Winnipeg mayoral race is ramping up with more campaign announcements
Posted September 11, 2026 5:35 pm.
Last Updated September 12, 2026 11:18 am.
The Winnipeg mayoral race is ramping up, with a pair of campaign announcements Friday, one from the incumbent and another from a challenger, as election day is less than seven weeks away.
“I will commit $20 million from the City toward a new $60 million community recreation asset renewal fund. We’ll put the city’s third share and seek investments from the provincial and federal governments, and private donors as well when appropriate, to repair and renew community centres and recreation facilities across Winnipeg,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.
In addition, Gillingham says if re-elected, each year the city will renew two aging sports fields with artificial turf.
“Artificial turf can handle heavier use, extend the playing season and give community teams a more reliable place to play,” said Gillingham.
DON WOODSTOCK – MAYORAL CANDIDATE
Mayoral candidate Don Woodstock has also been campaigning heavily to improve support for recreation and youth sports programming.
He says his plan involves absorbing water and sewage costs for community centres under the city’s budget, and recognizing community centres as essential services to open up access to provincial and federal funding.
“He (Gillingham) has gutted them, he has put them under so much pressure, and now that it’s an election he’s going to offer [this] to them? I hope the voters reject him,” said Don Woodstock, a mayoral candidate.
“All the centres, fully funded, fully volunteered back in the day, it can be done if we have a partnership arrangement with these folks instead of doing exactly what the mayor has been doing over the last four years, did nothing more than gut it to wait until the election to make promises.”
Meanwhile, candidate Kevin Klein says while support for recreation infrastructure is important, he wants to focus his yet-to-be-released platform on what he says are more pressing issues.
“We’re paying more for water, we’re paying more for waste collection, crime is getting out of control, downtown is not safer, our transit system we hear from people is not efficient and certainly not safe, these are the issues that I want to fix for Winnipeg and what I will fix for Winnipeg if I’m elected Mayor,” said Klein.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Mike Vogiatzakis made a promise Friday to streamline city communications, replacing 3-1-1 with what he says will be a more direct and reliable communication hub.
“When possible, the communication hub will connect you directly to a designated representative from the correct department, so if you want to get a hold of water works, you will get a hold of water works directly, if you want to get a hold of somebody regarding a pot hole, you will get a hold of something immediately,” said Mike Vogitzakis, a mayoral candidate.
The municipal election goes on October 28.
