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Winnipeg City Council

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Further information: Law, government, and crime in Winnipeg

The Winnipeg City Council (French: Conseil municipal de Winnipeg) is the governing body of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Council is seated in the Council Building of Winnipeg City Hall.[1][2]

The composition of the Council consists of fifteen city councillors and a mayor. Each councillor represents an individual ward throughout the city. The mayor is elected every four years by a vote of the entire city.[3]

Overview

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See also: Politics of Winnipeg and Mayor of Winnipeg

Part 3 of The City of Winnipeg Charter[4] legislates the composition of Winnipeg City Council, which currently consists of 15 councillors and the Mayor. Each councillor represents an individual ward while the mayor is elected by a vote of the city-at-large.[3]

Councillors have a dual role: they are members of Council, dealing with decisions that affect the whole city; and members of the Community Committees, dealing with issues within local communities.[3]

Wards

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Current wards

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Name Population (2016)[5]
St. James 49,118
Point Douglas 47,063
St. Norbert - Seine River 47,765
St. Vital 49,377
Charleswood - Tuxedo - Westwood 45,947
North Kildonan 44,664
Waverley West 44,006
St. Boniface 47,174
Mynarski 49,808
Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry 46,770
River Heights - Fort Garry 50,667
Old Kildonan 47,155
Daniel McIntyre 46,882
Elmwood - East Kildonan 44,268
Transcona 44,581

Past wards

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Into its first civic election on 5 January 1874, Winnipeg had a total of 4 city wards—North, South, East, and West.[6]

The city's wards were reorganized in 1881, with the addition of Fort Rouge as Ward One, and existing wards to the north of the Assiniboine River being reorganized into Wards Two through Six. In 1906, Elmwood was added as Ward Seven in 1906, becoming was the city's first extension across the Red River. These seven wards were collapsed into three in 1920: Wards One and Two became Ward One; Wards Three and Four became Ward Two; and Wards Five, Six, and Seven became Ward Three.[6]

Following the amalgamation of Winnipeg, the new unified Council represented 50 wards.[7][8]

History

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Early years

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Winnipeg officially became incorporated as a city on 8 November 1873, with the passing of An Act to Incorporate the City of Winnipeg by the Manitoba Legislature. Among other things, the Act outlined the essential powers for Winnipeg City Council. The Act also dictated qualifications for candidates who wished to run for mayor or alderman in the city’s first election. They had to be male freeholders or householders; natural born or naturalized subjects of the British Crown; 21 years of age or more; and resident in the city for at least 3 months prior to the election.[6]

With a total of 4 city wards—North, South, East, and West—Winnipeg's first civic election took place on 5 January 1874, resulting in the election of Francis Evans Cornish as the first mayor of Winnipeg. In addition, the city’s first elected aldermen were:[6]

  • John Byron More, William Gomez Fonseca, and Alexander Logan — North Ward
  • James McLenaghan, Herbert Swinford, Thomas Scott (resigned 12 May 1874), and John Robson Cameron — South Ward
  • W. B. Thibaudeau, Andrew Strang, and Robert Mulvey — East Ward
  • James H. Ashdown, Archibald Wright, and John Higgins — West Ward

At this time, the mayor was elected for a one-year term; this would remain until 1955, when the term of office for the mayor was changed to two years. The first Winnipeg City Council established standing committees on finance, printing, board of works, markets, fire & water, and assessment. Council subsequently began to establish itself through the passage of by-laws, with 27 by-laws being passed in the city’s first year of incorporation. After the first election, candidates were required to meet a property qualification; this requirement for alderman was abolished in 1918 and for mayoralty candidates in 1920 through a Charter amendment.[6]

The city's wards were reorganized in 1881, with the addition of Fort Rouge as Ward One, and existing wards to the north of the Assiniboine River being reorganized into Wards Two through Six. In 1906, Elmwood was added as Ward Seven in 1906, becoming was the city's first extension across the Red River. These seven wards were collapsed into three in 1920: Wards One and Two became Ward One; Wards Three and Four became Ward Two; and Wards Five, Six, and Seven became Ward Three.[6]

While the norm in the city's early years was for local elected officials to be English Protestants, there were still exceptions who won elections: Arni Frederickson (Ward 5, 1891) and Arni Eggertson (Ward 4, 1906) were Icelandic; Moses Finkelstein and Altar Skaletar (Ward 5, 1912) were Jewish; and Theodore Stefanik (Ward 5, 1911) was the first Ukrainian elected to City Council.[6]

