Meltwich Portage Avenue Closed Permanently

At least it is says permanently on a hand drawn sheet in the window.

It may not be the only. The website says temporarily closed. The website also lists the Pembina Highway location has closed too.

We have seen franchisors go down before and the re-opened with new owners. Sometimes they close never to open again. It would seem a grilled cheese sandwich concept would work. 

The location also has Le's Subs for a number of years and prior to it was a Quizno's. That is three for three for failed sandwich places. The parking for both Meltwich locations might have been an issue. It is hard to tell. 

Unless a new ownership group to take over, expect Meltwich to be closed for good.

The Most Overrated Holiday of the Year

Truly the most overrated day of the year is New Year's Eve. It isn't a religious holiday. It doesn't make a special time in Canadian history. It isn't a personal day of importance like a birthday. There are no meals associated with it. Drinking is usually connected the day. 

Those that have to work the day get paid time and a half. Most, if not all, stores are closed. The day can fall anytime of the week so it is not an automatic long weekend. This year Christmas and New Year's Day fell on a Thursday. In 2026, both fall on a Friday creating a long weekend each time.

In general though, New Year's Day has been quiet in Canada. The change in the retail act in 2020 means many stores are open in the day including malls such as Outlet Collection and St. Vital. It used to be that everything was closed on New Year's day and there was nothing in the way of public activities. This began to change in the 1980s and 90s with activities at city parks including fireworks as well as family-friendly activities. 

Today, there is an anti-fireworks movement in Winnipeg. It appeared that there was only one listing for fireworks on New Years Eve. The fireworks in Naples, Italy and in Los Angeles are purely citizen driven. The risk in curbing public fireworks events is that citizens will do it without permission and dare you do to something about it. Diwali fireworks are a good example. Citizen complaints on Reddit, notwithstanding, it is unlikely any police will go arresting Indian Canadians.

In the post pandemic, I'd say we are in a bit of a lull for what to do New Year's Eve and day. Drinking is way down and so are the restaurants and clubs that provide those services. It is a long way back in years when casinos and convention centre had regular events. The Winnipeg Convention Centre used to have major events.

I expect the only way things change is with time. Canada is such a young country. Even now we add new holidays or create names for old ones. Christmas and Thanksgiving evolved and keep changing even now from what they were as Canada developed. Who is to say what New Year's Day will be like in the next 5 to 10 years?

One thing is clear that probably all retail will be open holiday hours. It still not everyone but that is the direction it is going. I can't say that Christmas will be like that but I'd be not surprised if retail is available year round even if it is holiday hours. It will be important to distinguish it from any other if this is the case. And if the government doesn't do anything about that, the public will.

What Makes Winnipeg Great?

A lot of focus has been on the negative aspects of Winnipeg both in mainstream media and social media. Sometimes that results in very public announcements of people leaving or commenting about how happy they are since they left. Every now and again, there is someone who says just how much they love about this city or how glad they moved here.

Geographically, Winnipeg at the center of the country has been an important aspect of its attractiveness for business, cultural gatherings and shelter. The rivers were the key aspect of that growth but it was when the railways came that the city's development took off. It sometimes comes as a shock when people learn that Winnipeg was once the third largest city in Canada until the Panama Canal was built in 1913.

Ports by the sea or with access to the sea have always been attractive places for commerce as well as places to live. Steamboats travelled all the way from Winnipeg to St. Paul Minnesota and back again. However, the rivers were shallow, winding and frozen part of the year. After 50 years, railways changed all that. And all rails led to and ran from Winnipeg.

The dynamic of trade changed as well from north to south. The Canadian Pacific meant east to west travel exploded and those railways lines continued to help the city prosper although cargo, rather than passengers were the big economic driver. Air and road service became the other important developments. The first international flight in North America was from Minneapolis to Winnipeg.

Early boosterism in Winnipeg and Manitoba in general was about land. The flat plains of the Red River Valley and the rivers that met at The Forks were ideal for commerce and travel. It is what made the city great. The trails that grew from settlements that expanded from the forts became the next great thing for the city's growth. While the first fort was built near the Red and Assiniboine, the first business independent of the Hudson Bay Company decided to open at the corner of the Portage and Main oxcart paths in 1862. The province had not even been formed yet.

Nothing really except for the land and the resources gave indication of how great Winnipeg would be. It was a harsh climate at any time of the year. Literally everything had to be brought in by boat or trail because the land was was not providing in abundance for a rapidly increasing population. And even the indigenous population was one that followed game north to sound across the seasons.

The permanent settlements were one of hardship due to extreme temperatures, flooding, insects and disease. The fifty years of transport by water or trail was slow going in terms of development. Funnily enough, the first locomotive arrived in Winnipeg via steamboat. It began the longest era of greatness with explosive growth from 1879 through to 1913. Thereafter, growth was still propelled by railway but not as the boom levels once seen. The building of the Panama Canal meant that traffic could bypass the railway and arrive by ship in Vancouver. Everything didn't have to pass through Winnipeg anymore.

Given the traffic back and forth to Pembina, North Dakota and beyond via steamboat and then rail, it is only the the coming of the Canadian Pacific Rail that re-arranged the dynamic of east to west than south to north. This took place in 1881 when the railway and bridge over the Red River brought huge amounts of people to the city. At least Winnipeg was incorporated by 1874 and had street planning and a nascent business community ready to go. Still, the growth was beyond crazy. Literally thousands of people poured into the city and then out to the country and to the new territories to the west.

All this made Winnipeg great because the economy and fortunes were on an upward trajectory. Still, the Panama Canal in 1913 and World War I a year later in 1914 cut Winnipeg off from capital and immigration as the war ground on year after year. Add to this the Spanish Influenza and the Great Depression and you had a few generations dead to disease and war. And to cap it off World War II took another generation of young people in terms of death and injury.

One effect of the war was a level of industrialization and new population growth that lasted from 1945 to 1970. Many of the largest present-day companies like Manitoba Hydro, Canada Life (Great-West Life) and New Flyer and others grew out of this post-war industrialization. Many family run businesses grew and prospered. Even through the 1970s, Winnipeg was larger than Calgary and Edmonton but oil would soon change that.

Oil crashes in 1973 and 1979 along with inflation and a stagnant economy slowed growth, By 1980, Winnipeg was going through massive layoffs.  Even during this painful time economically, Winnipeg benefitted from a diverse workforce, tree-lined streets, good schools and a cultural vitality. Even during tough times new festivals were created, new school programs were introduced, new professional leagues of sports started and so on. This is an important thing to point out to those who might think that nothing was going on in the city. 

The diversity of the Winnipeg economy and stability of  it made it a fairly good place to raise a family. It was too easy to take for granted our universities and colleges that churned out graduates that became leading Canadian citizens in a multitude of fields. And many of the family businesses grew each decade to become national and international players. 

