I remember going to see a movie at Portage Place with my grandma. Before we left, she handed me a penny to toss into the mall’s iconic fountain. I do not remember what I wished for, but I remember how magical it felt to throw that tiny coin and believe, even for a moment, that the future could hold something special. For many Winnipeggers, that was what Portage Place was meant to be — a spark of hope for downtown’s future.
Portage Place opened in 1987 as a downtown revitalization project, but it quickly let down the hopes we Winnipeggers had for it, and by 1994, the mall was already in financial trouble. Since then, a question has been asked — what should we do with Portage Place? There have been near deals and hopeful concepts, but nothing has stuck, until now.
On Sept. 27, it was announced that True North Sports and Entertainment would finalize the purchase of Portage Place mall by the end of the following week. This is the first time Portage Place has been owned by a single entity since the mall opened in the 80s. The company will have complete control. True North will commence a $650 million dollar revitalization project. The renovation will start in 2025 and will be completed by 2028.
The major project will include the involvement of all three levels of government and the collaboration of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO). The development plans include a healthcare tower, a residential housing tower, community centers and retail and food services. The plan paints a picture of a never-before-seen downtown Winnipeg hub for resources and community.
For those who live downtown, the revitalization project sounds like a dream. It will be a part of the solution to what Winnipeggers have been lamenting for years — downtown’s reputation for being unsafe.
Despite previous attempts to use increased policing to reduce crime, we’ve seen violent crime rising in downtown. Funnelling funding into the police budget and increasing police presence has always been a never-ending wormhole that does not result in reduced crime rates. At this point, it has become a well-known politician snake oil.
The project is a hopeful look at what might make a difference — serving the community. Serving the community with health and housing will reduce desperation in downtown residents and, over time, reduce crime.
Other projects are working towards the same goal of serving the downtown community. The Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) has been on the scene since 2020 after receiving $5 million in funding from the province. The DCSP provides a non-emergency response to folks downtown who need support, resources or medical assistance. As a downtown resident, I have called DCSP countless times to check on individuals experiencing distress.
In 2025, we will have our first supervised consumption site (SCS), which will be located downtown. In coordination with addiction counselling at the brand-new Portage Place, funding for a sobering center and essential non-profit resources like MOPS (Sunshine House’s mobile overdose prevention site), we may be seeing a proper address to the opioid crisis in Winnipeg — a harm reduction approach.
Finally, the renovation of the downtown Bay, now owned by the SCO, will include affordable housing, health centers, childcare centers and much more. A soft launch of the renovation is being projected for 2026.
With all these projects, we could see a completely new downtown landscape by the end of 2028.
There’s a concern for the folks who frequented these spots, a local place to meet friends or escape our gruelling winters. Removing spaces, even temporarily, can be a significant concern for citizens who rely on them. It may also put more pressure on neighbouring businesses, who may feel the impact of folks losing their hubs and needing a place to go. It would be nice to see this addressed while we look forward to the long-term benefits.
This remodelling project is more than just improving the shopping experiences of tourists and suburban visitors; this will be a monumental difference for the folks who live and breathe downtown and have for generations. Sure, it will make downtown Jets games feel safer, but it could also change lives and impact future generations.
As I try to control my pessimism from imagining failure, I can not help but think, If I could go back now and toss a penny into the fountain again, I know exactly what I’d wish for. I’d wish for these plans to go off without a hitch and for the revitalization to serve the community as it promises. This time, it’s about more than just a mall — it’s about building something meaningful, not just for visitors, but for the people who live downtown and rely on it every day.
After over 50 years, we might see the revitalizing purpose of Portage Place mall finally come to fruition.