Over a decade after the first election, in 1887, civic suffrage was afforded to women in Winnipeg, 80 of whom being eligible to vote in that year's civic election and 476 in the election of 1888.[6] In regards to holding office, however, women would not able to in Winnipeg until 1916, after which Alice A. Holling in 1917 (Ward 7) became the first woman to run for Council. (Holling lost to Alexander McLennan, 693 to 358.) In December 1920, Jessie Kirk became the first woman elected to Council, serving a two-year term on Council for Ward 2; she was, however, defeated each time in subsequent elections in 1922, 1923, 1926, and 1934.[6]

The 1920 election that elected Jessie Kirk also saw city elections begin to use proportional representation in the form of Single Transferable Voting. There were three six-seat wards, with three elected in alternating years. Each voter casting only one (transferable) vote. Usually mixed crops of councillors were elected in the multi-member wards. PR was used until 1970 for city elections. (STV was also used to elect Winnipeg MLAs from 1920 to 1952.)

The 1922 election elected Edward Parnell as mayor. He is only Winnipeg mayor to die in office, passing on June 9 of the following year.[9]

Metro Winnipeg

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In 1955, the Government of Manitoba created the Greater Winnipeg Investigating Commission to look into inter-municipal issues in the Greater Winnipeg area. The Commission took four years and concluded with the recommendation that a strong central government be formed, which resulted in the incorporation of the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg (Metro Winnipeg) in 1960.[10]

From 1960 until 1971, the Metro Winnipeg administrative system included Winnipeg and 12 other municipalities under a single metropolitan government, in a "two-tier" system in which councillors were elected through single transferable vote. In this framework, each municipality managed their own affairs, levied their own taxes, and took responsibility for local roads, water, and parks. In addition to this, however, an additional metropolitan level of government existed as well, which held responsibility for planning major roads, parks, and water and sewer systems.[11][12]: vii 

In the late 1960s, a reform model was proposed for making this system more efficient and coordinated. Under this model, the coordination of policy and administration was to be facilitated by the close cooperation of a Board of Commissioners, who would act as the senior officers of the city's civil service, and the 50-member City Council with its 3 standing committees (Finance, Environment, and Works and Operations). In order to deliver services at the local level, the city was to be divided into 13 community committee areas, with each community committee composed of the City Councillors within the given community's boundaries.[13]: 162 

Unicity

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Main article: Amalgamation of Winnipeg

On 27 July 1971, the City of Winnipeg Act incorporated the City of Winnipeg (1874–1971); the rural municipalities of Charleswood, Fort Garry, North Kildonan, and Old Kildonan; the Town of Tuxedo; the cities of East Kildonan, West Kildonan, St. Vital, Transcona, St. Boniface, and St. James-Assiniboia; and the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg into one city, commonly referred to as unicity.[7]

The unicity system replaced the two-tier metropolitan system with first-past-the-post voting.

The election of the first new Winnipeg City Council was held on 6 October 1971. A mayor and 50 coumcillors were elected. The new City came into legal existence on 1 January 1972. Beginning in 1972, the new unified Council consisted of 50 councillors, one elected from each of the city's 50 wards, and a mayor, elected by voters in the city-at-large.[7][8] The inaugural meeting of the new City Council subsequently took place in the Council Chamber of the Winnipeg Civic Centre on 4 January 1972.[14]

The number of councillors were reduced to 29 part-time councilors in 1977.[8] It was then further reduced to 15 full-time councillors in 1991 when the Government of Manitoba passed Bill 68, which took effect in the 1992 municipal election and has stayed the same for subsequent elections.[15]

List of Winnipeg City Councils

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2022–2026

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Main article: 2022 Winnipeg election
Councillor Ward
Scott Gillingham Mayor
Evan Duncan Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood
Cindy Gilroy Daniel McIntyre
Jason Schreyer Elmwood-East Kildonan
Sherri Rollins Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry
Ross Eadie Mynarski
Jeff Browaty North Kildonan
Devi Sharma Old Kildonan
Vivian Santos Point Douglas
John Orlikow River Heights-Fort Garry
Matt Allard St. Boniface
Shawn Dobson St. James
Markus Chambers St. Norbert-Seine River
Brian Mayes St. Vital
Russ Wyatt Transcona
Janice Lukes Waverley West

2018–2022

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Main article: 2018 Winnipeg election
Councillor[16] Ward Role(s)[17]
Brian Bowman — Mayor
John Orlikow River Heights - Fort Garry Deputy Mayor

