The End of the Arizona Coyotes

The Arizona Coyotes has finally run out of time and will indeed be moving to Salt Lake City, Utah after they complete their final games of the season. The 5000 seat Mullet Arena was just not going to pass muster for four or so years with no arena deal in place. The NHL just couldn't let it go on any longer with so many cities in the wings wanting a team. Moreover, with a winter Olympics likely to return to the U.S., the league wants a team in the city that will be the host. That city is Salt Lake City.

Utah checks of the box for things the league wants. It has a billionaire owner, it has an NHL size arena, it has a plan to build its own NHL arena, it was prepared to pay an expansion fee to the NHL to buy the team. It isn't all bad for the Coyotes owner and Arizona. The city has the right to retain team name and history if they can get approval for an arena to be built within next four years. They will have an opportunity to win a franchise again if they meet the needs of the league and their own team's success in the future.

Salt Lake City is odds on favourite for hosting the Olympics again. Aside from Utah Jazz, there are no major league team competitors. If you head directly north, Salt Lake is immediately above Phoenix which puts in Central Division territory so not putting any issues by seeing major shifts in other divisions. In recent years, Salt Lake has seen real growth and should have enough people ready to become hockey fans. The Colorado Avalanche East Coast Hockey League farm club Utah Grizzlies is based in Salk Lake City. The Tucson Roadrunners AHL franchise of the Arizona Coyotes is not part of the sales to Salt Lake City. This means that Salt Lake will not own their AHL franchise. Rumour is that Tucson moves to Mullet Arena, present home of the Arizona Coyotes. This leaves Tucson without a team.

Arizona fans who truly loved hockey have to be hurting. However, unlike Winnipeg, it won't be taken as a sign of city failure, decline and for someone to turn off the lights when they leave the province. The 1990s were hard times in Winnipeg. And no one was harder on the city than ourselves. It took an act of faith to buy an AHL franchise and move it to Winnipeg as the Chipmans did. It took working with partners to get a downtown arena built and a lot of private and public money. Make no mistake. That was a complicated and controversial deal at the time.

The building of the arena has produced a slow burn redevelopment of 20 years surrounding the area.  The Chipmans have poured money back into the facility and into office, residential units and the plaza and work still continues. And now with Portage Place, it shows an even stronger commitment not only to the Jets but the downtown itself.

The Arizona Coyotes were always a tenant. They weren't actively an owner. This is mostly the problem the Jets had although Winnipeg Enterprises was part owner in the end but the Jets themselves never made concession money from being in Winnipeg Arena. Still, even if they had, the lack of a salary cap was devastating for the league and the Jets could not match was big markets could pay for players.

Coyotes at least got an arena for themselves in Glendale but the development around it was never theirs. The ownership never seemed stable enough. The team make-up was always just short of what was needed. The league gave them a huge amount of time to get it right but four or five more years in Mullet Arena just wasn't going to do.

Phoenix is still the 11th largest metro in the U.S. It will continue to grow and like Atlanta will probably get yet another chance at an NHL owner. One thing is clear though that the NHL was not going to move the team to the eastern market. Many hoped Quebec City might get the team. They have the billionaire owner and the arena and hockey-mad crown but a separatist would be principal owner. That doesn't sit well. Nor does the east want to have to shift a team to the Central to make way for a Cincinnati, Kansas City or another Toronto team.

In the west Houston, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco could all be possibles. But you need a dedicated arena, owner and willingness to build a market. Winnipeg's eventual success was to make sure they were always in the picture, linked to the NHL with a long time AHL franchise, an arena and a dedicated ownership group ready to jump in at last minute if needed. And it was needed when Atlanta was up for grabs. 

Salt Lake City kept making it's desire known and the NHL now keeps a list of boxes that need to be ticked off for success in a new market. The sudden move of a team to a new place is just not on the table. It isn't a good look and it ends a possible expansion to a city that would pay real money to the league and owners. The move to Salt Lake City pays a bit of money but it is a rescue mission and was only approved to give Phoenix once last time to get it right with a time limit of five years to get that arena. However, Salt Lake City ticked all the boxes and that is why they jumped to head of the list.

Expect an expansion within the next few years. It will probably be Gary Bettman's last expansion as he probably will retire before the Olympics as he will be 81 in 2034. But all the pieces for the NHL to benefit from that hosting will be parts that he puts together between now and then including TV agreements for NHL and new markets. It is a legitimate question to ask how many teams the NHL can possibly have and still be relevant and have quality in the play. Perhaps 40 teams are possible. Grow too big and it is possible hockey could see a split to an elite league with relegation to lower leagues if play falls below a certain level as we see in the English League of Football. The Premier League split in 1992 into 20 elite level teams. However, fall below standard and a team is relegated down and another team is relegated up. The NHL does not work that way. And teams don't move to another city.

I expect Salt Lake City will be a good franchise but we likely haven't seen the end of the Coyotes. However, if they don't get their own arena, it will never work. Winnipeg Jets were never going to return until they had their own arena. It was a major box to tick off as it should be for any city looking to get an NHL team.

 

Largest Build-up of Military in Years

 DND photo RP16-2018-0059-114 by Corporal Desiree T. Bourdon

Canadian Armed Forces artillery soldiers on exercise in Latvia, June 2018.

Canada has long been regarded as the laggard in military spending and its commitment to NORAD, NATO and UN peacekeeping the last few decades. It isn't limited to Liberal governments. It has been shared by Conservative ones as well. NATO makes 2% of GDP spending it's goal for military spending and Canada is around 1.3% despite some big purchases in recent years. The Trudeau government is committed to 1.7% GDP by 2029-30. The new policy plan is $8 billion in more spending in the next five years and $73 billion in next two decades.

It is unknown what the other parties such as the Conservatives and NDP are prepared to support. Presently, with a minority government, the NDP have supported the Liberals with their NATO presence in Latvia and support for Ukraine. The Conservatives haven't said what they would do but there are elements in the party that don't want to continue sending money to Ukraine and want to scale back. This is a tendency being seen with U.S. conservatives as well.

It would be a mistake to think that Conservative times are better times for the Forces when it comes to money and support. For the last few decades, both Liberals and Conservatives have drawn down numbers to what it is. The last prime minister to have 2% of GDP going to the military was Pierre Trudeau. Yes, that Trudeau.

Canada has a significant force in Latvia. It means that the country has no choice but to get more boots recruited as there are shortages up and down the system. Equipment is literally older than the forces using them but decades. And procurement is one of the biggest failures easily over several governments. The government cut the procurement department and there is not enough people there to ensure it isn't a delayed and expensive fiasco every time. Every regional government wants spending in their area and each branch of the military wants every bell and whistle in their equipment till it is a bloated mess.