Winnipeg is still a leading destination for immigration. The province with its provincial nominee program has gone out and found people to come here and has jobs for them. Each decade has added to the depth of the population as well as the rich tapestry of shops, restaurants and businesses.

Winnipeg has had a long time reputation has been a tough city. Crime has long been listed as a problem. Still, anyone who knows the city is aware it isn't the entire city rife with violence. Crime has been coming down the last two years according to reports but it probably doesn't feel like it for those watching crimes take place in stores, buses and the like.

What makes the city great has been the citizen driven initiatives to help on addictions, housing and poverty. There have been shelters built, rehab centres, lower income housing and foundational support for programming and education. It has pushed governments to act as well. United Way Winnipeg punches above its weight in fundraising. The Winnipeg Foundation and other endowments donate as much as the United Way. But it has been a hard year for many charities that still have not recovered from the pandemic just as demand as increased so much.

Still, the thing that makes Winnipeg great is that the city continues to adapt and grow. It has had good times and bad times but not end times. There communities all over Canada with declining populations as people move elsewhere. Winnipeg is not one of them although the fastest growing areas in the suburbs and metropolitan area. This spreading of population is not sustainable economically. It is why attempts to do infill such as Seasons of Tuxedo are transforming former industrial land.

It is great to see parts of Winnipeg have a second coming. The East Yards, Fort Rouge Yards and Tuxedo Yards have all been converted to commercial and residential uses. The density in the city as well as most of the country has dropped as suburban and exurban residential growth has exploded. The fact industrial and parking space is being repurposed is very good. True North Square was built atop a parking lot. Portage Place is being converted to Pan Am Clinic and residential units.

The year 2026 is to be determined but a lot of projects started earlier will be completed or near completion in the new year. A lot of initiatives on addiction, housing and poverty will also be well underway. The trick this time is not to take breaks as we have in the past because things like homelessness and rising rent is in part a capacity and programming failure. Winnipeg went years without adding any rental units or put roadblocks so long that it took years to get anything built. 

Winnipeg in a fit of urban pride once had a campaign called One Great City which its own citizens mocked in song and commentary. However, on a all too frequent basis we do things that are great and make the city great. We can't rest on our laurels though but it is important to see the greatness from time to time. 

100 Years of Winnie-the-Pooh December 24

Winnie the Pooh as most Winnipeggers know, was originally Winnipeg Bear at the London Zoo. The first story by A.A .Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shephard was inspired by Winnie at the zoo and from a stuffed bear he had bought his son Christopher Robin at Harrods.

The first children's story was published in the London News on December 24, 1925. The U.S. and Canadian rights to Pooh are in the public domain as of 2022. A Winnie horror story came out shortly after that.

Today, an original painting by E.H. Shephard is the Pavilion Gallery at Assiniboine Park and a statue of Pooh with Lieutenant Harry Colburn is in the playground adjacent.

The Winnipeg connection to Winnie remains strong today but started 100 years ago on December 1925. 

The Winnipeg Sun Re-Design

The Winnipeg Sun under the Klein Group has tried to distinguish itself from Postmedia Sun and National Post papers since the purchase in 2024. The first obvious step was the paper format with a switch from tabloid or broadsheet. It's actually a hybrid with sports tabloid inside a broadsheet. The font and the marquee also were also new. In fact, some said it looked like Free Press. I credited the Sun for local ownership which the Sun had lost way back in the 1980s.

It is expensive running a newspaper. However, it is possible to generate income if the product gets subscribers, advertisers, sponsors and finds their audience. Print newspaper remains where best profit is but newspapers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Minnesota Star Tribune make money in a variety of ways digitally and with specialized products like Wordle in the case of the Times.

The Sun digital web page leaned too heavily on the Sun look. Now it looks cleaner and more focused on news with sports and opinion following. Video media was left to the bottom of the page. The Toronto Sun and their group has the videos prominently on the side. It always looks cluttered,

The Conservative opinion in The Sun is not a problem unless it can't make money. If the Klein Group doesn't look at increasing its sports and entertainment as well as news reporting, it risks not growing its audience. It really needs to have a reporter who travels to away Jets games. How that is funded, I'm not sure. I think it has to be a presence on something like YouTube that pays for the news content.

Make no mistake, I want the two main local papers to be successful. And to be successful, it means covering a range of subjects from news to sports, appealing to men and women, having stuff that kids will like, offer entertainment and advice as well as opinion. It isn't an easy task. I approve the new look of the print paper and the digital format looks much better than what they had previously.

In 2026, there is likely going to be a new Manitoba journalism initiative. While the PCs and NDP disagree on parts of it, it is likely the broad strokes of a plan will be to spend 25% of the provincial advertising budget locally and to have tax credits and other initiatives to support newspapers, radio stations and even newsletters. A number of federal programs are in place and others about to start although big online companies want to kill them. It is interesting to note that even in the U.S. antitrust and national security is raising some concern ala TikTok and Middle Eastern investors making a bid for Warner Bros. and CNN.

The Winnipeg Sun and other news companies across Manitoba might benefit from greatly from a province that is not spending their considerable amount money on American-owned media. The Manitoba government won't even say how much they pay for Facebook. Politics aside, The Sun can be a lot more and will be if it keeps looking to increase readability from print to digital. Keep working on it and for goodness sake, start sending a reporter on the road for Jets and find a way to monetize it.

So, good job to the Sun. Winnipeg has to local papers whereas it doesn't exist elsewhere in the west. Let's keep building on that. Build your audience, push for better anti-trust protections and find ways to monetize the product. That comes from the best look and feel of content produced here at home.

The Fight for Warner Brothers and What it Means for Canada

Warner Bros has gone through so many mergers, acquisition and ups and downs that it is difficult to even keep up with nowadays. It is important to note that the legacy Hollywood studio did start off with four brothers. The name Warner Brothers is the anglicized version of their name from the old country. The youngest of the brothers Jack was born in London, Ontario but was raised in the States. The first film production began in New York in 1910 but by 1917 they began to do work out of Los Angeles.

The patents of Thomas Edison were ended in 1915 by the U.S. courts in an anti-trust case that took the handcuffs off the movie industry. Warner Brothers was the most junior of these new film companies and only took off with the story of a Canadian dog called Rin Tin Tin. But this isn't the history of one of the leading companies in film and television. It is about the future.

Warner Brothers has been constantly been bought and sold by big players. Most recently AT&T sold the company off and it merged with Discovery to form Warner Bros. Discovery. And now this massive company is in play as Paramount and Netflix fight over it. This has caused widespread panic in Hollywood because Netflix is not a company that produces movies for exhibition as part of its business model. The other suitor Paramount looks like it is very close to the Trump administration and his family and might take the company in a conservative direction. All of the TV and film industry is worried by fewer buyers and distributors of content in the world market. Every one of the mergers is marked by cutbacks.

