Michel Fillion wants citizens to clean up or face higher taxes

One of the city's mayoral candidates wants citizens and business owners to pick up a broom themselves, or face getting charged on their tax bill.

MichelFillionunveiled his plan for cleaning up city streets,sidewalks and buildings,saying "it's a dirty job, but I willclean her up."

He proposed an event called Broom Sunday, in which citizens would sweep winter road sand and debris off their properties and onto the streets during a designated Sunday in May.

City crews would then clean those streets, picking up all the debris, he said.

Property owners would also be compelled to clean the facades of their homes and businesses, saidFillion.

"This would help in cleanliness, in keeping the expense of city cleaning under control, and also stimulate community involvement," he said. "Its a good thing."

The city would clean properties where owners refuse to clean, but the costs would be added to their tax bill,Fillionsaid.

He also promised to invest in machines to remove stuck-on wads of gum from sidewalks.

As well, he wants to fine people for putting advertising stickers on city light standards,and he wants receptacles in public placesfor cigarette butts in contrasting colours with the words "putyour butt here."

Wasylycia-Leis proposes planning hub

Judy Wasylycia-Leis says if she's elected mayor on Oct. 22, she would create a city planning hub called Our Winnipeg Studio.

The hub would be modelled after a project in Vancouver that brings together city planners, private experts and urban planning students.

Wasylycia-Leis said she would rather team up with private industry and university experts and students than hire more urban planners, noting that the redevelopment of the McLaren Hotel on Main Street proves that such a partnership does work.

Our Winnipeg Studio would not just be about designing buildings and other structures, she said.

"It also is about the spiritual aspects. It's about the creative design -- the things that give us a sense of place, that actually contribute to our very identity as a city," she said.

"When something is designed well that reflects the identity of the people you represent, you empower people and you ensure that there is less chance of disrespect for your local environment -- less chance of vandalism," she added.

Wasylycia-Leis said she also wants to dust off "Plan Winnipeg," which was a council-approved blueprint for development.