FAQs
Why is Winnipeg updating its Transportation Master Plan?
The City of Winnipeg Charter requires that its official planning document – OurWinnipeg – be updated every 10 years. OurWinnipeg guides overall growth and land-use development, and sets into motion a number of subsidiary plans. The Transportation Master Plan is one of these subsidiary documents, which means it also requires regular updating. Winnipeg as a city is also at a point in its development that requires transportation be viewed through an adjusted lens; the city is growing, and travel patterns and behaviours are changing. Transportation is also evolving with emerging technologies and new mobility options – and so, too, must our transportation planning.
Is this a rewrite or a revisit?
Both. The last plan was reviewed in 2011 and a lot of things have changed. This new plan is a complete operational review of the existing transportation system that looks at new and emerging technologies and business models for transportation, and makes recommendations based on strong empirical evidence and comprehensive public consultation. This is a new plan, with a fresh vision based on mobility of people and goods.
How will the project fit in with other planning documents?
The updated plan will align with the proposed OurWinnipeg 2045 document, integrate with the Council-approved Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, and will support the principles of the City's Climate Action Plan. It includes an update to the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies, and will ultimately serve as a 30-year blueprint to guide future investment in Winnipeg’s transportation network.
How can I get involved?
In Phase 2 of public engagement, we’re asking Winnipeggers to provide input across a number of methods. Engagement opportunities include an online survey, a town hall information session, and four public workshops – each tailored to a specific topic and component of TMP2050.
What sorts of things is the study looking at?
The TMP2050 will be a strategy to guide the planning, development, renewal and maintenance of a multi-modal transportation system consistent and aligned with the overall vision for a growing, evolving, and sustainable Winnipeg.
The eventual draft plan will include recommendations for our road and bridge network, our cycling network, the pedestrian environment, and our public transportation system – as well as how all these components work together.
What work has been done so far?
The TMP2050 project began in 2020 with a series of technical studies that looked at our existing network, as well as Phase 1 public engagement that gathered information on how Winnipeggers move around the City, issues with and barriers to transportation, and hopes for the future. The project team set long-term targets for transportation to align with overarching City policy, then used the study data and what we heard in Phase 1 engagement to develop a series of key directions and strategies that will form the backbone of the eventual TMP2050 document. Phase 2 public engagement asks for feedback on these directions and strategies, and Winnipeggers’ comfort levels with the shift that will be required for the City to meet its targets.
How did you use the feedback Winnipeggers provided in Phase 2 engagement?
What we heard from Winnipeggers directly informed development of the key directions and strategies, and considerations we will keep in mind while developing recommendations as part of the draft TMP2050 document. You can learn more by viewing the What We Heard section in the public engagement report.
What are TMP2050’s planning targets, and how did the project team come up with them?
The goals, objectives, and policies outlined in OurWinnipeg 2045, the City’s 25-year municipal development plan, guide all physical, social, environmental and economic development in Winnipeg now and into the future. The project team developed six planning targets for TMP2050 that align with the direction set by OurWinnipeg:
OurWinnipeg 2045 Goal | What this Means for TMP2050 | Draft TMP2050 Target |
City Building | A transportation system that provides a variety of mobility options for the efficient movement of people and goods, supported by well-integrated land use and transportation planning. | 50% sustainable mode share (transit, auto passenger, walking, and bike trips over a 24 hour period) |
Environmental Resilience | A transportation system that reduces its greenhouse gas emissions and meets or surpasses climate change and emissions reduction goals set by the City and the Province. | Reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 80% (compared to 2011) |
Economic Prosperity | An efficient, reliable and financially sustainable transportation system for people, goods, and services. | Maintain or improve truck and people travel time reliability |
Good Health and Well-Being | A safe transportation system that supports active, accessible and healthy lifestyle options. | Will be prescribed by Road Safety Strategic Action Plan upon approval |
Social Equity | A transportation system that provides access and mobility for all in a manner that addresses the historic and systemic disadvantages of certain groups and people. | 95% of people in geographic areas of higher poverty and 75% of people city-wide have access to frequent transit service and cycling facilities (500 m walking distance) |
Leadership and Good Governance | Leadership reflects listening, building relationships and taking the lead from the community to envision and build a healthy and inclusive city that offers all members a high quality of life | As leadership and good governance is integral to every aspect of city building no one target is defined for strategic planning purposes, however indicators for monitoring progress will be included in the final report |
Phase 2 engagement is focused on key directions and strategies. What does this mean?