Warner Bros. Discovery is massive but lately top execs have been treating all non-digital assets as trash and splitting them off from the company. They call the split off part Shitco. That would be the cable assets and the legacy TV channels. Streaming is where the growth is. The big money people hate those assets and yet those assets continue to generate huge cash.

Warner has shot a lot of movies over the years in Canada. It and Deadpool among many have filmed in Canada. Winnipeg has not seen too many. Universal, Netflix and Hallmark are more frequent American studios who film in the city. If Warner gets bought up, do they simply become an inhouse library for either Paramount or Netflix. Do we see massive cuts, shifts in production? Do they simply go all AI?

Warner has gone from one crappy deal to another from AOL to AT&T. It is so bad they call it the "'Warner Bros Curse." Corporate civil war at all times, terrible debt and mismanagement. Buying any studio seems a recipe for debt and heartache. It can work if your corporate structure is set up to support your other businesses. In the case of Sony, was hardware and software coming together where it made sense for it. 

Too often studio purchases are ego trips with terrible debt. And if accountants get too involved, the creativity part that makes the business work gets drowned in a numbers game. While it is nice to have franchises, it can turn on a studio and lose a massive amount of money if the magic is gone.

If Warner does get swept up in Netflix or Paramount, it may hurt supply chains across the world. For example, Warner Bros. produces content for other television networks and partnerships. Netflix tends to keep things in-house and vertically integrated. A Warner merger with Netflix might make a company so powerful that that United States and Europe might order it broken up or not approved at all.

In Canada, it could mean a sold Warner Bros. might equal fewer buyers and distributors of Canadian content. It may hurt Crave TV which uses HBO content. It could hurt cable which uses Discovery content. It just doesn't seem to pass anti-trust laws in any country. Even Donald Trump seems to get that although he couldn't care less about Canada and the world. However, he does know that Netflix would be so powerful that it could be a threat to him. At least Trump's family member has stepped aside from the bid. It might be he saw the potential legal problems or the price was just going to be too high.

The loss of Warner Bros is not the same as Amazon buying MGM. While concerning, MGM was just not the huge player Warner is. Nor did it have news and sports divisions like Warner does. The Paramount deal might have Saudi Arabia and interests owning CNN as part of Warner. The Netflix deal might have CNN stop broadcasting on cable and move to Netflix. All theatres might lose product. It is safe to say that the deal will not close as quickly as any of the parties want and that by 2026, electoral changes could mean a deal is rejected.

Not every deal goes through in business. In Canada, the big five banks wants to merge down to three. The Liberal government of the day said no. The banks survived. It would have not served any Canadian had we gone down to three. One wonders if the government had said no to the Sobeys takeover of Safeway in 2013. The Conservative government of the day let it happen and it did none of Canada good. The lack of competition of food prices is partly to blame for that decision.

Does Canada have a say in it? Possibly. But every time we try to regulate online, the more the U.S. complains. In this case though, it is American interests themselves that fear the Warner Bros. takeover by Paramount or Netflix. The market is also dubious with Netflix stock down. This should be of concern. Disney's takeover of 20th Century Fox is still a drag on their stock price. Because of the world implications on this deal, the Europeans could reject some or all of it. Canada is just thought to be part of the American market so no consideration will be made even if it hurts the theatres, cable industry and our streaming business.

It s unclear what politics might be in play. If Paramount gets the deal, does the company become ultra right wing? If Netflix gets the deal, do become political? It is an overall mess. And may go on long into 2026.

Hanukah and Bondi Beach Australia Attack

Bondi Beach is the legendary suburban beach near Sydney, Australia. Often called the lucky country because of the people, the climate, geography and any other number of items make the country seem wonderful. Australians themselves will tell you it isn't perfect. The country is a democracy that has engaged in dialogue and achieved a measure of peace and prosperity. There have been some violent gun incidents in the past including 1996 in Tasmania where Australia suffered one of the biggest mass shootings in world history. The response was a firearms crackdown unprecedented in the country's history. Such was the horror that it changed the country on how to stop such things from happening.

It is with this in mind, it is completely shocking how two men could acquire long guns to attack Jewish people on the first day of Hanukah on Australia's most famous beach. It appears there are 15 victims of the two shooters. There may have been more if not for a bystander who ran from some distance to disarm one of the men.

There has been a rise of antisemitism following the October terrorist attack is Israel and the two year hostage ordeal and military response. There still a lot not known about the shooters but police in Australia are saying it was a targeted incident. It is Australian summer and Sunday would have have seen many enjoying the outdoors and the Hanukah event. Gatherings of the Jewish community are sometimes last minute details for security reasons. However, it seems the suspects knew exactly where to find the celebration.

World leaders have condemned the attack against Jewish people in Australia. Israel leader Netanyahu has pointed blamed Australia for the attack for not doing enough on anti-Semitism. It seems a little early for recriminations. Netanyahu is likely referring to responses to Gaza by the world. He is careful not to criticize the U.S. but has plenty to say on pretty much every other country. 

To be clear anti-Semitism is unacceptable at any time. We have seen evidence of it in Canada where Gaza protestors seem to conflate all Jewish people as being responsible for events overseas. It has resulted in some awful encounters. Still, I believe, at least for Manitoba, we have not reached the point that Australia has. Whether that is luck or general culture of the people, it is hard to say.

Anti-Semitism has been in Canada a long time. There has been an increase and now all of is linked to October 7 attack in Israel. Some statistic, even according to Israeli media, are not sourced. However, where they are sourced, indicate the rise. Unlike Australia, the U.S. and France, we haven't had a catastrophic attack and I hope we never do.

There are 400,000 Jews in Canada, the fourth largest grouping in the world. It hasn't always been easy. Some of it was downright awful. However, I suspect many would agree that things had been remarkably peaceable in the last decades. The election of Carney has brought fear he will allow Jews and Israel to be vulnerable. The conditional recognition of a Palestinian state is not an invitation for attack on Jews or Israelis. That's in Canada or elsewhere.

Australia will be go through a full mourning and reflection. They have this before when they had one of the most terrible spree shooting in history in Tasmania. It resulted in one of the strongest responses ever seen in a democratic society of guns and safety. It is obvious there were some loopholes left that will be looked at. Still, even if guns were not involved, the suspects also had explosives and could have used knives. The point is that an investigation will need to uncover if there were warnings that these suspects gave to indicate a threat. This could be communications, assistance or encouragement from other or a foreign actors.

