Gillingham and Loney release platform costs; Ouellette shares homelessness plan

Two of the candidates running for Mayor of Winnipeg released their fully costed platforms on Tuesday.

Scott Gillingham and Shaun Loney both released information about how much their promises will cost residents of Winnipeg if they’re elected.

Gillingham’s platform, called “Building a Stronger Winnipeg,” sees him committing to more road repair and widening Kenaston Boulevard. He has also pledged to restore police task forces targeting gangs and repeat offenders.

Gillingham has previously said he would raise property taxes an additional 1.2 per cent, which would make the annual increase to 3.5 per cent.

“It’s never easy for anyone in elected office to say they’re going to raise taxes, but many Winnipeggers realize that it’s time to have a very real conversation, a very adult conversation, about the need to do so,” he said. “They also know that it’s time to invest in Winnipeg."

Gillingham’s full platform can be read here.

In a news release, Loney called his platform the most “fiscally responsible” out of the candidates.

“Many of my platform commitments use new and modern financing tools that will stem the need for more spending over time, and I’m not promising any grandiose or unproductive mega projects that would further burden the taxpayer for decades to come,” he said in a news release.

“When it comes to very big-ticket items like expanding regional roads without a business case to do so, I think Winnipeggers have higher priorities. We have plenty of roads to fix before we start adding more.”

Loney’s platform, which can be viewed here, includes a 3.7 per cent property tax increase to cover his platform promises.

His promises include $20 million for active transportation over four years, $2 million a year to protect Winnipeg trees and $1 million a year for reconciliation.

HOMELESSNESS PLEDGE

Robert-Falcon Ouellette also hit the campaign trail Tuesday, saying he would work to address homelessness in the city if elected mayor.

“We see it in the bus shelters and the back lanes, our parks and riverbanks, homelessness is everywhere in our city,” said Ouellette in a statement. “If you want to tell them - you can’t sleep here - we must have somewhere safe for them to stay.”

“To build the city we all want, we need the compassion and strength to address the homelessness crisis now, by expanding emergency shelters and adding transitional and affordable housing units.”

Ouellette says, if elected, he will bring Winnipeg into the Built for Zero group of communities, with the goal of ending chronic and veteran homelessness by expanding emergency, transitional and affordable housing.

He has also pledged to add 1,340 housing units within eight years based on identified needs.

ADELAKUN ON INFILL HOUSING

Idris Adelakun says if he is elected mayor, he would reform affordable and infill housing.

Part of Adelakun’s plan, released Tuesday, would see him waive the land transfer fee for first-time homeowners.

He would also modify infill zoning rules to encourage high-rise buildings in areas where buildings are limited to four storeys, and add 200 affordable housing units a year.

Election day is Oct. 26.