Latest news with #RossEadie
Winnipeg Free Press
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘An immediate need': City councillor pledges funds to encampment outreach
Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie is prepared to exhaust his ward's community fund to support St. Boniface Street Links in addressing the growing encampment issue in North Point Douglas. Eadie's decision follows a letter from longtime North Point Douglas resident Howard Warren, who expressed deep frustration over what he described as the city's and province's failure to protect law-abiding citizens living near encampments. In his letter to Mayor Scott Gillingham and city council earlier this month, Warren detailed alarming encounters, including a home break-in and another incident in which someone pulled a gun on him. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) said he intends to direct approximately $45,000 to $50,000 from the Mynarski Ward Community fund to the Street Links outreach group. In response, Eadie said he intends to direct an estimated $45,000 to $50,000 from the Mynarski Ward Community fund to a local outreach group. 'I am making the decision right here to use up the rest of the Mynarski Ward Community fund balance for (St. Boniface Street Links) to deal with encampments in the Mynarski Ward,' Eadie wrote as one of his three recommendations for action. 'I shouldn't have to, as other needs in my ward need this money, but my residents have spoken.' Beyond the funding, Eadie is also advocating for the creation of 24-7 neighbourhood action teams of police officers and paramedics. These teams, he said, would proactively monitor encampment areas and directly support residents. While he acknowledges that launching such teams would require significant investment, Eadie believes they would ultimately reduce costs by helping to lower the number of encampments. He views it as a necessary step while the province works toward its Your Way Home strategy, which aims to eliminate encampment living by 2031. 'The province and city have pumped a lot of dollars into downtown for the same purposes, and it's time we considered more than downtown as we face the same problems,' Eadie wrote. 'So, I call on my political colleagues at all levels to establish these teams until we get a better handle on encampments and assisting persons living outdoors in the city.' Only 59 of approximately 700 individuals living in encampments have been housed under the plan, the provincial government said last week. Eadie is also urging the city to explore the idea of sanctioned encampment spaces to prevent people from setting up in public parks and community gardens. He also voiced his support for a recent motion from Coun. Cindy Gilroy that calls for encampments to be banned from those areas. 'I ask other politicians not to judge my decision as I am merely serving my residents,' Eadie wrote. 'For Main Street Project, this type of action will make it easier for them to provide their supports to individuals living in encampments who do have rights and responsibilities.' Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Speaking to the Free Press on Sunday, Eadie said he believes his constituents will support the reallocation of community funds toward encampment efforts. The money was initially earmarked for park renewal projects, but Eadie said he plans to use land dedication reserve funds to cover those instead. 'This is an immediate need,' he said. 'It's quite clear… there's problems all around and we need to deal with it, and actually a lot of the so-called survivor crime, like stealing metal and all kinds of stuff that happens to be a bit further north in the ward as well.' Marion Willis, head of St. Boniface Street Links, confirmed Sunday the organization is ready to focus on a project of Eadie's choosing should the funding come through. She said the group would likely need to secure an additional building to accommodate people living in encampments. Street Links lost its mobile outreach funding in late June after the city awarded a sole $275,000 contract to Main Street Project, the only outreach in the city that runs a 24-7 mobile outreach van. Scott BilleckReporter Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott. Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
18-07-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
City to allow opt-out from new smart water meters with doctor's note
City council has decided to offer special accommodations to some people who fear they would suffer negative health effects from new smart water meter signals, once the devices are installed in Winnipeg. City staff recommended no option for residents to opt out of the program. However, on Thursday, city council cast a final vote that directs the public service to 'present alternative options' for people who provide proof of a medical exemption linked to the radio-frequency transmissions emitted by the devices, such as a letter signed by a registered Canadian doctor. Coun. Ross Eadie, chairman of the water and waste committee, raised a successful motion for the change, which the majority of council supported. 'If you have that medical exemption… the antenna will be disabled, transmission will be disabled, but a smart meter will be installed … Anybody who has the antenna transmission disabled, will, every certain period, have to call in an actual reading,' said Eadie (Mynarski). The councillor acknowledged the change may require city staff to continue to provide some manual water readings, instead of having all meters read remotely following the technology upgrade. 'There (are) trade-offs for accommodating (people)… They may have to send someone in (to check the actual readings) if it looks (a ratepayer's) consumption suddenly changed,' said Eadie. The city's $135-million project to switch from manual to smart meters is expected to result in much more accurate readings and avoid sudden skyrocketing bills because of leaks. The city plans to install the new devices between 2026 and 2030. City staff have repeatedly noted that Health Canada states there are no health risks from exposure to the smart meter signals. Coun. Jeff Browaty, who voted against the exemption plan, said he believes that expert advice should be followed. 'Winnipeg city council is not the proper body to determine the safety of electronic communications technologies,' said Browaty (North Kildonan). 