Grandin Street name change could cost City of Winnipeg more than $100K in reimbursements

The City of Winnipeg could pay more than $100,000 to property owners when it changes the name of Grandin Street, most of which will go toward recouping paper costs for a Winnipeg non-profit organization.

A report prepared for the Riel Community Committee on Monday estimates the total reimbursements will add up to nearly $106,000. Of that, $91,000 would go to the Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg.

Committee chair Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) asked city staff why the number for the Kinsmen Club, which operates the weekly Kinsmen Jackpot Bingo, was significantly higher than any other property owners on Grandin Street.

Marc Pittet, city manager of real estate, replied that figure "may seem high for a street name change on a residential street."

Grandin Street runs for a single block from Tach Avenue to St. Joseph Street.

The money for Kinsmen is needed to replace card and envelope stock for the organization's mail, Pittet said during the meeting.

"We ideally could reduce that cost by having further conversations with them, but at this point that's what they submitted, so that's what we've identified as the budget," he said.

The committee unanimously approved the costs, which council will vote on at its meeting next month.

CBC News reached out to the Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg for comment, but no one was available to comment before publication.

City council voted to change the name due to Bishop Justin-Vital Grandin's connection to residential schools.

Along with renaming the significantly longer Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah, council approved changing the name of Grandin Street to Taapweewin Way, meaning "truth" in Michif, the ancestral language of the Red River Mtis.

A similar report on the costs associated with changing the name of Bishop Grandin Boulevard is expected in November.

"I think it's reasonable to cover the cost of parties that are going to be affected by the changes of the names, changes that are being recommended by the City of Winnipeg," St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard said in an interview.

Allard noted that the funding has not been released to the Kinsmen, but will be referred to the 2024/2027 budget process. If adopted by council, city staff would then be responsible for assessing and approving any expenses related to the name change.

"I expect the public service, if this is approved in the budget process, will do their due diligence and ensure that they're reimbursing the parties and that the reimbursement be appropriate and in line with the costs," Allard said.

The name change still has a number of steps to go through before becoming official. Council must pass and enact bylaw changes, and the new name must be registered with the provincial land titles office.

The public works department must then purchase and install new street signs.

If approved, the city expects the new names to go into effect by spring or early summer next year, Pittet said.