Meanwhile, the military is short on recruitment by 15% and most it's force capacity of available army, navy and air force assets is around 50%. That is a pretty sorry state of affairs. If Canada requires army help for flood or fire, there is nearly nothing available for that effort. There is a lot of complacency and a general feeling that world threats don't really affect Canada. It takes events such as September 11 to strike home possible dangers. The Russian/Ukrainian conflict demonstrates that fighting elsewhere can result in a massive refugee influx in Canada. It is possible that once the conflict ends in Gaza/Israel that refugees will be arriving here as well. So far the one thousand refugees Canada say will be allowed in and have not been able to leave.

This is the rub of trying to ignore what happens outside of Canadian borders. Whether it be war, pollution, trade or immigration/migration, it doesn't stop from affecting Canada. Don't have an adequate defence? Well, a possible future U.S. President might just ignore Canadian borders and decide for us. That could involve U.S. encroachment or letting others push us around. We have seen that countries like China and India have increasingly taken aggressive stances including with Canada.

The escalation with Iran and Israel is making for a very jittery world response. Too many times we have see how this leads to bigger world problems. Ignoring it is not a viable solution. And policy changes taking years to make is just not fast enough, especially when it comes to recruitment numbers. There are simply too many things going on for Canada that they can't respond to any crisis at the moment.

Ensuring that military ranks are filled has to be an immediate priority. If Canada can't even send troops to battle a fire or flood, it will likely bring down the government. Not being able to provide basic care in times of emergency is what, in part, led to George Bush's demise. Hurricane Katrina showed how stretched out resources were. Fighting on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan and now being able to help till it was far too late domestically was a stark moment.

Canada is not only country fretting about their military. Britain and much of Europe is as well. The U.S. always worries about readiness or willingness. It is a fantasy that good sense will prevail and countries won't fight for ideological, religious or any other reason. Russia could have been the biggest and most powerful democracy in Europe but it didn't. It became an expansionist autocracy. China has become expansionist as well and more nationalistic.

The west has it's problems too. The U.S. has not had an adequate immigration and refugee program in decades because it is easier to hammer one side or the other over it in Washington. Canada is no longer is a factor in peacekeeping. The U.K. pulled out of Europe thinking it would be better for them. Some of what they west is doing is selfish and ultimately self-damaging.

How wars are conducted is changing and in some cases reverting back to ways that are closer to WWI than Afghanistan. The use of artillery and long range drones and rockets has every military in the world re-considering their own ability to detect and launch interception but also re-evaluate mobile artillery versus tanks. The tanks in the Ukraine/Russia battle are not obsolete but they have been frequently decimated with losses of people in the tens of thousands. Not since WWII have losses been so devastating.

The recent speech by Trudeau indicates some priorities seems to be higher than others. Canada, for example, has put in orders for 14 P8 anti-submarine aircraft and quadrupled the 9 refueling and transportation aircraft order. The breakdown of the government of Canada plane in India twice was not just an embarrassment, it was security risk. The order of 88 F-35 jets should see first aircraft come in two years. However, the recruiting of pilots and support teams for these planes begins now.

It is the navy build up that will be the most painful in terms of how long and how much. It keeps pushing one class of ships out of priority in favour of others, The supply ships literally were kaput and the government had to push ahead with a single temporary refurbished ship. Work on two new supply ships has delayed the 2 Coast Guard ships by years. And this is kind of how it has gone on for decades with ships: Way behind schedule, way over budget and the ones built often have problems.

Governments have shifted back and forth between Liberal and Conservative multiple times during this sorry state. There is little reason to believe that NDP or any other policy might be better. In fact, there are elements within other parties that would likely accelerate the decline. The leader of the NDP has already said he believes the policy of 2% for military spending is arbitrary. The policy book has defence listed on the last page and not in very much detail.

If the NDP ever did get into power, they might not do the same as the Liberals and Conservatives. That isn't good. It often seems we go into war setting in dreadful shape. Our entry into WWII was marked by a disgraceful lack of people, training, equipment and purpose. Thankfully, Canada found itself but the sense of security in doing nothing is present today just as it was back then.

The amount of ice free days in the north presents opportunities as well as problems. Nuclear submarines already pass through the north under the ice and there is little Canada can do about it. Nuclear icebreakers from Russia crush through the ice and can go where no Canadian ship can go. Other countries, including the U.S., have stated their aspirations in the north. Russia has much more developed plan for the north and it doesn't stop at their border. It is worth keeping in mind how Russia thinks about the border with Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made everyone think about how conventions are now broken. If Sweden and Finland give up their neutrality to come under NATO's umbrella, it is difficult to ignore. While it might seem far away, Russia is in our north. Very close. It certainly isn't lost on the Trudeau and the Liberal government. To their credit, they have been very supportive of Ukraine in terms of money, arms and getting people out to safety. And it isn't over by a longshot.

Germany used to say to Canada no tanks, no trade. We could hear those words again or something to that effect. Trump has certainly said a country' security may be in jeopardy if they don't meet the 2% threshold. Even with the increase announced we will still be $8 billion a year short from that. It may reach 2% when some projected are costed. New submarines have no price at all and yet government says they are considering it. We have four subs now, the Navy has asked for 12. Some want them to be nuclear. If Australia can go nuclear maybe Canada does too. There are already opinion pieces in Toronto saying Canada faces a bigger danger from climate change and is against the subs.

Still, other editorials are starting to acknowledge how unprepared Canada is in terms of engaging our forces for even things related to climate change such as support for communities in Canada. That starts with having people available which we do not have enough of.

The upcoming budget at least lays out increases in spending for the military. It remains to be seen if things can truly be accelerated. 

Boyd Autobody Now Open on Portage Avenue

Since 1963 there has been something auto related at Moray and Portage.  And that was before the Charleswood Bridge. Birchwood Auto made the place it's first home and it has been serving auto dealers for decades. Robert Chipman or Bob as he was known to many, set up shop at the spot where Portage Avenue turned into a curve following the Assiniboine River.  Birchwood is now the largest autodealer group in Manitoba and the basis of the Chipman fortune that led March Chipman to be majority Jets owner.

Once Birchwood moved out to the autopark down Portage Avenue, Mercedes set up shop for many years until they too moved to their most recent location on Kenaston. For a time in very recent years, the building bore the Birchwood name as their credit offices. And now another big autogroup in Boyd Autobody has taken over.

It has been a very long construction period in part because of their new paint centre which has equipment from out of country which requires all sorts of approvals not to mention a much better ventilation system which is installed on the roof. Unlike other Boyds, this one has kept the showroom windows so you can see the workers repair cars from the street. If you walk across the parking lot, you can still still see the carved Mercedes branding.

Boyd is very much a Manitoba success story and opening a new shop on Portage is another investment in jobs and work here. There are a few unleased spots in St. James along Portage Avenue but slowly things are filling in the post pandemic build up. Below is a picture of Portage Avenue in 1965. It is immediately in front of the present Boyd business. The Holiday Inn is not yet built but the bowling alley was incorporated into the hotel.