Council Representative – Partnership of the Capital Region

Vivian Santos Point Douglas Acting Deputy Mayor

Chairperson – Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Heritage, Culture & Art

Kevin Klein Charleswood - Tuxedo - Westwood Councillor Responsible for Assiniboine Park Conservancy
Cindy Gilroy Daniel McIntyre Chairperson – Winnipeg Housing Steering Committee

Secretary of the End Homelessness Strategies

UN Women Safe Cities Global Initiative Steering Committee

Jason Schreyer Elmwood - East Kildonan
Sherri Rollins Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry Council Representative – Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Council
Ross Eadie Mynarski Deputy Speaker
Jeff Browaty North Kildonan
Devi Sharma Old Kildonan Speaker
Matt Allard St. Boniface Council Liaison – Francophone and Francophile Cities Network

Council Liaison – Intermodal Connectivity

Council Liaison – Labour Relations

Scott Gillingham St. James Council Representative – Partnership of the Capital Region

Council Liaison – Veteran and Military Affairs

North American Strategy for Competitiveness (NASCO)

Markus Chambers St. Norbert - Seine River Chairperson – Winnipeg Police Board
Brian Mayes St. Vital Councillor Responsible for Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Council Liaison – School Board and Youth Opportunities

Shawn Nason Transcona
Janice Lukes Waverley West

2014–2018

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Main article: 2014 Winnipeg election
Councillor[18] Ward Roles
Brian Bowman — Mayor
Jenny Gerbasi Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Deputy Mayor
Cindy Gilroy Daniel McIntyre Acting Deputy Mayor
Marty Morantz Charleswood-Tuxedo
Jason Schreyer Elmwood-East Kildonan
Ross Eadie Mynarski
Jeff Browaty North Kildonan
Devi Sharma Old Kildonan
Mike Pagtakhan Point Douglas
John Orlikow River Heights-Fort Garry
Matt Allard St. Boniface
Shawn Dobson St. Charles
Scott Gillingham St. James-Brooklands
Janice Lukes St. Norbert
Brian Mayes St. Vital
Russ Wyatt Transcona

2010–2014

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Main article: 2010 Winnipeg election
Councillor Ward Roles Notes
Sam Katz — Mayor
Jeff Browaty North Kildonan
Ross Eadie Mynarski
Scott Fielding St. James-Brooklands
Jenny Gerbasi Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry
Paula Havixbeck Charleswood-Tuxedo
Brian Mayes St. Vital Elected in by-election on November 26, 2011, following resignation of Gord Steeves.
Grant Nordman St. Charles Acting Deputy Mayor and Council Speaker
John Orlikow River Heights-Fort Garry
Mike Pagtakhan Point Douglas Deputy Speaker
Devi Sharma Old Kildonan
Harvey Smith Daniel McIntyre
Thomas Steen Elmwood-East Kildonan
Gord Steeves St. Vital Resigned in 2011 to run in the provincial election.
Justin Swandel St. Norbert Deputy Mayor (2010-2014)
Dan Vandal St. Boniface Former Deputy Mayor (2003-2004)
Russ Wyatt Transcona

2006–2010

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Main article: 2006 Winnipeg election
Councillor Ward Roles Notes
Sam Katz — Mayor
Jeff Browaty North Kildonan
Bill Clement† Charleswood-Tuxedo Died May 3, 2010.
Scott Fielding St. James-Brooklands
Jenny Gerbasi Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry
Harry Lazarenko Mynarski
Brenda Leipsic River Heights-Fort Garry Deputy Mayor (2006-2008) Died December 9, 2008.
Grant Nordman St. Charles
Mike O'Shaughnessy Old Kildonan
John Orlikow River Heights-Fort Garry Elected in by-election on March 17, 2009.
Mike Pagtakhan Point Douglas
Harvey Smith Daniel McIntyre
Gord Steeves St. Vital
Justin Swandel St. Norbert Deputy Mayor (2008-2010)
Lillian Thomas Elmwood-East Kildonan
Dan Vandal St. Boniface Former Deputy Mayor (2003-2004)
Russ Wyatt Transcona

Pre-Unicity municipalities

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Further information: Amalgamation of Winnipeg

Reeves and mayors of the municipalities within the Greater Winnipeg area prior to their amalgamation into Winnipeg on 27 July 1971.

