Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 24, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba Help light up the CancerCare Manitoba building and uplift those touched by cancer. Each $100 donation represents one light that will shine in tribute of your special person this December. Only 1,250 lights available. 204.787.4143 OR VISIT ShineMB.ca in memory, in honour or in gratitude of someone you cherish. DONATE TODAY FRIDAY OCTOBER 24, 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 SUPPLIED Zekaria Selahadin SUPPLIED Carmen Prefontaine SUPPLIED Emma Durand-Wood SUPPLIED Braydon Mazurkiewich SUPPLIED Abel Gutierrez SUPPLIED Chris Sweryda SUPPLIED Kyle Roche PHOTOS BY MIKAELA MACKENZIE The race is coming to an end for seven candidates running for the position of city councillor for the ward of Elmwood-East Kildonan, as voters head to the polls Saturday. Seven candidates, top three issues T HERE is no lack of choice for voters in Elmwood-East Kildonan who will head to the polls Saturday. Seven candidates are vying to become the city councillor for the ward, replacing Jason Schreyer, who died in April. In advance of the byelection, the Free Press asked each contender to share the top three priorities they would tackle if elected and the steps they would take to do so. Braydon Mazurkiewich A candidate who has repeatedly vowed to be a “loud” voice fighting for his ward says combating crime would be his top priority as city councillor. Braydon Mazurkiewich, a 37-year- old automotive finance broker, said action must be taken to address safe- ty risks he linked to “crime campers” who live in homeless encampments, whom he linked to squatting in dere- lict housing, drug use and fires. “Crime is a huge, pressing issue here (with) the encampments on the riverbanks, the meth-head tweakers walking down the road,” said Ma- zurkiewich. When asked about his choice of words for people who are homeless and/or dealing with addictions, the candidate said he sticks by that description. Mazurkiewich noted one vacant home in the 700 block of Talbot Ave- nue caught fire twice last weekend. “We need some action. I think the crime issue is the No. 1 issue ravag- ing this community,” he said. The candidate said he would push the province to increase funding and outreach to homeless people, which he said the senior government should pay for, since housing falls under its jurisdiction. He also called for the Winnipeg Po- lice Service to reopen its east district police station to accept in-person crime reports, to ensure as many crimes as possible are counted. His second key priority would be to “scrap” Winnipeg Transit’s new primary network, which was added in June, and revert back to its previous routes, while adding more and/or larger buses to increase capacity. “I still hear every day from se- niors, workers and students that the bus system’s broken, they can’t get home (at night),” said Mazurkiewich. For his third priority, Mazurk- iewich said he would do everything possible to ensure a new Louise Bridge is built, replacing the current plan to repair it. “This bridge (has been) a symbol of neglect for this community from city hall for decades. It’s 115 years old,” he said. Emma Durand-Wood Tackling poverty to prevent crime would be the top priority for Emma Durand-Wood, if she wins the bye- lection. “The tools that I would like to support to reduce crime are really about reducing poverty. For me, that looks like doing whatever we can to increase housing … At minimum, people need a safe place to live,” said Durand-Wood, a 44-year-old commu- nity advocate and volunteer. She believes ensuring people can afford and access grocery staples should be another key part of that effort. Meanwhile, people are “crying out” for more investment to greatly boost the frequency of Winnipeg Transit service, her next priority. Since its new network of central “spine” and remote “feeder” routes came in, more riders must transfer between buses to reach their destina- tions, she noted. “The way we make transfers less painful is we increase the frequency on all routes so that you’re not having a transfer that means an extra half an hour,” said Durand-Wood. Transit recently increased the maximum time limit to 90 minutes from 75 minutes for riders to board a subsequent bus without paying an additional charge, after some riders complained the previous cutoff left transfer limits too short to complete some trips. Durand-Wood’s third pressing priority would be to push for more spending on “community and public services,” such as recreation pro- grams. “We need to make sure that we’re able to staff these places and facilities. We should be able to have swimming lessons for everybody,” she said. Spots for swimming lessons at city pools often run out within minutes af- ter registration opens, leaving many residents unable to sign up. Durand-Wood said the city could seek out partnerships, such as with school divisions, to increase the num- ber of spots available. Cancelling some spending on megaprojects, such as expansions to Kenaston Boulevard/ Route 90 and the Chief Peguis Trail, could help pay for her priorities, she said. “I think those are the sorts of things that really rob us of the ability to spend in other areas.” The overhaul of Kenaston Boule- vard is expected to cost $614 mil- lion, plus $143 million in interest, if funded solely through debt. The Chief Peguis Trail extension is expected to cost $755 million, plus $147 million in interest, if funded entirely by debt. Kyle Roche Kyle Roche hopes to ensure owners of “repeat nuisance” properties pay for the strain they create on city services, if he’s elected. Roche, 34, said pushing for the city to crack down on vacant and derelict buildings that require an excessive number of city services would be his top initial priority, if he wins the race to represent Elmwood-East Kildonan. Crime, transit, roads, affordability top of mind in Elmwood-East Kildonan JOYANNE PURSAGA ● BYELECTION, CONTINUED ON B3 New development in south St. Vital allowed to proceed Buyers beware: no wells only cisterns KEVIN ROLLASON BUYERS of new homes in a south St. Vital development will not be allowed to drill wells and will instead have to get their water from cisterns. At a meeting that stretched into the evening Wednesday, the civic appeal committee ruled the developer of 23 homes on a 57-acre property can pro- ceed, but each home must have a cis- tern. The homes are slated for 45 Da- man Farm Rd, 100 Jean Louis Rd. and 2974 St. Mary’s Rd. Residents are concerned about the addition of wells because the groundwater is sensitive to salt contamination. Michelle Olivson, one of about 120 residents who opposed the development, said she’s not sure the city’s decision will protect their drink- ing water. “It’s laughable because it is not some- thing the city can enforce,” Olivson said on Thursday. “The developer is selling each of the lots to individual lot buyers … there is no monitoring of it. It will be that residents will spy on their neighbours to find a well.” However, Coun. Vivian Santos, who chaired the committee meeting, said she believes the condition will work. “We put a condition on the variance that cisterns need to be constructed on each of the lots,” Santos said. “Develop- ers would have to pay for the cisterns to be installed. “Developers can make it a condition on the sale, and the developer would be obligated to install cisterns … I hope residents, if they choose to live out there, understand the concerns about the water out there.” The appeal committee also approved the construction of a seven-storey, 72- foot (21.9 metre) high, 115-unit, multi- family project in north St. Boniface, at Rue Aubert and Rue St. Joseph. But the committee ruled the develop- er has to hire a certified arborist to monitor a century-old cottonwood tree next door, as well as put up shoring for additional protection. Tom Scott, one of almost three doz- en residents who opposed the develop- ment, said it is taller than other build- ings, which city planners capped at 55 feet (16.8 metres), and the underground parkade opens up to the two-lane Au- bert instead of St. Joseph, which has three lanes. “This is not NIMBYism,” Scott said. “Most of the other buildings here have been supported by the community. This is not just the tree, it is safety … it just makes more sense to have the entrance (to underground parking) on St. Jo- seph.” Matt Allard, the councillor for the area who is also on the appeal commit- tee, had to leave the meeting while the matter was dealt with because he had ruled on it earlier at the local commun- ity committee. He said he understands residents’ concerns, but the area is list- ed as a high-density area. He said 25 of the units will be three-bedroom suites. Allard called the addition of residents positive for the entire area. “Every time we add more density, the Provencher Boulevard businesses benefit,” he said. “I keep seeing a more and more vibrant St. Boniface.” kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Michelle Olivson ;