Small Business, Local Jobs & Strong Neighbourhoods

SUPPORT LOCAL. CREATE JOBS. STRENGTHEN NEIGHBOURHOODS.

Small businesses are the backbone of our neighbourhood economy.

They create jobs, support local families, sponsor community events and keep our commercial streets active. They include family-owned restaurants, neighbourhood grocers, barbers, auto shops, tradespeople, coffee shops, professional services, home-based businesses and independent retailers.

When local businesses succeed, neighbourhoods become stronger.

When storefronts remain empty, permits take too long, streets feel unsafe, construction blocks customer access and small operators are overwhelmed by costs and red tape, the entire community is affected.

Mynarski and the North End include some of Winnipeg's oldest and most important commercial corridors. Main Street, Selkirk Avenue, McPhillips Street, Mountain Avenue, Arlington Street, Jefferson Avenue and the neighbourhood shopping streets around them connect residents with jobs, food, services and community life.

Our goal is practical.

• Support existing local businesses and help new entrepreneurs navigate City systems.
• Create stronger commercial corridors that are safe, accessible and welcoming.
• Reduce unnecessary delays involving permits, licences and City processes.
• Protect customer, employee and delivery access during road and infrastructure projects.
• Expand fair opportunities for smaller local firms to compete for City work.
• Connect employers with youth, apprentices, newcomers, Indigenous residents and people rebuilding their lives.
• Bring vacant storefronts and underused commercial buildings back into productive use.
• Measure whether City programs are producing results and report back publicly.

Business owners and residents have raised many of the same concerns repeatedly.

• Small operators often struggle to determine which City department is responsible for a permit, licence or property issue.
• Incomplete information is sometimes identified late, causing delays and added costs.
• Owners want clearer timelines and a person they can contact when a file stops moving.
• Safety concerns, vandalism, graffiti, theft and disorder can discourage customers and shorten business hours.
• Older commercial buildings can be difficult and expensive to repair, modernize and make accessible.
• Vacant storefronts and neglected commercial properties weaken confidence in an entire block.
• Road construction, bridge closures, detours and parking restrictions can make businesses difficult to reach.
• Delivery vehicles and customers need practical loading, parking and access arrangements.
• Many established owners are nearing retirement and do not know who will continue their businesses.
• Home-based and newcomer entrepreneurs often need simple, plain-language guidance before expanding.
• Small firms can find City procurement complicated or designed around contracts too large for them to compete for.
• Businesses want support that reaches older commercial areas, not only downtown or newly developing neighbourhoods.
• Owners want City incentives, grants, BIZ programs and improvement funding measured by results.
• Residents want more markets, street events and active storefronts that bring people into neighbourhood commercial areas.
• Businesses need better communication before and during emergencies, major construction and prolonged service disruptions.

Business owners are not asking City Hall to run their businesses for them. They are asking for fair rules, clear information, safer commercial areas, reasonable access and a City that responds when municipal systems are holding them back.

My approach will focus on supporting existing businesses, creating local opportunities, reducing unnecessary barriers and holding City systems accountable.

The City cannot guarantee that every business will succeed. It can make sure that permits are understandable, construction is communicated properly, commercial streets are maintained, public spaces are safer and smaller firms have a fair opportunity to compete.

Retaining an established business can be just as important as attracting a new one. Long-time owners have invested in our neighbourhoods, employed local residents and supported community organizations. They should not be ignored while City Hall focuses only on new announcements.

I will work with businesses along and around Mynarski's commercial corridors, the North End BIZ, community organizations, residents and City departments to identify barriers and push for practical solutions.

Support local. Create jobs. Strengthen neighbourhoods.

• Hold regular small-business roundtables in Mynarski.
• Meet directly with business owners, workers and commercial-property owners.
• Track recurring concerns involving permits, licences, safety, construction, parking, loading, graffiti and City services.
• Help business owners identify the correct City department and request updates when files are delayed.
• Bring recurring business concerns to City administration and Council.
• Work constructively with the North End BIZ and commercial-area organizations.
• Review major construction plans affecting business access and request practical mitigation measures.
• Advocate for clearer permit and licensing processes.
• Support appropriate redevelopment of vacant and underused commercial properties.
• Promote fair opportunities for smaller local businesses to compete for City contracts.
• Connect businesses with existing training, mentorship and employment programs.
• Request reports on whether business-support programs are reaching older and underserved commercial areas.
• Report back publicly on progress, delays, decisions and unresolved concerns.

