Brief
Mayor‑candidate Gillingham pledges hundreds of locked bins for downtown Winnipeg
The mayoral hopeful says a cleaner downtown will come with more locked bins, quicker cart service and an extra neighbourhood action team.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Scott Gillingham, seeking a second term as Winnipeg mayor, announced on Oct. 2 that he would add at least 200 new locked garbage bins to the downtown core if re‑elected, along with faster replacement of damaged carts and a sixth neighbourhood action team.
What happened
Gillingham highlighted a program launched last fall that installed about 120 locked bins along Portage Avenue and Main Street after repeated trash spills. He said the new plan would double that number, placing “hundreds” of locked receptacles downtown. He also set a target to replace lost or damaged household garbage and recycling carts within one week, compared with the current average wait of 20‑25 business days. Additionally, he proposed adding a sixth seven‑person neighbourhood action team dedicated to downtown, joining five existing teams that rotate through the city’s 15 wards.
What the reports add
The Winnipeg Free Press article provides the specific numbers: 120 bins installed last fall, a promise of at least 200 more, and the current cart‑replacement wait time of 20‑25 business days. It also notes Gillingham’s quote that a cleaner city reflects how residents feel about themselves.
What was said
"Every day, you would see the lids up, and people had been rifling through it, or someone left the lid up and the wind picked up the garbage and (spread) it everywhere. It’s much more difficult now. Once the garbage is in, the garbage stays in," Gillingham told the press, as reported by the Winnipeg Free Press.
He added, "A cleaner city is important to everybody. I believe the way our properties look really reflects how we feel about ourselves. Winnipeg needs to be a cleaner city," and later said, "This is basic customer service" regarding faster cart replacements.
How it came about
The locked‑bin initiative follows complaints about trash piles in downtown Winnipeg that prompted the city to install the initial 120 bins last fall. Gillingham’s new promises build on that effort, aiming to address both aesthetic concerns and service delays that residents have raised.
Key facts
- Gillingham proposes adding at least 200 new locked garbage bins downtown if re‑elected. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The city currently takes about 20‑25 business days to replace a lost or damaged garbage or recycling cart. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- A sixth seven‑person neighbourhood action team would be created for downtown Winnipeg. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- About 120 locked bins were installed along Portage Avenue and Main Street last fall. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Gillingham talks trash, pledges big bin boost”
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