One mayoral candidate crisscrossed the city to drum up support Tuesday, while another squeezed in a last-minute campaign pledge and others met with key supporters, one day before voters elect their next Winnipeg city council.
Incumbent mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham, the perceived front-runner among decided voters in the latest Abacus Data poll, planned to visit all 15 Winnipeg wards to make his final pitch to voters.
While incumbent candidates traditionally have a major advantage in Winnipeg, Gillingham stressed he takes nothing for granted.
(Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham visits Mordens’ of Winnipeg Tuesday.
“I’m the candidate with the experience, with the required partnerships with senior levels of government and Indigenous governments to continue moving our city ahead. And, so, I’m asking Winnipeggers for another term of office,” said Gillingham, who first became mayor in 2022.
He said his plan for another four-year council term would be to build on positive momentum.
“Other opponents in this race have spoken very negatively about Winnipeg and their view is really kind of ‘tear it down, start over, start fresh.’ My view is that we’ve got a lot of good going on. Yes, we have problems, but we have a lot of good going on. Let’s keep building Winnipeg together,” said Gillingham.
A 3.5 per cent property tax hike he promises to levy next year would ensure city council can keep current service levels and add investments to address population growth, he said. Gillingham pledges to keep property tax hikes within about three-quarters of a percentage point of the inflation rate for the rest of his term, if re-elected.
“I’m the candidate with the experience, with the required partnerships with senior levels of government and Indigenous governments to continue moving our city ahead.”
Kevin Klein, the runner-up in the latest mayoral poll, urged Winnipeggers who want change to avoid “vote-splitting” by not supporting any other candidates other than him that are challenging Gillingham.
“I am the only candidate who can defeat Scott Gillingham tomorrow. With 12 candidates on the ballot, vote-splitting is a real risk. A vote for any other candidate is a vote for four more years of the status quo,” said Klein.
“I am ready to move Winnipeg forward with change that makes sense. I’m asking for that chance,” he added.
Klein criticized Gillingham for raising taxes — including a 5.95 per cent hike in 2025 that marked the largest single-year increase in decades – persistent challenges with homelessness and addictions and delayed projects.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
Kevin Klein holds a media scrum at his headquarters Tuesday.
He accused the current mayor of dragging his feet on construction of the long-planned East of the Red RecPlex.
Last year, the city completed a preliminary design for that major aquatic and recreation facility, which estimated it would cost about $156 million. Construction could begin between 2028 and 2030, if council approves and funds the work, the site says.
“A vote for any other candidate is a vote for four more years of the status quo.”
Klein did not offer an exact target date for construction but said he would devise a much less tentative timeline soon, while also seeking funding from senior governments for the facility, if he’s elected.
“I would like to see construction start before the end of my four-year term,” he said.
Gillingham said the RecPlex is a priority but city council had to prioritize the $3.1-billion North End sewage treatment plant upgrade above all other capital projects in recent years.
“We’re very close to having the North End funding secured. And then we move to the other projects,” the incumbent said.
Gillingham described raising taxes as necessary to properly fund city services and said Winnipeg is making strides to deal with its challenges, including attracting more housing.
“Winnipeg is growing, we’re advancing. You know, we have some momentum. So, I completely, completely dismiss Mr. Klein’s erroneous comments,” he said.
Klein also shared a new pledge Tuesday, promising to alter prices for city recreation programs.
His plan would remove current flat-rate discounts for seniors and instead offer reduced rates solely to those with lower incomes. He said the change would affect Leisure Guide programs.
“I want to make sure that seniors have the ability to stay connected with others, (and) they have the ability to use our swimming pools, to use our recreation facilities. I don’t want their financial position to keep them out of those,” said Klein.
He would also seek new recreation discounts for kids in low-income households.
“We’re investing in young people … There’s going to be a return on that investment, for sure,” said Klein.
He promised to complete a more detailed strategy to implement those changes within three months of being elected. Klein said removing discounts that currently apply to all seniors could help offset lost revenue due to income-based discounts, while the city could seek provincial support to reduce youth fees.
Mike Vogiatzakis and Noah Redden, who tied for third place in the Abacus poll, were also busy on the campaign trail Tuesday.
(Mike Sudoma / Free Press files)
“The people will make the choice on who Winnipeg’s next mayor will be, and I’ll be OK with it either way,” mayoral candidate Mike Vogiatzakis says.
Vogiatzakis said he was spending the day doing interviews, preparing for an election night gathering and meeting up with some of his most devoted volunteers to thank them for their work.
“My volunteer team has been just amazing. They call themselves my angels, for some reason,” he said with a laugh.
He described his feelings on Tuesday as “a little intense.”
“Either way, whatever happens, the people will make the choice on who Winnipeg’s next mayor will be, and I’ll be OK with it either way,” he said.
Redden’s campaign gained sudden momentum after the Abacus survey put him in third place with 14 per cent support, despite originally having been a lower-polling candidate.
On Tuesday, he said the numbers had generated “renewed interest” in his campaign.
“There’s been a lot more to do than in previous days,” he said.
He planned to spend Tuesday at Old Market Square in the Exchange District for a meet-and-greet with supporters and anyone with questions about his campaign before knocking on doors to speak with a few more voters.
“I’m hoping to just be visible in the area for people to come talk about the election, what they want to see in the city, and just generally be available,” said Redden.
(Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Noah Redden conducts an interview in Old Market Square Tuesday.
Mayoral candidate Don Woodstock released a costed platform Tuesday, which states there’s no need to raise property taxes under his financial plan.
Instead, the plan banks on spending $127 million less on external engineering firms and third-party contract oversight and saving $50 million a year by recycling road materials, among other changes.
Woodstock said he would freeze water and sewer rates, hire more police and firefighters to cut overtime costs and rely more heavily on city lawyers, instead of external ones.
(Mike Deal / Free Press files)
Mayoral candidate Don Woodstock released his costed platform Tuesday.
Mayoral candidate Umar Hayat promised to restore the St. Boniface Cathedral, if he’s elected.
That proposal would seek heritage grants, community partnerships, public consultation and a long-term feasibility plan to protect the landmark, which the city lists as a historical resource.
Chris Clacio, Tracey Drexler, Johnny Calderon, Joshua Pagdato, Brad Gross and Mazher Alam are all also running for mayor.
Election day is Wednesday.
-With files from Malak Abas
joyanne.pursaga@winnipegfreepress.com
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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.
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