Winnipeg, MB - Mayor Sam Katz today delivered a State of the City Address focused on Winnipeg’s revitalization through recent investments in infrastructure, community spaces and private sector development. The luncheon address, attended by nearly 1,000 people and hosted by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, was punctuated with video comments from community and business leaders.
The Mayor highlighted a number of milestones and achievements reached by the City of Winnipeg in 2012. “For the first time, the value of building permits reached more than $1.5 billion - that’s an increase of 33 per cent over the previous year,” said Mayor Katz. “Just to give you an idea of how far we’ve come, that’s an increase of more than 125 per cent in the value of building permits from when I first started this journey as Mayor.”
The City is reducing red tape for businesses by adopting the National Business Number, a unique, nine-digit number identifying a business, assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency. Winnipeg is the first Canadian municipality to adopt this number. Use of the number will roll out in the City’s tax system, followed by the permit and licensing system. In addition, to improve all aspects of the permit process, the City will be hiring seven new full-time employees.
In the coming weeks, the City will launch a new online tool for residents and businesses. The Neighbourhoods of Winnipeg, or NOW, will be especially useful for businesses wanting to relocate within Winnipeg or get established here. Visitors will be able to search commercial property listings and cross-reference addresses with demographic information and information about existing services in the area.
The Mayor also spoke about the revitalization of the downtown, including the success of the Downtown Residential Development Grant Program. “It’s incredible to think that since we started this initiative, we’ve approved nearly 2,000 new units going into our downtown,” said Mayor Katz.
Investments in Winnipeg’s Sports, Hospitality and Entertainment District (SHED) are also noteworthy.
“In the last five years, we’ve seen over $1.3 billion dollars invested in this areaâ��and when the City sees new tax revenue from all this development, we’ll plow it right back into the SHED,” said Mayor Katz. “By reinvesting in development zones like this, we’ll accelerate the pace of change and create new value for investors.”
The Mayor reiterated the need to improve the condition of Winnipeg’s infrastructure and pointed to the new Local Street Renewal Reserve as the first major step in tackling the city’s infrastructure crisis. For the first time, the City is dedicating a portion of property taxes to repairing the city’s local streets, back lanes, and sidewalks.
Mayor Katz emphasized the importance of community spaces, noting that in the last eight years, the City of Winnipeg has invested $90 million in community centres and recreation facilities. “We invest in community spaces because they become the heart of the neighbourhood. Community programs have the power to change neighbourhoodsâ��and to change lives,” said Mayor Katz.
At the close of his address, Mayor Katz challenged all Winnipeggers to work together to keep re-shaping and transforming our City.
“We are drawing people from around the world to visit, to do business, to conduct scienceâ��and soon, to visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights - the world’s only museum solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights,” he said.
Fifty per cent of net proceeds for the event will be donated to two national charities operating in Winnipeg - Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. These charities were chosen for the valuable work they do in relation to exploited, abused and missing children.