Outgoing Winnipeg mayor looks to city’s future in last year-end interview

As the year comes to a close, many Winnipeggers are reflecting on the highs and lows of the last 12 months, but for the city’s mayor, the end of 2021 marks something else: the conclusion of his last full year at city hall.

Brian Bowman, who has served in the city’s top job since November of 2014, previously announced he won’t be seeking re-election for a third term in 2022.

The mayor, however, told Global News he has a number of goals he hopes to accomplish before stepping down in October of next year, including securing funding for the next phase of the North End sewage treatment plant, working on the Transit Master Plan and the transformation of public transit to zero-emission buses, and obtaining a long-term contract for ambulance services from the province.

And, of course, there’s the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to worry about.

“I want to continue to lead the community during the pandemic,” Bowman said. “That’s something I’ve been doing my best … to provide clear and consistent and responsible messages to our community.

“There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty and stress in our community right now. But we’ve seen people stepping up to support local to support health-care heroes, by folks getting their vaccines, and even supporting local charities to help our vulnerable residents.

“I’ve seen the care and compassion that our community is known for on full display, and it’s something that we need to continue as we weather this most recent wave of the pandemic.”

While Bowman, 50, said his future plans don’t include becoming a career politician but he’ll continue to contribute to the city’s progress where he can, and he encourages other Winnipeggers to step up and take their shot at running for office.

“I respect everybody who has the courage to put their name on a ballot,” he said.

“I have no plans to run for elected office again at any level, but you never say never. I’ll always keep an open mind to how I can help serve the community that I love, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be serving in this role.

“When I was a kid, I never thought that I would serve as Winnipeg’s mayor. It’s been, and it continues to be, just an incredible honour.”

Although Bowman has previously said he’d rather wait until the end of his term to reflect on his legacy as mayor, he cited accomplishments that aren’t “terribly sexy,” like fixing roads, as something he’s proud of, as well as the city’s role in furthering reconciliation efforts — something he, as the city’s first mayor of Métis descent — takes very seriously.

“That’s something in particular that’s near and dear to my heart,” he said, “and I think (it’s) near and dear to the heart of Winnipeggers.

“We’re the home of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. I’m really proud of the work that we’ve been leading nationally on reconciliation and human rights … and that work should continue in our community as I know it will.”

0:45 Bowman calls on new premier to push for progress on important city files