The TMP2050 team developed seven key directions based on the direction provided by OurWinnipeg, technical analysis, and what we heard in Phase 1 of public engagement on TMP2050. Each key direction represents an area in which progress needs to be made in order to achieve Winnipeg’s transportation goals. From there, the key directions are broken down into more detailed strategies that provide guidance on how to make progress toward Winnipeg’s transportation goals. These strategies will be refined based on public feedback, and further developed into actions to form the recommendations in the draft TMP2050 plan.
Key direction | Associated Strategies |
Integrate land use and transportation | Incorporate stronger mechanisms into the planning process to ensure multimodal transportation options for people and goods are viable, planned for and provided. Protect the viability of goods movement when undertaking land use planning and approving development. Manage off-street parking to support Complete Communities, multimodal transportation, and goods movement. Collaborate with neighbouring municipalities, the Province of Manitoba, the Capital Region, and relevant stakeholders to support regional land use and transportation integration. |
Provide safe and sustainable mobility options for all | Increase travel choices available to all residents, to improve mobility and reduce auto dependence. Encourage the more efficient use of transportation resources through transportation demand management and outreach programs. Provide an inclusive transportation system that offers access to opportunities to all Winnipeg residents. Support Winnipeg’s Climate Action Plan to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Continue progress on the Towards Zero commitment to improve safety for all road users. |
Transform and optimize transportation corridors | Balance the needs of all users on Winnipeg’s roadways. Manage curbside space to accommodate appropriate uses while supporting access and mobility. Implement non-capital intensive opportunities to enhance operations of existing roadways. Minimize the need for new infrastructure and reduce the transportation infrastructure deficit. |
Strategically enhance the road network and bridges | Maximize the use and efficiency of the existing road network through advanced technology and operational improvements |
Support goods movement and economic prosperity | Invest in transportation infrastructure and operational improvements to advance the movement of goods and anticipate new technologies. Collaborate with regional partners to increase goods movement safety, efficiency, and reliability and ensure inter-jurisdictional coordination of plans and policies. Allow for service provider innovations that safely and economically improve “last mile” goods movement. Prioritize data collection on freight-related issues to help with decision making and, going forward, support the development of improved analytical tools. |
Enhance active transportation opportunities | Improve connectivity in the active transportation networks. Increase convenience and comfort for those who travel via active modes. Make roads safer and more accessible for vulnerable users. Enable walking and cycling in all seasons through improved operations and maintenance. Create more vibrant communities through attractive streetscapes and healthy built environments. Increase education and awareness around walking and cycling as safe, attractive modes of travel. |
Connect the city with frequent and rapid transit | Expand the reach and convenience of Winnipeg Transit services. Make Transit accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Update Winnipeg Transit’s Fare Structure and Policies. Improve the transit user experience through supporting elements. |
What will you do with the feedback Winnipeggers provide in Phase 2 engagement?
From now until early 2022, our team will behind the scenes to develop the draft TMP2050 planning document. This plan will include the key directions and draft strategies, and will also go one step further by providing recommended actions for both City operations and the transportation network. We expect to release the draft plan for public input in early Spring 2022.
When will we see change in the transportation network based on what this plan recommends?
The draft plan will be completed in early 2022, shared for public feedback in early Spring 2022, and presented to Council for its consideration before Summer 2022. Once the plan is adopted, a number of low-cost and strategic quick-build projects will be implemented between 2022 and 2024. Recommendations from the master plan will help guide future infrastructure investment.