Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 30, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba II II The RW tax holiday is at SALISBURY HOUSE on Thursdays! No PST NoGST APPLIES AT ALL SALISBURY HOUSE FAMILY RESTAURANT LOCATIONS VALID FROM DECEMBER 19 2024 THROUGH FEBRUARY 13 2025 -THURSDAYS ONLY C ITY council has approved the highest property tax hike since the 1990s. Council cast a divided vote to ap- prove the 2025 budget Wednesday, in- cluding a 5.95 per cent property tax hike, amid failed attempts to add a business tax hike and restore a library social service hub. After a lengthy debate, council cast a final 11-to-five vote to approve the operating budget and a 10-to-six vote in favour of the capital budget. Mayor Scott Gillingham stressed the new revenue will help the city provide investments that residents deemed key priorities. “This budget is about investing in the priorities citizens of Winnipeg have told us are important to them. A safer community, through increased invest- ment in public safety, more housing,” said Gillingham. The tax hike is earmarked for gen- eral revenues as well as set priorities, including road renewal, Winnipeg Transit, police, snow removal and community safety officers that patrol buses and bus stops. Some councillors argued the cur- rent taxation plan doesn’t raise enough money to fix crumbling infrastructure and maintain services, following a leg- acy of tax freezes and relatively low annual hikes thereafter. “The municipal fabric of this city is now in tatters after 26 years of self-im- posed austerity,” said Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona). Wyatt raised an unsuccessful mo- tion to increase the business tax from 4.84 per cent to 5.84 per cent this year, which also called on the mayor to re- place a proposed 3.5 per cent property tax hike for 2026 with a pledge to levy a 5.75 per cent increase. His motion was seconded by Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry). Gillingham deemed the 2026 prop- erty tax a decision for next year’s budget and quickly dismissed a busi- ness tax hike. “For two veteran councillors to bring forward a motion today to in- crease business taxes by 20 per cent at a time where we are days away from potential tariffs and counter-tariffs is wildly irresponsible,” he said. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to add 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Canada, as soon as Feb. 1. Prior to the budget votes, some councillors complained they couldn’t get enough information to make an in- formed vote. “No one reaches out to you and no one gets back to you … It’s not really about me, it’s about having some re- spect for the people of St. Vital, frank- ly,” said St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge- East Fort Garry) tried to have the budget vote delayed, arguing an up- date to water and sewer rates should be released and factored into the fi- nancial plan before the vote. Her mo- tion also failed. Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIn- tyre) unsuccessfully tried to restore funding for the original community connections space in the Millennium Library, where a combination of com- munity safety hosts and library staff connected vulnerable people to social services. Gilroy’s motion called to divert $614,000 from hotel tax revenue to help reopen the space next year, which previous estimates suggested would cost $628,000. “I don’t understand why we are changing the things that are working. Community connections space has been this wonderful thing … We know it works,” said Gilroy. Multiple delegates lobbied council to restore community connections in its past format. “It is irresponsible for us to be pass- ing a budget that reduces services, especially in spaces like community connections … If you care about the library, we have to reinstate this,” said Michael Redhead Champagne. THURSDAY JANUARY 30, 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 ● BUDGET, CONTINUED ON B2 ● COMPLAINT, CONTINUED ON B2 WHEELS UP Cam McCann with MyTec Industry installs new banners along Osborne Street in the South Osborne neighbourhood. The banners, designed by Cato Cormier for a project with the South Osborne BIZ and the Winnipeg Arts Council, will be up for at least two years and depict snippets of everyday life celebrat- ing the unique charac- ter of the area. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Mayor Scott Gillingham says the new revenue will help the city provide investments that residents deemed key priorities. JOYANNE PURSAGA Budget with biggest tax hike in decades passes Divided city council approves 5.95 per cent bump, shoots down business tax increase MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Surgeon banned from Grace OR after nurse’s complaint SCOTT BILLECK Premier Wab Kinew says he’s concerned about an orthopedic surgeon who was once suspended for inappropriate behaviour with a patient and is now banned from operating at a Winnipeg hospital fol- lowing an arbitration ruling in October. Speaking at an unrelated news conference Wed- nesday, Kinew deferred comment to Health Minis- ter Uzoma Asagwara, who was in Halifax on Wed- nesday, but agreed that Dr. David Ames’ patients, especially his female ones, should be made aware of indiscretions involving the doctor. Ames was banned from performing surgery at Grace Hospital following a probe by an arbitrator last year who looked into a sexual harassment com- plaint from a co-worker. The 37-page ruling was not made public by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Arbitrator Freda Steel revoked Ames’ hospital privileges at the Grace after a complaint filed last February alleged four incidents of “unwanted” ver- bal sexual harassment that “humiliated” a regis- tered nurse at the hospital between 2023 and 2024. Steel concluded “it was more probable than not that Ames made the comments as alleged.” She found Ames’ testimony inconsistent and not as dir- ect, with his narrative changing over time. Ames was previously suspended for six months in 2022 by an inquiry panel after sending a photo of a penis to a woman who saw him for double hip replacement surgery. A sign posted Wednesday at Ames’ Fort Whyte Orthopedics practice noted he must have a female attendant present when he sees female patients. The nurse, who was only referenced by her initials in the ruling, said she had thoughts of self-harm and worried she would run into Ames in public places. The nurse’s complaint alleged Ames made several unsolicited sexual remarks, some corroborated by witnesses, including comments about her body and that her husband was a “lucky man.” A witness testified hearing Ames comment on the complainant’s body and that any man would be lucky to sleep with her. Ames testified that he never made the comments and was shocked to learn of the complaint after be- lieving he and the complainant had a “collegial re- lationship.” Ames was suspended on an interim basis on Feb. 16, 2024, pending the resolution of the complaint. ;