• Clearer permit and licence requirements, checklists and processing expectations.
• Earlier notice when applications are incomplete or additional information is required.
• An identifiable City contact for complicated small-business files where practical.
• Public reporting on permit and licensing performance.
• Meaningful small-business tax relief and regular review of municipal fees and eligibility rules.
• Consultation before significant fee changes affecting small businesses.
• Better coordination among planning, permits, Public Works, Transit, parking, fire prevention and bylaw services.
• Improved commercial-area lighting, cleanliness, accessibility and graffiti response.
• Practical construction-access plans for customers, employees, deliveries and emergency services.
• Responsible reuse of vacant storefronts and underused upper floors.
• Fair, open and transparent procurement processes that give smaller firms a reasonable opportunity to compete.
• Commercial-corridor investment based on need, measurable results and neighbourhood equity.
• Regular public reporting on incentives, improvement programs, procurement participation and commercial vacancies.

• Current provincial skills-training, apprenticeship and workforce-development partnerships.
• Support for employers creating paid training and apprenticeship opportunities.
• Programs that help newcomers and Indigenous residents connect with employers and entrepreneurship supports.
• Provincial participation in commercial revitalization and community economic-development initiatives.
• Coordination on labour shortages, emergency preparedness and business resilience.
• Support for employment pathways for people recovering from addiction, leaving homelessness or rebuilding after justice-system involvement.
• Clear public information about provincial business, training and financing programs.

• Federal community economic-development and entrepreneurship funding where available.
• Fair access for Winnipeg and North End organizations to federal business-support programs.
• Partnerships supporting newcomer and Indigenous entrepreneurship.
• Federal procurement information and opportunities for smaller businesses.
• Workforce, immigration and skills partnerships that respond to local employer needs.
• Support for energy efficiency, accessibility and climate resilience in older commercial buildings.
• Transparent reporting when federal funding is requested, approved or delayed.

Support local. Buy local. Keep local dollars local.

Every dollar spent at a neighbourhood business helps support local jobs, families, suppliers and community organizations. Local businesses are also more likely to sponsor teams, events, fundraisers and neighbourhood initiatives.

The City must follow trade agreements and maintain open, fair and transparent procurement. Supporting local does not mean guaranteeing contracts to one company or excluding fair competition.

It does mean removing unnecessary barriers, making opportunities easier to understand and ensuring smaller Winnipeg businesses have a fair chance to compete whenever operationally practical, cost-effective and legally permitted.

• Promote neighbourhood shopping campaigns and local-business directories.
• Encourage City departments and community organizations to consider local suppliers where legally and practically permitted.
• Provide clearer information about upcoming City procurement opportunities.
• Offer procurement-information sessions for smaller businesses.
• Track whether local and smaller firms are participating in City bidding opportunities.

Opening a business is difficult. Keeping one open for years can be even harder.

The City should help owners understand municipal requirements without creating duplicate programs where effective services already exist.

• Provide plain-language information on permits, licences, zoning, inspections and City fees.
• Improve access to multilingual information for established owners and new entrepreneurs.
• Connect entrepreneurs with existing organizations offering bookkeeping, insurance, financing, marketing and business-planning support.
• Support mentorship between experienced owners and new entrepreneurs.
• Help home-based businesses understand what is required to expand into commercial space.
• Recognize the needs of family-owned, newcomer, Indigenous, youth-led and women-owned businesses.
• Track repeated barriers and bring them forward for policy review.

Business succession must also be taken seriously. Many long-time owners may retire without a family member, employee or buyer ready to take over.

• Explore partnerships that connect retiring owners with potential local buyers.
• Promote information on family, employee and ownership transitions.
• Encourage mentorship during ownership changes.
• Work to retain established neighbourhood businesses whenever a viable succession is possible.

The City should act as a connector and advocate, not as a private business broker.

Mynarski's commercial areas should be places where residents feel comfortable shopping, working, eating and spending time.

Main Street, Selkirk Avenue, McPhillips Street, Mountain Avenue, Arlington Street, Jefferson Avenue and nearby neighbourhood shopping streets each have different strengths and challenges. Commercial revitalization must reflect local conditions rather than applying one citywide formula.