'If Health Canada… and the various agencies that are out there to protect us say that they are safe, I'm really not in a position to be determining otherwise.' The finance chairman said he's concerned the changes will add operating costs for the city, due to the need for some manual readings. The decision follows pleas from some residents for an opt-out program, since they blame health ailments on the transmissions, such as headaches, sleep difficulties, ear ringing and nausea. 'A lot of people get headaches and they can't sleep. And that's one of the problems with these meters is that they're in the home and people are exposed all the time,' said Margaret Friesen. Friesen welcomed the final vote on medical exemptions and urged the city to periodically check meters to ensure they aren't transmitting signals. 'I'm very happy and relieved that this has gone through. This is much needed, so it really does alleviate the stress of people who do have a medical exemption,' she said. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Higher water bills sinking in for Winnipeg homeowners
The City of Winnipeg has upped its rates for water and sewer services and people are seeing the jump in their bills. CTV's Jeff Keele reports. Bernie Lemanski rarely waters his grass, and when he does, there's not much of a yard anyway. He lives with his brother and their water usage is low. 'The only thing you do is the dishwasher, washer and dryer and a shower,' said Lemanski. So it was sticker shock when he opened his quarterly water bill from the City of Winnipeg. 'I was just flabbergasted, in shock, like I couldn't believe it,' he said. Last quarter he paid $157 dollars and this quarter the bill is $269 dollars. 'Give me a break,' said Lemanski. 'What are they thinking?' Other homeowners are flooding Facebook with comments too, many asking the same question as Lemanski. 'I'd like to know why, why they increased it that high,' he said. Winnipeg's water and waste committee chair Ross Eadie says some people missed the discussion and debate around this issue at City Hall this year. 'It is catching people off guard,' said Eadie. In March, city council approved new sewer and water rate hikes to help fund the $3 billion north sewage treatment plant. There is also a new levy. A $23 per quarter fee was eliminated, but replaced with a higher $63 per quarter waste management fee, to pay for services like garbage, recycling, green carts, yard waste and damaged carts. It's a new utility model to take the heat off property tax bills. 'For the waste management we looked at here's what the cost is, we have contractors who pick up and collect your garbage and there's all kinds of costs related to it,' said Eadie. Things could have been worse. The mayor and council rejected a proposal to jack water and sewer rates by a $1,000 a year for a family of four. Still, Lemanski says the approved rates and fees are tough to swallow. 'A lot of single parents and they're on their own and they're living on a fixed income and they can't afford this kind of increase.'
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Demolition coming for empty fire damaged building on Main Street
The vacant burnt out building that the city is looking to demolish on Main Street. Uploaded June 11, 2025. (Jeff Keele/CTV News Winnipeg) The City of Winnipeg is looking for a contractor to do a wet demolition of a fire damaged building on Main Street. Wet demolition is a process to safely remove asbestos. A fire broke out at the vacant commercial building at 881 Main St. nearly four years ago. At the time, CTV News reported it was set for demolition. Beside the building is a burnt out church that caught fire twice in the last year. Coun. Ross Eadie said the city will pay for the work and then transfer the costs to the owner's property tax bill. 'The time limit is up. (The city) gave them a grace period and now they're putting out, and they're going to hire a company. The city will pay them to do a wet demolition,' said Eadie. It's a new policy, stemming from scores of problem properties plaguing inner-city neighbourhoods, where owners are dragging their feet on cleaning them up. A mountain of rubble, which once stood on the Sherbrooke Street lot, was one of the catalysts. The pile was left over for more than two years from an apartment building fire until the city stepped in, cleaned it up, and put the cost on the property tax bill.
Global News
25-04-2025
- Climate
- Global News
Winnipeggers urged to take part in giveaway, compost and yard waste initiatives
With spring weather here to stay and May just around the corner, Winnipeg officials are encouraging residents to 'think sustainably' by taking part in the city's compost program and participating in the upcoming spring giveaway weekend. On May 10 and 11, you can leave unwanted items at the curb on your front street and browse curbs in the community to potentially bring home some treasures of your own. If you're leaving something on the curb, you're encouraged to post a 'free' sign and to put away any items in your yard that aren't being included in the giveaway to avoid confusion. Items that are unsafe or potentially infested with bed bugs aren't OK to include, the city said, as well as toilets with a flush volume of 13 litres or more. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy City council's water, waste and environment chair Coun. Ross Eadie said the popular initiative is all about reducing the amount of trash the city generates. Story continues below advertisement 'We are committed to doing our part by helping residents keep more things out of the landfill,' Eadie said in a statement Friday. 'Any resident that participates in our yard waste collection service, giveaway weekend or picking up compost from the compost giveaway, (is) helping to reduce the impacts of climate change in our city.' Compost — made from grass clippings, leaves and twigs that Winnipeggers have left out for yard waste collections — is being given away May 9, 10 and 11 at 1901 Brady Rd., the Kilcona Dog Park, and the Summit Road closed landfill site. The catch? You'll need to bring your own shovels, containers and gloves, and there's a limit of 100 litres of compost per vehicle — or approximately five pails holding five gallons each. The yard waste collection begins for the season Monday for some residents and the following week for others — and will continue every two weeks until November on the same collection day as garbage and recycling. You can find out your yard waste collection days on the city's website.
