Outgoing Winnipeg mayor says failing to do more to end homelessness is biggest regret

Outgoing Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says his biggest regret in office is the city's failure to make more progress to reduce homelessness.

With 10 months left to go in his second and final term in office, Bowman said far too many Winnipeggers still don't have a roof over their heads and that's partly on the city, even though housing is a provincial responsibility.

"The fact that we have far too many people living unsheltered and on our streets should be unacceptable to all Winnipeggers," Bowman said earlier this week during his final year-end interview with CBC News.

He does not intend to run again in October's civic election.

Bowman said he hopes his successor focuses on housing and homelessness.

"One of the greatest challenges that we have as a community is, how do we respond to some of the complex and acute needs that far too many of our residents face when it comes to mental health, addictions and housing?" he said.

Looking back, he said he may have made a tactical error when he supported a 10-year plan to end homelessness that did not rely upon funding from other levels of government.

"End Homelessness Winnipeg has not been as effective over the years as I would have hoped. That's on me and on others in the community," said Bowman, who earlier this year accused former premier Brian Pallister of being "missing in action" on homelessness.

Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, the former executive director for 1JustCity — which operates three drop-in centres for people who don't have housing — said she is pleased to hear Bowman reflecting on Winnipeg's slow progress to combat homelessness.

"I hope it allows people coming in to the mayoral race to recognize it as an issue moving forward," said Blaikie Whitecloud, who now works as CEO for Siloam Mission.

She said Winnipeg can do more to ensure future zoning and development agreements require the construction of more genuinely affordable housing, as opposed to building apartments at median-market rates that are still beyond the reach of many people who work full time.

The city can look to Medicine Hat, Alta., for a model of a successful community-wide plan to reduce homelessness, she suggested. 

Winnipeg and Manitoba must also consider more supportive housing and group housing for those who need more than just a roof over the heads, she said, adding she looks forward to a new provincial strategy to combat homelessness.

Bowman said he doesn't intend to relax during his final months in office. His primary focus is ensuring Winnipeg does whatever it can to protect its residents as the pandemic worsens, he said.