Portage Place 2024- The True North/SCO Proposal

The proposal for Portage Place is shaping up. The Pan Am Clinic tower is a little shorter as is the apartment tower for the east and west pads of the soon to be converted mall but the partnership between the three main partners is looking more solid. The True North, Southern Chiefs organization and the province of Manitoba have made a a definitive commitment to start construction in the new year. The cost for Portage Place is still listed as $650 million and the The Bay rehabilitation is listed at $200 million.

This proposal is far superior than what was offered by eastern developers. Still, there is a lot of confusion as many people think that True North is buying a mall and that the food court will still be there will gangsters dealing drugs and people dying in bus depots. First, it should be clear that the mall is gone as we know it. A food court will be replaced with an entrance to the Pan Am Clinic above. The atrium will be removed, a second floor overpass will be re-designed and the third floor will have the theatres removed as and above floors will be surgical suites, dialysis, a medical clinic and other services. The far east side pass will be a 15 floor apartment with affordable suites owned by True North and SCO.

There has not been much talk about what happens to the old mall part but the front will be carved back as well as the back for a greenway. The Y will remain and, likely, the Prairie Theatre Exchange. The ground floor is reportedly promised to a grocery store not yet named. I think it has to repeated over and over that it will not be a mall anymore. There won't be a food court. It will be a very busy medical clinic.

How busy? Just take a look at Pan Am now. The parking lot is packed to the rafters every single day. A line-up is there even before it opens and if you come too late, you don't get in that day. They have been due to expand for years. There is little doubt they will be extremely busy and the expanded surgical suites for joint replacement will be much needed.

Historically, people in Winnipeg would go to the Medical Arts Building, the Winnipeg Clinic and the Boyd Building for a variety of medical appointments. This will be a return to that and because the services are so sought out, it is unlikely someone is going to turn down their knee surgery just because it is not in the Grant Park area. People will be grateful if they don't have to wait. It is highly doubtful security will be overlooked. There will be , without a doubt, a whack of security.  Expect, it is to be highly visible and vigilant.

The present mall owners have to be paid and the three levels of government as well for the overall ownership of the parkade, air and land rights. The result will be tens of millions going to The Forks. This deal is as important to The Forks final developments as it is to North Portage. I cannot think this deal still doesn't have some refinements coming. However, the parkade is the jewel in the crown as it is a perennial money maker in the millions. If True North acquires Portage Place, they own just shy of 1000 parking spaces for their facility. 

The commentary about downtown and Portage Place is universally pretty bad. Some of it is that the whole thing is waste of time and no one goes downtown for any reason at all. And those that do die a painful death in the gutter in an unsolved homicide. There are certainly plenty of examples of terrible things happening downtown and the poverty and homelessness has been deeply felt post pandemic.

However, some people continue to work and live downtown, others come down for concerts, Jets games or boat shows. There is life in the area and in 2019, things looked pretty positive. It could be that way again. Big projects in and of themselves won't transform things. And sometimes, like The Forks, it is a slow burn to reach success and build from it. Neighbourhoods are not built overnight. 

When Earls put up their Main Street location there were some people who thought they were crazy but it had proved to be very successful location for them. Their move into Winnipeg Square continues that trend. Likewise when the arena went downtown, people said they would never go. For years it has filled the streets with people with Jets and Moose game and concerts. Even the attendance issues now are more seen as a reflection of hockey performance first and foremost rather than being downtown.

The True North owners have been working year by year since they moved downtown to bring more dynamism to the area. Portage Place will now see the type of investment that really didn't continue after it's initial build. But it will take other businesses, shops, restaurants to build the street back up. There have been a few convenience stores near University of Winnipeg that have opened and a few restaurants opening on Portage that might indicate some renewed confidence in the street. 

If the Portage Place redevelopment can bring some life to the ground level part of the street, it will accomplish a lot. One of the big flaws of the mall was that it left the northside of the street with a lot of walls and few entrances. It will be interesting how True North changes that. What no one wants is for encampments to go up because people don't have a place to live or gather. And no one wants to feel unsafe.

It will be a lot of work to see this through but if a lot of people end up living in the area and have grocery stores, resource centers and places to feel safe, it will go a long way,

SportChek Unicity Closed

In the last two months SportChek Unicity has closed. No specific reason was given but parent company Canadians Tire was in the mall as well as sister company Mark's. Canadian Tire carries both company's stock on their shelves. That is a lot of one company exposure in one mall. It will not be easy to fill that spot unless sub-divided.

The big one question is whether the Unicity Shopping Centre is due a makeover. The Walmart in St. James is truly the one with the greatest need. It is the worst Walmart in the city for size, width of the aisles and for what it doesn't carry. The new Coscto by Assiniboia Downs is going to kill it.

Some time back Walmart closed its Unicity Lube and Tire service so there is potential room to expand back there. But the store is in desperate room of expansion and can unlikely expand further east into where Dollar Tree sits. It can't really go further north as it is near as far in that direction as they can go. It can't expand west as it is into residential area. It is possible it could push further south but will they do that?

And what of SportsChek? Was their closure and indication of a move to the mall where Costco in going? Could it be that Walmart has not announced a makeover for their store because they are moving to the Costco site as well? Impossible? Well, it certainly looks like there are plans for a grocery with a garden centre there. It just doesn't seem big enough for Walmart though. 

We saw a lot of movement along Kenaston once the Outlet Collection was in place and this could be the same sort of thing happening now. When the new retail pops up there, it could be shops setting up at a new location.

Some discussion of why SportChek closed was that it always looked empty. They had a bad problem with shoplifting. It was poorly stocked. The only thing we are sure is that it is closed. 

Unicity has always been a mall with challenges. The Walmart is very busy but left no room for major expansion. The Sobeys, Canadian Tire and other stories seem to do well but the area lacks charm. Even their bud terminus looks tired. The restaurants at the front all appear to be doing well. It will be interesting if in fact there is an upgrade to this mall once construction of the Costco happens.

It is never too late for an upgrade as McPhillips mall showed. Wait too long though and you start losing stores before that happens.

Should Winnipeg Have More Non-Profit News Sources?

 

In 2020, the rules changed in CRA to allow for non-profits to be a journalism provider. Only eight organizations, including the environmental news provider The Narwhal, have done so. What does this do? This means the non-profit pays no taxes to provide news. None. They can issue donation receipts for gifts and can receive Canadian foundation support with less snags. 

The Winnipeg Foundation, The Winnipeg Free Press and the non-profit digital media site Narwhal are among the first to work together. One journalist is paid to write environmental stories for Manitoba for a three year term that appears in the Free Press and the Narwhal. The reporter is identified in their byline as to their position and focus area. It is unknown what the independence of the editorial policy is but I assume that it supports the mandate of both Free Press, Narwhal and Winnipeg Foundation for local journalism initiatives.

Manitoba is no different than many other areas of the country in that it has lost local news outlets outright. Winnipeg is luckier than other places in that there are print, radio and TV options although the cuts to CTV have meant fewer later night, weekend and holiday options. There are more digital options and podcasts out there but many private broadcasters are looking to get out of news altogether.

