Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 31, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba FRIDAY OCTOBER 31, 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 City pushing forward with Route 90 projects A MASSIVE project is moving forward to expand Kenaston Boulevard and replace key infra- structure around it, despite some con- cerns it won’t have a lasting impact on the area’s traffic-snarling congestion. On Thursday, city council voted 11-2 in favour taking the first steps to begin the plan next year, with construction to begin as soon as 2028. The proposal would earmark $5 million to start prop- erty acquisitions and set early planning to begin in 2027, pending approval in the city’s 2026 budget. “The Route 90 projects, plural, are all about the potential of Winnipeg. It’s all about… unlocking our future potential as a city,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, deeming the boulevard a critical trade route. The mega project would widen Kenaston-Route 90 to offer three lanes in each direction between Taylor and Ness avenues. It would also replace the St. James bridges, separate aging pipes to reduce combined sewer overflows and add active-transportation pathways on both sides of Kenaston. It’s expected to cost $614 million, plus $143 million in interest, if the city funds it entirely through debt. In her first city council meeting after winning last Saturday’s Elmwood-East Kildonan ward byelection, Coun. Emma Durand-Wood joined Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) in opposing the project. “It’s just a very unaffordable project that takes away resources from other priorities that we have in the city,” said Durand-Wood. She said the city should instead focus its limited funds on expanding public transit and active transportation. “There’s ways that we can (improve transportation) without just adding more car lanes,” she said. Couns. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge- East Fort Garry), Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) were absent from the meet- ing and the vote. City council’s chairwoman of public works said widening the street is es- sential for promptly delivering goods throughout the city. “Transportation is the backbone of our economy, so we need to move people and we need to move goods. And the Route 90 (expansion) is doing all of that,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waver- ley West). The decision comes after members of the Transportation and Land Use Co- alition urged councillors to reject the project. During Thursday’s council meeting, coalition member Tim Fennell argued the city simply can’t afford the Kenas- ton overhaul and shouldn’t “saddle” future generations with paying off the tab. “It’s a lot of money we’re talking about here… We’re planning to pay for it over 30 years,” said Fennell. Critics argue more Kenaston lanes won’t cure congestion, while costs also a concern JOYANNE PURSAGA ● KENASTON, CONTINUED ON B2 Trustees want say in school zone redesign TRUSTEES are calling on Winnipeg City Council to redesign 30 km/h school zones to better protect every- one who lives, learns and works in their wards — and they want a say in an infrastructure makeover. For Ryan Palmquist, an active cyc- list, dad and first-term trustee, road safety is both a passion and frequent source of frustration. His son’s trek to École Varennes serves as a daily reminder of why he remains committed to the cause. “My oldest son crosses a crosswalk — every single day, twice a day, to go to school — where a kid died,” the father of three said. On Feb. 13, 2018, an eight-year-old boy was struck by a motorist when he was crossing Ste. Anne’s Road at Va- rennes Avenue. Grade 3 student Surafiel Musse Tes- famariam’s death resulted in signifi- cant upgrades at the intersection. No charges were laid. The tragedy and others like it are what motivated Palmquist to mount a 2022 campaign for Ward 3 trustee in the Louis Riel School Division. In the lead up to the last munici- pal election, he went door-to-door to promise voters he’d lobby for safer streets and learn-to-swim programs. Palmquist, who was previously an executive assistant for Coun. Matt Al- lard (St. Boniface), a well-known sup- porter of active transportation, made good on both promises this fall. The Louis Riel School Division board unanimously approved his mo- tion to ask metro boards to join forces to demand more inter-governmental collaboration so they are regularly consulted on “matters of traffic safe- ty in and around schools.” The Manitoba School Boards Asso- ciation is gathering trustees in Region 5 — seven boards inside the Perim- eter — on Saturday to short list their priorities for 2025-26. If Palmquist’s motion is deemed a priority, it will be brought to the asso- ciation’s 2026 annual general meeting of 38 boards. Also this weekend, attendees will vote on whether they should appeal to all trustees in Manitoba to petition higher levels of government to estab- lish 30 km/h as the default speed limit on all residential streets. City hall’s special liaison for school boards has heard from multiple board chairs with concerns about school speed zones since Labour Day. Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Doug- las) has asked trustees if they are in favour of 24-7, year-round reduced school speed zones — a proposal she received from the Winnipeg School Division last month. “School properties and nearby amenities are active well beyond those restricted hours,” Santos wrote in an Oct. 9 letter to board chairs. “Children, families and seniors regularly use these spaces — wheth- er it’s teens attending after-school programming offered by the city or the school division, families visiting playgrounds during summer holidays, or seniors walking or cycling around school areas for recreation and exer- cise.” Santos is set to meet with board chairs to discuss the subject next week. The Free Press’ ongoing investiga- tive series on school zone safety has revealed the 30 km/h limit in place to protect students has not reduced traffic violations. Move to make 30 kilometres per hour the residential default speed also on the table MAGGIE MACINTOSH BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Ryan Palmquist was motivated to mount a 2022 campaign for Ward 3 trustee in the Louis Riel School Division after tragic crosswalk deaths. LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS A proposal seeks to have school zone speed limits in force 24 hours a day. ● SPEEDS, CONTINUED ON B2 ‘I have seen enough to support this effort’: rabbi Security hire hailed by local Jewish community SCOTT BILLECK LOCAL Jewish leaders are welcoming the appointment of a regional security director for Manitoba and Saskatch- ewan, calling it a vital step amid rising antisemitism across Canada and within their own communities. Earlier this week, the Jewish Federa- tion of Winnipeg announced the hiring of William Sagel as its regional com- munity security director for the two Prairie provinces — a move the organ- ization describes as a co-ordinated, pro- active approach to community safety. That announcement comes as wel- come news to local leaders. “I wholeheartedly endorse this move, and in my short time in Winnipeg, I have seen enough to support this kind of effort,” said Rabbi Carnie Rose, senior rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Rose, who recently returned to Win- nipeg after serving as leader of a con- gregation in Cleveland, said he encoun- tered antisemitism first-hand during rallies in River Heights supporting the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza before a re- cent ceasefire was declared. “People were shouting out some pretty not-nice things about Jews and Israel… that the Nazis should have finished the job,” Rose said. He said Jews have been targeted both locally and abroad and, understandably, feel they need more protection. During his time in Cleveland, Rose said strong security measures were standard in Jewish communities. After a series of attacks on rabbis in that city, security personnel accompanied him on his walk home from synagogue. “It happens, and it happens almost everywhere Jews live,” he said. “It’s just our reality. So if the community has come to a place where they feel this is something we need to do, I trust them implicitly.” ● SECURITY, CONTINUED ON B2 BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Shaarey Zedek Rabbi Carnie Rose says he has experienced antisemitism during his short time in Winnipeg and agrees with the move. ;