her 25-year career as a school bus driver in 1999. Hofer, wearing high-visibility gear, participated in an interview from the driver’s seat of a bus equipped with a new extended stop sign to replace the one knocked off by a driver when the vehicle was stopped during a run on Henderson Highway last week. “These are your best friends as a driver,” Hofer said, pointing to the six mirrors in front of her. Hofer did not gesture to the seventh, the largest of the bunch: a rectangular panel used for supervising children. But student behaviour issues are not the top concern for drivers in her division; the problems are caused by commuters who share the road. “Everybody’s just in a rush to get where they’re going,” Hofer said. “They’re very distracted. People have 100 things going on at any time. “Everybody just needs to slow down.” Bus drivers don’t like holding up traffic, but getting students — especially the chatty ones who don’t yet understand traffic-delay annoyances — safely on and off is more complex and time-intensive than most people waiting realize. Over the last four years, since traffic began returning to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, school buses have been involved in 451 collisions in which MPI has recorded 105 injuries, 79 of which have occurred this year. While noting bus drivers play a key role in protecting Manitoba students, River East-Transcona secretary-treasurer Elise Downey said parents and other community members do as well. “Staying mindful and aware” around buses, as well as maintaining safe speeds near schools is an easy starting point, she said. Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas), who is the city’s designated liaison for metro school boards, recently reached out to trustees to organize a standard in-school year meeting. Downey said she anticipates schoolzone safety will be a hot topic, as it often is. Following a Free Press investigation into the city’s top ticket-generating school zones in 2024-2025, Mayor Scott Gillingham said he would consider supporting safety-related upgrades near schools if there is data to prove there are areas with chronic problems. None of the 10 most ticketed 30 km/h school zones in Winnipeg were located in the River East-Transcona division’s area last year, according to photo-radar enforcement data obtained via freedom of information. École Voix des Prairies (851 Panet Rd.), a francophone school within the English board’s borders, was No. 5 on the list. There were 3,429 traffic violations issued at that site between Sept. 1, 2024 and June 30. The West End’s St. Matthews Ave. made the top 10 list twice, with a combined 5,664 speed-camera flashes going off outside Greenway School (390 Burnell St.) last year. Eastbound traffic behind River Elm School (500 Riverton Ave.), which backs onto Talbot Avenue, was the top spot, generating 5,833 speeding tickets. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: $2.1M for pathway for Winkler, Morden (Oct9'25)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '25

09 Oct '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. $2.1M FOR PATHWAY FOR WINKLER, MORDEN OTTAWA is contributing $2.1 million to a new 10-kilometre pathway connecting Winkler and Morden. The pathway will also provide improved access to Boundary Trails Health Centre, the federal government said in a news release Wednesday. The cities of Winkler and Morden and the Rural Municipality of Stanley are contributing $2.25 million, split three ways. Almost $1.8 million was raised through local efforts. The federal money is from the active transportation fund.

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WFP Analysis: NDP neglects public transport on path to net zero (Oct8'25)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Oct '25

08 Oct '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. NDP neglects public transport on path to net zero OPINION https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2025/10/07/ndp-neglects-public-tran… THE NDP government’s new Path to Net Zero plan has the right buzzwords — sustainability, electrification, resilience — and plenty of good ideas in broad strokes. But for a government that has made so much noise about climate leadership, this long-awaited plan lands with more of a thud than a spark. It’s not that the plan, released Monday, is bad. It outlines the right goals: cutting emissions, transitioning to cleaner transportation, promoting renewable energy and positioning Manitoba to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. All of that makes sense. What’s glaringly absent is detail — the kind of concrete, measurable, costed-out actions that turn a vision into reality. The biggest disappointment, though, is what the plan leaves out: a meaningful strategy with specific funding commitments to grow public transit. Transportation is Manitoba’s second- largest source of greenhouse-gas emissions after agriculture. If the province is serious about reaching net zero, changing how people move around has to be a central part of that strategy. And that means building a far more robust public transit system — particularly in Winnipeg. Yet the NDP’s climate plan doesn’t include a single concrete funding commitment or clear target for improving public transit. It says the province will “work with municipalities to expand public and regional transit systems,” but offers no specifics. No new money, no timelines and no measurable goals for ridership or emissions reductions. That’s not a plan; that’s a talking point. Winnipeg’s transit system is underfunded and overstretched. Buses are too infrequent and unreliable to be a realistic alternative for most commuters. Outside the capital, public transit options are virtually non-existent. This isn’t just a transportation problem; it’s an emissions problem. If people can’t rely on transit, they’ll keep driving. If they keep driving, emissions won’t go down. The government could have used this plan as an opportunity to make a big, bold investment in public transit — something that would actually shift how Manitobans live and move. Instead, we got another glossy government report filled with broad goals but no road map for how to achieve them. The plan does make one big transportation promise: to expand Manitoba’s electric vehicle charging network. More charging stations are certainly needed. Manitoba has lagged behind most provinces in this area, and a stronger network will help make EV ownership more practical. But EVs alone won’t solve Manitoba’s transportation problem — not by a long shot. Electric vehicles are great for cutting tailpipe emissions, but they still take up the same amount of road space, require the same expensive infrastructure and contribute to the same congestion and maintenance costs as gas-powered cars. They don’t make transportation more affordable or accessible for low-income families. And they don’t reduce the overall number of vehicles on the road. If Manitoba’s goal is truly to reach net zero, then building more EV chargers while leaving public transit to wither, is like trying to fix a leaky roof by buying better buckets. It doesn’t address the underlying problem. A more sustainable transportation system means fewer cars — not just cleaner ones. It means giving people realistic alternatives to driving. Expanding public transit isn’t just good for the environment. It’s also smart economics. Fewer vehicles on the road mean less wear and tear on infrastructure — and that saves taxpayers money. Winnipeg spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year patching potholes, rebuilding streets and maintaining bridges. That’s partly because the city’s transportation system is overwhelmingly car-dependent. The more people drive, the faster roads deteriorate and the more main thoroughfares need to be expanded (at a cost often in the billions of dollars, such as the planned Kenaston Boulevard expansion). Investing in transit would ease that burden, freeing up resources for other priorities while extending the lifespan of existing infrastructure. The Kinew government deserves credit for at least producing a plan. After years of neglect under the previous Progressive Conservative government, Manitoba’s climate policy needed an overhaul. The problem is that Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero doesn’t break enough new ground. It’s cautious where it should be bold. Other provinces have made major, multibillion-dollar commitments to expand public transit as part of their climate plans. Manitoba, by contrast, is still talking about “working with municipalities.” That kind of small thinking won’t get the job done. Winnipeg’s population is growing, and its transit system has been substandard for years. Without significant provincial support, the city won’t be able to modernize routes, add frequency or expand rapid-transit corridors — all of which are essential if transit is going to become a true alternative to driving. And without better transit, there’s no realistic path to meeting the province’s emissions targets. The good news is that the government still has time to get this right. But that will require shifting focus from political slogans about “a green Manitoba” to the unglamorous work of funding and implementing real solutions. Premier Wab Kinew often talks about building for the next generation. That’s exactly what a serious investment in public transit would do. Until this government is willing to put real money behind that vision, Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero will remain just that — a path, not a plan. tom.brodbeck(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca>

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