In Canada, Carney has not got one piece of legislation approved except the budget. There are criminal code measures and other items awaiting support but they appear blocked with every party playing brinkmanship. One more floor crossing and there will be no election for four years. It will be up to the federal government then to ensure there are no attacks like the one we saw in Australia.

Winnipeg Sun Believes Removal of Removal of Covenants Has No Effect on Competition

The December 13 editorial of the Winnipeg Sun believes competitive food prices only come from tax cuts. Removal of gas tax, business tax, property tax and income taxes. There is no mention of price fixing. Even if all those thing happened, the grocery and suppliers have fixed prices for bread and other items to that point that companies like Aldi believe the game is fixed here. And it is.

Large grocery stores have agreements to keep empty store faces or other competitors from setting up anywhere near them. Such actions with surely have U.S. authorities such as FBI kicking down the doors were it to happen in the States. The Sun says the Competition Bureau says the restrictive covenants don't restrict competition. In fact this is what the Canada's agency says:

A restriction on land that prevents a purchaser or owner of a commercial property from using the location to operate or lease to operators of certain types of businesses that compete with a previous owner.

The UK and New Zealand have restrictions on grocery stores from hoarding land and forbidding others from buying or using it to compete with them. This has NOTHING to do with taxes. Nothing. 

In Brandon a Sobeys was closed in 2017 and Sobeys has leased the property twice for five years terms to prevent competition. Above is a picture of that store. The Sun believes this is the result of overtaxing? Shindico said this was to prevent competition. Does the Sun believe this property should be restricted from sale or use? Do they even think this is a good idea? Why would Sobeys do this if they thought it didn't limit competition?

Antitrust is a real thing. It is private enterprise manipulating prices and competition. It happened with bread and it happens with property. The Sun says this doesn't exist? 

Prices are indeed affected by many things. But it just isn't government taxes. It is sometimes companies inflating prices, putting the thumb on the scales (or the packages) and they have been caught red handed. However, an empty storefront leased for years doesn't raise any eyebrows. It is the government's fault. 

West End Cultural Centre Programming Saved

In 1987, an old church was turned into the West End Cultural Centre by Winnipeg Folk Fest creator Mitch Podolok and Ava Kobrinsky. The building had been home to a few church groups and just prior to the takeover was the Portuguese Cultural Centre. From the start it was a non-profit performance space and perhaps every music act in Canada and beyond as likely stopped to perform there. Built in 1909, it still looks like a church. Renovations in 2009 to the south expanded the size of the performance space stage to 900 square feet, added a green room and other improvements for about $3.5 million. A lobby and additional meeting/performing spaces were also created for a total of 16,000 square feet.

A bar and rentals have helped fund operations, some of which are offered free to groups in the community. Alcohol sales are way down and this is affecting every hospitality-based building. Legion halls and veterans associations have had to close if bar sales were their main source of revenue. And so it goes with non-profits.

In the case of the WECC, the issue of heating and cooling from their ancient HVAC system has been setting them back for years in the thousands. It can put organizations in a lot of debt. Just ask the Manitoba Theatre for Young People that just retired $1.5 million in debt with a capital campaign that raised $9 million. It also created a $1 million endowment.

At least three arts groups have closed because of money woes in the last little while. The heavy reliance on government funding is not enough enough. Even the WECC says it likely needs corporate support. The 380 seat performance center has been more innovative in how they book events but the music industry has really been hurting in recent years and a hall can't really get by with only several booked dates a month. 

The big arts groups in Winnipeg were slow compared to American arts groups. The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre hasn't revealed their endowment recently citing privacy rules but they do receive $1 million a year from the investments. That would at least be $20 to $40 million in an endowment. It is thought that the endowment is probably close to the $30 million mark. The younger Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis is thought to have $70 million U.S. in their endowment. That is just under a whopping $100 million in Canadian.

The Winnipeg Art Gallery also has a multimillion endowment that follows their $65 million expansion. They add to theirs by selling part of their collection when they have quite a lot of an artist's works. Some arts groups also make money from value added services such as schools and seminars that come in addition to the main product they sell whether that is music, art or entertainment. Even private businesses such as McNally Robinson have value added with their restaurant and their classes.

The West End Cultural Centre has to do more than book talent as a rental hall and make money from the diminishing returns of a bar. They seem to have the right idea about seeking out support but it has to be more than a one-off of $50,000 for a budget shortfall. The response of getting $70,000 is wonderful but the WECC needs to assess its needs now and into future. It should possibly look at a capital projects upgrade where sponsors can be involved. This requires priorities as well as vision. It cannot be periodic support. It may be an annual donation request or bequests for those who pass away to include in their wills. 

It is hard running a not for profit at the best of times. The need for volunteers, consistent use by the community and a steady stream of booking dates is hard enough to organize never mind thinking about mid to long term planning. It is promising that so many rushed to help support the WECC when they needed it but the next 30 years may require millions of upgrades and the time to think about it is now.

Underdogs Restaurant Parking Becomes Paid Parking

Okay, it's not Underdog's parking lot. It isn't actually clear who owns the parking lot at 207 Thompson Drive between the strip mall on Portage Avenue and Prairie Spirit United Church but it has become a paid parking area. The 79 spots now require a cellphone app from Indigo Neo and the price is $2 a hour. A Sunday football marathon could set you back $10 if you are at the restaurant. Church goers just have to register in the church to get parking redeemed.

I am not sure there are any other paid parking lots in the St. James area except Grace Hospital. It is worth noting that the City of Winnipeg has been in discussions about how to extend paid street parking to city streets as well as a variety of expanded hours and surge pricing. This has landed with a thud but any paid parking plan usually falls flat. The city has very low rates annually for overnight parking in the city on the street versus private lots. Many park their cars on the street for unlimited times. It would come as a shock if paid parking spread from not just private lots but to public streets but this is likely something we might see more of.

Winnipeg is very much a car city. It remains to be seen if paid parking spreads and will affect consumer habits. Will only restaurants that own their parking remain? Will small businesses that lose street parking or have surge charge prices on it survive? Will it create a new public transit system or increased density? This is possible but given the timeline it took to get one transit corridor done and the fallout of changing the bus system, we can't rely on buses to get people out of their cars.  In some cases, the buses are just not there and never will be.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. As for me, I am close enough to walk.

Bus Driver Protection

The bus drivers union has been begging for better shield protection for over ten years. The half shield has resulted in some passengers reaching in to the wheel to grab in their attack on drivers. The most recent CBC investigation of violence on buses has shown a significant rise across Canada. Not just drivers are in danger but passengers as well. No other city in Canada has seen a higher rise of violence on buses since 2015.

