Downtown housing permits hit 15-year high

The city approved more than 1,000 new downtown housing units last year, marking a 15-year high, while work continues to help entice people to move to the area.

Building permits were issued for 1,040 new downtown dwelling units in 2025, nearly double the 596 issued in 2018 and greatly improved from the 141 granted during the post-pandemic slowdown in 2022, city data show.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said the permit data reflects renewed interest in developing downtown.

“Before the pandemic, Winnipeg’s downtown had a lot of momentum and now we really see that momentum is really strong again,” he said.

The head of council’s property and development committee said the permit surge is welcome news, although the city will need to assure some Winnipeggers the area is safe and convenient enough to call home.

“We already have people living downtown and the vast majority of them that live down there love the community. It’s the little pockets, whether we see not-well-lit spaces, or potentially nobody (around) for a few blocks (that need to be addressed) …We need to make sure that there’s a sense of safety in those areas,” said Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood).

Duncan said earlier work to improve safety has paid off. He noted the Winnipeg Police Service reported last May that crime in the central district, which includes downtown, dropped nearly 10 per cent in 2024 from the previous year.

“I think that people need to feel confident that downtown is safe and we are working towards that. WPS has a strong presence with foot patrol (and) crime… continues to drop,” he said.

Ensuring perceptions of safety improve may also pose a challenge, although increasing the area’s population should help address that, said Duncan.

“If we had a downtown that was bustling with… 10 per cent of your population in the downtown area, there (would probably not) be a lot of regular criminal activity going on because people (would be) everywhere,” he said.

Prior to 2025, the actual construction of new downtown homes fell short of city targets. Winnipeg didn’t meet its goal target to add 350 new dwelling units downtown in each of the previous three years. It issued just 258 permits of that type in 2024, as shown in a Winnipeg planning, property and development report released Friday.

The report suggests a gap in incentives to develop downtown homes was linked to lower unit numbers in those years, though new programs emerged to attract far more projects in 2025.

The head of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ said her agency’s housing data also predicts a surge in new homes is on its way.

“We do know that there’s about 3,000 (housing) units right now that are either under construction or being planned, so there is a ton of residential growth that’s been happening downtown,” said Kate Fenske, chief executive officer of the BIZ.

While small renovation projects at existing buildings could allow some residents to move to the area soon, Fenske said larger developments will take years to complete.

“When we’re going to see the big transformation downtown is… into 2028 and 2029. That’s really exciting for us because growing the residential population is obviously key to creating a downtown neighbourhood that is vibrant and thriving,” said Fenske.

While Monday to Friday workers were once relied on to create a vibrant business district, residents could stay all hours and make the city centre feel safer around the clock, she said.

“Perception (of safety) is one of our biggest challenges, but perception can be reality as well. Violent crime in downtown Winnipeg is actually down… but that doesn’t negate how people feel in a community if they’re walking around in the evening,” said Fenske.

The BIZ leader said many efforts to improve safety in the area are underway, while amenities such as grocery and other stores, green space and trees would help make the area easier to live in.

Duncan said attracting additional grocery stores and gathering places could also help attract residents.

“Eventually, we have to get to the point where… you can (easily) go to the grocery store, you can go to a community centre,” he said.

Duncan said a proposal for the city to spend $7.7 million over the next four years on steps outlined in CentrePlan 2050, the municipal government’s downtown strategy, would help improve cleanliness, boost safety and beautify the area, while creating destinations that attract people to the area.

That plan calls for funding to reconstruct Graham Avenue, add median seating on Broadway and improve landscaping and lighting, among other initiatives.

“We need to make sure that there’s a place to go to… We don’t just need people popping into a sporting event for three hours and then rushing out of the downtown as quickly as possible,” said Duncan.

In March, city council will consider referring the CentrePlan spending to its 2027 budget.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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