A collaborative partnership between the public and private sectors will connect Winnipeg’s key centres with a weather protected skywalk corridor.

Funding of $6 million was announced today by the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State for Democratic Reform, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification; Rob Altemeyer, MLA for Wolseley, on behalf of the Honourable Steve Ashton, Manitoba Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; and Councillor Mike Pagtakhan, Point Douglas Ward, on behalf of His Worship Sam Katz, Mayor of Winnipeg.

“The Government of Canada is determined to meet Canada’s infrastructure needs to ensure that our cities and communities have the tools they need to prosper and grow,” said Minister Fletcher.  “This expansion not only meets an important need for safe and convenient access to downtown amenities, but it also supports our priorities of improving infrastructure and encouraging people to live, work and play in the heart of Winnipeg.”

“This project will energize Winnipeg’s downtown in all seasons as we provide weather protected access to entertainment, convention facilities, businesses and lodging,” said Minister Ashton. “This is a great example of three levels of government joining with the private sector to see the completion of a long held vision to connect our capital’s downtown.”

"This walkway extension, from City Place to the Convention Centre, provides an important new link to our existing weather protected system," said Mayor Sam Katz.  "This project is an important enhancement to our downtown and represents a significant investment in our City by all levels of government and our private sector partners."

The expansion will connect the existing walkway system through to the Winnipeg Convention Centre with an overhead passage from CityPlace Mall to 330 St. Mary, above Hargrave Street, and in front of the Delta Hotel connecting to the existing links at the Convention Centre and 155 Carlton.

The addition of this link will complete an important loop of the weather protected walkway system designed to facilitate pedestrian traffic and provide an indoor passage between the Convention Centre, the MTS Centre, the Millennium Library and all the way to Portage and Main.  It meets an important need for safe, convenient access to downtown amenities and supports the priorities of improving infrastructure and encouraging people to visit and live downtown.

The walkway expansion will be funded by a $6 million contribution from the WPA, a private sector contribution of $2.4 million provided by CityPlace, the Delta Hotel, and LaSalle Investment Management, the owners of 330 St. Mary and additional city funding of $321,300.

The walkway extension was designed by Number Ten Architectural Group of Winnipeg. Construction of the walkway will begin in the spring of 2009 and work is expected to be completed by late spring of 2010.

The funds announced today come from Component III – Downtown Renewal of the Winnipeg Partnership Agreement. Since 2004, more than $20.0 million has been committed to downtown improvements under Component III of the agreement, representing some 25 projects.

The Winnipeg Partnership Agreement (WPA) was signed in May 2004 by the three levels of government and funded with $75 million based on equal contributions of $25 million from the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg.

Now in its final year, the Winnipeg Partnership Agreement has committed virtually all of it’s funding. The WPA has provided support to more than 220 projects that have strengthened the fabric of Winnipeg’s communities by identifying means for increasing community capacity, renewing the downtown and older residential neighbourhoods, improving opportunities for urban Aboriginal peoples and encouraging sustainable economic development through innovation and technology. WPA funding has levered an estimated $60 million in other investment.

For more information, contact:

Francine Lefebvre
Regional Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(204) 983-6243

Graham Gork
Communications Coordinator
Communications Services Manitoba
(204) 945-5795

City of Winnipeg
Media Enquiries
(204) 986-6000