Social media can be a source of local news but it is difficult to sift through. It can lead you to the newest ice cream shop but it is not necessarily going to give more in depth reports about the state of the restaurant business locally. That is where someone who makes a living writing and covering news can do that. Influencers in Canada often don't get any money but they may get considerations from the places they cover. This can represent a conflict of interest for some, especially if not disclosed or if they don't have independent editorial policy.

Given how many for profit news sites have closed and how local journalism and withered in so many communities, the non-profit option might offer hope for those communities to support local media. The aspect of no tax and no dividend to shareholders is an attractive one. It means money is poured back into the local news product. 

There has been some very interesting developments in non-profits in the U.S. In Maine, a number of dailies and weeklies have now come under the umbrella of a non-profit. They will no longer have private owners or pay profit in the form of dividends to those owners. The non-profit will be supported by donations and subscriptions. Advertising is still accepted but the dependence on it as the basis of success is no longer as important.

MinnPost is very much a newspaper. Minneapolis-St. Paul has two dailies which makes it luckier than a lot of cities. But they have always been twin cities and doing things twice. Minnesota also has a very active National Public Radio group of stations, Twin Cities PBS and major newsrooms from the four affiliates of ABC, CBS. FOX and NBC. It is an embarrassment of riches that is only added to by having MinnPost.

MinnPost is a non-profit and manages to cover quite a lot of material with no firewall on the material. The donations it receives and the readership it has clearly indicate that Minnesota is very much interested in more journalism, not less. The fact that they include all Minnesota in their coverage is an indication that they look beyond just Minneapolis-St. Paul. 

It is too late for communities like Selkirk, Altona and Winkler who have lost their newspapers when PostMedia closed them. There wasn't even an attempt to sell them or let a non-profit takeover. We have seen then same type of closures on radio stations recently. In many cases, it isn't a question of some of these areas losing population. It is just profit margins are not there to the satisfaction of an out of province owner.

Does Manitoba need a non-profit for local coverage on a provincial level? If you ask Selkirk, Altona and Winkler, the answer is probably yes. But what does that look like? Well, it likely has no physical address aside from a P.O.  Box. No need of printers. It probably has to have some seed money as did MinnPost. Four families put up the initial money. Once set up as a non-profit, they can accept money from Foundations. A membership drive comes along the way at some point. MinnPost has 5000 members or so each year.

Is it possible that people in Manitoba could do this? I suspect they could but that it would need leadership from journalists, a former publisher or two and some initial seed money to get off the ground. I know I'd support it. 

Janet Stewart to Leave CBC News for CBC Radio Noon

Announced by Janet Stewart herself, she will be taking over CBC Radio Noon for the Majorie Dowhos who will be on maternity leave for a year. Stewart's job, which she has held since 2007, has been posted internally. Stewart has said she would still be doing anchoring from time to time but it is clear the radio job is something she has worked comfortably in over her career.

Stewart was CTV News local anchor prior to her long time position at CBC. She served in that job from 2001 to 2006. The latest ratings periods are unknown but John Sauder, the long time meteorologist at CBC, departed in retirement several weeks earlier. There have been a series of people on the anchor desk over some weeks but it is likely the position will attract interest from a variety of people both in Winnipeg and in other CBC positions in Canada. It is also possible that the job will attract outside CBC interest as well.

CTV has been the highest rated TV News locally but has been badly wounded by losing their noon, weekend and holiday newscasts.. Global and CityTV also have news divisions so there could be a shuffling of how each approaches the changes.

Anchor jobs at CBC don't come up often. CBC Radio where Stewart is heading has been number 1 for several years and has a strong news department. The time for CBC to reclaim first in local TV news will lie in a makeover for the news in people and format. It will be interesting to see what they intend on doing.

The Best TV Canadian Series - Drama Edition

We are pretty hard on Canadian entertainment whether it is music, theatre, television or movies. Being next to an entertainment goliath like the U.S. which has ten times the population and churns out English production in every field of entertainment far beyond it's borders sometimes means Canadian material is lost in the avalanche. And even today Canada acts as a service provider creating material for the U.S. pretending to be American. This is very much true for Hallmark Christmas movies where everything might be Canadian from cast to crew to writer to director but the setting will be Colorado.

When CBC created The Beachcombers in 1972, it was for the home market with no real thought but entertainment for Canadians, particularly family viewers. Given the budget CBC had, it didn't have a piles of money so a lot was riding on it. Previous drama series like Wojek and Quentin Durgens m.p, in the 1960s were very much for an older audience so CBC was looking for something for the family to watch. The Beachcombers became a staple of the family audience along with the Wonderful World of Disney on Sundays. It showed there was a market for Canadian production in TV but the only way to grow it was to fund it and put rules in place to ensure it would get made and shown in Canada.

Private networks repeatedly said there was no market for anything Canadian whether it was news, sports, drama, music or comedy. Certainly there was nothing they wanted to pay for when broadcasting ready made material from the U.S. was so lucrative.

So was the Beachcombers one of the best shows in Canadian history? By the standards of the time, it ranked as one of the most watchable programs of the 1970s and 1980s. Bruno Gerussi became a star of Canadian TV and even had a celebrity cooking show that lasted years. Our family watched it regularly. I would have to categorize it as one of Canada's best and I still think fondly of it. Still, I see a list of Canadian drama production from the 1960s and 1970s and realize that so much of it was shown once and never repeated. And never syndicated. Why don't we have Wojek on any platform? I'd love to see older stuff somewhere. I know they tried for a few years on YouTube and then gave up. That is sad.

CBC learned from making family productions and building the teams of people to perform and make them. Danger Bay (1984-1990), a 30 minute drama series also filmed in Vancouver and partnered up with Disney followed that same format and lasted years in the process. I watched less of that series but then family shows have a time and place. CBC more or less perfected the family show with Heartland which is the longest running drama it has ever produced from 2007-2024. Heartland is also a show that has U.S. partners but there hasn't seemed to be a compromise on the Canadian aspect of the story.

CTV often tried to create programming that could be sold elsewhere after to recover their costs. It was that type thinking when Starlost was created in 1973. The show was sold in syndication to American markets. It was a fascinating experiment in sci-fi but ultimately, the budget and lack of drama, kept it to a one year outing. It was repeatedly for decades afterwards. In almost all cases of CTV created drama, the network has looked how it can leverage U.S. partnerships.

A year later, CTV created Swiss Family Robinson along with ABC which ran for one season with 26 episodes. It repeated for decades after that on Canadian television. It was okay entertainment but CTV often treated their shows like an obligation rather than an opportunity. It wasn't until the 1980s that CTV began to put some Canadian effort into production as well as storylines. Still, you ended up a lot of times with shows like Sue Thomas, FB Eye (2002-2005) which was about American law enforcement but otherwise a completely Canadian show,

English Canadian production even when unique culturally is a small percentage of what is generated in North America. It is easy to get overwhelmed and often the production in Canada is criticized as inferior or low budget. Quite a bit of what is made, even when high quality, can be generic to sell to American and world markets. As noted above, some are American shows but completely Canadian in cast and crew. In recent years, a few very Canadian productions have broken through in ratings both in the U.S. and Canada. In some cases, an American production becomes more Canadian in terms of the production team and actors while receiving funding that is largely American. Such a series might be Stargate SG-1 which saw Canadians take over more and more of the writing, directing and acting in the series. It can be confusing because a show about Americans largely is a Canadian show in every other way.

