Winnipeg construction projects may not be finished before snow comes

Winnipeg is well known for having two seasons --- there's winter and construction.

Despite the change of temperatures, we're still in the midst of the latter.

Road projects are still underway in every quadrant of the city, and some projects may not be complete before the snow comes.

This construction is having an impact on local businesses, including Dug and Betty’s Ice Creamery, which usually sees sales increase in the summer.

"We’re doing the same sales now that we would do in the winter,” said Chris Kirouac, who works at Dug and Betty’s.

The issue is what's happening right in front of the St. Boniface store, as the street is shut down for a road construction project.

Work got underway in June, and Kirouac says there's no end in sight.

"It's just been non-stop and they still have two more lanes to do so it'll probably be June 1 all the way to November 1 by the time they've done everything,” Kirouac said.

This is just one of over 200 projects underway across the city this summer.

The city says planning for this work is a multi-year process, and work is staged in such a way that it can be finished in a single season. However, some projects may need to carry over to next season.

"We’re starting our evaluation process of the status of these projects. Potentially, the projects that started later in the season might be the ones that that may need to carry over,” said Ken Allen with the City of Winnipeg.

“But again, it's too early to say. It's a bit premature."

St Boniface city councillor Matt Allard says Winnipeg could pay more to have the work completed faster or it could do more maintenance on our roads, which would reduce the number of lengthy reconstruction projects Winnipeg endures every summer.

"If we maintain our roads better, we would have to replace them less,” Allard said,

That would mean fewer businesses inconvenienced for months on end like Dug and Betty's.

"To lose your whole season -- June 1 to November 1. The whole time the snow's off the ground? It's just too much,” Kirouac said.

The city tells CTV News Winnipeg it will be a few weeks before they know for sure whether any construction projects will have to take a winter pause and start back up again next season.