• Work with the North End BIZ, businesses, property owners and residents on corridor priorities.
• Review whether commercial areas outside existing BIZ boundaries receive adequate support.
• Improve lighting, cleanliness, signage, sidewalks, accessibility and customer comfort.
• Support appropriate storefront, façade and public-realm improvements.
• Promote restaurants, cafés, local services, entertainment and evening activity while respecting nearby residents.
• Support community markets, pop-ups, food events, cultural events, street festivals and seasonal shopping campaigns where permits, safety, accessibility and funding allow.
• Explore temporary productive uses for suitable vacant spaces.
• Coordinate commercial planning with transit, roads, housing and public-safety priorities.

Businesses cannot succeed when owners, employees and customers feel unsafe or cannot comfortably reach the door.

Priority #1 contains my broader public-safety strategy. Priority #5 focuses on how safety, accessibility and the condition of commercial areas affect business confidence and local employment.

• Improve lighting and visibility around commercial areas.
• Track repeated vandalism, graffiti, theft, intimidation and disorder affecting businesses.
• Strengthen coordination among businesses, Winnipeg Police Service, Winnipeg Transit, the North End BIZ and community safety organizations.
• Improve graffiti and litter response in priority commercial areas.
• Review existing security, storefront and accessibility programs and whether underserved areas receive fair access.
• Encourage practical Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design measures where appropriate.
• Improve accessible parking, sidewalks, curb cuts and entrances where municipal systems are involved.
• Recognize that commercial-property insurance challenges may be affected by fire risk, vacancy, vandalism and building condition, even though the City does not control private insurance prices.

Business owners deserve to understand what the City requires, what the process will cost and how long it is expected to take.

Reducing unnecessary red tape does not mean removing building, fire, health, accessibility or neighbourhood protections. It means making the rules clear, consistent and efficient.

• Create clearer checklists before applications are submitted.
• Identify missing information as early as possible.
• Publish realistic processing targets and performance results.
• Improve communication when a file is delayed.
• Review unnecessary duplication among City departments.
• Provide one identifiable contact for complex files where practical.
• Protect meaningful small-business tax relief and review whether eligibility rules remain effective as costs and assessments change.
• Review municipal fees and require clear explanations before significant increases.
• Provide reasonable notice and consultation before policy changes take effect.
• Report publicly on recurring delays affecting business openings, expansions and renovations.

I will not promise that one councillor can unilaterally reduce every business tax or fee. I will advocate for fair, predictable costs and evidence that City charges are necessary and producing results.

Road work, utility projects, bridge closures, parking restrictions and detours can have a serious effect on local businesses.

Construction is sometimes necessary. Poor communication and preventable access problems are not.

• Provide earlier notice of major work.
• Publish clear and realistic project timelines.
• Identify a project contact for affected businesses.
• Create practical access plans for customers, employees, deliveries and emergency services.
• Coordinate temporary parking, loading zones, transit stops and detours.
• Use clear temporary signage showing that businesses remain open and how to reach them.
• Provide regular updates when schedules change.
• Review practical options to reduce the effect of prolonged City construction.
• Conduct post-project reviews of major business impacts.
• Consider rail crossings, freight routes, truck access and industrial-commercial activity where they affect local employers.

This is not a promise of automatic compensation. Any financial program would require evidence, eligibility rules, legal review, budget authority and Council approval.

Vacant commercial buildings do more than sit empty. They reduce activity, weaken confidence, attract vandalism and can become safety risks.

The City should distinguish between responsible owners actively working toward redevelopment and owners who allow properties to remain neglected for years.

• Identify long-term vacant storefronts and underused commercial buildings.
• Track why properties remain empty and what City barriers may be involved.
• Support responsible owners pursuing legitimate redevelopment.
• Hold negligent owners accountable through appropriate enforcement.
• Help connect entrepreneurs with available commercial spaces where practical.
• Encourage safe and appropriate reuse of empty upper floors for housing, offices or community uses.
• Ensure redevelopment considers zoning, fire safety, accessibility, parking, infrastructure capacity and neighbourhood input.
• Report publicly on priority commercial properties and redevelopment progress.

Mixed-use buildings can bring more residents close to local shops, add housing and create activity beyond normal business hours. They must be developed safely and appropriately.

City procurement must remain open, competitive, transparent and legally compliant.

