Two month Council Success Report

In the last couple of months, I have moved several motions to make Winnipeg a better place and I’m pleased to report on their successes.

Yesterday at the City of Winnipeg meeting of Council, I moved several motions that I believe will move Winnipeg in the right direction, to be the city where my kids want to live:

On addiction and homelessness:

I moved that a grant in the amount of $220,000 to St. Boniface Street Links be referred to the 2023 Budget Review Process for consideration.

On improving levels of service for sidewalks:

I moved that the Winnipeg Public Service be directed to:

1. Select one sidewalk per Council Ward for a plow-to-pavement trial during the 2023-2024 winter season and report back to Council regarding the challenges and successes of the pilot, and include the following:

A. Options and associated costs for the potential expansion of the pilot using in-house resources.

B. The condition of all sidewalks and streets within the City

On Accountability:

1. That the City organization By-law No. 71/1997 be amended as follows: A. To remove the requirement for the Executive Policy Committee to act as the Audit Committee. B. To provide the Governance Committee of Council with the jurisdiction delegated to the Executive Policy Committee.

C. To allow the Governance Committee of Council to report directly to council for all audit related matters.

A fifth motion that I moved at Council yesterday asks the Province of Manitoba to give the City of Winnipeg the authority to fine those who do not follow noise bylaws when they drive noisy vehicles and impact Winnipeggers' quality of life.

A sixth motion that I moved yesterday was to address the changes in the active transportation snow clearing network. Council had created a new schedule for roads to be cleared years ago that connected to the Active Transportation Network. Through this motion I ask for an update.

I'm pleased that as a result of a motion I moved last month, Council approved a request for a report to update the provision of French language services, and possibilities to help fund those services through federal funding.

I am still pushing to have it made legal for good people who choose to shovel sidewalks on public property to be allowed to do so, as currently anyone who does may be subject to a fine. I won a referral back to the infrastructure renewal and public works committee, where the issue will be considered by a committee of Council for a seventh time since I called for the by-law to be fixed in November.

An audit of the signals branch was approved by Council yesterday in the auditor's office audit plan for the year. I hope this will satisfy Winnipeggers regarding potential waste and mismanagement in the signals branch as reported on by the Winnipeg Free Press. This report will include an update on around 10 recommendations that were made to Council in 2007, and may not have been acted on.

I also won a report on ambulance bills earlier this month at committee after hearing a story of a friend who had not received their bill. This person inquired with 311 for their bill, and was told not to worry about it only to get a bill later in the year. By that time it was no longer something that they could claim with their insurance company. I called for better communication between the city and those who receive ambulance bills, and a report will be forthcoming.

It is an honour to serve residents of St. Boniface who gave me a decisive mandate to push for a wealthier, more sustainable, more dense city that has transportation options for Winnipeggers and above all is safer through action on addictions and road safety.

Thanks to my colleagues Councillors Jason Schreyer, Vivian Santos, Cindy Gilroy, Ross Eadie, and Shawn Dobson for their support on these motions and to Mayor Gillingham for his motion on French language services. On the French language services motion, thank you to Councillor Schreyer for seconding the motion and to Councillor Rollins and Councillor Brian Mayes for their enthusiastic support.

Thanks also to Councillor John Orlikow, chair of the Community Services and Safety for ordering the ambulance fee report, and Councillor Sherri Rollins for support on the green building motion that I moved at the last Council.

Thanks as well to the Mayor and all of Executive Policy Committee for prioritizing the audit work on the signals branch.

I wish you an excellent weekend.

Matt