TV continues to evolve into streaming but the majority still watch broadcast and cable TV for now. In a world with so many choices, it is difficult to say where Canadian drama might end up. It seems odd that as a country the population continues to grow as does production but it is so hard to break through as singularly Canadian. In 2024, it sometimes means being part of a U.S. franchise like Law & Order as in the the case of Law & Order Toronto Criminal Intent. Drama is not the only area where we use imports. Variety and game show formats from around the world are adopted into Canadian programming such as Canadian Idol and Family Feud Canada. 

Drama series were a fairly rare thing ever since Canadian TV began in the 1950s. The CBC was generally one of the only sources of drama on English TV. In early the 1970s, a young Canadian could only really get two Canadian channels. Cable only really started to take off in the 1970s. Cities close to American markets could pick up border channels and the selection from the main U.S. networks of CBS, NBC and ABC were overwhelming. However, in Manitoba, only KCND from Pembina, North Dakota could be really be picked up and only with antennas. I remember watching fuzzy broadcasts as we didn't have a rooftop antenna. 

CBC tried to be everything to everyone with educational, variety, news, comedy and drama and in some areas they were outstanding. For a drama series, as mentioned, one of the breakthrough series was The Beachcombers. When it came out in 1972 there was nothing quite like it on TV anywhere. It is for this reason that it lasted as long as it did. It took till 1979 before Littlest Hobo would be debut on CTV. It too had lasting power probably because no one had done a dog series since Lassie.

The picture at the top was a series I thought hit all the marks and that was Due South and it was on CTV and CBS. However, CBS cancelled it after one season but the huge success in Canada and the UK kept the show on the air from 1994 to 1999.

Anyways, I will attempt to make a list of best of Canadian dramas that I've enjoyed. It isn't definitive. Some amazing series have been on the air and I might not have watched because I wasn't drawn to a supernatural story, or a family series or was just too busy. I will attempt to list chronologically.

The Beachcombers (1972-1990)

One of the shows our family watched together on Sunday when everything was truly closed and families were together on that evening. One hour episodes.

I can't list any others for the 1970s as many just came and went so fast and never got repeats as so often happens now on CBC. An honourable mention to The Littlest Hobo for CTV (the second version of it on CTV) from 1979 to 1985. I didn't watch it but CTV stuck with it as their family entertainment and to that end, it served their audience. 

The Kids of Degrassi Street (1980-1985)

I was just entering high school at the time so it wasn't really my age group and that was true for the entire Degrassi franchise. However, it was hard not to see Degrassi as it was CBC Canada's version of Sesame and remains a powerhouse today. Half hour episodes.

Seeing Things (1981-1987)

A fantasy twist to the crime drama story. At the time nothing quite like it on TV when CBC gave this a shot. Was popular in its time and and helped create momentum in later year for more series with a slight twist into supernatural. Louis Del Grande won acting awards for his performance.

The Hitchhiker (1983-1991)

Perhaps one of the better horror anthology shows of the 1980s but not seen by as many Canadians because it was on First Choice/HBO pay channels. Had a secondary life in syndication.

Night Heat (1985-1989)

A generic police show that ran on CTV and late night CBS that was better than average. It was a Canadian show but like Hill Street Blues, did not reference the city it was in. Just a large North American gritty metro. And it won awards for being authentic.

Streel Legal (1987-1994)

Perhaps one of the first guilty pleasure shows for Canadian drama and the longest running series until Heartland came along. A short six episode run in 2015 tried to kickstart the series but didn't work. Truly CBC's best and glossiest drama for many years.

Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989)

Hugely influential continuation of the CBC series and became part of the top rated nights on Canadian TV. Shown on PBS as well. Led to ever more Degrassi later on.

E.N.G (1989-1994)

One of CTV's honest attempts at doing something Canadian and having it be successful. A fictional TV newsroom. At the time, very different from police, medial and lawyer shows. The show did not fair well in the U.S. where in syndication it probably was too Toronto for Lifetime. However, in Canada, it was neck and neck with Street Legal for popularity.

Degrassi High (1989-1991)

More of the popular CBC show. It proved to hot for BBC but the Australians loved it and American audiences were captured by it as well.

Road to Avonlea (1990-1996)

Another CBC breakthrough hit on their family night of television. A sweet and strong Canadian story based on the famous work. Anne of Green Gables was a true hit for the network.

Due South (1994-1998)

A CTV guilty pleasure. A drama comedy with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Paul Gross was delightful and the series won fabs overseas but only lasted a season on CBS. It took an international coalition to finance the beloved series till the end. It is hard to believe we have not done more RCMP series in Canada.

The Newsroom (1996-1997...2003-2005)

CBC Newsroom was bang on although it was inspired by British and Australian series of the same vein. The Newsroom aired on PBS which was a turn from their usual British fare. Some said it might have been the greatest series produced in Canada.

Traders (1996-2000)

One of Global's best series that held its own against ER on Thursdays. Appeared on CBC for two years as well because the series was expensive to shoot. I thought it was some of the finest work, acting and direction for anything Global had ever done.

John Woo's Once A Thief (1997-1998)

I loved the show. It started off with high ratings but sank by the end. I found it funny, action packed and loved the episodes. Really thought the show would be super successful but I think some people were not sure what to make of it.

Lexx (1997-2002)

I am adding Lexx from Global because it was truly sci-fi, truly bizarre and right out of left field for Global. I don't think anyone really knows what was going on in this crazy series but they embraced the insanity and ran with it.

La Femme Nikita (1997-2001)

The show oozed cool in a way the movie could never match. This might have been a generic intelligence and action force but the strong Canadian writing, acting and settings made for the coolest thing on TV.

Da Vinci's Inquest (1998-2005)

CBC does another coroner show. If Wojek was a success, why not Da Vinci? And it was. Second mention for Nicolas Campbell who also appears on the list with The Hitchhiker. Vancouver never looked so good and so bad at the same time with activist Da Vinci on the case.

Los Girl (2005-2010)

A supernatural series that found an audience with the queer community and women. The first of a number of Canadian sci-fi series to actively write for an audience that had not been considered before.

Continuum (2012-2016)

An exceptional series on cable Showcase. Canadian sci-fi often focuses on how corporate future is a threat and this series was no exception. It looked good, the action was exciting and the storyline was clever.

 Vikings (2013-2020)

A Canada/Ireland co-production. A ratings blockbuster and although about Vikings, has Canadian writing, acting and locations along with the Irish work. Almost single handedly put some heft in historical storytelling and showing it could be popular.

