Markus Chambers makes history with victory in new St. Norbert-Seine River ward

Markus Chambers will be the first person to sit on city council for Winnipeg's new St. Norbert-Seine River ward.

Chambers said he made the decision in February to put his name on the ballot for Wednesday's civic election after working as a civil servant for nearly three decades.

"It was actually right at the end of Black History Month, I was kind of tapped on the shoulder and somebody said to me you've got to put your name forward for city council," said Chambers.

He believes he is the first black person elected to city council.

"I'm honoured for that but I am going to work hard for everybody in the ward and the entire city."

Chambers defeated four other candidates, includingNancy Cooke, an assistant to the infrastructure minister,andtransportation engineer Glenn Churchill. NikolasJoyal, a 22-year-oldpolitical studies student at the University of Manitoba, and courier Chris Davis also ranin St. Norbert-Seine River, where there was no incumbent councillor following ward boundary changes this year.

Under the changes, the old South Winnipeg-St. Norbert ward (previously the city's largest, with a population of68,112) was cut in half. That created the new ward ofWaverleyWest (where previous South Winnipeg-St. NorbertCoun. JaniceLukeswas acclaimed) and theward now called St. Norbert-Seine River.

Theward is made up of 15 neighbourhoods in the southeasternend of the city, includingSt. Norbert, Fort Richmond, River Park Southand St. Vital Perimeter South.

The ward now has 47,765 residents, according to 2016 census data.

'Things that need fixing'

Although Chambers has been living inRiver Park South for 25 years, and says he knows his community, he wasn't sure how he would be received at the door when he started campaigning in June.

"Everybody was engaging, everybody was passionate about the ward," he said Wednesday night. "There's a lot of great things with our community, some things that need fixing and that's what were going to work for in the next four years to improve on."

Chambers has spent his career working in public service, currently working as the manager of Manitoba Education and Training'semployer engagement unit.

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Over the past 29 years he's worked with students, newcomersand low-income families. He said those experiences working in public service have helped him understand policy and intergovernmental relations.

He campaigned on improving access to public transportation and affordable housing for students at the University of Manitoba, and building on JaniceLukes'swork to crack down on illegal rooming houses around campus.

He also committed to keeping parks and paths clean, as well as adding to the existing network of trails to improve active transportation.

Chambers and his wife Judith have two sons, who are in their20s.

Watch Chambers celebrate his win:

Markus Chambers celebrates win in St. Norbert-Seine River

6 years ago

Duration 0:52

Chambers will represent the new ward at Winnipeg city hall following his Oct. 24 election win.

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With files from Bartley Kives, Laura Glowacki and Caitlyn Gowriluk.