Winnipeg Police have been aboard buses in recent weeks and have made arrests. Transit supervisors have been trying to make a difference on fare jumping. It has been an ongoing battle. Add to that the destruction of bus shelters or the taking over of them as encampments and the entire experience of travelling on bus has been more unpleasant or downright dangerous.

The driver shortage seems very linked to the lack of safety they feel. Improving the service means having enough drivers. Safety and wages will help. So many drivers are five years from retiring. This is probably true of every public service in the city. Police are close to hundreds of cop taking retirement. The big question is even if wages are attractive, will the jobs still go wanting?

The full shield for drivers seems the best solution for driver safety. The issue of passenger safety is still just as much a priority. The shield still has to allow the driver to view passengers coming aboard for safety. No sense blocking the view of the doors just to run someone over. Thanks for nothing.

Despite security cameras on buses, there seems to be a defiance that any consequences will result from being violent.  Or in some case, mental health or addiction issues means some people just have no impulse control. Protecting the drivers can't mean screening them from seeing people being attacked in their own buses. 

The bus shelters themselves are getting shatter proof glass. It has taken a while to fill the orders. So many were wiped out by people. It is unclear if it was by those using the shelters for homes or by people trying to prevent them from being homes. Or maybe it was out and out vandalism to break things. No one was ever arrested for the many shelters smashed.

If Winnipeg was Sim City, the entire urban area would be on fire with police and fire tracks running all around. It is difficult to know where to respond to next. However, targets have to be picked. When liquor stores were being robbed the province opted for locked doors, ID and security guards. The program worked and they are mostly secure for employees and customers. It is now cannabis stores that are looking to up their security with some violent robberies becoming more frequent.

It is sad security has to be such a priority but car locks, house locks, bikes locks and the like have been around forever. Personal security has become one of the biggest issues. The full shield at least allows drivers of buses to have a measure of safety. As for the passengers, they can't be potential victims of violence because they take the bus or are waiting for one. Security and police have been promised and in some cases have been present but it will take some time to show perpetrators that fare jumping and bad behaviour aboard the buses will be dealt with. And once that happens, customers will feel more secure.

Controlled access to buses, stores, offices and shops is basic security nowadays. Keeping workers safe in their workplace is key. As for bus stops, they can't become shelters or traps for someone to be assaulted. They have to cameras and regular checks by Transit and police.

There is no doubt that mental health and addictions are contributing to violence when combined with poverty and homelessness. This doesn't mean the public transit attacks, robberies and the like are acceptable. And if encampments are not ever accepted on school grounds, why should a bus shelter be acceptable? Sympathy is fine but not at the expense of public security. Shelters with wrap-around supports are necessary for those with mental health needs. And for those who have addictions issues, the wait for treatment can't be a prolonged one. We need places more promptly. As for those who don't seek or accept treatment, the crimes committed to support their addictions can't be brushed away. 

The police have had a very successful fall for arrests for prolific arsonists, shoplifters and for incidents aboard buses. This must be maintained because repeat offenders will not be stopped any other way. However, things like bus driver protection and fare enforcement buses are the city's responsibility as are safety features for bus shelters. Security cameras have been shown to be effective in helping to prevent theft and vandalism but have been shown in studies not to be helpful in preventing violence. In Britain, terrorists knew the cameras would not stop them from an attack. However, they were used to track the terrorists. This should be a good reminder about cameras on buses. They might not an attack but they can who did it.

The city should go ahead with the shields and with other real time safety features. However, for every safety feature, there will be workarounds for those with ill intent. When buses were hit by bombs in Israel, they had security before people got on the bus. Then bombs and attacks happened to those lined up for the bus. The point is that safety is not just one thing you do, it is something that you build piece by piece. Sometimes it means preventing violence from happening by getting to understand who the people committing the acts are.

There is no doubt if the city can't get a handle on transit in terms of safety, routes and convenience, they will see it collapse and find that no amount of road building will help them solve the time and logistics of travel. It is time to fix the problem.

Home Hardware in Winnipeg Finally Opens 2025

Peavey Mart closed both Winnipeg locations in January of this year. The entire company shut down but in Alberta but is slowly opening locations again. This might not be easy in Winnipeg because their former location at 2860 Pembina Highway has been taken over by the dealer-owned Home Hardware.

The Pembina location was also formerly a Zellers so the hope is that Home Hardware will be the one that find long term success in the 30,000 square foot location. The new owners are an Inuit family that operate the EPLS Group of Companies centered along the western shore of Hudson Bay. Two Home Hardwares in Arviat and Rankin Bay Inlet in Nunavut are owned by the family already. A distribution center in Winnipeg supplies the group.

The relationship between Nunavut and Manitoba has only grown in recent years and is likely to grow more. As for Home Hardware, it is a familiar friend to those in rural Manitoba with 25 locations already in the province. Across Canada, the company has 1000 dealer owned stores. To be sure the Winnipeg location will be very big for their locations. The EPLS Group will be able to use the buying power of their Winnipeg store to get good prices and supplies for their stores up north.

All around this is a good Canadian business story. A Canadian retail outfit opens in an area of Winnipeg in need of a store for renovators and contractors owned by an Inuit business from the north. This is the best kind of story.

Over the last months, there has been some indication that some of the gaps in the economy are starting to fill. The cost of living, housing and have seen some improvement although it has been painfully slow. Supply chains is like turning a ship. It is a slow and long turn. The loss of Peavey Mart hurt several areas of the economy but Home Hardware has been adding steadily over the years and now filling gaps left by the closures across Canada.

Some businesses such Home Hardware are not easily or conveniently replaced by online. The Canada Post strike repeatedly cutting service showed rural areas the weakness of the delivery system for online products. Home Hardware, by contrast, is owned locally, supplied nationally and is located right in communities where needed. For south Winnipeg along Pembina Highway, the new store will bring people in from that area and beyond the Perimeter Highway. 

It may be we have not seen the last of Peavey Mart or Zellers in Manitoba but the ascendance of Home Hardware is undeniable.

New Drive-Thru Concept McDonald's Coming to Kenaston

It is not the first drive-thru only from McDonald's in the city. That honour goes to Pembina Highway which also became the first 24 hour location in Canada. This however will be the first drive-thru that is heavily automated as well as have storage lockers for delivery people. There are presently two other location in North America like the one proposed for Winnipeg. One is in Fort Worth and one is in Los Angeles.

The location at Kenaston at Grant in the Real Canadian Superstore parking lot right at the corner that turns east down Grant. It will require some zoning changes to operate longer hours but Councillors don't seem alarmed by the proposal. The spot being looked at is where the garden centre has usually gone. I have no idea if it will be relocate to another area for seasonal sales.

