Brian Bowman all 'positive vision over division' after re-election as Winnipeg mayor

Brian Bowman's re-election as Winnipeg's mayor ends a campaign that sparked off the debate over reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians

Bowman defeated seven challengers, including his closest competitor, business consultant Jenny Motkaluk. Bowman won with 53 percent of the vote, while Motkaluk received 36 percent.

"Winnipeg has chosen a positive vision, and a return to a status quo of the past," Bowman said in his victory at the Metropolitan Entertainment Center.

The campaign has been difficult for many, he said, congratulating everyone who ran, including the newly elected city councillors.

"Now's the time to come together." "We're going to work together to build this city for the future," he said.

Top priorities for Bowman's new mandate will be to continue fixing roads, with a $ 976-million, six-year road repair plan. He also said that he is in the process of becoming more involved in public safety, while dealing with the city's meth problem, while continuing to raise his position.

Motkaluk's voice was hoarse as she thanked her supporters, including more than 1,000 people who told her story, telling them in her emotional concession speech that she had been "changed forever."

She also said to Bowman and congratulated him on his victory.

"I hope it's going to be better, and you know what?" she said.

Turnout in this election was lower than in 2014, with 216,003 bales cast for a participation rate of 42.3 per cent. In 2014, 235,455 people cast bales.

Bowman campaign started late

Motkaluk's campaign has gotten off to a flying start, with a wide range of issues, often in opposition to projects championed by Bowman, such as expanding rapid transit and reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians.

Bowman waited until mid-September to officially launch his re-election bid and wrapped up his Oct. 19. He limited the number and scope of his campaign, which included pledges to continue raising property taxes by 2.33 per cent a year , spend an additional $ 4 million on a Waverley West recreation center and siphon money away from a transit-garage repair job to build more heated bus shelters.

The other six people for the job made a crowded fringe. Winnipeg police officer Tim Diack, train driver and perennial political candidate Don Woodstock, filmmaker Ed Ackerman, self-described entrepreneur Umar Hayat, Hindu priest Venkat Machiraju and Morden mayor Doug Wilson all polled with single-digit support.

While Bowman and Motkaluk both ran fairly straightforward campaigns with few major gaffes, this election was punctuated by some surprising incidents involving some of the other candidates.

Ackerman announced during a debate that he was homeless, and Machiraju was arrested for allegedly violating a protection order against him.

New faces on council

Several incumbent city counselors, including Janice Lukes, Jeff Browaty, Ross Eadie and Jason Schreyer, all of whom were re-elected.

Bowman said it will be up to them to work together.

"We hope they will take their direction from Winnipeggers tonight and respect the democratic outcome of the mayoral race," he said.

It remains to be considered that it will be able to meet the needs of the community.

In total, 10 incumbents won re-election, including John Orlikow in River Heights-Fort Garry, Devi Sharma in Old Kildonan, Cindy Gilroy in Daniel McIntyre, Matt Allard in St. Boniface, Scott Gillingham in St. James, Brian Mayes in St Vital and Janice Luke in Waverley West.

Vivian Santos in Point Douglas, Shawn Nason in Transcona, Kevin Klein in Charleswood-Tuxedo, Sherri Rollins in Red Fort-East Fort Garry and Markus Chambers in St. Norbert-Seine River.

Portage and Main

Winnipeggers also voted in a non-binding plebiscite on whether to reopen Portage and Main to pedestrians. The "No" side prevailed, with almost two-thirds of voters choosing to keep the intersection closed.

Bowman had pledged to the barricades at the intersection during his election, but agreed to abide by the plebiscite results in the face of mounting opposition from challengers and other councillors.

The mayor said he was disappointed by the result, but reiterated his pledge to abide by the outcome of the plebiscite.

"I do not think you ever make a mistake by listening to Winnipeggers, and it's what we did," he said in a scrum with reporters after his victory speech. "Of course, supporting the plebiscite was something that council decided, as did I." "I'm not going to apologize for listening to Winnipeggers and they spoke today pretty clear."

While he promised to respect the outcome of the plebiscite, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done at the intersection, he said.

"The City of Winnipeg has made some serious sacrifices, and we are going to collectively have to pay for it as taxpayers," he said.

"I think we are going to be able to continue to build a vibrant downtown, how can we continue to do more at that intersection, short of pedestrians crossing."

With files from Bartley Kives and Laura Glowacki