Orphan Black (2013-2017)

Certainly has to be one of the better sci-fi series out there and acting triumph for Tatiana Maslany. Huge online fan base and a show begging for a comeback which it looks like is this year. This series got a lot of attention in the States and around the world for excellence.

Killjoys (2015-2019)

One of a series of space opera series that appeared on the Space Channel in Canada. This one had the bigger sense of humour. It also had the same anti-corporate message that permeates Canadian sci-fi. A wonderfully fun series.

Dark Matter (2015-2017)

Same year as Killjoys and a little more dramatic but an amazing series nonetheless. Canada was home to sci-fi this much was clear. So much action and fun.

Wynnona Earp (2016-2021)

A supernatural western horror that had a large queer audience. A co-production with the U.S. but with a large Canadian talent team. More indication of just how much sci-fi Canada now does for the world.

Honourbable mentions to Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe that had largely become Canadian over the course of the series in the 2000s. It is that skillset in sci-fi that has attracted so many sci-fi series to Canada. It isn't just about cheaper production but the quality of the acting, directing, production design and so many producers and writers to make a series look good.

Canada has come a long way but the advent of streaming has disrupted so much production that it is hard to tell where things are going. One thing is clear is that the free market doesn't have a clue either.

How Can Winnipeg Lower Apartment/Condo Prices?

Canada and the U.S. are unique in local zoning around the world in that they require in their bylaws that buildings have two stairwells for apartments and condos above two floors. This has been talked about before in Winnipeg media but seems to have had no effect on the planning departments of cities or the city councils and mayors who are desperate to get housing built but seem helpless to do anything.

The above chart shows that many countries around the world have no restrictions or few restrictions on the two stairwell issue and subsequently used buildings more efficiently and get them made more affordably with better options on design. Fire rules are tighter in places like Sweden that have these designs. Any planner who talks about fire codes need only look at all the countries who have single stairwells and what their fire codes are. Our fire codes don't even serve the present two stairwell apartments given how many fires we have seen in recent months.

Canada is the most restrictive and it is hard to say what purpose it serves if we don't have valid reasons for doing this. Minneapolis is about to make the change from two stairwells to one with new builds. They have also changed parking mandates as well for new residential units. Winnipeg seems paralyzed when it comes to change. 

It wasn't always this way. Winnipeg was the head of the curve on police phone boxes back in the day, 911 services and a whole host of other areas. For the province, we had Sunday shopping and votes for women ahead of others. Why can't it be this way with zoning? Shouldn't the goal be to be the most affordable city in Canada? Why is it we always hear we can't do it?

Winnipeg is one of the few chartered cities in Canada that can make up building codes as they see fit independent of provincial and federal rules. For new builds, this could be a difference maker and keep costs down for builders and those who rent and buy after. There are other things than can help bring down costs but this one area is totally with city council's ability to do. There is no need to sacrifice of fire codes. Bring them to a standard that exists in places that have one staircase and see the results.

Cities rarely take aim at how they create lack of affordability with zoning rules that are not about safety or are based on thinking that might be decades old. The rules on how many parking spaces must be made available might make sense for many apartments and condos, especially if they are on a transit corridor. The aging population is likely going to see people downsize how many cars if any they have. It might not make sense to have thousands of parking spaces for assisted living or personal care homes. The zoning law though enforces strict rules on parking spaces even when developers say it adds to the costs.

Winnipeg has to look at how red tape and old rules are making costs higher. There doesn't have to be a sacrifice on safety if the designs we see in Asian and Europe reveal. Likewise, could we see ever greater empty parking lots as people opt for one car over two or three? The city can do it's part in ensuring that they are being innovative as they once were. Winnipeg can lead again as they did on 911 and Sunday shopping.

Arby's to Return To Winnipeg

The last Arby's in Winnipeg was at Kildonan Place in 2020 and the pandemic killed it off. It has its share of fans in Winnipeg who missed their locations at Polo Park as well. Some people in Toronto have been very vocal about no Arby's. Still, Canada does have 56 of them in the country and by fall, there will be one more located along Sterling Lyon in the Outlet Collection Mall parking lot where Bank of Montreal and Red River Co-op Store are located.

Manitobans have been know to drive to Saskatoon for Arby's although one recently closed there. As mentioned here many times, a lot of restaurants have struggled through Covid and post Covid has been tough to establish finding customers where they live and work. 

The construction at Seasons of Tuxedo and around Seasons has never stopped in a decade but it is coming down to just a few places left to build. Krispy Kreame is almost complete and now Arby's is under construction. Neither should have difficulty in finding people. Many people actually live footsteps away. And the traffic along Kenaston and Sterling Lyon is strong.

It is odd what inspires confidence in a city, an economy, ourselves. Sometimes it is park, a team, a restaurant or a school. I do know what happens when you lose that team, that park or restaurant. Winnipeg has taken its knocks but it easy to forget that in 2019 things were going fairly well in the city and the province.

The final pieces of the Seasons construction are very close to completion. Arby's being ready in the fall will generate a lot of traffic which will be good for every other business and resident in the area. It will bring a lot of tax money in compared to the Tuxedo Yards rail container depot that once existed there. This is a thought when considering the social impact of what has happened at the East Yards (The Forks), the Tuxedo Yards (Seasons) and the Fort Rouge Yards (The Southwest Transit Corridor). One can imagine if the Weston Yards ever became available.

Arby's is welcome back. I suspect we will continue to see announcements of this kind over the next months. Inflation though has hit the building trades and it is a lot slower getting things built. However, we should see some more projects as demand warrants.

Jets Season Tickets Are Down - Will They Leave?

Gary Bettman has always had a contentious relationship with Winnipeg. It broke our hearts when the original Jets team moved south. The city survived it but the 1990s are were a hard time and it took several years for the people to feel we were making progress on a fairly hard 1990s,

It seemed not enough was done to save the Winnipeg Jets when they moved to Arizona. Some of the changes the league made with better supports for expansion teams and salary caps came after the team left. The fan base here gave the Jets years and years of sellouts but it came inside the smallest arena in the league. And all the while, the team got the smallest corporate support. For a long time, that was enough. But now, there is no waiting list.

The value of the franchise has risen dramatically since the days of the Atlanta Thrashers. And for the True North real estate division, the Jets and the arena have been part a building strategy that revolves around True North Square. Were it not for the slow build of Sutton Place Hotel and Suites, the Chipmans might have been said to have brought that project to completion. As it is, they will probably be making their announcement on Portage Place soon which should have some goodies in there if the Pan Am Clinic tower, a grocery store and University of Winnipeg residential tower is included.

Those are all things that indicate a NHL owner is determined to stay. Moving the team would de-value all the other assets that have been built up around the arena and the team. The arrival of Bettman was more a promotional visit than one full of threat and menace. He is well aware that moving teams means less chance of expansion money that the whole league shares. It isn't good for the league at all.

The fact that the NHL seemed relatively calm about the whole thing feels more reassuring. It is also good that Chipman seems to know that the Jets have to market themselves better. Finding out why season ticket holders have left and addressing their concerns is important. Most say they want more flexibility on their tickets and less added costs and hassles. Other are asking for better food, more tiered priced and value prices.

