Winnipeg pauses motion to reimburse businesses for construction-related losses

A motion at city hall that would have seen Winnipeg businesses potentially reimbursed for losses due to construction has been paused, leaving many disappointed.

Supporters of the now-stalled motion argue that establishing a program to help businesses in areas undergoing major construction would be beneficial for many.

One of those supporters is Andy Chanthaphonh, the owner of Vanxai’s Restaurant on St. Anne’s Road, who says the community rallied around his business when walk-in traffic stopped due to construction.

“If the community didn’t step in and help us out, make a fan page, we would have been in a pickle,” Chanthaphonh said.

“If you don’t have foot traffic, you still have to pay the bills for rent and utilities. It’s a good idea they came up with, but I think it should be executed better by implementing it.”

Coun. Sherri Rollins, who tabled the motion, says the inaction speaks to larger issues at Winnipeg City Hall.

“Businesses are feeling like no one is engaging them successfully,” Rollins said. “They’re feeling cut out from the city hall process, like their issues don’t matter. Their issues do fundamentally matter, but it is really important that we get back to a city that’s engaging their businesses and understanding that this is how we derive an income as a city.”

The motion was modelled after one in Montreal, which includes subsidies of up to $40,000 annually to cover gross profit losses greater than five per cent.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) says the pause is problematic, as the sector has been hit hard by the trade war.

“Small businesses understand that infrastructure renewal is important,” said Tyler Slobogian, a Senior Policy Analyst for the Prairies and Northern Canada with the CFIB.

“We need better roads, better infrastructure, to get from point A to point B. But often, these small businesses are to bear some of the costs of the construction work being done and some of the delays as a result.”

Scot McTaggart, owner of the Fusion Grill and chair of the Academy Road BIZ, says while more consultation from the city is needed, businesses also have a role to play. He’s not sure subsidies are the solution.

“On that schedule of things you need to do, maybe small independent operators need to spend some time volunteering for their local BIZ, volunteering in ways to get their voice heard by council,” McTaggart said.

“If you don’t tell your story, council is just going to guess.”

In a statement to CityNews, Mayor Scott Gillingham said, in part, while he understands construction is tough, the city is helping business by spending the most in Winnipeg’s history fixing roads.

“I think the best way to help businesses, commuters, and residents is simply getting the job done faster,” Mayor Gillingham said. “We need to get in, do the work, and get out. That is why the 2026 budget adds $4 million for quick ‘mill and fill’ projects, so we can get traffic moving again fast.”