Dear Downtown Winnipeg BIZ Member,

On Wednesday, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, along with Exchange District BIZ, West End BIZ, Tourism Winnipeg, and CentreVenture Development Corporation, with guidance and support from the City of Winnipeg, released a new report entitled, State of Downtown: The impact of the pandemic to date (PDF).

We know how difficult this time has been for downtown businesses and now we have the data to show just how devastating the revenue and job losses really are. We watched our downtown streets empty over 15 months ago and while we’re slowly seeing vibrancy return through events like Patio Fest and the Downtown Sounds Concert Series, we still have a long way to go to get back to the downtown we know and love.

We also know that recovery doesn’t happen overnight and that we can’t do it alone. We’re continuing to have the conversations and open dialogue to gather input and solutions that will be worked into a strategy to be released this fall. We are committed to making our downtown a vibrant community once again.

State of Downtown: The impact of the pandemic to date

The report is a culmination of research and data collected over the course of the pandemic. We held roundtable discussions, gathered data through surveys and had many conversations with stakeholders. The report not only shows that downtown needs specific attention when it comes to recovery but that the whole city is affected by the state of our downtown. We can’t leave it to chance – downtown needs help.

Some highlights from the report include:

Read the full report (PDF) »

Read the news release »

What comes next – have your say

The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ along with our partners invite you to provide input in the future of downtown by taking the downtown recovery survey.

We’re working collaboratively to engage key stakeholders and the public to develop an actionable downtown recovery strategy to be released in the fall. The data collected through the survey will help to inform the strategy.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions:
204-958-4640
info@downtownwinnipegbiz.com

Thank you,

Kate Fenske, CEO
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