Some fans have said they wish there was more food options outside the arena. Some restaurants have closed such as Pony Coral and Moxies that were faves. A new Keg that was going up is now stalled and likely won't be built. Chop is a year or two away. A lot of things seem to be a year or two away. The Chipmans can only control what happens in their buildings. To that end, the Hargrave Food Market has been a big plus. If the Chipmans control Portage Place, we could see a return of Moxies and new restaurants as the mall will cease to exist as we now know. This is true for the food court as well.

As far as the product goes on the ice, the Jets have made the player changes and performed amazingly well. Will it gain the excitement that occurred in 2018? It is possible but there were a lot more people working downtown back then compared to now. However, there are a lot more people living downtown too with apartments along Assiniboine, Main and other conversions that have happened since then. It is a slow process but more housing has gone up along west Broadway as well as the art gallery area.

The Bay will start seeing some work on the outside in weeks. Raising the level of activity in this end of downtown and adding some food options can only help the Jets and any other business in the area. A darkened building is toxic to an area. Large areas of downtown parking spaces may be good for parking for arena events but it also means no street life of restaurants, shops or downtown residential units. 

The Jets record is probably the biggest ingredient for filling seats for the rest of this year. The next year and after will be about the Jets trying to create more excitement, more fan and season ticket support, more corporate partnerships and less hassle about making changes to tickets. Will the Jets leave? If they respond positively to what fans want and are innovative, they will manage to overcome what happens to almost every team in the league at some point. The result will be a team that will be continue long into the future and then the question might be: Do they need to expand the building?

CTV Cuts 4,800 Across Canada

CTV blames the federal government for the 4,800 cuts and the loss of noon hour and weekend news shows. They received $40 million from the federal government just last year. They cited uncertainty in the regulatory system. What they wanted was to get out of the news business for the network except for Toronto while holding onto their licenses across the country. To be clear, the company is reporting hundreds of millions of profit in the last quarter and an increase in dividend for the 20th straight year.

Last year, CTV gutted their evening news broadcast and cut reporters in London, Washington, Los Angeles and in Ottawa. In Winnipeg they shuttered AM radio station 1290 which was presenting comedy and titled Funny. It was ranked last in the ratings. No radio stations lost this time in Manitoba but 45 sold across the country. More on that later on.

Now, CTV isn't the only one making cuts. CBC and Global have also cut. Newspapers as well like Toronto Star. Postmedia too which includes Winnipeg's Sun newspaper. The cuts in Winnipeg are such that they don't send a reporter to cover the Jets or Bombers when they are out of town. Is it is no wonder teams hire their own reporters now?

Some critics are saying that Bill C-11 and Bill C-18 which try to get online companies like Facebook and Google to pay into a system that supports journalism are to blame. Google will pay $100 million and Facebook has opted out and blocked Canadian media. Assuming a new Conservative government ends these bills and dissolves the the CBC and allows CTV, Global and others to drop all news in favour of U.S. programming, what will we actually have in Canada? In all likelihood, no Canadian programming at all in news, sports, music, drama, comedy or weather. 

It is highly probable that the Canadian companies would ask to be sold to U.S. or international players since their argument is their is no economic basis for anything Canadian to exist. Is Canada economically not viable? In our quest to have products from all over the world in Canada including cultural, does this mean Canada really produce anything that Canadians and the rest of the world wouldn't like?

It should be pointed out that all over the world, digital giants are changing every cultural industry. Companies are merging over and over again, often to the detriment of workers, other industries and countries themselves. Monopolies have been broken up over the decades because by their very nature they are not competitive. In some cases they are anti-democratic. There likely would not have been an Internet as we know if AT&T had not been broken up.

CTV wants out of the news business. In two years they have cut nearly 10,000 workers. If capitalism can't be part of the grand bargain of providing a public service then government has no choice but to intervene. It goes back to the point above about whether there is a business case for Canada's very existence. And if there is, what is the consensus on that?

For the government, the question is how to support journalism without it becoming state journalism? If it is radio or TV, listen to or watch it. The advertisers will support it without you having to pay for it. If you can afford it, subscribe to a newspaper or magazine. The government can support directly or indirectly. Directly, by money to media or indirectly by tax supports to advertisers to buy ads locally.

Winnipeg is lucky in that it has one of the last large independent newspapers in the country in the Free Press. They have at least one reporter travel with the Jets and the Bombers which is now unusual in Canada. Sadly, they don't have an Ottawa-based journalist now. The Winnipeg Sun makes it a two newspaper town. The city has a digital news service with ChrisD.ca. There are a number of ethnic newspapers. CJOB remains largely a news, sports and information station. CBC Radio and Television have fair sized newsrooms. CTV has quite a few reporters in Winnipeg although they no longer cover sports or have a national correspondent. Global and City have smaller units but do their part on covering the city. And let's not forget the APTN News team based in Winnipeg. The Athletic has a Winnipeg-based NHL reporter.

The podcasts from sports to news such as Illegal Curve, Hustler's Winnipeg Sportscast, The Great Canadian Talk Show are covering Winnipeg in detail. All of those reporters once worked in radio in Winnipeg. There are a few music podcasts as well. And Tik Tok has a few influencers out there who cover things in the city.

However, where do young people get their news? When it comes to local stuff, it seems probably Tik Tok. Or other social media such as Discord, Telegram, Instagram or many others. Those social media sites can be hit and miss and for those that do have news in them, they probably source it from other news gatherers and only do a little research themselves on it or express an opinion on it. While this is useful and interesting, it may put you in algorithm that reinforces that point of view.  It is hard to know what is true since deep fakes in music, politics seem to be first tested out on social media. And now AI has got everyone scared since it can cause outright harm equivalent to shouting fire in a crowded movie theatre.

CTV's cuts hurt when the level of talent, loss of regional and international correspondents and variety of areas journalists cover is taken into consideration. I like a number of choices for news and information. But how do we ensure Canadian voices get heard and how do you monetize it? Most of the industrialized nations have some form of public broadcasting support. Even NPR and PBS in the U.S. receive over a billion in direct federal support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The support rises if the 100% tax-free savings donors get from their donations by the U.S. government is counted. Even Manitobans donating to Prairie Public (Manitoba) receive a tax deduction although many other jurisdictions of Canada have lost that ability. About 1/4 of Prairie Public's budget comes from Manitoba. 

The Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre have said they want to end the CBC. They haven't indicated if they support a PBS Canada model either. If they end all public support for CBC, for news of any kind, it is possible we see most if not all radio and TV collapse in Canada? In comparison to 20 other industrial countries, Canada ranks near the bottom for public broadcasting as well as cultural spending. Ending public broadcasting would put Canada below the U.S. is spending.

