2024 has been a year filled with reflecting on our past and looking ahead to our future.
On January 19, we marked 150 years since our first City Council meeting. This milestone kicked off a year of celebration, which continues into the new year. The graphic for this special anniversary represents our city as we know it while recognizing the importance of our Indigenous roots.
We continued our commitment to reconciliation by renaming Abinojii Mikanah on National Indigenous Peoples Day. We also launched a new video series featuring the stories of local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
We also continued our work to build a more inclusive and welcoming city for all. We hosted several Speaker Series events to discuss important human rights issues. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service hosted a series of youth summer camps. We also rolled out new accessibility features on Transit buses, and formed a new partnership to help people find free menstrual products. We also have work underway to create lively neighbourhoods that are accessible, affordable, and walkable for everyone.
Creating a safe city and helping those in need is also a priority of ours. We now have safety officers patrolling our streets and Transit buses. We also increased our coordination with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership to get the right resources to those in need.
Our employees celebrated several awards this year, including a Communicator of the Year award, Celebration of Life Awards, a national social procurement award, and an award for our 2024 budget.
We are so grateful for all our employees, who work tirelessly to make Winnipeg a better place. Thank you for everything you do.
You can learn about our programs and services directly from our employees by tuning into Our City, Our podcast.
We know there is still a lot of work to do, and we look forward to working together to deliver the services you depend on.
From all of us at the City of Winnipeg, we wish you a safe holiday season and a happy new year.