In St. Boniface, both candidates running for city councillor have deep roots in the ward, but opposing ideas about its future.
Incumbent Matt Allard grew up in St. Boniface and raises his family in the ward.
Allard has been a key ally of Mayor Brian Bowman and is pitching himself as an urban voice at City Hall.
Allard said his support for a condo project along the Red River helped inform his vision for St. Boniface.
"Promoting infill and densification, promoting better transit in Winnipeg. I think that will be a big part of my mandate if re-elected this time," said the 36-year-old in an interview with CTV News Monday.
Over his term, Allard said he's most proud of his work on the 10 million dollar riverbank stabilization project, as well as money for roads and accountability measures.
Allard believes opening Portage and Main is the right thing to do for the economy and quality of life.
With the upcoming plebiscite on election day, Oct. 24, his position now is that’s up to the people.
In the next four years, Allard hopes to get a resolution on the Norwood pool, which he says is having significant issues because of a ground water problem.
"I've been working hard with the community to look at what the different options are, so certainly that's one problem I would like to see solved," he said.
Real estate agent Marcel Boille, 66, supports Jenny Motkaluk and is against opening Portage and Main. He said the intersection should stay closed so the city can direct money elsewhere.
He said the city is wasting money on bus rapid transit, and is hearing from residents living along the river and in Pointe Hébert, they don't want infill housing.
“People are leaving the city because there are no more big lots available, and whatever lots there are available ‘we want to cut them down in half,’ and nobody wants that. And that's being forced upon us," Boille said Monday in an interview with CTV News outside the home where his grandmother was born on Provencher Boulevard.
Boille was born in St. Clements and has lived in St. Boniface for 37 years.
If elected, Boille wants to ensure money goes to the community — toward projects like fixing the ice plant at the Notre Dame arena.
"All we do is study upon study, but nothing gets done so I figure the intention of the city is to shut this (arena) down and shut down the Norwood pool, and if I'm elected I'll make sure that doesn't happen,” he said.
Boille is passionate about his grandkids and said he's running to make sure St. Boniface remains a vibrant place for the next generation.
