Community groups propose plan for Portage Place changes
A group of local organizations is calling for a major overhaul of Portage Place mall in Downtown Winnipeg with a focus on community.
The collective of local groups is calling themselves and their hopes for the mall "A Community Vision for the Future of Portage Place."
The mix of Winnipeg non-profits, think tanks and community groups came together after a Toronto-based developer tried to buy the mall in 2019 before pulling out in 2021.
The group believes the best way to revitalize the space is to convert it into a non-profit community centre where downtown residents can gather.
"We just don't want it to be that thinking or idea that it has to be developed for the business community and ignoring the needs of the people that live here," said Reuben Garang, executive director of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg.
One of the major changes the group is calling for is the addition of affordable housing units -- something Immigration Partnership Winnipeg says the city is in dire need of.
"[Newcomer] families that come with large family size, for example. They don't find places. Sometimes they have to be split where some family members stay in one apartment and others stay in another, which is not good," explained Garang.
The group would also like to see Portage Place include a community grocery store, food bank and vegetable garden to help with food insecurity in the downtown area.
The collective is also calling for a new take on security, noting more policing in the area won't fix current issues.
"Meeting people's needs creates safety," said Andrée Forest from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "Communities are safer when everyone's needs are met, so focusing on that is a way to create safety."
The group says a community-led or indigenous peer service could also be used to help with security if the development plan is put in motion.
While formal funding hasn't been pledged for the conversion, the community vision for Portage Place says it is in the best interest of all three levels of government to invest in it.
"If governments had tens of millions of dollars to invest in this project with a private developer at the spearhead of it, it should have equal resources to promote community led development here in Winnipeg," said Josh Brandon, a community animator from the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg.
The group is now calling on mayoral hopefuls to take the reigns and make it part of their platform ahead of the Oct. 26 election.
"There's been very little engagement, very little vision for Portage Place from any of the candidates so far, but we see this as an opportunity," said Cam Scott from the West-Broadway Tenants Committee.
The plan has seen interest from area MP Leah Gazan, area MLA Uzoma Asagwara and ward Councillor Cindy Gilroy.
"In the spirit of reconciliation, the city was able to work with Southern Chiefs Organization to give new life to the Hudson Bay building and I see this as an example of what we could do with Portage Place. A community space that includes affordable housing, Indigenous and Newcomer voices are heard and one that makes the community the center of all further developments," said Gilroy in a statement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.