Social media has been mixed on the possible traffic to the area, an American restaurant expanding, quality of the food and a few other things. Some thought it would be helpful for pick-ups in River Heights and Tuxedo. Others thought it would be good for deliveries. Those people who hated McDonald's are not about to change their minds. Those that hate traffic will continue to hate it.  There is nothing wrong with having an opinion about it.

River Heights is a food and grocery desert as is a Tuxedo. So much is beyond walking distance for as little as coffee. And certainly there are hardly any options for 24 hour locations for the thousands working shift work in parts of the city. Aside from 7/Eleven which are not drive-thru, where do the people go for those super early morning family hockey travels, late night flights and the like?

I am not entirely sure how traffic flow will be inside the Superstore parking lot. As some people pointed out, it is up to the grocery store to figure out. As long as the traffic doesn't line up on the public road, city zoning people seem satisfied. And the McDonald's itself is on the farthest corner away from apartments. 

The delivery system has multiple competitors such as Skip and Uber among others. People in Winnipeg are avid fans but some companies like McDonald's might find it more convenient to have a place such as the new Kenaston location where drivers pick up orders at lockers where items are slid through to the kitchen to the lockers that open to the parking lot. It is very popular in the United States. This can make other McDonald's less crowded with drivers waiting at the counter.

The local franchise owner in Winnipeg says the new drive-thru will be about 1,800+ square feet. He also mentioned 80 new workers but it is unclear if that was across all his locations or just Kenaston. With Kapyong under development the next few years, this is probably not the last restaurant or drive-thru to go up. It may not even be the last McDonald's.

What Restaurants Should Locate by Portage Avenue Costco?

Costco is now open along Portage Avenue. Even as the doors opened and work continued in different places, apartment construction continues. The rumours on restaurants locating right by the highway have jumped since last week. There are some diners further in Headingley such as Nick's Inn and Headingley Grill. Denny's operates on many days 24 hours. The Gates just across the river has fine dining. However, with Costco now open, the demand for drive-thru and casual dining in a growing commercial and residential area is rising.

There are many more stores coming to the area as well as apartment buildings. The plan is for at least 6 or 7 roadside restaurants and drive-thrus. Nothing has been announced yet but several places have been mentioned as potentials. Arby's comes up all the time as a potential tenant. It is no secret they want a second location in the city after the success at Seasons of Tuxedo. There has been talk of a return of Swiss Chalet to the site for a third return visit to the city. I'm not sure why this chain would think the results would be any different than the last times they were here.

Montana's has been mentioned as a possibility. It is highly likely that McDonald's will want to build out at the site given that their closest restaurant is inside Walmart Unicity. This is true of all the big chains. They will look at the Westport site because of the shopping, recreation and new housing going up. In 2026, expect the hear a flurry of announcements now that Costco has gone up.

To review some of the restaurants I've heard from clients that may look at kicking the tires of locating at Westport are:

Arby's

McDonald's

Applebee's/IHOP

Pancake House

Starbucks

Smitty's

My understanding is that breakfast/lunch places are highly sought after because of Costco's hours and to reach the commuters coming down the Trans-Canada Highway.

Tim Horton's is already on site and has been there for years. Robin's is possible but they have been struggling for years to come back. Some local coffee places that are possible are.

Thom Bargen

Empty Cup

The word is that a steakhouse/casual dining place is being looked for. Original Joe's is nearby already so that is unlikely. Some of the ones mentioned are:

Joeys

Moxies

Earls

Lot 88

Olive Garden

Frankie's

Chipotle

Stella's

A lot of people have had some swing for the fences hopes for restaurants such as:

Cheesecake Factory

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Texas Roadhouse

These restaurants don't have locations in Canada presently so seems unlikely they come now.

There are many in Winnipeg who probably have hopes of an American chain coming to the city that we don't have. It is possible. We have had a few come that eventually closed such as Earl of Sandwich, Royal Fork and Longhorn Steakhouse Winnipeg. Some like Famous Dave's just keep rolling along.

It is possible that some independent local restaurants opens on the site too.

One thing that is clear is that the huge amount of traffic is going to attract a lot of restaurants and retail to the area.

The Restaurants in Marcello's Old Hydro Location

Covid hurt businesses associated with office workers. The Manitoba Hydro building with between 1800-1900 employees went on remote work and even today, still has workers at home part of the week. It can be pretty stark when people are not at headquarters. In better times, the first floor which includes a bank, Rudy's Restaurant and up till the pandemic, Marcello's Market and Deli.

The empty streets in downtown hurt a lot of businesses. Marcello's was not able to survive in such a large space. The Ottawa-based restaurant group still operates in Winnipeg but in a smaller space in the Richardson Concourse. The Hydro site was a huge space of 3,500 square feet and in need of a customer base. Returning workers represented that boost but it has been a chicken and the egg thing. Restaurants won't return if there are customers and employees are reluctant to go back to the office if there are no amenities.

Manitoba's Hydro's move to the downtown might have been as a result of Glen Murray's exacting a price for the sale of Winnipeg Hydro, but the company has used the space in their building for political debates, fashion shows, banking services and food halls and restaurants. The empty Marcello's spot was an impediment to serving Hydro employees and the public at large.

With that mind, Hydro sought out established downtown Winnipeg businesses with the draw being a food hall with 60 seats and a large potential customer base. To that end, Hydro reached out to Baglesmith which agreed to relocate from their other downtown location. The owner of Bagelsmith also brought their other restaurants Super Slice to the space. In the past days, people have been trying out their celebrity pizzas including one named after Betty White.

The other two restaurants added to the food hall is a Asian place called the Greenish and a coffee spot Colosimo Coffee Roasters. The food hall will be collectively known as Café 360. For the various owners operating in the space, they are no stranger to downtown, the common comment they have meant that there is a sense of security being in the building. The Manitoba Hydro building, like the food hall in True North Square, have security guards.

The arsons and protection rackets have had businesses rattled. Add to that the changes in bus routing, businesses are looking for safer options. Locating inside a building with a shared space, security and hours that end at 4 pm probably is very attractive. The complete makeover of Portage Place next door will bring a raft of potential customers when the Pam Am Clinic is complete in 2026. It is estimated that nearly 7000 people a day will be using the clinic's services.

A lot of downtown projects will be complete in 2026 and security is playing a strong role in their success. No one does anything in True North Square because even loitering will bring out security to escort you away. Mess around in the arena or the convention centre and that will result in a permanent ban from every sports event, concert or convention. The power of that punishment can have a lasting effect. Real consequences for violent or disturbing acts. It happens in every mall in the city. 

So while those inside the new Café 360 will feel safe, more will have to happen outside the building for people to feel secure. Restaurants every week are being targeted for arsons. We have never seen such a concerted effort to burn them down. There is likely video of a particular suspect involved in multiple locations but any place that doesn't have onsite security, is in jeopardy. The Manitoba Hydro building has such security in it and around it and any attempts of harm there are likely to have a response in seconds. 