Municipality (Type)[10] Incorporation or First election First reeve/mayor
Assiniboia (RM, city)
  • 1880
  • 1969 (City of St. James-Assiniboia)
  • William Tait (RM)
  • A. W. Hanks (City of St. James-Assiniboia)
Charleswood (RM) 1913 George Chapman
East Kildonan (RM, city)
  • 1914 (RM)
  • 1957 (city)
Fort Garry (RM) 1912 R. A. C. Manning
North Kildonan (RM) 1924 H. C. Whellams
Old Kildonan (RM) 1921 Charles A. Tanner
St. Boniface (RM, town, city)
  • 1880 (RM)
  • 1883 (town)
  • 1908 (city)
St. James (RM, city)
  • 1921 (RM)
  • 1956 (City of St. James; later St. James-Assiniboia)
St. Vital (RM, city)
  • 1909 (RM)
  • 1962 (city)
Transcona (town, city)
  • 1912
  • 1961
Tuxedo (town) 1913 Frederick William Heubach
West Kildonan (RM, town, city)
  • 1914 (RM)
  • 1921 (town)
  • 1961 (city)

Organizations under Council

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Committees

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Section 63(1) of The City of Winnipeg Charter[4] allows Winnipeg City Council the authority to establish committees of Council. Through by-law, Council is able to delegate powers, duties, or functions to a committee. Committees include standing committees and community committees.[19]

The first Winnipeg City Council established standing committees on finance, printing, board of works, markets, fire & water, and assessment. Council subsequently began to establish itself through the passage of by-laws, with 27 by-laws being passed in the city’s first year of incorporation.[6]

Each of the 15 Councillors represents a ward within Winnipeg, with three wards composing a Community Committee. The five Community Committees of the 2018-2022 period are[17]

The Winnipeg City Council has established six standing policy committees for the period of 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021, some having ad-hoc committees of their own:[17]

  • on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works
  • on Innovation and Economic Development
  • on Finance
  • on Property and Development, Heritage and Downtown Development
  • on Protection, Community Services and Parks
    • Ad Hoc Committee on Non-Essential Pesticide Reduction[20]
  • on Water and Waste, Riverbank Management and the Environment

In addition, the Executive Policy Committee is composed of Mayor Brian Bowman (Chairperson) and Councillors Matt Allard, Jeff Browaty, Scott Gillingham, Cindy Gilroy, Brian Mayes, and Sherri Rollins.[17] This Committee also includes the Ad Hoc Committee on Development Standards.[20]

Boards and commissions

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Responsibility over the management and administration of certain public services have been delegated by Winnipeg City Council to autonomous organizations (boards and commissions). These boards and commissions are appointed, wholly or partly, by Council and are granted authority either by the relevant Council by-laws or by Act of the Manitoba Legislature. A majority of these boards and commissions are composed of members of the public, as well as members of Council.[20]

As of 2021, the following are the existing boards and commissions of Council:[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Winnipeg City Hall Pamphlet." City of Winnipeg Archives, City Clerk's Department.
  2. ^ "City Hall: The Heart of Winnipeg's Decision Making". Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  3. ^ a b c City Clerk. "Mayor and City Council." City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021 June 10.
  4. ^ a b Justice, Manitoba. "File not found". web2.gov.mb.ca.
  5. ^ "Balancing for Future Growth" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "An Act of Imagination Exhibit - Pathways - Archives and Records Control - City Clerk's Department - City of Winnipeg".
  7. ^ a b c "History of City government". City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  8. ^ a b c Boyens, Ingeborg (1979-03-20). "City debates Council's wages". Winnipeg Free Press.
  9. ^ Leah, Pages from the Past, p. 140
  10. ^ a b Archives and Records Control. "More than the Sum of its Parts Exhibit". City Clerk's Department, City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  11. ^ "Forty years after its inception, Unicity is generally considered a noble failure". uniter.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  12. ^ Klos, Nancy. 1998. "The State of Unicity—25 Years Later: Conference Proceedings (October 3-4, 1997)." Winnipeg: Institute of Urban Studies. hdl:10680/1202.
  13. ^ "A CITY AT LEISURE" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  14. ^ "History of City government". City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  15. ^ Rollason, Kevin (1991-07-24). "City could save $500,000 yearly under Tory bill". Winnipeg Free Press.
  16. ^ City of Winnipeg (2020). "2018 - 2022 City Council". City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
  17. ^ a b c d "Committees of Council". Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  18. ^ Winnipeg, City of. "2014 City Council - City of Winnipeg". www.winnipeg.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  19. ^ "Committees of Council - City Council - City Clerk's Department - City of Winnipeg".
  20. ^ a b c d "Boards & Commissions - City Council - City Clerk's Department - City of Winnipeg".
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