Winnipeg voters will head to the polls on Oct. 28 for the 2026 municipal election with 12 candidates contending for the mayoral seat. Public transit, safety and affordability are among key issues shaping their campaigns. The Manitoban spoke with four of the candidates about their plans to address issues affecting post-secondary students.
Don Woodstock
Former Winnipeg Transit driver Don Woodstock is running for mayor on a platform built with eight key policy pillars. Following feedback submitted through his website about parking concerns, Woodstock is planning to introduce a $50 flat-rate parking fee for university and college students across Winnipeg.
When asked how he would address rising living costs for students and young people, Woodstock spoke about his plans to re-develop properties across Winnipeg and simplify building permits to increase housing supply. He stated that increasing the number of available homes would help lower rental costs.
Woodstock’s public safety platform emphasizes youth engagement through sports, recreation and community programming. He is planning to increase investment in community centres and re-open them seven days a week. “More sports, less crime,” he said.
“I would love to put Art City on every corner of the inner city,” Woodstock said. He believes the youth need to be more creative and interact with others. “That’s how you solve crime.”
Woodstock also emphasized the importance of engaging young people in municipal decision-making, saying his campaign’s interactive website allows university and college students to share their concerns.
Noah Redden
Noah Redden, a 2022 U of M graduate, is campaigning on improving public transit, addressing homelessness and limiting urban sprawl.
Drawing on his own experience as a student who relied on public transit, Redden proposed introducing dedicated bus lanes and transit priority signals to improve service reliability and reduce travel times.
Redden also proposed a fare-free transit pilot project at the U of M, allowing passengers to board buses without scanning their U-Passes to reduce boarding times.
“Students pay quite a bit each semester for their U-Pass, and I want to make sure they’re getting their money’s worth of that,” he said.
On homelessness and addiction, Redden underlined providing support services and transitional housing rather than relying primarily on policing.
Redden is also planning on making parts of the Exchange District more pedestrian-friendly, particularly Albert and Arthur streets. His plans include repurposing surface parking lots for affordable housing, parks and parkades.
Redden encouraged young people to participate in the Oct. 28 municipal election, highlighting the importance of student voices in local politics.
“Politicians don’t cater to young people because they don’t think they’re going to vote, so this is the time to prove them all wrong,” he said.
Scott Gillingham
Scott Gillingham is seeking re-election. He continues to emphasize on public transit, housing affordability and improving economic opportunities for young Winnipeggers.
Gillingham stressed on the city’s new transit network, which he said intended to improve service frequency along major routes and accommodate a potential transition to light rail in the future.
On housing affordability, Gillingham recalled his administration’s efforts to increase housing supply. He said more homes are needed to accommodate students and residents facing rising living costs.
“Housing is a critical need for students,” Gillingham noted. “A shortage of housing meant that prices were high, so we need more housing at every level.”
Another area of focus for Gillingham is Winnipeg’s aviation, aerospace and defence industries, which he described as the city’s “sky economy,” to create career opportunities for graduates.
“As mayor, I want [university students] to stay in Winnipeg. I want them to build their lives here after they graduate and have rewarding careers,” he said.
Gillingham also shared his vision for a safer, more vibrant downtown, with continued investment in arts, recreation and public infrastructure.
“I want university students to know I’m thinking about them when I make my decisions,” he said.
Christopher Clacio
Christopher Clacio, who is running for public office for the first time, emphasized the importance of representation particularly for young people and communities of colour.
“Representation does truly matter to me,” Clacio said.
To encourage youth participation in municipal government, Clacio proposed introducing a City Hall School program modelled after an existing initiative in Calgary, allowing students to engage with city staff and elected officials.
Clacio expressed support for lowering the municipal voting age to 16 and exploring the creation of a student council within city government.
“Young people will be facing a lot of the issues that generations before have been dealing with, especially climate change, sustainability, food security, artificial intelligence.”
He also mentioned increasing employment opportunities for young people in municipal institutions and encouraging more women to run for public office.
“I truly believe we need more women, and women of colour, to be specific, [in public office],” Clacio said.
Clacio said he hopes his candidacy will encourage more young people and underrepresented communities to participate in municipal politics.
The Manitoban also reached out to the rest of the candidates: Kevin Klein, Brad Gross, Mazher Alam, Mike Vogiatzakis, Umar Hayat, Joshua Pagdato, Johnny Calderon and Tracey Drexler for interviews, but did not receive responses by the publication deadline.