At the same time, City processes should not unintentionally exclude smaller businesses that could provide good value and reliable service.

• Review barriers that prevent smaller firms from bidding on City work.
• Break suitable contracts into smaller components where operationally practical, cost-effective and legally permitted.
• Improve plain-language information about bidding requirements.
• Offer procurement workshops and advance notice of suitable opportunities.
• Review and improve payment timelines for small contractors where practical.
• Report on participation by local and smaller firms where reliable data is available.
• Promote fair opportunities for Indigenous, newcomer, women-owned and youth-led businesses.
• Protect competitive pricing, quality, safety and public accountability.

I will not promise that City contracts will automatically be awarded to Winnipeg companies. I will push for fair opportunities and transparent rules.

Strong local businesses create opportunities for residents to earn income, develop skills and build stable lives.

Priority #6 will focus more broadly on youth development and opportunity. Priority #5 focuses on the role of employers, training partners and local economic development.

• Connect employers with youth employment, mentorship and first-job programs.
• Encourage paid work experience rather than unpaid labour.
• Support apprenticeships and pathways into skilled trades.
• Work with colleges, unions, community organizations and employers.
• Promote employment opportunities for newcomers and Indigenous residents.
• Support pathways for people recovering from addiction, leaving homelessness or rebuilding after justice-system involvement.
• Encourage employers receiving public support to demonstrate community benefits where appropriate.
• Track jobs and opportunities supported through partnerships without claiming that one councillor created every position.

Businesses need reliable information and coordination during emergencies and major disruptions.

• Improve communication during floods, storms, power outages, major fires and extreme weather.
• Coordinate information during prolonged road or bridge closures.
• Support emergency access and delivery planning.
• Connect businesses with available resilience and recovery resources.
• Encourage basic emergency and continuity planning.
• Include older commercial areas in climate-resilience and infrastructure planning.
• Promote practical digital security and cybersecurity awareness through existing partners.

Some outcomes can be reported directly by the councillor's office. Others require City data or are influenced by wider economic conditions. I will distinguish between them honestly.

Measures my office can directly report:

• Small-business roundtables held.
• Businesses and workers consulted.
• Concerns received and referred to City departments.
• Delayed files followed up.
• Construction meetings and access concerns tracked.
• Responses received from City administration.
• Public reports issued on progress and unresolved concerns.

Measures requiring City data:

• Permit and licensing timelines.
• Graffiti and litter response times.
• Procurement participation by smaller firms.
• Use of tax credits and improvement programs.
• Commercial vacancy and storefront occupancy information where available.
• Construction schedule and access performance.
• Participation in BIZ, accessibility, storefront and security initiatives.

Broader indicators I will track and report on without claiming direct control:

• Businesses opening and closing.
• Existing businesses retained.
• Commercial occupancy trends.
• Jobs and apprenticeship opportunities supported through partnerships.
• Business confidence and satisfaction.
• Businesses remaining open during or after major construction.

I will report on trends and explain what City action may be helping or holding businesses back.

I know what it means to start and operate a small business.

I built Mr. Bones Pizza from a small operation into a business that employed local people and served Winnipeg neighbourhoods. I understand payroll, suppliers, permits, insurance, customer service, long hours and the pressure of keeping the doors open.

As a Registered Nurse with 20 plus years of experience, a Realtor, homeowner and North End resident, I also understand that business success is connected to safety, health, transportation, housing and neighbourhood confidence.

I will not promise that City Hall can remove every challenge facing a business. I will promise to listen, help owners navigate City systems, ask hard questions, follow the money and report back.

Small businesses deserve a councillor who understands that behind every storefront are owners, workers, families and customers who depend on it.

Listen.

Report Back.

Follow the Money.

Build Solutions.

If elected, I will publicly report on:

• Small-business concerns brought to my office.
• Permit and licensing delays.
• Safety concerns affecting commercial areas.
• Vacant storefronts and redevelopment efforts.
• Major construction impacts and access plans.
• North End BIZ and commercial-corridor concerns.
• Local procurement opportunities and participation.
• Business-tax, fee and policy changes.
• Parking, loading and customer-access concerns.
• Youth employment, apprenticeships and training partnerships.
• Business-improvement, accessibility and security initiatives.
• Progress, delays and unresolved problems.

Business owners deserve to know what is happening.

They also deserve to know when nothing is happening and why.

Let's Make Change Together.