Hi folks! Kate will be back in the office next week, but in the meantime, we wanted to give you an update on what our departments and front-line operations have been up to this summer, and what we are working on for the fall.
- BIZ Senior Management Team

Hi, it’s Rhiannon, Director of Policy and Economic Development.

First, I want to thank all our BIZ members who took the time to fill out our mid-year survey. Your feedback supports our advocacy and planning work, ensuring our efforts align with your top priorities. We heard public safety continues to be a top concern, which is why we acted quickly and collaboratively with our partners at DCSP to provide more ‘eyes and ears’ on our streets this summer. We will continue to provide regular updates on the Downtown Safety Action Plan and share some success stories along the way.

As we look ahead to the fall, the team is working on some exciting projects, including updates to our website to better serve our business community, and expanding our Downtown BIZ Gift Card program. Additionally, we are planning to host our final Downtown Speaker Series of the year later this fall. This event is an opportunity to hear from experts and decision-makers who share insights and plans to address the issues facing downtown. More details to come!

Hi, it’s Ken, Director of Operations.

From planting flowers, removing graffiti, providing courtesy walks and working with our partners on some exciting public art projects, our Ambassadors, Wawanesa Enviro Team and Public Realm, and Streetscape teams have been on the move this summer!

We know keeping our downtown neighbourhood clean is a top priority for our BIZ members, and our Wawanesa Enviro Team has made some impressive strides this summer. Nearly 3,000 bus shacks have been cleaned, over 930 needles removed, more than 13,200 litres of litter picked up, 2355 biohazards removed, 5650 Kilograms of bulk waste removed, and 4302 graffiti tags have been removed in four months. As part of our multi-year partnership with Wawanesa, we’ve added a new ¾ ton truck to our fleet to assist with bulk waste removal throughout downtown. Construction at Air Canada Window Park on 345 Portage Avenue is expected to begin within the next two weeks. Our Public Realm Team, along with City staff and members from DCSP and End Homelessness Winnipeg has been engaging with the community and keeping them informed about the upcoming changes. The park is expected to re-open next spring, in the meantime, the City is asking for public input on renaming of the space to be more reflective of our vibrant downtown neighbourhood and the community is serves.

Hi, it’s Olivia, Director of Marketing, Engagement and Communications (MEC).

From Farmers’ Markets to Concert Series, Dog Days, Dim Sum Tours and Movie Nights – it has been a BUSY summer events season, and the fun isn’t over yet!

Happy to share that the rain hasn’t dampened our Farmers’ Market season as we’ve had incredible growth in both public attendance and vendor participation. Averaging 1,000 folks on a weekly basis and over 30+ local vendors to shop from, our summer season continues every Thursday at Manitoba Hydro Place (both indoors and outdoors!) until September 12. Last week, over 600 people joined us for our first of two Downtown Family Movie Nights, presented by the WCB. Be sure to join us this Friday for a magical night of family fun under the stars, as we feature Wonka on the big screen at Bonnycastle Park. The response for our Chinatown and Dim Sum Tours has been incredible this summer, welcoming participants from as far as the United States and Europe! We have two dates left this year, one in September and October, but act fast, as tickets typically sell out within minutes of going on sale!

We know having more events downtown drives economic activity and improves public perception and safety. We’re excited to support a dozen third-party events coming up this fall through our Host It Downtown grant – stay tuned for a list of what’s to come. Finally, our MEC team is working on an exciting marketing campaign and contest to be launched later this fall, with the goal of creating positive conversations and fostering pride in our downtown. Building on the positive momentum we are witnessing in our community; we couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate those who are invested in moving our downtown forward.

Thank you,
BIZ Senior Management Team