This could politically backfire for the Conservatives if Canadian media groups become absorbed by U.S. or international interests who might not want to spend money on hockey broadcasts or Canadian Olympic coverage. This isn't a wildly speculative thought. If Bell Media is angling to be sold outside of Canada decisions will be made outside of Canada. ABC/ESPN and Turner  do not cover as much of hockey as Canadian channels do. What happens when there are no Canadian channels? I can't imagine that would be too popular in Canada. 

Bell Media and CTV have to figure out how to turn things around. Becoming a pure play streaming company to escape Canadian regulation seems doubtful if even big companies like Paramount can't make money at it. Seems radio and TV and cable are more profitable by far. And Bell Media knows this because they keep increasing the dividend each year.

Sherbrook Inn and Vendor Closed

The announcement that Sherbook Inn had closed their vendor and lounge in the last weeks has been met by stony silence from the owners. The pawnshop and other businesses located in the building have as much information as the public does. The Tallest Poppy closed sometime ago.

The hotel sits in an area that has seen some spark of business but for decades, it has been the proximity to violence and perhaps even the source of problems in the area. It remains a question of whether parts of the neighbourhood are the problem or the hotel is the problem. Perhaps they feed off each other.

In the 1990s the area was suffering over a good part of the west end. Arson was a major problem as was rooming house murders. The hotel itself was scene of a murder back then and the reputation was a rough one. Since then we have seen part of Sherbrook and Maryland have new housing built, assisted living by the hospital and some new restaurants and shops.

The last few years have seen a return of arsons and nearby there were four people killed in a shooting. In another recent murder, the victim's truck was found in the hotel parking lot. The possible killer died after a police interaction. Drugs and alcohol have always played havoc in Manitoba. The harder drugs are hurting the entire continent. 

The province has been very slow on supporting rehab programs and supportive housing. Mental health supports have been just as challenging. The one thing that people in the West End all seem to agree on is that the Sherbrook Hotel has been scary and despite the efforts of some in the community to put wrestling in and Tallest Poppy, it has gotten worse, not better. 

The Free Press article ripping Sherbrook was one of utter contempt and disgust. The big question is: Will this compel the owners to sell? And if they sold, would it be another hotel operator to own it? At this point, the building may not be worth anything whereas the land might be. There is potential to turn this site into something that might enhance retail on Sherbook as well as provide housing. There have already been a few hosing projects along Sherbrook as well as Maryland that show developers are interesting in investing.

One thing for certain is that each block of an area has to be part of the solution to a vital neighbourhood. If the hotel is a no go zone then whatever success you have near the hotel or across from it is blunted by the feeling of danger.  A hotel by itself doesn't have to be a bad thing. The Osborne Village had at times been a vital part of the business and culture of the area. It remains to be seen whether its demolition and what is coming will contribute to a real street life presence on Osborne. Perhaps with some of the developments down the street, we might see Osborne be reborn again. But the rent for commercial and residential people has to be more sensible.

The backlash against high costs has hit even McDonald's which has taken hits for $3 hash browns in the U.S. The company has declared they will be looking at the affordability issue. This was major news worldwide as the CEO said the complaints have the company looking at this issue. This can be said of so many industries where they have kept increasing prices.

It is always somewhat amazing sometimes that commercial space goes unrented for so long. One of those reasons often is that some owners refuse to sell or bring down the price or subdivide. It will be interesting to see if the owners of the hotel will sell it as a hotel or for the land. Or maybe the wait goes on forever as we sometimes see. 

As with the 1990s, Wolsely is on the edge on either a slide downward or a turn for the better. In the past, a revival of property values, people investing in property and security, a downturn in crime helped west of Maryland become a favoured community to own a house and some businesses thrived. The hotel closure and something new happening on the land might help change things extending down Sherbrook and spread to surrounding streets.

At the moment no one knows what's happening. It can be a slow burn of empty properties just siting and doing nothing. Even on major roads like Portage Avenue it is surprising how many places remain idle year after year. Former hotels have been converted at the Clarion and now the Balmoral for medical visits from the north. By all appearances they seem to be a practical solution for a need that is growing with an aging population. In Minneapolis, some older hotels have been converted for local income housing for those who have been homeless.

The mayor and the premier have both said they want faster solutions to the housing crisis in our region. An old hotel on Sherbrook might be what is needed.

Richardson Family Re-acquires Fairmont Hotel Winnipeg

The Fairmont Hotel Winnipeg was originally the Winnipeg Inn and part of the Richardson family led development of Portage and Main. It was a long delayed grand presence on the corner that the family had held off on till better times. It was striking that the corner had long had a gas station on the site for many years. A testament to just how much a car city we were even at the historic corner.

Between 1968 and 1970 the Richardson building and the then Winnipeg Inn were constructed. One became the tallest office building and headquarters to Richardson operations across the world and the other became one of the grandest hotels in the city.

The buildings are closer together than people realize. And the Richardson family has spent the last number of years improving the outside with public artworks and doing their part to ensure safety on their corner by moving the much feared entrance to the concourse into the secure are of their building.

From 1970 to 2000 the Richardsons owned the hotel but sold it that year. As a private company, it was probably just asset management. In 1996 they had sold Richardson Greenshields to Royal Bank for cash and shares and owning a singular hotel that needed upgrades probably seemed a poor use of resources. Certainly, in 2003, Richardson was back in the brokerage business and it was likely cash heavy as an investment initially. Today, Richardson Financial is a heavyweight again in the industry.

While the hotel might have been sold, the Richardsons invested $10 million back in their concourse connecting to the former Bank of Canada building at 161 Portage. Upgrades went into the building as well.

In 2020, the Richardson Innovation Centre was completed in the middle of the pandemic and really didn't get the big splash it ought to have gotten. The 62,000 square foot building is sleek and modern and the heart of the research and development side of what the company does in agriculture.

The Richardsons have a campus thinking for their area of Portage and Main and having a hotel in the middle of the property that they no longer own did not fit well with that thinking. They have major upgrades planned according to the exec in charge. In fact, they have stated they believe the business case for owning and upgrading makes sense in the post pandemic era.

Given the Free Press story in the last day stating that office workers are going to continue to work hybrid schedules. Local restaurants are saying that Mondays and Fridays are low points. Some of the workers coming in just two days a week are resentful thinking there is no need for coming in any days.

This is likely up to the companies and workers to sort out. If productivity remains good, they might be right. At its high point, the Richardson Building had 3000 people working in it and 150 support staff. It is possible it might have that many people again but it will be a process. One thing is up though and that it is the hotel and convention business and the Fairmont figures to be part of that.

In 2024 the Richardsons seem to want to make a splash in Manitoba. Their foundation has just helped donate 193 acres of peatland in the province this week. This and supporting the arts over the years has ensured vital aspects in Winnipeg and surrounding areas.

In terms of supporting downtown, it is better the Richardsons own the Fairmont than not owning it. The investment talked about is not idle chatter either. This year will have some substantial building and renovations going. It will be difficult to see how it all meshes together. The gaps between projects in terms of space is always problematic. It will be interesting though to see a number of downtown hotels get built or spruced up in the next year.