Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 14, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba TUESDAY JANUARY 14, 2025 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM SECTION B CONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE ▼ CITY ● BUSINESS ● FOREST, CONTINUED ON B2 IN one large panel, a mother and child are bright- ened by rays of sunshine that bring a remote First Nation community to life. In a second, a person starves and struggles, hands outstretched, as black clouds roll in to blan- ket Winnipeg’s skyline. These stark, contrasting views of life are de- picted on Manitoba artist Jedrick Thorassie’s new murals unveiled Monday at 650 Burrows Ave. in Winnipeg’s North End. The darker painting represents the emerging artist’s childhood in foster care and moving to Winnipeg. The brighter work shows his hope of what life for Indigenous people can and should be. “I just hope to show people you can grow up and have a really rough life and then pick your- self up and change your life for the better,” said Thorassie, a member of the Sayisi Dene First Na- tion. He is originally from Tadoule Lake, a remote fly-in community about 985 kilometres north of Winnipeg. He grew up in foster care — most of it in Thomp- son — which he said was tough. It didn’t get any easier when he moved to Winnipeg, where he re- mains, he said. “I barely knew any of my family, I’ve barely been to the rez, I barely know any of my people, I bare- ly know my own language. I’ve had a really rough life,” said Thorassie. The two paintings are displayed on either side of the front door to Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad Inc. (Ndinawe), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting urban Indigenous youth. They were created to bring attention to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to action No. 66, which asks the federal government to establish multi-year funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs that fur- ther the cause of reconciliation. Thorassie said the inspiration for the work came from Ndinawe because it helps people such as him battle poverty and addiction and give them a safe space. “The people I know, I associate with, they all come from the streets, the North End of Winnipeg, so I try to show all that in my art,” he said. Thorassie was given full control over the paint- ings and his process. And while it was great to paint what he wanted, he was scared people might not understand the work or might get the wrong message, he said. “I was supposed to be an artist, this is my pas- sion. It just feels natural to me,” he said. He received help from his daughter Leah, who offered suggestions on what should be in the mural and helped him during the weeklong process to col- our in its panels. Ndinawe executive director Shanlee Scott said Thorassie’s murals offer hope to Indigenous people. “Hope based on reclaiming of identity of who we are and what’s important. It’s about belonging once again,” Scott said. Scott called it an honour for the organization to have the paintings displayed on its building. While Thorassie is still a newcomer to the Win- nipeg art scene, he said he hopes to continue show- casing new work and inspire other Indigenous art- ists. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Jedrick Thorassie’s murals are on either side of the front door to Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad Inc. (Ndinawe), a non-profit group dedicated to supporting urban Indigenous youth. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Jedrick Thorassie used his upbringing as inspiration. Murals depict hope of brighter future after dark past for Indigenous artist ALEX LAMBERT T HE City of Winnipeg expects to earn millions less than it expected in one category of 2024 tax rev- enues, which would put a new strain on this year’s budget. A new financial report predicts the city will end 2024 with about $11.3 million less than it expected to earn through net taxes added, which in- cludes levies from new buildings, additions and renovations. The loss is expected to be offset by a $4.6-million boost in property tax revenues. “With all the housing starts, with all the effort in 2024, I am personally surprised to see this down as far as it is. It might be a timing issue (since many projects are approved but not yet built),” said Coun. Jeff Browaty, coun- cil’s finance chairman. “We also saw our permit and in- spection revenues down in 2024, which correlates with this.” The city originally expected to earn $17.8 million through net taxes added last year. Browaty (North Kildonan) said part of the change may be linked to Winni- peggers completing fewer home addi- tions and large renovations last year following a pandemic surge in that construction. To fill the revenue gap, the city ex- pects to transfer $6.7 million from its financial stabilization reserve to cover the missing revenue forecast, which would leave just $9.7 million in the rainy-day fund to cover the projected 2024 deficit, according to data up to Nov. 30. The deficit for the overall tax-sup- ported operating budget is now ex- pected to reach $20.5 million by the end of 2024. “If the remaining deficit of $10.8 million is not addressed through ex- penditure management practices, other revenue sources or year-end (changes), a provision will need to be included in the 2025 budget for any re- maining amount,” the report notes. Browaty said he’s hopeful the 5.95 per cent property tax increase pro- posed for 2025, along with slowing inflation rates, will help improve city finances this year. Savings to balance the books and make up for lost revenue could occur throughout this budget year, he said. The revenue loss is disappointing, Mayor Scott Gillingham said. “It’s always a concern when we don’t collect the amount of revenue we have projected as a city. However, the low- er revenue reflects the fact that there just were not as many builds in 2024 as we had anticipated,” said Gillingham, suggesting that trend wasn’t limited to Winnipeg. With 12,000 units of housing ap- proved this year, the mayor expects more development in 2025. While Gillingham said addressing any funding gaps carried over from 2024 is the first work of next year’s budget, he doesn’t expect service cuts at this point. “There’s no intent, there’s no focus right now (on) cutting. The (chief fi- nancial officer) is working on a plan to deal with his deficit,” he said. In an email, city spokesman Kalen Qually said the timing of adding prop- erties to the tax roll affects which new- er levies are counted in the “net taxes added” category, which is partly why property taxes increased as net taxes dropped. “Other things that can impact net taxes added could be market condi- tions, level of construction activity and interest rates,” wrote Qually. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga City expected to fall $11.3M short of budgeted revenue Levies from home builds, renos lower than anticipated JOYANNE PURSAGA RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Coun. Jeff Browaty (right) and Mayor Scott Gillingham say the shortfall is due to a drop in new home builds, additions and renovations in 2024. Acquisition, rezoning of Lemay Forest for new park being explored by city staff JOYANNE PURSAGA AFTER a councillor’s call to expropri- ate the privately owned Lemay Forest in St. Norbert, city staff will study the idea of rezoning the land for a new park. Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) told council’s property and development committee Monday that despite some concerns, he would support the city’s expropriation of the contentious urban forest. “I’m a believer in private property rights. I do this very reluctantly, the idea of moving to expropriate,” said Wyatt. However, the city needs to take action, he said. In recent weeks there have been tense standoffs between work crews hired by the property owner to take down trees and area residents opposed to any development on the land owing to its importance as an animal habitat. Tochal Development Group proposed a 2,500-unit assisted-living facility for the site, arguing it would provide much-needed housing. City council re- jected the proposal in September and the Manitoba Municipal Board is ex- pected to hear an appeal of that decision next month. The battle has sparked legal chal- lenges from both sides. Recently, some opponents began camping out to block an access point to the land and prevent tree-cutting. “I think that this shows that the city is interested in the land. Hopefully, it will send a signal to the property owner that we’re serious, that we’re looking at this,” Wyatt said. He raised the successful motion Mon- day to have city staff study land acquisi- tion and rezoning options for Lemay for- est and report back on the matter in 30 days. He didn’t specifically include the word expropriation in the motion. The committee ordered the report, though Coun. Sherri Rollins voted against it. “The first aspect of (Wyatt’s) motion proposed rezoning lands to parks, and it’s essential to note that without consent of landowners, that represents a pretty big interference with property rights,” said Rollins, council’s property and de- velopment chairwoman. The Fort Rouge—East Fort Garry councillor said she supports both new public spaces and fair development rules. “I do believe in voluntary agreements and, where we have to assemble or ex- propriate, fair compensation must al- ways be the approach,” said Rollins. ;