Frontrunners make major pledges as Winnipeg mayoral campaign ramps up

WINNIPEG — It’s an ambitious announcement Brian Bowman hopes will help make him Winnipeg’s next mayor.

The Winnipeg mayoral candidate promised Tuesday to complete all six planned rapid transit routes by 2030.

On top of finishing the rapid transit plan, Bowman wants to build up Park and Ride locations with stores and add WiFi to all buses.

Bowman didn’t put a price tag on the project.

The promise is starkly different from the approach of another front-running right-of-centre candidate.

Early in the campaign, Gord Steeves said he would scrap the $600-million extension of rapid transit to the University of Manitoba and spend the money elsewhere.

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At his own campaign event shortly after Bowman’s announcement , Steeves said in order to finish all six phases of rapid transit, property taxes would have to jump 50 per cent.

Steeves made a tax-freeze promise Tuesday in front of rival Judy Wasylycia-Lies’ campaign office.

“I am sounding the alarm bell because more tax hikes are coming under Judy Wasylycia-Leis on the backs of people,” Steeves said.

He said he chose to hold his event outside Wasylycia-Leis’ office to “frame the debate.”

Steeves said while he will freeze taxes, Wasylycia-Leis will raise them 12 per cent.

“In my opinion, property taxes hurt the citizens of Winnipeg … more than they help the city,” Steeves said.

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For her part, Wasylycia-Leis unveiled Tuesday what she dubbed her four commitments to Winnipeg.

If the frontrunner is elected mayor — recent polls suggest she has the greatest support from decided voters — she pledges to fix city hall by creating an independent watchdog.

Wasylycia-Leis also wants to fix crumbling infrastructure and protect city services, but she has not put forward a clear plan on how that will be done.

She says she will create opportunities to keep young people in Winnipeg but again didn’t specify how that would happen.