Café 160 will be a welcome addition to Portage Avenue and will attract people from beyond Manitoba Hydro. The only way to bring vitality and safety back to the area is one building at a time and one street at a time. The places downtown that people feel most secure are the ones that draw many people and security is clearly visible. Food halls have proven to be a favourite for many. 

Costco Opening November 13 Portage Avenue

It certainly took long enough but at 6 am Thursday, Costco will open their newest location on 4077 Portage Avenue near Assiniboia Downs. It is a big location at just under 167,000 square feet. The massive gas station with pumps three deep has been open for a a few weeks. There is a special entrance to the Costco but it is likely going to be chaos. The 1000 or so parking spaces will be meaningless if everyone is at a chokepoint getting in and off of Portage. I don't even want to guess what it will be like during Christmas, Red River Ex or Derby. It is very probably that major road improvements will have to be made to the entrance to Costco.

It is likely that some people will be diverted from Kenaston Costco. Those living in St. James, Charleswood and Tuxedo as well as those west of the Perimeter will make Portage there chosen location. People at Kenaston hoping for their store to be less crowded might not see much change. The growing community of Bridgwater and South Point to the north and the Kapyong Barracks and Seasons apartments are adding thousands of units of housing.

The old St. James Polo Park location becomes a Business Centre same day Portage location opens up. The pharmacy transfers to Portage Thursday. Many of the staff will be there as well. There are a number of items as listed as sales in store  but is unclear if this exclusive to this opening. It is expected that some work will be continuing on some construction even as the store welcomes customers.

Unlike other Costcos in the city, this one has apartments all around it. Many of those people will be commuting as well in and out of the same entrances. And more apartments will be built over the next months and years.

As for the old St. James Polo Park location, they will be selling discounted meat on their re-opening today as a business center. Expect it to be busy.

One more Costco off north Main will be built in 2026 so traffic patterns will be realigned and perhaps...perhaps some traffic sanity will emerge in around Costco.

Crossing the Floor - House of Commons

In 2018 Andrew Scheer had no problem with floor crosser when Liberal Leona Allslev joined his party. Now that is Conservatives crossing to the Liberals, you have Conservatives screaming treason and trade offs that are illegal. They're not. Since Confederation, there have been over 300 floor crossings. People elect MPs. If they elect enough of them from one slate, they get official party status and resources from Parliament to do their job. The party that has the most MPs elected gets to attempt to form government, even in a minority situation. This means in a minority, the governing party has to work with MPs across the floor to govern. This includes inducing them to cross the floor to help form a majority.

Justin Trudeau got this when one of his MPs crossed the floor. Scheer crowed about it, said the Liberals were weak and Trudeau should resign. He apparently, didn't see anything wrong with it. As for what it achieved, the election that came soon after resulted in a repeat minority and it was Scheer who had to resign.

It is a but rich to see Andrew Scheer talking about the Liberals meeting with Conservative MPs and calling it anti-Democratic. It is the opposite of that. Some of the media, including people in academia, question the MP how they thwart the choices of people who voted for the party. People elect MPs. Those MPs are expected to vote or act on behalf of all those who live in their riding. That includes people who didn't vote for them or can't yet vote.

Parties can't dictate that people first sit as an independent. It is unenforceable in our system. It also lacks transparency. If a minority government relies on a few MPs to pass their agenda, it is better to know what the trade offs are. In the last government, the NDP and Liberals negotiated to pass an agenda. Unfortunately, for the NDP, it didn't result in seat gain. But it did result them getting things they wanted passed in legislation. It is up to electorate what they want from their MP and who they want. The parties always find this out and trying to force party loyalty on a riding often won't go well.

Conservatives are raw with anger. Perhaps some know that cries of treason are politicking. However, it often seems that some pundits are unware of of how democracy and our system works. Many still can't figure out what Ontario has more MPs than say, Alberta. Perhaps because it has three times the population and also has the biggest economic impact in the country.

It is worth noting that one of the most celebrated leaders in history, Winston Churchill, crossed the floor twice. Many seem to chose to forget that when they list him as a great leader. But then again people choose what they want to choose even when it is contradictory. You would they not get furious when it is pointed out to them. It seems entirely based on whose ox gets gored.

It is very likely that Pierre Poilievre believed that he was going to defeat the Liberals this week and head into an election. Now, he is two MPs short from where he was day earlier. A final budget vote takes place a week from now. It remains to be seen if the bleeding has stopped for the Conservatives. If all the opposition parties vote against the budget, there will indeed be an election and all the hysteria about floor crossing will be mute.

It is interesting to note how rattled Pierre Poilievre was as a result of the two MPs leaving the caucus. He has been acting like he is 30 points ahead in the polls. Perhaps things will be unsettled in Canada till a majority is voted in. It is only then that an opposition party knows that it at least three or four years till the next election and that is a marathon rather than a sprint. If the feeling is that an election is always imminent it seems to encourage dumb behaviour.

As far as social and mainstream media goes, perhaps the angry outbursts is to get clicks or support from the base. Calling people liars in an unsigned document from Conservative party doesn't cut it. Two MPs are gone. They blame the Liberals for this. The big question is whether the Conservatives have enough votes to bring down the government in a confidence vote in a week or whether they even want to do that. 

To be sure Pierre Poilievre has had a bad week. And while the bleeding might have stopped from loss of MPs, it might mean that some MPs are looking to the leadership review in January to demonstrate their displeasure. Raging against unhappy MPs will not go well. Even if floor crossing is shut down, it might not stop people leaving office.

Unique Bunny Expanding Across Canada

For small vendors sometimes the best place to begin is flea markets and conventions and so it was with Unique Bunny. Started by Fiona Zhao, a young Chinese immigrant who ended up in Winnipeg due to the endless supply of overseas ambassadors from Winnipeg working in various job around the globe. Promotion works and people who come to the city often have immense contributions to make.

Small vendors in pop-ups are often afforded the chance to make connections and build a name and reputation. Early Comic Con and Ai-Kon conventions were Winnipeg-made and produced events and they leaned heavily on local vendors, especially collectibles, to draw fans. Public market stalls are no longer selling mostly food items from the farm. And so it was in 2014 Unique Bunny was a frequent vendor everywhere in Winnipeg.

Unique Bunny was everywhere as a vendor selling food and cosmetics. Many Asian clients appreciated that she had products for them. Non-Asians were very much interested in styles, foods and the like to satisfy their interests in Japan and Korea. Cultural interests in Japan have exploded in the last decade. It is why there has been a steady increase in music, movies, food and products making their way to Canada.

Unique Bunny got to the point that a physical store was called for and the first one was on Corydon. It wasn't long till that was closed that the company could take a space in the center of Osborne Village. Just as the pandemic was gearing up, Unique Bunny decided to open a location on Pembina Highway closer to their large university customers.

The company survived Covid but Osborne Village struggled with crime, homelessness and a lack of foot traffic post 2020. The Village has had some recovery but many places in the city are still suffering from shoplifting, arson and a general malaise. Unique Bunny moved to malls and suburbs. McPhillips and an Outlet Collection Mall location joined the Pembina location in Winnipeg. 

In 2024, expansion to Alberta took place and locations opened in Calgary and Edmonton. The push for more locations extended again to Winnipeg and Unique Bunny opened in 2025 in Manitoba's biggest shopping center Polo Park. In the last months, Fiona Zhao has been in Saskatchewan and Quebec to open stores in Saskatoon, Quebec City and soon Montreal will join the growing stores.

By the end of November, the company will have ten stores in Canada. It truly is a success story that has not been recognized much outside of Winnipeg. That may soon change. It isn't the first time Winnipeg companies have spread beyond Manitoba and it won't be the last. The company will sale nearly 60 brands and employ 110 workers. They are beginning to have workshops in select stores to develop customer and store relationships that will last beyond casual visits.

Unique Bunny is a made in Manitoba success.

Election 2025?

 The new budget comes November 4 and the final vote on it comes a few weeks after. It is a confidence vote. If all the parties vote against it and there are no abstentions or people absent from the House, it is an automatic election before Christmas. An election is not an idle thing to dismiss. In 1979, the Progressive Conservative government of Joe Clark was defeated six months after being elected in a confidence vote. Pierre Trudeau and the Liberals one again became the government.

While there may be lessons from that time, each elected government has their own unique circumstances. Other countries have regular minority governments but the way Canada's system operates, the results leans more to majorities. However, in recent years Canada has had repeated minorities. The last minority government under Trudeau's Liberals was supported Singh's NDP. It lasted a long time but ultimately hurt the NDP. The Liberals also hurt by a long tenure changed leaders and fears regarding the United States and Trump led to a victory for Carney and another Liberal minority.

We are divided politically but probably less polarized than our neighbours to the south. However, the parties have all boxed themselves in and likely won't take the time to figure out leadership, policy platforms as well as how to build a successful party if elections are a threat every few months. The Conservatives have seen one member cross the floor. Apparently, some are not waiting for the leadership review of Pierre Poilievre. 

A budget where no one is happy is par for the course. The big question is whether it is enough for an election. Some media critics are upset with the budget that it didn't go far enough. Some wanted more spending, some wanted tax breaks and tax reform. Given the minority, it is likely the best budget that could be presented that might get passed.

The one floor crossing of a Conservative to the Liberals means that the Government is two votes short of a majority. Rumours abound about other MPs looking to cross the floor. If two more cross then the Liberals should be in a good position to have three or four years to make their budget work. This might be wishful thinking on the part of the Liberals. The rest of the week will be debate on the budget and the vote will come two weeks from now. At the moment, it looks like an election.

Emma Durand-Wood Wins Elmwood-East Kildonan City Election

The shocking death of Jason Schreyer in April at age 57 triggered a byelection in Elmwood-East Kildonan. Time to mourn the man was short as representation in the riding was essential with issues such as closure of the Louise Bridge awaiting an elected Council member to advocate on behalf the area people. An open seat for mayor council usually draws a larger number of candidates. Incumbency often sees low numbers of interested parties. Higher profile candidates feel they can't compete with the present Councillor because that person has their faces on every bus bench and have been the name attached the community grants for organization in that area.

Sadly, openings on Winnipeg  Council often only come up when someone passes away. It has happened a number of times. It is up for debate about civic elections could be more competitive. Term limits seems like a blunt instrument to do. Ball selection might be more helpful. It would still have difficulties when it came to overcoming incumbency but could attract more interest. Allowing those who have elected office elsewhere to run for positions without having to resign first would be interesting. For example, in the New York's mayor race, one candidate is in higher elected office and running for mayor. They won't have to resign unless they win the race.

In an open seat, many candidates have no name recognition in the city. And sometimes the ones that do, still can't win. There have been a few media people who ran for office and didn't succeed. Announcing early seems to help more than hurt. In this most recent byelection, the first two candidates to announce seemed to have the best outcomes. In this case it was Emma Durand-Wood and Abel Gutierrez were pretty much first out the gate and that is the order they placed in the election.

For whatever reason other candidates took too long to get their campaigns going. The most obvious candidate was Jason Schreyer's assistant Chris Sweryda who oddly said his background was road safety researcher waited too long to get the Schreyer family endorsement for carrying on the work of the former Councillor. He also waited too long to announce he was running and had other Council support.

NDP and Processive Conservatives also had some favourites although party politics is nominally not in Winnipeg politics. It is a fabrication though as most Councillors have some connection to the major parties. And not just parties but organizations, businesses, unions and elected officials endorsing their chosen people.

In Elmwood though, those groups waited too long and diluted their support. One of the candidates Braydon Mazurkewich collected a number of PC and conservative endorsements. He was noted by some to be Maple MAGA and was seen in pictures with Make America Great Again ball caps. It would appear he wanted too long as well to announce because some conservative support had been extended elsewhere. 

Two city employees ran. Carmen Prefontaine appeared to have the support of at least one Councillor and union support. The other city employee Kyle Roche didn't appear to share any union or elected official support. Neither did Zekariah Salahadin. It should be noted that elected officials, unions and businesses who don't reside in a ward have no votes. Ultimately, it is about how many people who actually are registered to vote who come out. And in Elmwood, it was only 16% of those people.

I'll say one thing about civic elections and that is the new candidate is sworn in right away. Emma Durand-Wood voted no on the Route 90 widening today. It was not enough to veto it. The mayor said it was something she campaigned on and he respects that. The priorities on Council are Peguis and Kenaston expansions. None of those proceed without federal help and the city has a long list of projects they want from the Feds with no strings attached.

There doesn't seem to be a progressive movement like there was in the 1990s that endorsed several candidates such as Danny Vandal and Greg Selinger and helped elect Glen Murray. It did break up the gang of 18 who represented the conservative elements of Council and who tended to caucus in private to set agendas which included some massive road infrastructure.

There doesn't seem to be a progressive movement as there was in the past. Council is less obvious about their affiliation except those with NDP ties. Many don't like party politics in city hall but in would be a mistake to think that some Councillors are not Liberals, NDP, PC or Greens. The general election is next year and as has been demonstrated west of us, there is a lot of motivation for change.

Byelections can also sometimes signify nothing at all. Given the low voter turnout, it may just have been who got out there earlier and with a clearer message.